Applications of Computer Vision in Monitoring the Unsafe Behavior of Construction Workers: Current Status and Challenges

Abstract

The unsafe behavior of construction workers is one of the main causes of safety accidents at construction sites. To reduce the incidence of construction accidents and improve the safety performance of construction projects, there is a need to identify risky factors by monitoring the behavior of construction workers. Computer vision (CV) technology, which is a powerful and automated tool used for extracting images and video information from construction sites, has been recognized and adopted as an effective construction site monitoring technology for the identification of risky factors resulting from the unsafe behavior of construction workers. In this article, we introduce the research background of this field and conduct a systematic statistical analysis of the relevant literature in this field through the bibliometric analysis method. Thereafter, we adopt a content-based analysis method to depict the historical explorations in the field. On this basis, the limitations and challenges in this field are identified, and future research directions are proposed. It is found that CV technology can effectively monitor the unsafe behaviors of construction workers. The research findings can enhance people’s understanding of construction safety management.

Impacts of COVID-19 on construction project management: a life cycle perspective

“…Zhou et al. (2020) and Liu et al. (2021) found that rapid construction projects benefit from unique modular design, concerted work of workers and a range of advanced technologies such as BIM, modular construction, 5G communication and computer vision technology, which can be applied to targeted interventions of construction project risks and improve the safety performance of construction projects.…”

“…The complexity of COVID-19 presents an opportunity for the construction industry to adopt smart technologies, such as building information modeling (BIM), so as to quickly provide project information. Zhou et al (2020) and Liu et al (2021) found that rapid construction projects benefit from unique modular design, concerted work of workers and a range of advanced technologies such as BIM, modular construction, 5G communication and computer vision technology, which can be applied to targeted interventions of construction project risks and improve the safety performance of construction projects. Pav on et al (2020) proposed an infrastructure management system based on BIM.…”

Safety Performance Assessment of Construction Sites under the Influence of Psychological Factors: An Analysis Based on the Extension Cloud Model

“…There is also a great deal of psychological pressure on employees to be more compliant with the rules [ 33 ]. Many studies have demonstrated that suppressing unsafe behavior can be effective in improving safety performance [ 34 , 35 , 36 ], and social opinions can serve as effective external factors to influence safety performances.…”

Firm Size and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Based Technology Adoption: The Role of Corporate Size in South Korean Construction Companies

“…Shin et al (2021) developed a computer-vision-based method to count rebar, one of the most important materials in ferro-concrete structures, quickly and precisely [33]. Computer-vision-based machine-learning is used for tracking the number of site workers and the wearing of safety helmets, which is an important site safety management factor, along with material maintenance [36,37]. As summarized in Table 1, computer-vision-based AI technologies are not restricted to the lab, but are recognized for usability, thus positioning them as one of the common technologies on site [32,[38][39][40].…”