This article presents the developed methodology of classifying and evaluating the causes of accidents involving construction scaffolding. This methodology allows the causes of accidents to be identified, classified into generic groups, and also allows the importance of individual causes in their generic groups to be assessed. For the classification of causes, the Technical–Organizational–Human (TOH) method was used. Its assumption is the division of causes into technical (T), organizational (O), and human (H) ones. Pareto-Lorenz analysis and ABC classification were used to identify the most important causes. The developed methodology was used to analyze and assess the causes of accidents that involve construction scaffolding using the data of accidents that occurred in Poland as an example. The use of the proposed methodology in different countries will enable the results of the conducted studies and analysis to be compared, and conclusions that would be of a great importance in accident prevention to be drawn.

Virtual reality (VR) is one of the most innovative technologies that allows the development of a computerised, three-dimensional image that imitates reality. With this solution, it is possible to show different objects and even simulate a sequence of actions. The application of virtual reality technology in industries with high accident rates, such as mining and construction, contributes to sustainability by enhancing occupational health and safety (OHS) practices. However, it should be emphasised that the application of VR in these industries is much broader and includes aspects such as visualisation, monitoring and design. This research contributes to sustainability by identifying research gaps, providing an in-depth systematic review of the use of virtual reality technology and outlining the potential of VR technology to advance safety practices in mining and construction, thereby promoting the well-being of workers, reducing accidents and minimising negative environmental impacts associated with workplace incidents. Based on the analyses performed, the future of VR technology for improving work processes in terms of the safety, efficiency and profitability of implementation is outlined. The results of this study provide a comprehensive framework for identifying research gaps in this area to advance research in the academic community and to improve safety in mining and construction workplaces.

Purpose: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), colloquially called drones, are widely applied in many sectors of the economy, including the construction industry. They are used for building inspections, damage assessment, land measurements, safety inspections, monitoring the progress of works, and others.Design/methodology/approach: The study notes that UAV pose new, and not yet present, risks in the construction industry. New threats arise, among others, from the development of new technologies, as well as from the continuous automation and robotization of the construction industry. Education regarding the safe use of UAV and the proper use of drones has a chance to improve the safety of work when using these devices.Findings: The procedure (protocol) was developed for the correct and safe preparation and planning of an unmanned aerial vehicle flight during construction operations.Originality/value: Based on the analysis of available sources, no such complete procedure has yet been developed for the correct, i.e. compliant with applicable legal regulations and occupational health and safety issues, preparation for flying UAV. The verification and validation of the developed flight protocol was performed on a sample of over 100 different flight operations.

The article presents an analysis and evaluation of the accident rate in selected European Union countries. On the basis of available statistical data, the analysis of accidents in various sectors of the European Union economy was carried out. Afterwards, a ranking of countries regarding accidents in the construction industry was developed. For the selected representative countries, analysis of changes in the indicators which characterize the accident rate during the period between 2008 and 2012 was carried out. Conclusions resulting from the conducted research were formulated.

One of the key tasks of an investor and a contractor at the stage of planning and implementing construction works is to measure the progress of execution with regard to the planned deadlines and costs. During the execution of construction works, the actual progress of the works may differ significantly from the initial plan, and it is unlikely that the construction project will be implemented entirely according to the planned work and expenditure schedule. In order to monitor the process of deviations of the deadline and the budget of the investment task, several rudimentary methods of planning—as well as the cyclical control of the progress of construction projects—are used. An effective tool for measuring the utilization of the financial outlays of a construction project is the presentation of the planned financial flows on a timeline using a cumulative cost chart, the representation of which is the S-curve. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the course of an sample construction project comparing the planned costs of the scheduled works with the actual costs of the performed works, as well as identifying the reasons leading to the failure to meet the planned deadlines and budget of the project implementation. As part of the research conducted at a construction site of a hotel facility, the authors of this paper analyzed each of the 20-month effects of financial expenditures on construction works that were developed and processed by the Bank Investment Supervision (BIS) over a period of three years (between 2017 and 2019). Based on these results, charts and tables of the scheduled and actual cumulative costs of the completed construction project were prepared, the careful analysis of which enables interesting conclusions to be drawn.