Prioritizing causal factors of sleep deprivation among construction workers: An interpretive structural modeling approach

Unsafe behavior of workers remains a significant cause of accidents, fatalities, and reduced productivity on construction projects. Although a variety of factors that cause such unsafe behaviors among construction workers have been identified, sleep deprivation appears predominant. Hence, the primary objective of this study is to determine the factors that result in sleep deprivation, as well as the relationship between such factors, to curb such unsafe behaviors. Fifteen casual factors influencing sleep deprivation were identified from existing literature. The relationships between these casual factors were established and determined using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Consequently, ISM was used to establish a five-level hierarchical structure (diagraph) describing the relationships between the casual factors of sleep deprivation. Factors that can directly influence behavior include social influence and actions at the recognition and response stages. In addition to age and sex, root casual factors include educational background and ethnicity. Thus, the results of the analysis conducted in this study indicate that age, gender, and type of worker are root factors that affect sleep deprivation. These factors need to be considered to prevent sleep deprivation-induced accidents in construction sites. Identifying root causal factors culminating in sleep deprivation among workers bears significant implication for the construction industry. In addition to contributing to health and safety in the construction domain, the findings of this study can aid in the development of an appropriate intervention to curb the malaise.