HOW CAN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE REVOLUTIONISE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?

The construction industry is considered one of the most dangerous industries for workers. The manual, labour-intensive and time-consuming nature of traditional safety management methods makes them ineffective and prone to mistakes. This research addressed this gap by investigating how the application of Artificial Intelligence could be used to identify safety hazards, analyse risks and enhance communication between project teams, hence improving construction safety. The study employed an exploratory research approach that combined both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Data was collected from a Building Information Modelling project, and safety data was processed using an HSE nation AI tool. The results from the study revealed that the AI tool identified sixteen hazards, including falls from heights, heavy machinery hazards, slips and trips, electrocution, chemical exposure, and noise hazards. The tool further categorised the initial risks using a probability and impact matrix into high, medium, and low risks using a colour-coded risk level. High-risk areas, such as falls and machinery-related hazards, were prioritised for immediate safety interventions. After implementing control measures, reassessment showed significant risk reduction, with most high-risk hazards downgraded to medium or low risk. This data is fed into the Building Information Modelling, where it produces colour-coded simulations enabling visualisation and communication of potential hazards before controls and how risks have changed post-mitigation. The study concluded that the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence into health and safety management provides a proactive approach to enhancing safety outcomes in construction projects.