Construction Site Accidents: Root Causes

Abstract

The construction industry plays a significant role in driving a nation’s economic development. In Malaysia, this sector continues to demonstrate substantial growth, contributing positively to the country’s economic progress. However, alongside this expansion, the industry has also been identified as one of the sectors with the highest fatality rates. This is largely due to the inherently hazardous nature of construction work and the risks present on job sites. Construction site accidents are typically defined as unforeseen incidents that lead to injuries ranging from minor to fatal or result in damage to equipment, materials, structures, or machinery. The aim of this study is to identify the dominant root causes contributing the construction site accidents in Malaysia. Through a structured survey conducted among industry professionals and subsequent analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), several key contributing factors were identified. The leading cause was found to be Inadequate Knowledge of Handling. This was followed by incidents involving Electrical Shocks, the third major factors are Structural Failures, and the fourth most critical factor is Improper Use of Construction Machinery.