Development of a Safety Management Rating Model for Medium-Scale Projects in Developing Countries

The construction industry exhibits a notably high injury and fatality rate compared to other industries. The accident rate in developing countries is higher than in developed countries due to poor construction practices. A safety management system (SMS) is an essential component aimed at eliminating accidental losses in the workplace, yet it lacks a clear and robust method to evaluate these risks. Existing rating models have failed to consider all parameters governing the safety of construction projects, neglected to address the priority weighting among these parameters, and have relied on linguistic definitions in the evaluation process, thereby increasing the subjectivity of evaluators. The objective of this research is to develop a rating model for evaluating the efficiency of SMS in medium-scale projects in developing countries. The rating model was constructed based on the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process. The priority weights of parameters were determined using the opinions of 100 experts in the construction industry. The equations based on these priority weights and the rating values of the proposed model support the definitive classification of SMS in medium-scale construction projects. This plan can be implemented to facilitate upgrades and obtain safety certifications. The framework serves as a decision-making technique for stakeholders, aiding them in determining the most appropriate accident prevention measures while considering the relative criteria weights.