A Novel Fuzzy Delphi DEMATEL-RANCOM approach to assess root causes of construction accidents

The construction industry remains one of the most hazardous sectors worldwide, consistently reporting high accident rates. This highlights the urgent need to systematically identify and address the root causes of such incidents. Although previous studies have explored causal relationships among accident factors, existing approaches are often complex and insufficient in prioritizing the root causes. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes an integrated framework combining the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM), Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (FDEMATEL), and the Ranking Comparison Method (RANCOM). Within this framework, FDM is enhanced with the Convert Fuzzy Data into Crisp Scores technique and the Pareto Principle to generate accurate crisp values and reduce experts’ cognitive load by producing a concise list of significant causes. FDEMATEL quantifies interrelationships among these causes to derive the ranking vector, while RANCOM determines their relative importance. Notably, this study is the first to quantify criteria importance based on net influence values using the proposed FDEMATEL-RANCOM integration. A case study validates the framework and identifies six key causes: lack of safety policies, poor safety culture, inadequate supervision, ineffective enforcement, insufficient equipment expertise, and improper use of protective equipment. This study provides insights into improving occupational safety within the construction industry.