Research on the Propagation Model of Unsafe Behavior of Construction Workers Based on Improved Traditional SEIR

Abstract The unsafe behavior of construction workers is one of the major causes of safety accidents. The ongoing digital transformation at construction sites in China is not only enhancing operational efficiency but also shaping the spread of unsafe behaviors among construction workers. Therefore, it is important to study the transmission mechanism of workers’ unsafe behavior under the background of information technology to reduce the occurrence of safety accidents. This study integrates information technology into research on unsafe behaviors among construction workers. It employs the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method to identify key influencing factors and constructs a susceptible exposed infected recovered (SEIR) model to decipher the underlying mechanisms through which these factors propagate such behaviors. Based on the findings, targeted interventions are proposed. The results demonstrate that, when the intensity coefficient of digital construction technologies increases from 0.1 to 0.3, the peak infection rate and steady-state infection proportion of unsafe behaviors among construction workers decrease by 9.7% and 14%, respectively. As the infection coefficients of network communication technology and intelligent sensing technology rise from 0.2 to 0.6, the infection peak declines by 9%, while the peak steady-state immune population increases by 70.6%, indicating a restraining effect on the spread of unsafe behaviors. In contrast, stronger conformity psychology, closer coworker intimacy, and higher authority of key figures contribute to an increase in the number of “infected” workers, thereby promoting the propagation of unsafe behaviors. The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis for developing control strategies to mitigate the spread of unsafe behaviors. However, as the research is simulation-based, further validation with real-world data is necessary in future work.