Construction Accident Factors That Can Be Addressed During the Design Phase

Farooq, Abdul Rahman (2025) Construction Accident Factors That Can Be Addressed During the Design Phase. Doctoral thesis (PhD), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

The construction industry experiences accidents at alarmingly high rates, recording the highest fatality rate and the second-highest injury rate among all UK industries as of 2023. Substantial efforts have been directed towards reducing accidents and improving safety. A critical focus is the design phase of construction projects, which holds significant potential to reduce accidents in subsequent phases. This study aimed to identify factors leading to construction accidents that can be moderated during the design phase and the extent of designer influence over these causes. A quantitative survey and qualitative interviews were conducted with construction industry participants worldwide. A total of 298 participants from 46 countries responded to the survey, and six engaged in qualitative interviews. The findings identified five causal variables of accidents that designers can influence during the design phase: the permanent structure, temporary structure, building equipment, building materials, and site environment. However, Qualitative findings further reveal that designers do not exert equal influence over these areas. They have the strongest influence on the permanent structure and building materials, moderate influence on the temporary structure and site environment, and the least influence on building equipment. Content analysis revealed weaknesses in Construction Hazard Prevention through Design (CHPtD) methods and identified eleven challenges faced by designers. These include insufficient consideration of the project’s full life cycle, limited involvement of other stakeholders in design decisions, and inadequate site experience and safety knowledge among designers -all of which hinder effective CHPtD implementation-. The findings underscore the critical role of designers in mitigating construction hazards and highlight the need for targeted interventions to enhance their impact on accident prevention. This study contributes to the field by identifying five key variables and illustrating the degree of influence designers have on each. These insights could improve training for designers on site-specific safety considerations and promote collaboration among stakeholders, making CHPtD more effective, ultimately reducing construction-related accidents and improving overall industry safety.