QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO OCCUPATIONAL INCIDENTS IN LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN INDIA

Occupational incidents in large construction projects are complex events influenced by interactions between workers, tasks, equipment, supervision, organizational systems and environmental conditions. Research on construction accident causation demonstrates that worker actions, risk management and immediate supervision can be strongly interconnected rather than independent causes. In the Indian context, existing literature also highlights challenges involving communication, training, PPE use, safety culture, work practices and psychosocial factors. ScienceDirect This paper proposes a qualitative methodology based on interviews, focus groups, site observations, incident records and document analysis. Thematic analysis combined with root-cause analysis can provide a more comprehensive understanding of why incidents occur. The proposed approach shifts the focus from “Who made the mistake?” toward “What conditions allowed the incident to occur?” This systems-oriented perspective can help large construction organizations identify weaknesses in safety management, supervision, training, contractor coordination, risk assessment and organizational culture. Ultimately, effective incident prevention requires not only correcting unsafe acts but also identifying and controlling the underlying conditions and organizational factors that allow unsafe situations to develop.

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