Measuring construction workers attention using eye-tracking technology

Although there are several studies that have highlighted the importance of attention in reducing the number of injures in the construction industry, few studies have attempted to empirically measure the attention of construction workers. One of the techniques that can be used to measure workers’ attention is eye-tracking. Eye-tracking is widely accepted as the most direct and continuous measure of attention given that where one looks is highly correlated with where a person is focusing his/her attention. Thus, with the fundamental objective of investigating hazard identification abilities and the visual attention of construction workers, this study pioneers the application of eye-tracking technology to the realm of construction-safety practices. The study conducts a pilot test to examine the pattern of participants’ eye movement and attention distribution when shown a hazardous situation in a construction site. To achieve this objective, thirty-five pictures that include multiple areas of interest were shown to ten participants, and their eye movements were recorded using a head mounted EyeLink-II system (SR Research). Then, the absolute duration heat maps were generated and the fixation/gaze-related and saccade-related metrics were calculated for each area of interest. The results of the analysis revealed that some people failed to fixate on hidden hazards or even a danger sign. The findings of the study exhibit the immense potential of using eye-tracking technology for improving construction site safety.

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