Accident Causality Analysis of Steel Structure Collapses During Construction

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Accidents in the construction sector are widely studied from the perspective of occupational safety, with emphasis on fatalities and injuries. However, construction accidents also have profound impacts on construction processes, project continuity, and structural integrity. Among these, steel structure collapses during construction represent critical events that require systematic investigation. This study addresses this gap by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the causes of steel structure collapses during construction.

Steel Structure Collapses as Process Failures

Structural collapses during construction are not isolated incidents but complex failures arising from multiple interacting factors. These events often disrupt construction workflows, cause economic losses, and undermine public confidence in engineering practices. Understanding collapses as process-related failures allows for a broader safety perspective beyond individual worker-related incidents.

AcciMap Framework for Causality Analysis

This study employs the AcciMap methodology to identify and analyze causal relationships across six fundamental system levels. AcciMap enables a holistic examination of accidents by linking technical, organizational, managerial, and regulatory factors. Using this framework, the study reveals how decisions and conditions at different system levels interact to produce catastrophic outcomes during construction.

Case Study: Steel Dome Collapse

A steel dome structure that collapsed during construction was analyzed as a representative case. Accident causality factors were identified through structured expert consultations, ensuring domain-specific accuracy and practical relevance. The case study provides a detailed mapping of contributing factors across the construction lifecycle.

Pareto Analysis and Key Contributing Factors

Based on expert evaluations, a Pareto analysis was conducted to determine the most influential causes of the collapse. A total of 33 causal factors were identified, of which 15 were found to have originated before construction commenced. This finding highlights that many construction-stage failures are rooted in pre-construction decisions, such as design deficiencies, planning errors, and organizational shortcomings.

Implications for Prevention and Safety Management

The results demonstrate that chains of errors during construction are often triggered by systemic factors established during the pre-construction phase. By revealing these hidden causal pathways, the study provides a practical framework for preventing steel structure collapses. This contribution supports improved safety management, risk mitigation, and decision-making throughout the lifecycle of steel construction projects.

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#StructuralFailure
#ConstructionManagement
#PreConstructionPlanning
#SystemsEngineering
#WorkplaceSafety
#EngineeringFailures
#CivilEngineeringResearch
#SafetyFramework
#ProjectRisk
#InfrastructureSafety
#BuiltEnvironment
#ConstructionAccidents

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