Simulation analysis of accident delays in utility trenching operations

Abstract

The construction industry has had a disproportionately high rate of accidents, for its size. Although improvements in construction worker safety have been achieved, the construction industry continues to lag behind most other industries with regard to safety. This study, which is one of several studies on accident prevention in the construction industry, identifies the effect of accidents and intends to increase employer and worker awareness of potential hazards in the workplace. In order to measure the effect of accidents, this study adopted a quantitative approach to measuring productivity loss from an accident in terms of a delay in utility trenching operations. The research finding indicates that the increasing rate of productivity loss following accidents is decreasing, although the probability of the occurrence of accidents is consistently increasing, which means that productivity is not lowered as much as the probability of the occurrence of an accident is increased. It is also notable that the backfill activity, which is one of three major activities comprising utility trenching operations, is most vulnerable to productive loss due both to the variations in the probability of the occurrence of accidents and to the extra durations, whereas the pipe installation activity is more sustainable than the other activities. Efforts to identify the effect of accidents on productivity, such as potential productivity loss, may help superintendents make more appropriate decisions regarding safety on-site, thereby balancing accident prevention with productivity.