A science mapping approach-based review of near-miss research in construction
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 12 April 2022
Issue publication date: 7 June 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Near misses are important references for the construction industry to move toward zero injuries, and are of great significance in reducing accidents and improving safety education. To fully improve the construction industry's understanding and standardize the management process of near-miss events, this paper describes a systematic review of the research front and intellectual basis of near-miss events based on scientometric technique and CiteSpace.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors reviewed and summarized the research wave and definitions of near-miss events in construction. The science mapping approach is used to conduct quantitative analyses of 120 relevant articles published between 2009 and 2019. Three research themes are identified via author analysis, keyword analysis and co-citation analysis: the construction of near-miss management systems, near-miss events research and characteristic research.
Findings
It is found that improving the data collection method to maximize the quality of near-miss reports, optimizing and verifying the event analysis model considering the characteristics of near-miss events in construction, establishing a more comprehensive framework for the analysis of near-miss events and building a highly inclusive technology integration platform are the four main development directions for the future.
Originality/value
According to Heinrich's law, incidents are mainly blamed on near-miss events such as workers' unsafe behaviors. Due to the complexity and variability of the construction site, near-miss events in construction may have different features. This article helps promote the understanding of near misses in academia, standardizing the management process of near-miss events, which is conducive to mining the potential value of such events in practice. Some insights into the research front and the intellectual base of near-miss research in construction are proposed.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant number 72171224, 71871116), The Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation of China's Education Ministry (Grant number 19YJAZH122) and Postgraduate Research and Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (Grant number KYCX21_2478). The authors would also like to thank the editors and reviewers for their valuable suggestions.
Citation
Duan, P. and Zhou, J. (2023), "A science mapping approach-based review of near-miss research in construction", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 2582-2601. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-09-2021-0797
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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