Identifying Root Causes of Construction Accidents

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Construction accident investigation techniques and reporting systems idt:ntify what type of acci-dents {>ccur and how they occurred. Unfortunately, they do not properly address why the accident occurred by identifying possible root causes, which is only possible by complementing these techniques with theories of accident causation and theories of human error. The uniqueness of the construction industry dictates the need to tailor man} of the contemporary accident causation model~; and human error theorics. Tl1is paper prl'sents an accident root causes tracing model (ARCTM) tailored to tht: nceds of the construction industry. ARCTM proposes that a~cidents occur due to three root causes: (I) Failing to identify an unsafe col1dition that existed before an a~tivit} was started or that dc','eluped after un activity wa;, started; (2) ueciding to pro..eed with a work a':tiv:ty after the worker identifies an existing unsafe condition; and (3) deciding to act unsafe regardless of initial conditions of the work environment. In addition, ARCTM emphasizes the need to determine how unsafe con-ditions exist before or develop after an activity is started and proposes that these unsafe conditions are due to four causes: (I) Management actions/inactions; (2) unsafe acts of worker or coworker; (3) non-human-related event(s); (4) an unsafe condition that is a natural part of the initial construction site conditions. Thus, ARCTM acknowledges the possible contribution of both management and labor to the accident process. This perspective helps in better explaining accidents on construction sites and in identifying areas where prevention efforts should