Safety management in the construction industry: Bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Despite the continuous improvement of safety standards in the construction industry, this sphere remains one of the most hazardous sectors, and safety management is becoming a crucial determinant of effective operation at construction sites. The aim of this study is to identify the essential contextual, evolutionary-chronological, and geographical-industrial scientific landscape of the development of safety management in the construction industry through comprehensive bibliometric analysis. More than 15,000 articles indexed by Scopus from around the world from 2000 to 2023 were analyzed using the VOSviewer tool, filtered by keywords such as “construction,” “safety,” and “management.” The research revealed the intensification of publishing activity since 2012 (with peak growth in 2012, 2020, and 2022). The leading scientists are from China, the United States, and the United Kingdom (e.g., Chinese scientists make up 26.1% of all scholars). The majority of papers are in the field of engineering. Priority areas of research include safety climate, safety behavior, and building information modeling. The closest connections of construction safety management are with the study of professional risks, safety techniques, and quality control. The evolution of research focuses on “human health and safety-risks-digital security systems.” In general, the findings of this study provide a foundation for future research aimed at enhancing safety management in the construction field, potentially increasing worker protection and technical operational efficiency.