Why Do Accidents Happen? A Critical Review on the Evolution of the Construction Accident Causation Models

High accident rate in construction is a universal problem which needs to be tackled by all parties concerned (Poon et al. 2008). Although in the last decade there was a downward trend in construction accidents in many places such as Hong Kong due to implementation of numerous safety schemes, improvement in construction accident records is still necessary (Figs. 2.1, 2.2). A previous research study in Hong Kong has shown that an accident imposes huge costs on the society (UK HM Revenue and Customs Department 2011) and over $10 million of compensation was paid for non-fatal accidents each year during 2004–2008 (Table 2.1). The direct financial costs of accidents are only the tip of the iceberg when compared with the indirect ones. The injured employees and their families suffer from loss of earnings and grief. Accidents on site also lower staff morale, induce negative corporate image and lead to extension of time in the project because of work rearrangements (Li 2006). This chapter aims at studying and analyzing the evolution in accident causation models.