Influence of semantic cues on hazard-inspection performance: a case in construction safety

Abstract

Constant improvement in hazard identification is key to personnel safety in the workplace. Semantic cues have been proposed to simplify knowledge retrieval for site inspectors in building construction. However, the effectiveness of this approach and its internal mechanisms remain unexamined. This study assesses the influence of semantic cues on inspection performance from the perspective of visual behavior during elevator installation. Our results indicate that semantic cues drive selective attention toward goal-relevant information more effectively compared with when no such cues are provided. Second, semantic cues can improve performance regarding goal-relevant hazards and not diminish performance for incidental hazards. Third, the improvement of working memory and inspection performance is more pronounced in experienced workers than in novices. This research highlights the influence of semantic cues for hazard identification on visual behavior and inspection performance, and can serve as a foundation for the allocation of resources to aid inspection during construction.

Keywords:

• semantic cues
• safety inspection
• working memory
• eye tracking

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Pin-Chao Liao http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6927-9204

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant no. 51878382]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant no. 51578317].