The construction industry is widely recognized as a high-risk sector with a high incidence of industrial accidents, and small-to-medium-sized construction sites in particular face structural limitations that concentrate accident risks. These limitatio...
The construction industry is widely recognized as a high-risk sector with a high incidence of industrial accidents, and small-to-medium-sized construction sites in particular face structural limitations that concentrate accident risks. These limitations often stem from their inherent lack of safety management personnel and technical support compared to large-scale projects.
Most of these construction sites operate under a non-resident supervision system in which the scope of supervisors’ safety management interventions is limited, and information gaps frequently arise between the design and construction phases. As a result, on-site safety management often remains confined to formal inspections or fails to proactively control actual risk factors. In particular, inconsistencies between relevant regulations such as the 「Construction Technology Promotion Act」 and the 「Industrial Safety and Health Act」have created ambiguity regarding the authority, roles, and responsibilities of supervisors. This regulatory misalignment diminishes the effectiveness of the supervision system and enlarges institutional blind spots. Therefore, it is essential to redefine the safety management framework for small and medium-sized construction sites from an integrated design·supervision perspective and to implement institutional, technical, and operational improvements that enhance practical, site-centered management capabilities.
The purpose of this study is to systematically analyze how safety management functions are actually implemented during the integrated design and supervision process for small-to-medium-sized construction sites and to identify effective improvement measures from institutional, technical, and operational perspectives.
To achieve this aim, the following specific objectives were established. First, this study identifies the components of safety management functions within the integrated design and supervision process and clarifies the interaction structure among institutional implementation levels, technology utilization, and operational systems. Second, it assesses the relative importance of each factor through expert evaluation and compares perceptual differences between architects and contractors. Third, it statistically validates the cross-relationships among these factors to analyze the effects of supervision performance levels on safety management blind spots, technology utilization rates, and perceptions of institutional improvements. Fourth, based on these analytical results, the study proposes directions for an integrated safety management system that strengthens the linkages between design, supervision, and construction.
The research methodology employed the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and cross-tabulation analysis. First, using AHP, the safety management functions of small-to-medium-sized construction sites were classified into three domains: ① institutional factors, ② technical factors, and ③ operational factors. Each sub-factor was subsequently organized into upper, middle, and lower hierarchical levels.
A pairwise comparison survey was conducted with a panel of experts (architects and contractors) in order to assess the relative importance of each factor, and the reliability of their responses was verified using the consistency ratio (CR ≤ 0.1). Based on the weights derived through the AHP, a cross-analysis was then performed to examine the interrelationships and significance among the factors. SPSS Statistics was used to conduct frequency analysis and χ² (Chi-square) tests concurrently. Key variables such as system implementation level, technical utilization experience, and perceptions of necessary improvements were statistically analyzed using a 5-point Likert scale.
The analysis results indicated that both architects and contractors assigned the highest priority to ‘work environment–centered factors’. This reflects a shared understanding that controlling physical hazards and stabilizing the work environment exert the greatest influence on enhancing on-site safety. In contrast, ‘law · system-centered factors‘ were rated as relatively less important, demonstrating a site-oriented tendency that favors practical implementation and management efficiency over mere regulatory compliance. At the sub-factor level, architects placed greater emphasis on preventive management during the design phase and the coherence of the coordination system, whereas contractors identified the use of pre-inspection (Hold Point) procedures and real-time management systems based on CPS·IoTas key factors.
In the cross-analysis, higher levels of supervision performance were associated with significantly lower perceptions of safety management blind spots (p=.001) while a significant relationship was also observed between the perceived need for system improvement and the anticipated effectiveness of such improvements (p=.010). Additionally, respondents with extensive experience in technology utilization tended to evaluate mobile inspections and VR·DT-based training more positively, suggesting that digital management systems contribute to enhanced perceptions of safety activity effectiveness.
This study provides empirical evidence indicating that the safety management system for small-to-medium-sized construction sites must shift from a focus on formal regulatory compliance to an integrated safety management system centered on practical, outcome-driven performance.
In particular, the study confirms that establishing a Cyclic Governance Model that integrates preventive management during the design phase, responsive management during the construction phase, and feedback management through performance evaluation can help to eliminate information gaps and enhance both the continuity and effectiveness of safety management. From a policy perspective, the following key improvement directions are proposed: ① enhancing the effectiveness of risk prevention plans during the design and supervision stages, ② establishing a real-time control system based on CPS/IoT, ③ implementing integrated design–construction management focused on high-risk work environments, ④ introducing VR/DT-based behavioral intervention training systems, and ⑤ developing an integrated framework that combines the Safety Management Index (SMI) with Key Performance Indicator (KPI). In conclusion, this study empirically clarified the multi-layered relationships among institutional, technological, and operational factors by integrating AHP and cross-analysis. The findings provide foundational policy and practical data for systematically strengthening safety management capabilities at small-to-medium-sized construction sites. Future research should further refine institutional effectiveness and technological integration through expanded studies, including real-time data-based analysis of supervision systems and investigation of perceptual differences among participants.