Project Safety Management Research Articles

Sensitivity analysis of structural health risk in operational tunnels

Abstract During the operation of metro tunnels, structural performance could inevitably degrade due to the combined effects of the stochastic and disadvantageous environment. In order to reduce the randomness and uncertainty underlying the structural safety risk analysis in operational tunnels, this paper develops a novel hybrid approach to perform global sensitivity analysis. The deterministic and stochastic finite element (FE) model is used to develop the approximate relationship between input and output parameters with a high level of accuracy. Based on the simulated data from an FE model, a meta-model is constructed by a built Particle Swarm Optimization-Least Square Support Vector Machine (PSO-LSSVM) model. In this research, 10,000 groups of data are generated by the built PSO-LSSVM model, which provides data support for the global sensitivity analysis through Extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (EFAST). The input variables with a high global sensitivity are identified as crucial variables which should be well controlled and managed during tunnel operation. A Hankou-Fanhu (H-F) tunnel section in the Wuhan metro system is utilized as a case study to verify the applicability of the proposed approach. Global sensitivity analysis enables the reduction of the epistemic uncertainty in tunnel structural safety management, providing insight into a better understanding of (1) the input-output causal relationships of the structural safety risk in operational tunnels, (2) the reduction of the epistemic uncertainty in project safety management of operational tunnels.

A tri-objective ant colony optimization based model for planning safe construction site layout

Abstract Realizing safety improvements in construction site layout planning (CSLP) is vitally important to construction project safety management. Unlike previous studies in which the safety objective is built without detailed risk factors analysis, this study transforms CSLP into a multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem with designing two safety objective functions due to facility safety relationships (potential risks arising from interaction flows) and geographic safety relationship (potential risks arising from hazardous sources) from the holistic interpretation of interaction relationship connecting temporary facilities. Besides, a supplementary cost reduction objective function was also derived as cost is a critical barrier against safety improvement. Subsequently, a tri-objective ant colony optimization based model was developed to solve MOO problem. Finally, a case study is used to verify the proposed model. The study enriches safety implications by considering onsite safety issues from interaction relationship and enhances site safety of CSLP in the pre-construction stage.

Measuring Project Management Performance: Case of Construction Industry

This study develops construction-specific determinants and indicators of project management performance based on the 14 knowledge areas of the project management body of knowledge guide. Interrelations among the knowledge areas and influence of these factors on performance are investigated. Data collected from 121 construction projects are analyzed using structural equation modeling. Research findings suggest that project integration, communications, safety, risk, human resources, financial, and cost management have a direct impact, whereas scope and time management have an indirect effect on performance. The findings reported in this study are expected to help construction project managers devise and implement strategies and develop actions to improve project success. An engineering manager can use the framework developed in this research to define the underlying factors of efficient project management practices.

Roles of owners' leadership in construction safety: The case of high-speed railway construction projects in China

Owners' role in project safety improvement is drawing increasing attention in the academia. Their greatest leverage is the leadership to influence safety perception, motivation and behavior of other stakeholders. However, previous studies have not paid enough attention to owners' leadership and its impacting mechanisms, nor have they identified effective leadership behaviors related to high safety performance. This paper seeks to present a comprehensive interpretation of owners' role in construction safety by identifying their effective leadership practices and specific managerial measures. A case study was undertaken on Chinese high-speed railway construction projects currently undergoing significant safety improvement thanks to their owner's commitment to safety. The ethnographic research method was applied to collect empirical data, i.e. the owner's safety leadership and management practices. Based on grounded theory, four categories of safety leadership practices were identified to interpret what types of leaders are required in construction projects. Four safety managerial chains driven by safety leadership were synthesized. They give insights into the measures which owners can implement to improve construction safety. Concrete and specific measures were explored for construction owners, especially those in developing countries, to enhance their safety leadership and management. These findings can be used by construction owners to improve their safety leadership and reinforce their involvement in project safety management, especially when their industry is facing significant safety challenges and demanding transformational development.

Hydraulic Construction Project Safety Management: A Human Side Perspective

Through analyzing the causes of safety accidents in hydraulic construction projects, this article argues that the main direct causes of safety accidents are working against regulation, commanding against regulation and ineffective technical countermeasures. However, the deep reasons are mainly human side factors: people are usually hard to keep absolute consciousness within eight working hours, and generally have such mental inclinations as subjective assuming, trying fortune, energy-saving, rebellion, etc. So, for hydraulic construction project safety management, taking account of human side factors and implementing corresponding countermeasures are fundamental.

Risk Assessment and Preliminary Study of Safety Management System on Construction Works

In recent years, the construction industry has flourished in China. Through investigating construction safety accident data of one city and combing with engineering construction site, construction works risk control system was built. We used fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to access the risk of the factors and made a conclusion that the safety management and construction conditions should be primarily controlled in construction works. Finally, a preliminary study was done about Construction Project Safety Management System.

Designers’ Role in Construction Safety Management in Design Stage

It is necessary for the whole project stakeholders to improve the level of construction safety management, which includes the owner, designer, contractor, construction supervisor, government regulators and other parties. With respect to the research about construction project safety, existing literatures mainly consider about contractor, construction supervisor and other parties. However, Design stage is the key point of affecting the construction safety management and more attention should be paid. Design stage provides the basis to control the project safety risks in construction stage. Aiming to give better play for designers in construction safety management, this paper probed project safety management system, suggested the approach of designer roles in construction project safety management, analyzed the challenges if designer took part in construction safety management, and gave some countermeasures on how to take advantage of the designer in improving the level of construction safety.

Safety considerations during different stages of a project life cycle in the manufacturing industry

At sites with multiple employers, efficient safety management is essential to ensure safety for both customers and providers. However, implementing effective safety management is challenging, particularly for companies that provide services. Provider companies encounter difficulties managing the safety of service projects for many reasons, including the variety of customers and changes in work environment. Proper preparation and integration of safety into the different project life cycle stages improves safety, but the topic has not received much attention to date. This article discusses the integration of safety considerations into service projects. Material was collected from Finnish manufacturing companies via interviews and a questionnaire. The results show that systematic methods for developing and producing services have not been adopted in the provider companies, but these are often implemented as a result of practical experience. On the other hand, providers and customers both believed that safety is taken into account during different stages of a given service project—safety issues were to some extent taken into account during the tendering and contract stages of a project, and preventive safety measures were commonly implemented during the delivery of services. However, safety performance often was not evaluated after completion of work. For this reason, companies may not have an accurate estimation of each other's safety performance in these types of multi-employer situations. The results of this study can be used in provider organizations to help systematize safety considerations during service projects and to focus efforts on the most essential points of service project safety management.

Safety Risk Assessment of Highway Special Maintenance Project Based on BP Neural Network

16 items of assessment indexes are selected to build up the safety risk assessment index system of special maintenance project according to the construction safety characteristics of highway special maintenance project, based on which, the safety risk assessment model of special maintenance project based on BP neural network is brought forward. The assessment model has been trained, checked and analyzed through example and it turns out that the effective safety risk assessment of highway special maintenance project can be calculated based on this model, which also supplies decision-making basis for the project safety management.

Relational approach in managing construction project safety: A social capital perspective

Existing initiatives in the management of construction project safety are largely based on normative compliance and error prevention, a risk management approach. Although advantageous, these approaches are not wholly successful in further lowering accident rates. A major limitation lies with the approaches’ lack of emphasis on the social and team processes inherent in construction project settings. We advance the enquiry by invoking the concept of social capital and project organisational processes, and their impacts on project safety performance. Because social capital is a primordial concept and affects project participants’ interactions, its impact on project safety performance is hypothesised to be indirect, i.e. the impact of social capital on safety performance is mediated by organisational processes in adaptation and cooperation. A questionnaire survey was conducted within Hong Kong construction industry to test the hypotheses. 376 usable responses were received and used for analyses. The results reveal that, while the structural dimension is not significant, the mediational thesis is generally supported with the cognitive and relational dimensions affecting project participants’ adaptation and cooperation, and the latter two processes affect safety performance. However, the cognitive dimension also directly affects safety performance. The implications of these results for project safety management are discussed.

On treatment of uncertainty in system planning

In system planning and operation considerable efforts and resources are spent to reduce uncertainties, as a part of project management, uncertainty management and safety management. The basic idea seems to be that uncertainties are purely negative and should be reduced. In this paper we challenge this way of thinking, using a common industry practice as an example. In accordance with this industry practice, three uncertainty interval categories are used: ±40% intervals for the feasibility phase, ±30% intervals for the concept development phase and ±20% intervals for the engineering phase. The problem is that such a regime could easily lead to a conservative management regime encouraging the use of existing methods and tools, as new activities and novel solutions and arrangements necessarily mean increased uncertainties. In the paper we suggest an alternative approach based on uncertainty and risk descriptions, but having no predefined uncertainty reduction structures. The approach makes use of risk assessments and economic optimisation tools such as the expected net present value, but acknowledges the need for broad risk management processes which extend beyond the analyses. Different concerns need to be balanced, including economic aspects, uncertainties and risk, and practicability.

Safety Hazard Identification on Construction Projects

Hazard identification is fundamental to construction safety management; unidentified hazards present the most unmanageable risks. This paper presents an investigation indicating the current levels of hazard identification on three U.K. construction projects. A maximum of only 6.7% of the method statements analyzed on these projects managed to identify all of the hazards that should have been identified, based upon current knowledge. Maximum hazard identification levels were found to be 0.899 (89.9%) for a construction project within the nuclear industry, 0.728 (72.8%) for a project within the railway industry, and 0.665 (66.5%) for a project within both the railway and general construction industry sector. The results indicate that hazard identification levels are far from ideal. A discussion on the reasons for low hazard identification levels indicates key barriers. This leads to the presentation of an Information Technology (IT) tool for construction project safety management (Total-Safety) and, in particular, a module within Total-Safety designed to help construction personnel develop method statements with improved levels of hazard identification.

Construction safety management: an exploratory study from China

This paper aims at presenting the analysis of the views of construction participants in China’s construction industry on three major site safety issues. First, data from three distinctive roles (project managers, safety officers, and foremen) on site safety knowledge were analysed. Results indicate that they have low levels of safety knowledge. This is consistent with the existing literature, implying that safety training and education is a major issue around the world. In addition, the views of project managers and safety officers are further elicited on the second issue (that is, factors affecting site safety) and the third issue (that is, methods for improving project safety management). Results indicate that both parties have quite consistent views. The six most important factors are “lack of attention to safety protection by workers”, “lack of attention to safety management by main contractors/project managers”, “insufficient safety training”, “inadequate safety level”, “tiredness of workers”, and “poor quality of construction materials and equipments”. The five most promising methods are “increase in safety investment in terms of manpower, capital and finance”, “improvement in safety operations”, “no alcohol at work”, “increase in safety training and education for workers”, and “increase in safety inspection”. Discussions are given in this paper.

Safety Programs and The Construction Manager

Safety and the coordination of safety programs have traditionally been the responsibility of the general contractor. The overall general contractor direction and coordination of safety programs is not possible in the multiple prime contract environment of construction management. With the construction management form of project management the owner has increased contact with the prime contractors and, therefore, greater liability for directing or coordinating safety programs. The construction manager, while not in a direct contract relationship with the contractor, acts for the owner relative to project management and assumes some professional liability for project safety management. The nature of this relationship to safety is not well understood by construction managers and indicates that information relevant to the function of the construction manager in safety programs has not been consolidated. This paper identifies how the owner's liability for safety is developed through the contract documents and ...