Towards interrogating the contribution of construction project features to accident causation

Studies on construction accident causation within the UK construction industry have revealed two key hierarchies of causal factors namely: distal factors and proximal factors. Although both causal factors have been the focus of investigation, the distal causal influence of construction project features (CPFs) remains to be interrogated in greater depth. A critique of the accident causal influence of CPFs reveals that the extent to which CPFs contribute to accident causation and the health and safety (H&S) risk implications remain an elusive issue which needs interrogating. The study contends that by interrogating the knowledge gap, construction projects participants would be equipped to positively influence the health and safety (H&S) outcomes of projects from the early stage of project procurement. By putting forth key research questions the study sets the premise for research to bridge the knowledge in order for project participants upstream of project procurement to positively influence the H&S outcomes of projects.