Struck-by fatalities in construction: A systematic review of regulatory roles, responsibilities, and research gaps

Construction struck-by fatalities involving heavy equipment and vehicles have remained high over the past decade, despite comprehensive OSHA and ANSI/ASSP authoritative frameworks that define specific safety roles and responsibilities for employers, supervisors, and workers. This systematic literature review examined how current research covers the safety roles and responsibilities outlined in authoritative standards for struck-by prevention.

Following PRISMA guidelines, this study reviewed 87 peer-reviewed studies published between 2011 and 2024 from major databases including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore. Studies were evaluated using binary coding to determine coverage of seven construction safety roles and six responsibility categories derived from OSHA 29 CFR 1926 and ANSI/ASSP A10.47-2021 standards.

The results show that only 26% of potential role instances and 51% of responsibility instances were substantively addressed. A three-tier pattern emerged where high-focus roles (General Laborer 33%, Equipment Operator 25%, Employer/Manager 19%) dominated research attention, while critical frontline positions received minimal coverage (Spotter 4%, Crane Crew 4%, Crane A/D Director 3%, Traffic Control Supervisor 2%). Three methodological approaches, Incident Database Analysis, Proximity Sensors, and Digital Site Mapping, accounted for 77% of all studies.

This study contributes to current knowledge by revealing a significant disconnect between research and standards in struck-by prevention, where essential safety roles integral to authoritative frameworks remains understudied in academic literature.

The findings highlight the need for an integrated research agenda that bridges authoritative requirements with operational practice and expands methodological diversity to capture the full complexity of struck-by prevention.