Exploring bias in incident investigations: An empirical examination using construction case studies

INTRODUCTION

Incident investigation is a foundational tool of safety management. Determining the causal factors of any incident underpins organizational learning and subsequent positive change to processes and practices. Research of incident investigation has largely focused on what information to collect, how to analyze it, and how to optimize resultant conclusions and organizational learning. However, much less attention has been paid to the process of information collection, and specifically that of subjective information obtained through interviews. Yet, as all humans are biased and can't help being so, the information collection process is inevitably vulnerable to bias.

METHOD

Simulated investigation interviews with 34 experienced investigators were conducted within the construction industry.

RESULTS

Common biases were revealed including confirmation bias, anchoring bias, and fundamental attribution error. Analysis was also able to unpack when and how these biases most often emerged in the interview process, and the potential consequences for organizational learning.

CONCLUSIONS

Being biased to a certain degree will remain inevitable for any individual, and therefore, efforts to mitigate the effects of biases is necessary.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Increased awareness and insights can support the development of processes and training for investigators to mitigate its effects and thus enhance learning from incidents in the field prevent reoccurrence.

The Evolutionary Game of Post-conflict Management for New Generation of Construction Workers in China: The Mediating Role of Foremen

The emotional perception of the new generation of Chinese construction workers is becoming stronger, and the traditional punishment-type management model is gradually failing. In order to address the safety hazards caused by the negative emotions generated after workers' conflict events, the motivation of workers to actively participate in the construction of safety climate is increased, and the safety performance of construction projects is enhanced. This paper introduces emotional event theory to assess workers' psychological perceptions and uses foreman as an intermediary for safety management to analyze the decision-making process between managers and work-groups in the safety management process. By establishing a tripartite evolutionary game model of manager, foreman, and worker, the evolutionary differences among the three parties when the manager is strict or appeasing are examined. The results of the study showed that managers who showed appeasement were more effective than those who showed stringency in accomplishing the safety goals of the project. As the workers' psychological perception index increased, workers were more inclined to adopt aggressive strategies, and their behavior was more influenced by their own moral identity as well as the foreman's attitude under the manager's appeasement attitude. This study can provide managers with suggestions on how to handle the situation after a conflict, which can help regulate the behavior of construction teams and eliminate safety risks.

Disrespecting people with working conditions in South Africa

The working conditions of people mostly play second fiddle to productivity and profitability in construction. Anecdotal and empirical construction reports, mostly in developing countries such as South Africa, suggest inappropriate social interactions on project sites. The awkward social interactions manifest through lack of respect for workers, who are regarded as people with limited rational abilities. Using three case studies from South Africa as an illustration for the discourse, this paper argues that on-site working conditions are critical to the well-being of people at the front line of construction work. For example, poor working conditions are indicative of a disrespectful attitude towards the people on a site. Further, both poor working conditions and lack of respect for people (RFP) constitute a significantly negative influence on the general well-being of workers and their managers. This paper thus argues that it is time to translate the notion of RFP into actual practice in the interest of employees and employers in the industry.