A thematic synthesis of the literature on construction accident causation analysis

The construction industry plays a vital role in economic growth, job creation, and infrastructure development worldwide. However, it remains one of the most hazardous industries, characterized by persistently high accident rates that result in injuries and fatalities. Scholars have devoted significant efforts to undertake research in exploring the causation of construction accidents. Drawing on 78 research papers published since 1998 that focus on construction causation analysis, this review paper aims to thematically synthesize what has been achieved in the last two decades to effectively help researchers identify and recognize patterns and directions to align their work with the latest developments and to contribute to better research in construction health and safety. The synthesis is organized around five themes: research focus, research methods, accident types, key factors, and modelling approaches. It clarifies and consolidates existing knowledge by demonstrating that causal factors are the main research focus, with nearly half of the examined studies addressing it. It also offers quantitative evidence confirming that the most frequent type of accident is falls in both developed and developing countries. The review also finds that the analytical methods employed generally align with the stated research focuses. Additionally, the paper finds that the most critical category in causing construction accidents is likely to be poor safety management, rather than individual human errors, and the systemic approach has been adopted in causation analysis by more and more scholars. • The aim of this paper is to thematically synthesize research results regarding construction accident causation analysis. • The paper demonstrates that the main research focus is causes/factors. • The paper finds that the utilization of analysing methods corresponds to the research focuses. • The paper quantitatively verifies the most frequent type of accident in both developed and developing economies. • The major contribution of the paper is the ranking of three critical categories in causing construction accidents.