Review of Emerging Technologies for Reducing Ergonomic Hazards in Construction Workplaces

Abstract

In the era of Industry 4.0, marked by the integration of digitization, automation, and data synthesis, emerging technologies play a vital role in mitigating ergonomic hazards within construction work environments. This study investigates the research trends encompassing the adoption of three categories of emerging technologies—(1) wearable sensors; (2) extended reality, which combines virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR); and (3) exoskeletons and robotics—as the means to mitigate the risk of occupational nonfatal injuries in the construction industry. Employing bibliometric and scientometric analyses, a quantitative examination of the relationship in the literature is performed. From the Scopus database, 347 papers were selected from a pool of 1603 publications from 2018 to 2022. The conducted scientometric analyses encompass annual publication trends, keyword co-occurrence analysis, journal-source analysis, author analysis, and country analysis using VOSviewer (version 1.6.19) and bibliometrix software (version 4.1.3). The findings highlight the crucial role of advanced technologies in enhancing safety and health management in the construction industry. Wearable sensors, for example, offer promising capabilities for real-time monitoring, potentially reducing the risk of onsite injuries by alerting workers to hazards. Extended reality, especially VR, can enhance the effectiveness of safety-training education by simulating realistic scenarios while minimizing exposures to hazardous conditions that workers may face onsite challenges. Furthermore, the integration of exoskeletons and robotics has the potential to reduce physical strain and injury risks among workers, particularly in physically demanding tasks. The review paper identifies current research trends in applying emerging technologies to occupational safety and health within the construction industry, while also suggesting future research directions in this dynamic field.