Identifying Antecedents of Unsafe Behavior in Construction Workers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The antecedents of unsafe behavior of construction workers, widely recognized as critical factors contributing to safety accidents, have long been a central focus in the field of construction safety research. Despite extensive examinations, a systematic synthesis of existing studies on these antecedents has been lacking. To address this gap, a systematic literature review was conducted, analyzing 179 studies from 22 countries on the unsafe behavior of construction workers (1978–2024). The findings uncover the scholarly landscape of this field, encompassing journals, countries, core authors, theories, data, and methodologies. This study proposes a conceptual framework that encompasses the preintervention, implementation, and postintervention stages as well as the individual, organizational, and societal levels of analysis. Among these, the regulatory regime emerges as the most critical antecedent, followed by the safety climate, safety training, safety attitudes, and safety motivation, all of which are also significant antecedents. The study proposes a research framework to guide future examinations on unsafe behavior, identifies key knowledge gaps, and offers targeted recommendations, contributing theoretically and practically to the sustainable development of the construction industry.