Investigation of Accidents in Construction Projects Based on Human Factors: A Systematic Literature Review

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The construction project industry is one of the sectors with a particularly high risk of occupational accidents, even though workers are considered valuable assets that must be safeguarded to ensure project sustainability. The implementation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is therefore critical for achieving the vision of zero accidents and sustaining productivity in construction projects. According to the Employment Social Security Agency (BPJS), 360,635 accidents were recorded in Indonesia in 2023, representing an 11.07% increase compared with the previous year, underlining the urgency of addressing this issue. This study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA protocol to examine how human factors contribute to construction accidents. A total of 28 relevant Scopus-indexed articles published between 2021 and 2024 were reviewed. The findings highlight twelve key human-factor variables, such as regulatory requirements, design for safety, corporate culture, safety and health management, preplanning, management and supervision, training, operational equipment, safety equipment and PPE, safety awareness, environmental conditions, and workers’ skills. The analysis further reveals methodological patterns, including the growing application of Bayesian Belief Networks (BBN) for accident investigation. This study contributes by synthesising current knowledge, identifying research gaps, and providing directions for integrating human factors with emerging construction technologies to enhance future accident prevention strategies.

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Engineering Headway (Volume 39)

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271-283

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July 2026

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© 2026 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

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