Using smartphones to detect and identify construction workers' near-miss falls based on ann

Zhang, M; Cao, T and Zhao, X (2019) Using smartphones to detect and identify construction workers' near-miss falls based on ann. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 145(1): 04018120, ISSN 0733-9364

Abstract

In certain circumstances, near-miss falls can evolve into fall accidents in construction sites. Insight into near-miss falls offers an efficient way to better understand fall accidents. In this context, this paper explores potential applications of the smartphone as a data-acquisition tool to detect and identify near-miss falls on the basis of an artificial neural network (ANN). In training and evaluation experiments, a loss-of-balance (LOB) environment was artificially established by means of a balance board to simulate the scenarios in near-miss falls. Through a transition model between static and dynamic near-miss falls, the similarity between simulated and actual scenes of near-miss falls was improved. Furthermore, the feasibility of adopting ANN to correctly identify near-miss falls was verified. The results showed that the average precision, recall, and F1 score were 90.02%, 90.93%, and 90.42%, respectively, with an average error-detection rate of 16.26%. In test cases, the thresholds H20% (0.07692) and H10% (0.06061) were acquired and illustrated from the perspective of probability. This approach, which demonstrates the feasibility of integrating smartphones and ANN to measure near-miss falls, will help detect near-miss fall events and identify hazardous elements and vulnerable workers. In addition, it provides a new perspective for measuring the relationship between near-miss falls and fall accidents quantitatively, laying a solid foundation for better understanding the occurrence mechanisms of both events.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: artificial neural network; construction safety; machine learning; motion recognition; near-miss falls; smartphone
Index terms: construction worker, test case, falls, acquisition, construction safety, machine learning, artificial neural network, experiment, construction site
Subjects: health risk and incident analysis, environmental health, business, data collection methods, practitioner, work location, modelling and simulation, professional practice, artificial intelligence
Topics: Digital Applications, Site Management, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Business Strategy, Health and Safety, Sustainability, Roles and Professions
Descriptive scope: 3 PCE

N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here