Identification of the Root Causes of Construction Accidents: Method-Related Causes

Abstract

Safety in construction is a problem that has been gaining increased attention in recent years. Although lots of research is being done to address different aspects of improving safety, the challenge remains in narrowing the focus by identifying specific problems. This study attempts to find problems in safety by collecting data from construction sites and performing an analysis. The data collection involved obtaining 205 incident investigation reports from a number of refinery and thermal power plant sites that belonged to the same contracting firm. Out of the 205 incidents, 120 were attributed to root causes that were method related. A software model is proposed, with the aim to reduce a considerable amount of effort and time spent writing method statements. Very few activities are covered, and the most important advantage is that the method statement can be implemented more efficiently with accurate data, design and accessibility within the standards.