Examining the Impact of Aging on Workers’ Hazard Identification Ability in Dynamic Construction Environments

Given that the construction workforce is aging, managing their safety at jobsites has become increasingly crucial for the construction industry. While the effect of aging on situational awareness has been extensively discussed in various fields, no study empirically examined the impact of aging on construction workers' hazard identification. Thus, this study utilized eye-tracking technologies to investigate the effects of aging on workers' hazard identification performance and attentional distribution abilities. The results indicated that aging negatively impacts workers' ability to broadly scan the 360° surroundings, as their cognitive processing becomes slower with aging. However, older workers showed better visual search strategies by fixating on hazardous areas in the scene, likely attributed to their crystallized intelligence that is information they have learned in the past and stored. As the proportion of older workers increases, it is crucial to prioritize their safety by addressing the impact of aging on their cognitive abilities and situational awareness and developing appropriate intervention strategies.