Syed Shafahaduddin Quadri,
Abstract
The construction industry remains one of the most hazardous sectors of the global economy,
consistently reporting disproportionate rates of fatal and non-fatal injuries relative to its share of
employment. Over the past two decades, research on construction safety has expanded from
traditional accident statistics and compliance-based approaches toward a more holistic
understanding of safety performance, safety culture and climate, safety leadership, and the growing
role of digital technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), wearable sensors, virtual
reality (VR), and computer vision. This paper presents a literature review of twenty peer-reviewed
studies published in leading construction, safety, and engineering management journals, including
Safety Science, Automation in Construction, the Journal of Construction Engineering and
Management, Construction Management and Economics, the Journal of Applied Psychology, and
other well-regarded outlets. The review synthesizes findings across seven thematic areas: safety
performance conceptualization and measurement, safety culture and climate, safety management
systems and leading indicators, safety leadership, BIM-enabled safety risk management, wearable
and IoT-based monitoring, and immersive and AI-based training and detection technologies. The
review finds that while measurement and management frameworks have matured considerably,
persistent gaps remain in standardizing definitions, integrating human and technological factors, and
translating digital innovations into consistent field-level safety outcomes, particularly in developing-
country contexts. The paper concludes by outlining directions for future research aimed at closing
these gaps.
Keywords: Construction safety, safety climate, safety leadership, safety management systems, Building Information Modeling, wearable sensors, virtual reality training, computer vision, occupational health and safety.
[This article belongs to Journal of Industrial Safety Engineering ]
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Journal of Industrial Safety Engineering
| Volume | 13 | |
| Issue | 02 | |
| Received | 26/07/2026 | |
| Accepted | 27/07/2026 | |
| Published | 29/07/2026 | |
| Publication Time | 3 Days |