Affiliations: [a] Department of Construction Management, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA | [b] Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA | [c] Urban Affairs and Planning, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Deborah E. Dickerson, CIH CSP CHMM, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Myers-Lawson School of Construction, 310B Bishop Favrao Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA. Tel.: +1 540 449 2068; Fax: +1 540 231 7532; E-mail: dyoung@vt.edu.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Prevention through Design (PtD), eliminating hazards at the design-stage of tools and systems, is the optimal method of mitigating occupational health and safety risks. A recent National Institute of Safety and Health initiative has established a goal to increase adoption of PtD innovation in industry. The construction industry has traditionally lagged behind other sectors in the adoption of innovation, in general; and of safety and health prevention innovation, in particular. Therefore, as a first step toward improving adoption trends in this sector, a conceptual model was developed to describe the parameters and causal relationships that influence and predict construction stakeholder “adoption readiness” for PtD technology innovation. METHODS:This model was built upon three well-established theoretical frameworks: the Health Belief Model, the Diffusion of Innovation Model, and the Technology Acceptance Model. Earp and Ennett’s model development methodology was employed to build a depiction of the key constructs and directionality and magnitude of relationships among them. Key constructs were identified from the literature associated with the three theoretical frameworks, with special emphasis given to studies related to construction or OHS technology adoption. RESULTS:A conceptual model is presented. Recommendations for future research are described and include confirmatory structural equation modeling of model parameters and relationships, additional descriptive investigation of barriers to adoption in some trade sectors, and design and evaluation of an intervention strategy.
Keywords: Prevention through Design (PtD), technology adoption, construction, engineering controls
