Measuring Empathy in Future Professionals for Enhanced Construction Worker Safety

Construction workers face disproportionately high safety risks, yet the role of empathy—a critical driver of worker-centric safety practices—remains underexplored in civil engineering education. This study examines the level of empathy among civil engineering students in India toward the safety of construction workers. Using a quantitative survey based on the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), the research assessed cognitive and affective empathy in relation to gender, academic year, and frequency of site visits. Results from 243 students revealed moderate levels of empathy overall, with male students scoring slightly higher than females. While empathy scores gradually increased across academic years, no statistically significant differences were found based on academic level or site visit frequency. These findings suggest that current civil engineering curricula may not effectively promote empathy regarding construction worker safety. The study highlights the importance of targeted educational interventions, including integrating worker safety considerations into coursework, providing equal opportunities for site visits, and structuring these visits to foster reflection on safety-related aspects.