Write a Research Proposal on Mobile phone usage and safety management in the Construction Industry?

Introduction

Safety management is a very important aspect of the construction industry known for a high level of injuries and accidents. The construction industry, even in developed countries like the USA and Europe, is well known for the high rates of injuries and fatalities. One in ten construction workers in the US is injured every year (Burger, 2014). Developing countries like South Africa, India, China, Jordan, UAE etc., are seeing a big boom in construction and related activities due to the increasing population  (Alkilani, Jupp, & Sawhney, 2013). The situation in these countries is that safety rules do not usually exist, and even if they do, the regulatory bodies are not very successful in implementing them  (Kheni & Dainty, 2008;  Evelyn Ai Lin, 2008). 

Safety management in the construction industry saw its origins in developed countries. These were days where the “safety first” paradigm existed for decades, and scientific rigour was brought to the study of the safety of construction personnel  (Pink, 2016) when budgetary pressures were not as severe as they are in today’s fast-paced construction projects. Despite so much attention and importance and scientific study in this area in developed countries, the construction industry continues to have a high rate of accidents and fatalities. The UK reported 79,000 cases of self-reported injuries for the year 2015-16 (HSE, 2017). This research proposal seeks to look into the aspect of increasing both physical safety as well as mental well being of workers on construction worksites with regulated and trained use of mobile phones technology at construction sites. 

Problem Statement

The construction industry today is struggling to attract qualified and quality workers  (Redrock recruitment, 2017). Young workers entering the construction industry today are born and raised to be wired to technology at every moment in their daily life. The new generation of workers is called digital natives to distinguish themselves from digital immigrants – the earlier generation who have lived without technology and migrated to using technology in their daily lives (De Graf, 2014 ). A career in a field where mobile phone usage is not allowed could be one of the reasons why young people are not attracted to a career in construction work. In addition, the alignment of mobile technology to the profession poses risks and challenges in terms of wellness and security. Through the present review, an attempt is made to identify the drivers to limit the generation gap in the construction sector while enabling technology and at the same time develop a framework for reduced safety hazards through this alignment in construction sites.

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