Acknowledgement
This research was funded, in part, by the US Department of Defense (Grant number: W81XWH2010030).
International conference on construction engineering and project management (국제학술발표논문집)
- 2022.06a
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- Pages.450-457
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- 2022
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- 2508-9048(eISSN)
The Impact of Fatigue on Hazard Recognition: An Objective Pilot Study
- Ibrahim, Abdullahi (Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama) ;
- Okpala, Ifeanyi (Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama) ;
- Nnaji, Chukwuma (Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama) ;
- Namian, Mostafa (Department of Construction Management, East Carolina University) ;
- Koh, Amanda (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama)
- Published : 2022.06.20
Abstract
The construction industry is demanding, dynamic, and complex making it difficult for workers to recognize hazards. The nature of construction tasks exposes workers to several critical risk factors, such as a high rate of exertion and fatigue. Recent studies suggest that fatigue may impact hazard recognition in the construction industry. However, most studies rely on subjective measures when assessing the relationship between physical fatigue and hazard recognition, limiting such studies' efficacy. Thus, this study examined the relationship between physical fatigue and hazard recognition using a controlled experiment. Worker fatigue levels were captured using physiological data and a subjective exertion scale. The findings confirmed that physical exertion plays a significant role in hazard recognition skills (p < 0.05). This research contributes to theory and practice by providing a process for objectively assessing the influence of physical fatigue on worker safety and providing construction professionals with some critical insight needed to improve workplace safety.