Determining the Barriers to the Integration of Advanced Safety Technologies in the Construction Industry of Pakistan

Abstract

The construction sector holds considerable importance in Pakistan's economy but faces many safety challenges, due to lack of regulations, compliance, and inadequate safety measures and training resulting in high accident incidents. The integration of advanced safety technologies offers a promising avenue to mitigate these risks. However, technology adoption in developing countries like Pakistan is hindered by various factors whose empirical substantiation remains limited. The objective of this research is to identify the primary barriers that affect the adoption of safety technologies within the construction sector of Pakistan. A questionnaire was administered to 53 professionals across Pakistan to gauge their perspectives on the current condition of safety measure and safety technology adoption. Statistical analyses, including Exploratory Factor Analysis, were employed to distill the barriers into coherent dimensions and prioritize their significance. The findings highlight four major influential barriers, categorized into organizational factors and technological factors, technological factors and support mechanisms, personal perceptions and performance expectations, and governmental policies and regulatory support. The results underscore the pivotal role of governmental support and technological orientation in fostering safety technology adoption. Moreover, the perceived effectiveness of safety technologies, coupled with regulations and incentives from the government emerged as critical determinants. Additionally, technology adoption cost was found to influence the adoption landscape significantly. Despite the potential benefits, the implementation rate of safety technologies remains modest in Pakistan's construction sector. By elucidating these influential factors, this research fills a critical knowledge gap and provides actionable insights to stakeholders aiming to introduce safety technology adoption. These insights are expected to catalyze strategic interventions that promote the integration of advanced safety technologies, thereby fostering a safer working environment in Pakistan's construction industry.