Abstract
M.Sc. (Quantity Surveying)
The South African construction industry has been faced with the challenge of poor health and safety (H&S) performance. The constant high number of H&S incidents occurring at construction sites causes project cost overrun, time overrun and poor-quality work. This study proposes the use of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to manage H&S on sites. 4IR technologies have emerged as central in improving the nature of work and other industrial processes. Concurrent with this trend is the importance of 4IR technologies in enhancing health and safety issues on construction sites. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the current challenges, opportunities, and strategies 4IR technologies hold to manage H&S in the construction sector. The study followed a systematic literature review and a quantitative research approach. Using inclusion and exclusion criteria, 148 articles written within the last 10 years were selected to outline the challenges, opportunities, and strategies of 4IR technologies in managing health and safety issues. Further, a convenient sampling technique was adopted to administer the questionnaires to 110 construction safety personnel in Johannesburg, Gauteng province, South Africa. The data collected was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), extracting descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential results (exploratory factor analysis). The findings revealed that growing research interest in utilising 4IR technologies will enhance H&S in construction projects. The findings revealed that the implementation of 4IR technologies is mostly challenged with lack of adequate skills, the unavailability of training capacities, expensive technologies, and negative perceptions such as fear of job loss by industry professionals. The implementation of 4IR is beneficial in safety training using virtual or augmented reality, inspection through automation and the use of humanrobot teams to reduce fatalities, injuries and improve H&S practices/performance by simulation trainings and use of collaborative robots. The study’s findings showed that the challenges with 4IR technologies’ adoption can be mitigated by enhancing knowledge, empowering through training programmes, educating relevant parties, conducting workshops, incorporating H&S policies, and skill developments. The results of this study are instructive to the progress of research studies in H&S issues and likewise imperative to industry-based decision-makers in raising awareness and using emerging tools to enhance their site operations. The paper recommends that the industry focuses on an implementation drive to adopt 4IR technologies in the built environment and providing financial resources to encourage 4IR implementation.