Although prior studies have thoroughly investigated the effects of safety training on construction workers’ safety behaviors, the role of prior accident experience has received comparatively less attention within this domain.
Objective
This study seeks to evaluate the influence of construction safety training on workers’ safety behaviors, exploring the mediating roles of safety knowledge and safety motivation, as well as the potential moderating effect of accident experience.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 1026 workers from 53 construction sites spanning 12 provinces.
Results
Findings demonstrate that safety training enhances workers’ safety knowledge, motivation, compliance, and participation. Notably, safety knowledge significantly predicts safety participation, whereas safety motivation predominantly influences safety compliance. Furthermore, safety knowledge and motivation serve as mediators in the relationship between safety training and safety compliance. Workers with prior accident experience exhibit lower levels of safety knowledge and motivation compared to those without such experiences, yet they demonstrate elevated levels of safety compliance and participation. However, accident experience does not significantly moderate the association between safety training and safety behavior.
Conclusions
Safety training should be mandatory for all workers prior to site deployment. For individuals with prior accident experiences, customized training and support services are essential to address their specific needs.
SukamaniDWangJKusiM. Impact of safety worker behavior and safety climate as mediator and safety training as moderator on safety performance in construction firms in Nepal. KSCE J Civil Eng2021; 25: 1555–1567.
ShimYJeongJJeongJ, et al.Comparative analysis of the national fatality rate in construction industry using time-series approach and equivalent evaluation conditions. Int J Environ Res Public Health2022; 19: 2312.
XuQXuK. Analysis of the characteristics of fatal accidents in the construction industry in China based on statistical data. Int J Environ Res Public Health2021; 18: 2162.
6.
ShaoBHuZLiuQ, et al.Fatal accident patterns of building construction activities in China. Saf Sci2019; 111: 253–263.
7.
BilimA. Demographic analysis of occupational safety in the construction sector: strategies and insights for risk reduction. Buildings2025; 15: 28.
8.
DuanPZhouJ. Cascading vulnerability analysis of unsafe behaviors of construction workers from the perspective of network modeling. Eng Constr Archit Manag2023; 30: 1037–1060.
9.
ScorgieDFengZPaesD, et al.Virtual reality for safety training: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Saf Sci2024; 171: 106372.
10.
FengZLovreglioRYiuTW, et al.Immersive virtual reality training for excavation safety and hazard identification. Smart Sustain Built Environ2024; 13: 883–907.
11.
WolfMTeizerJWolfB, et al.Investigating hazard recognition in augmented virtuality for personalized feedback in construction safety education and training. Adv Eng Informatics2022; 51: 101469.
12.
ZoleykaniMJAbbasianjahromiHBanihashemiS, et al.Extended reality (XR) technologies in the construction safety: systematic review and analysis. Constr Innov2024; 24: 1137–1164.
13.
Hussain R, Sabir A, Lee DY, Zaidi SFA, Pedro A, Abbas MS, Park C. Conversational AI-based VR system to improve construction safety training of migrant workers. Autom Constr2024; 160: 105315.
14.
AhnSKimTParkYJ,et al.Improving effectiveness of safety training at construction worksite using 3D BIM simulation. Adv Civ Eng2020; 2020: 2473138.
15.
VignoliMNielsenKGuglielmiD, et al.Design of a safety training package for migrant workers in the construction industry. Saf Sci2021; 136: 105124.
16.
ArifMNasirARThaheemMJ,et al.Consafe4all: a framework for language friendly safety training modules. Saf Sci2021; 141: 105329.
17.
ReimanAPedersenLMVäyrynenS, et al.Safety training parks–cooperative contribution to safety and health trainings. Int J Constr Educ Res2019; 15: 19–41.
18.
BaşağaHBTemelBAAtasoyM, et al. A study on the effectiveness of occupational health and safety trainings of construction workers in Turkey. Saf Sci2018; 110: 344–354.
19.
XuSZhangMHouL. Formulating a learner model for evaluating construction workers’ learning ability during safety training. Saf Sci2019; 116: 97–107.
20.
SchafferVHucksteppTKannis-DymandL. Awe: a systematic review within a cognitive behavioural framework and proposed cognitive behavioural model of awe. Int J Appl Positive Psychol2024; 9: 101–136.
21.
FangDZhaoCZhangM. A cognitive model of construction workers’ unsafe behaviors. J Constr Eng Manag2016; 142: 04016039.
22.
BęśPStrzałkowskiP. Analysis of the effectiveness of safety training methods. Sustainability2024; 16: 2732.
23.
YangJYeGXiangQ, et al.Insights into the mechanism of construction workers’ unsafe behaviors from an individual perspective. Saf Sci2021; 133: 105004.
24.
GohYMBinte Sa’adonNF. Cognitive factors influencing safety behavior at height: a multimethod exploratory study. J Constr Eng Manag2015; 141: 04015003.
25.
GonçalvesSMPda SilvaSALimaML,et al.The impact of work accidents experience on causal attributions and worker behaviour. Saf Sci2008; 46: 992–1001.
26.
SariSNDewiRSSudianoA. Development of fatigue, accident experiences and safety culture relationships to the risk of fishing perception on the accidents of fishing vessel small and medium. MATEC Web Conf2018; 204: 03010.
27.
TarabrinaNVLazebnaiaEOZelenovaME. Psychological characteristics of post-traumatic stress states in workers dealing with the consequences of the Chernobyl accident. J Russian East Eur Psychol2001; 39: 29–42.
28.
BaderSAbotalebIHosnyO. Utilization of adult learning theories for effective virtual reality safety training in construction. J Civ Eng Educ2025; 151: 04025002.
29.
ZhangMShuLLuoX, et al.Virtual reality technology in construction safety training: extended technology acceptance model. Autom Constr2022; 135: 104113.
30.
RobsonLSStephensonCMSchultePA, et al.A systematic review of the effectiveness of occupational health and safety training. Scand J Work Environ Health2012; 38: 193–208.
31.
WongFKChanSCTseRY,et al.Improving safety knowledge through training - the case of Hong Kong. J Constr Res2000; 1: 169–175.
32.
ChangYHJMoslehA. Cognitive modeling and dynamic probabilistic simulation of operating crew response to complex system accidents. Part 4: IDAC causal model of operator problem-solving response. Reliab Eng Syst Saf2007; 92: 1061–1075.
33.
NykänenMPuroVTiikkajaM, et al.Implementing and evaluating novel safety training methods for construction sector workers: results of a randomized controlled trial. J Saf Res2020; 75: 205–221.
34.
NealAGriffinMAHartPM. The impact of organizational climate on safety climate and individual behavior. Saf Sci2000; 34: 99–109.
35.
XiaNXieQHuX, et al.A dual perspective on risk perception and its effect on safety behavior: a moderated mediation model of safety motivation, and supervisor’s and coworkers’ safety climate. Accid Anal Prev2020; 134: 105350.
36.
LyuSHonCKChanAP, et al.Relationships among safety climate, safety behavior, and safety outcomes for ethnic minority construction workers. Int J Environ Res Public Health2018; 15: 84.
37.
VinodkumarMNBhasiM. Safety management practices and safety behaviour: assessing the mediating role of safety knowledge and motivation. Accid Anal Prev2010; 42: 2082–2093.
38.
RajabiFMokaramiHCousinsR,et al.Structural equation modeling of safety performance based on personality traits, job and organizational-related factors. Int J Occup Saf Ergonom2022; 28: 644–658.
39.
KaoKYSpitzmuellerCCigularovK,et al.Linking safety knowledge to safety behaviors: a moderated mediation of supervisor and worker safety attitudes. Eur J Work Organ Psychol2019; 28: 206–220.
40.
BurkeMJSalvadorROSmith-CroweK, et al.The dread factor: how hazards and safety training influence learning and performance. J Appl Psychol2011; 96: 46–70.
41.
GriffinMANealA. Perceptions of safety at work: a framework for linking safety climate to safety performance, knowledge, and motivation. J Occup Health Psychol2000; 5: 347–358.
42.
SantiRPurbudiWDyahS. The effect of safety training and worker involvement on safety compliance with safety knowledge as a mediating variable. Russ J Agric Socio-Econ Sci2020; 107: 239–246.
43.
WibawantiABSannyLSiahaanD, et al.How safety awareness affects safety citizenship behavior: the safety motivation mediation perspective. Dinasti Int J Econ Financ Account2025; 5: 5937.
44.
ChristianMSBradleyJCWallaceJC,et al.Workplace safety: a meta-analysis of the roles of person and situation factors. J Appl Psychol2009; 94: 1103–1127.
45.
NealAGriffinMA. A study of the lagged relationships among safety climate, safety motivation, safety behavior, and accidents at the individual and group levels. J Appl Psychol2006; 91: 946–953.
46.
ProbstTMBrubakerTL. The effects of job insecurity on employee safety outcomes: cross-sectional and longitudinal explorations. J Occup Health Psychol2001; 6: 139–159.
47.
HeryatiANNurahajuRNurcholisG,et al.Effect of safety climate on safety behavior in employees: the mediation of safety motivation. Psikohumaniora J Penelit Psikol2019; 4: 191–200.
48.
JiangLYuGLiY, et al.Perceived colleagues’ safety knowledge/behavior and safety performance: safety climate as a moderator in a multilevel study. Accid Anal Prev2010; 42: 1468–1476.
49.
UsherELSchunkDH. Social cognitive theoretical perspective of self-regulation. In: Handbook of self-regulation of learning and performance. New York: Routledge, 2017, pp.19–35.
50.
OahSNaRMoonK. The influence of safety climate, safety leadership, workload, and accident experiences on risk perception: a study of Korean manufacturing workers. Saf Health Work2018; 9: 427–433.
51.
ChoudhryRMFangD. Why operatives engage in unsafe work behavior: investigating factors on construction sites. Saf Sci2008; 46: 566–584.
52.
EstudilloBFortezaFJCarretero-GómezJM. Effectiveness of training in reducing accidents in construction companies. J Saf Res2025; 92: 283–291.
53.
LoosemoreMMaloufN. Safety training and positive safety attitude formation in the Australian construction industry. Saf Sci2019; 113: 233–243.
54.
ParkSS. The effects of injury experiences (accidents and addictions) on healthcare use type. J Adv Technol Converg2023; 2: 15–21.
55.
MohajeriMArdeshirABankiMT, et al.Discovering causality patterns of unsafe behavior leading to fall hazards on construction sites. Int J Constr Manag2022; 22: 3034–3044.
56.
TerumJASvartdalF. Lessons learned from accident and near-accident experiences in traffic. Saf Sci2019; 120: 672–678.
57.
GharibiVMortazaviSBJafariAJ, et al.The relationship between workers’ attitude towards safety and occupational accidents experience. Int J Occup Hyg2016; 8: 145–150.
58.
LiHChenYZhengJ, et al.The influence of the psychological contract on the safety performance of construction workers in China. Eng Constr Archit Manag2024; 31: 1879–1895.
59.
BrislinRW. Translation and content analysis of oral and written materials. Methodology (Gott)1980: 389–444.
60.
HeCJiaGMcCabeB, et al.Impact of psychological capital on construction worker safety behavior: communication competence as a mediator. J Saf Res2019; 71: 231–241.
61.
BagozziRPYiY. On the evaluation of structural equation models. J Acad Mark Sci1988; 16: 74–94.
62.
Van de SchootRLugtigPHoxJ. A checklist for testing measurement invariance. Eur J Dev Psychol2012; 9: 486–492.
63.
GholamiRSulaimanABRamayahT,et al.Senior managers’ perception on green information systems (IS) adoption and environmental performance: results from a field survey. Inf Manag2013; 50: 431–438.
64.
HairJFGabrielMPatelV. AMOS covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM): guidelines on its application as a marketing research tool. Braz J Mark2014; 13: 1–12.
65.
FornellCLarckerDF. Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. J Mark Res1981; 18: 39–50.
66.
HeCMcCabeBJiaG,et al.Effects of safety climate and safety behavior on safety outcomes between supervisors and construction workers. J Constr Eng Manag2020; 146: 04019092.
67.
XieLLLuoZZhaoX. Critical factors of construction workers’ career promotion: evidence from Guangzhou city. Eng Constr Archit Manag2023; 30: 2334–2359.
68.
HeydariMHShojaeiANaderiH,et al.Paving the way for progress: a systematic literature review on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the AEC industry. J Manag Eng2024; 40: 03124001.
69.
BenjetCBrometEKaramEG, et al.The epidemiology of traumatic event exposure worldwide: results from the World Mental Health Survey Consortium. Psychol Med2016; 46: 327–343.
70.
GhisiMNovaraCBuodoG, et al.Psychological distress and post-traumatic symptoms following occupational accidents. Behav Sci2013; 3: 587–600.
71.
MurrayJEhlersAMayouRA. Dissociation and post-traumatic stress disorder: two prospective studies of road traffic accident survivors. Br J Psychiatry2002; 180: 363–368.
72.
ConchieSM. Transformational leadership, intrinsic motivation, and trust: a moderated-mediated model of workplace safety. J Occup Health Psychol2013; 18: 198–210.
73.
NiGZhuYZhangZ, et al.Influencing mechanism of job satisfaction on safety behavior of new generation of construction workers based on Chinese context: the mediating roles of work engagement and safety knowledge sharing. Int J Environ Res Public Health2020; 17: 8361.
74.
MazzettiGValenteEGuglielmiD,et al.Safety doesn’t happen by accident: a longitudinal investigation on the antecedents of safety behavior. Int J Environ Res Public Health2020; 17: 4332.
75.
ClappJDOlsenSADanoff-BurgS, et al.Factors contributing to anxious driving behavior: the role of stress history and accident severity. J Anxiety Disord2011; 25: 592–598.
76.
NizaCSilvaSLimaML. Occupational accident experience: association with workers’ accident explanation and definition. Saf Sci2008; 46: 959–971.
