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Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Digital Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2020) | Viewed by 34784

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Albert P. C. Chan

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Guest Editor

Shenzhen Research Institute, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen 518057, China
Interests: construction engineering; project management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yang Yang

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Construction and Environment, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Occupational health and safety (OHS) is of the primary concerns in the construction industry. With the evolution of digital and information technology, a witnessed trend of deploying smart systems to monitor workers activities, detect risks, issue alerts, and prevent accidents automatically has emerged in the construction industry. Efforts have been made by industry practitioners and researchers to continually improve these technologies, and there is a great potential for a wide implementation of smart technologies for promoting OHS of construction workers.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to demonstrate the cutting-edge innovations of smart technologies and present its implementation and practical solutions to improve OHS in the construction sector. It aims to bring this knowledge to the broadest possible audience and accelerate knowledge transfer for smart technologies in reality.

This Special Issue on "Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction" is dedicated to recent advances in research and development of artificial intelligence (AI), information and communication technology (ICT), visualization technology, imaging and sensing technology, Internet of Things (IoT), and so on. These technologies are not only able tomonitor safety and health hazards but also make active and immediate interventions.

The special Issue invites both technical and review papers that make an empirical and theoretical contribution to facilitating the effective implementation of smart OSH technologies in practice. For technical papers, the developed smart technologies should be presented in a rigorous scientific manner with emphasis on robust testing and validation methodologies (e.g., laboratory experiment, numerical modelling, computer simulation, case study, field test). At the same time, practical solutions and realization of smart technologies, intended to be of interest to construction practitioners and companies, should also be explored. For review papers, a holistic review methodology should be adopted, and the needs for carrying out these studies should be well addressed. The contribution of the studies to both theoretical and practical aspects should be highlighted.

This Special Issue is directed at any aspects of smart technologies that can enhance the safety and health of construction workers. Topics may include but are not limited to:

Wearable devices monitoring the behavior, activity or performance;
Pattern recognition in individual mobility and activity;
Digital design for safety;
Visualization technology identifying unsafe activities/operations;
Automatic hazard detection and preventive action;
Proximity avoidance systems;
Smart safety planning;
Application of BIM in safety performance tracking;
Integration of different smart technologies;
Impacts of smart technologies on changing workers attitudes and behaviors.

Prof. Dr. Albert P. C. Chan
Dr. Yang Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 2036 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Decision Method for Construction Safety Risk Management Based on Ontology and Improved CBR: Example of a Subway Project

by Xiaoyan Jiang, Sai Wang, Jie Wang, Sainan Lyu and Martin Skitmore

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(11), 3928; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113928 - 01 Jun 2020

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4558

Abstract

Early decision-making and the prevention of construction safety risks are very important for the safety, quality, and cost of construction projects. In the field of construction safety risk management, in the face of a loose, chaotic, and huge information environments, how to design an efficient construction safety risk management decision support method has long been the focus of academic research. An effective approach to safety management is to structuralize safety risk knowledge, then identify and reuse it, and establish a scientific and systematic construction safety risk management decision system. Based on ontology and improved case-based reasoning (CBR) methods, this paper proposes a decision-making approach for construction safety risk management in which the reasoning process is improved by integrating a similarity algorithm and correlation algorithm. Compared to the traditional CBR approach in which only the similarity of information is considered, this method can avoid missing important correlated information by making inferences from multiple sources of information. Finally, the method is applied to the safety risks of subway construction for verification to show that the method is effective and easy to implement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction)

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22 pages, 2748 KiB

Open AccessArticle

4D-BIM-Based Workspace Planning for Temporary Safety Facilities in Construction SMEs

by Kieu-Trang Pham, Duc-Nghia Vu, Phuc Le Hieu Hong and Chansik Park

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(10), 3403; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103403 - 13 May 2020

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 5212

Abstract

Temporary safety facilities (TSFs) are an essential support system providing necessary protection to workers during construction activities, which are targeted towards preventing the occurrence of incidents and accidents at the construction site; however, the schedule and location of installation and demolition of TSFs continue to rely on labor experience, and are often omitted from formal drawings or documents. This results in thousands of accidents in the construction industry, especially in construction small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) because of their several limiting factors; therefore, this study proposes automatic workspace planning for TSFs based on construction activities, which is a systematized approach for construction SMEs to practice occupational health and safety (OHS). By using building information modeling (BIM) and add-in algorithm, safety facilities can be simulated and visualized to integrate into the designated workspace. The developed system was implemented utilizing 4D-BIM for TSFs installation and validated with a case study on a residential building project. The result revealed that the visualized TSF produces a better understanding of safety measures with regard to project schedule. Additionally, TSFs workspace planning provides an affordable approach that motivates safety practices among the SMEs; consequently, the effectiveness of construction safety measures and their management is enhanced appreciably. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction)

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25 pages, 9493 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Ultra Wide Band Real-Time Location System on Construction Jobsites: Feasibility Study and Deployment Alternatives

by Waleed Umer and Mohsin K. Siddiqui

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(7), 2219; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072219 - 26 Mar 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2356

Abstract

Ultra wide band (UWB)-based real-time location systems (RTLSs) have been widely adopted in the manufacturing industry for tracking tools, materials, and ensuring safety. Researchers in the construction domain have investigated similar uses for UWB-based RTLSs on construction jobsites. However, most of these investigations comprised small-scale experiments using average accuracy only to demonstrate use cases for the technology. Furthermore, they did not consider alternative deployment scenarios for practically feasible deployment of the technology. To overcome these limitations, a series of experiments were performed to study the feasibility of a commercially available RTLS on the construction jobsites. The focus of the work was on feasibility in terms of accuracy analysis of the system for a large experimental site, the level of effort requirements for deployment, and the impact of deployment alternatives on the accuracy of the system. The results found that average accuracy was found to be a misleading indicator of the perceived system performance (i.e., 95th percentile values were considerably higher than average values). Moreover, accuracy is significantly affected by the deployment alternatives. Collectively, the results arising from the study could help construction/safety managers in decision making related to the deployment of UWB-based RTLSs for their construction sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction)

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24 pages, 1612 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Work–Family Conflict and Job Outcomes for Construction Professionals: The Mediating Role of Affective Organizational Commitment

by Jiming Cao, Cong Liu, Guangdong Wu, Xianbo Zhao and Zhou Jiang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(4), 1443; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041443 - 24 Feb 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6966

Abstract

This study developed and tested a model, which involves the effects of work–family conflicts on job satisfaction and job performance of construction professionals, with a focus on the mediating role of affective organizational commitment. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted among construction professionals in China, resulting in 317 valid responses. The results, generated from structural equation modelling, revealed two interrelated dimensions of work-family conflicts, work’s interfering with family life and family life’s interfering with work. We found these two types of work-family conflicts directly, negatively affected affective organizational commitments and job satisfaction but not job performance. Additionally, affective organizational commitment positively affected job satisfaction and job performance, and mediated the effects of work–family conflicts on job satisfaction. This study advances our understanding of how or why work–family conflicts produce dysfunctional effects on employees’ job outcomes in the context of construction projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction)

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15 pages, 3654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Smart Glasses-Based Personnel Proximity Warning System for Improving Pedestrian Safety in Construction and Mining Sites

by Jieun Baek and Yosoon Choi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(4), 1422; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041422 - 22 Feb 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5520

Abstract

A smart glasses-based wearable personnel proximity warning system (PWS) was developed for pedestrian safety in construction and mining sites. The smart glasses receive signals transmitted by Bluetooth beacons attached to heavy equipment or vehicles, with the proximity determined by the signal strength. A visual alert is displayed to the wearer when in close proximity. The media access control address of the Bluetooth beacon provides information on the approaching equipment or vehicle, which is displayed to the wearer so that they can respond appropriately. There was a detection distance of at least 10 m regardless of the direction the pedestrian was looking and the alert was successful in all 40 trials at ≥10 meters. The subjective workload was evaluated using the NASA task load index on ten subjects, either without a personal PWS, with a smartphone-based PWS, or with the smart glasses-based PWS. The mental, temporal, and physical stresses were lowest when using the smart glasses-based PWS. Smart glasses-based PWSs can improve work efficiency by freeing both hands of the pedestrians, and various functions can be supported through application development. Therefore, they are particularly useful for pedestrian safety in construction and mining sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction)

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Review

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14 pages, 449 KiB

Open AccessReview

Scoping Review of EEG Studies in Construction Safety

by Yamei Zhang, Mingyi Zhang and Qun Fang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(21), 4146; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214146 - 28 Oct 2019

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3607

Abstract

Construction safety is critical in the success of a project. A considerable amount of effort has been placed on research and practice in order to reduce the potential risks on the construction site. Recent application of electroencephalogram (EEG) to construction research enables researchers to gain insight into construction workers’ physical and mental status during construction tasks. By summarizing existing studies that involve EEG and construction safety, the literature review aims to provide practical suggestions for future research and on-site safety management. The literature search and inclusion process included eleven eligible studies. Comprehensive analysis was conducted based on primary and secondary measures. The primary measures considered the frequency bands of EEG and the channels for detecting electrical activity of the brain. The secondary measures that were involved with physical and mental status with respect to EEG signal variations as a result of task, working hour, and work conditions. Although the field of study that combines EEG measures with construction tasks is still emerging, it is worth continuous attention in the future, as relevant findings would be of great value to the safety management and risk control in the construction industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction)

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13 pages, 1773 KiB

Open AccessReview

BIM-Based Visualization Research in the Construction Industry: A Network Analysis

by Zezhou Wu, Changhong Chen, Yuzhu Cai, Chen Lu, Hao Wang and Tao Yu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(18), 3473; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16183473 - 18 Sep 2019

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 5818

Abstract

Visualization is one of the main features of Building Information Modeling (BIM). It has many advantages throughout the lifecycle of a construction project, and it has become a timely research topic in recent years. However, no attempt has been made to give a holistic understanding of the existing BIM-based visualization research status. Thus, this study aims to conduct a scientometric analysis of the existing BIM-based visualization literature and to gain a snapshot of the research status during the period 2010–2019. A total of 255 articles were abstracted from the Scopus database. Then, the VOSviewer program was employed to visualize the research status from the perspectives of scholars, countries/regions, journals, articles, and co-occurring keywords. Results revealed that Wang X. published the greatest number of articles, while Cheng J.C.P. received the greatest average normalized citations. Furthermore, Automation in Construction was identified as the most influential journal and the article “Building information modeling (BIM): trends, benefits, risks, and challenges for the AEC industry” was the most cited paper. Through the keywords co-occurrence analysis, “virtual reality” and “visual programming language” were identified as the emerging themes in this field. The research findings can provide both researchers and practitioners with a better understanding of the status quo and trends of the BIM-based visualization research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development of Smart Technologies to Enhance Health and Safety in Construction)

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