Developing a Conceptual Model for Evaluating Construction Workers’ Adaptation to the Use of Wearable Sensing Devices

Existing studies conducted across industries on the adoption and acceptance of safety technologies such as wearable sensing devices (WSDs) indicate that users still have some post-adoptive concerns about the use of these devices, and they tend to manage these concerns using different mechanisms. This unease is more pronounced in the construction industry reputed for being averse to the adoption of technology or innovation. Details about workers' post-WSD-adoption behavior and how to measure their coping mechanisms have received limited attention in construction research. This study proposes a conceptual model that can be deployed to examine the coping mechanism and infusion of WSDs for safety and health monitoring in construction. First, a review of the antecedents of the adoption and use of WSDs is conducted followed by an appraisal of existing theories and models that can be used to explain user coping behavior and adaptation. Subsequently, the feasibility and utility of the proposed conceptual model was evaluated by construction safety experts. This study provides foundational insights needed to generate new knowledge regarding the post-WSD-adoption behavior of construction workers. Such insights could influence strategies geared toward enhancing the successful use of WSDs for construction safety and health management.