This research investigates how age expectation (AE) influences construction worker safety behavior (CWSB) by utilizing self-validation theory (SVT). Using structural equation modeling (SEM) and data from 391 Chinese construction workers, we found that components of AE, such as physical health expectation (PHE), mental health expectation (MHE), and cognitive function expectation (CFE), positively impact CWSB. Safety value (SV), including safety risk perception (SRP) and safety attitude (SA), mediates these effects. The study provides theoretical insights and practical guidance for enhancing CWSB through interventions on AE, supporting sustainable growth and workforce quality in the construction industry.

The construction industry’s poor safety is a global issue, with construction workers’ unsafe behaviors (CWUBs) identified as a major cause of accidents. Based on social cognitive theory (SCT) and using multiple regression analysis, this study categorizes accident experience (AE) into direct and indirect types, examining how each affects CWUBs and the roles of risk perception (RP), safety attitude (SA), and safety competence (SC) in these relationships. Utilizing a structured questionnaire completed by 334 valid respondents and analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM), the study found that indirect experience (IE) significantly reduced CWUBs, with a standardized path coefficient of −0.364, while direct experience (DE) has a smaller impact, with a standardized path coefficient of −0.154, but a significant p. Furthermore, IE positively influenced RP, SA, and SC, explaining 66.8% of its total effect. This study offers a new framework for understanding how AE influences CWUBs, providing actionable insights for managers to implement effective strategies that reduce CWUBs on construction sites.

The construction industry has long been recognized as one of the world’s most hazardous sectors, with safety issues remaining a persistent challenge. To enhance sustainable safety management in this field, this study employs Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to explore the psychological mechanisms underlying construction workers’ safety behaviors. Through structural equation modeling using SPSS 27 and AMOS 28 software on 334 questionnaires, the research reveals that safety awareness and work pressure not only directly influence safety behaviors but also mediate through psychological factors. Notably, social identity significantly moderates the cognitive–behavioral pathway, while autonomous and control motivations moderate the psychological–behavioral relationship. This study breaks through the limitations of traditional safety management that focuses solely on external factors, constructing a multi-level theoretical model that encompasses cognitive, stress, psychological, motivational, and social factors. The research provides a theoretical foundation and practical pathway for construction enterprises to implement people-oriented safety management, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals centered on the health and safety of employees.