A Dualistic Perspective of Opportunity and Risk: The Impact of Head-Mounted Augmented Reality on Construction Onsite Hazard Identification of Workers

Head-mounted augmented reality (HMD AR) technology in construction has shown promise in enhancing operational efficiency. Concurrently, the critical role of hazard identification (HI) in ensuring worker safety is well-documented. Despite this, studies delving into HMD AR’s impact on HI, especially across varying task complexities, are limited. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the influence of HMD AR on construction workers’ HI in diverse task environments. The research engaged 48 participants in an experiment to evaluate their hazard situation awareness (HSA), cognitive load (CL), and task performance (TP). These were assessed using the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT), the Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and measures of task accuracy. Findings indicated that environmental conditions significantly modulate HMD AR’s effect on HI. In simple and safe scenes, HMD AR has a negligible impact on HI and might enhance hazard detection capabilities. However, in complex and hazardous situations with intense workloads, HMD AR can impair HI, potentially increasing safety risks. In other words, whether HMD AR brings opportunities or risks for HI depends on the different environmental conditions. This research contributes to the nascent field of cognitive safety in HMD AR, specifically regarding HI in construction, augmenting the current understanding and laying a theoretical groundwork for HMD AR’s future safety applications in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. The insights gained inform the prudent implementation, training, and interface design of HMD AR on construction sites. In the context of HMD AR’s rapid evolution, this study underscores the importance of critically assessing safety implications to guide the responsible utilization of new technologies.