BIM adoption predictors for health and safety management among construction SMEs

Abstract

Purpose Health and safety (H&S) management remains a significant global challenge in the construction industry. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) particularly struggle to comply with H&S regulations, resulting in high accident records. To address this poor performance, experts suggest that SMEs adopt H&S management technologies, particularly building information modeling (BIM), due to their potential to improve H&S practices. This study aims to determine the key predictors of construction SMEs’ intentions to adopt BIM for H&S management. The study also explores the potential impact of selected demographic variables on construction SMEs’ adoption intentions. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative research was used using a questionnaire distributed to 357 randomly sampled SMEs. The questionnaire collected data regarding SMEs’ intention to adopt BIM for H&S management. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the research data. Findings The findings reveal specific “relative advantages”, which include “BIM for H&S management will be preferable to the manual use of the H&S file” and “BIM for H&S management will make it easier to comply with H&S regulations” as significant predictors of the intention to adopt BIM for H&S management. The study also underscores the significance of educational qualifications and professional affiliation as predictors of BIM adoption. Research limitations/implications The study’s sample population consisted of SMEs registered with the Construction Industry Development Board register of contractors in Gauteng province, South Africa. This regional focus limits the generalizability of the findings to the entire country. Further research is recommended to investigate the adoption of BIM for H&S management among SMEs in other South African provinces. Additionally, a comparative study exploring BIM adoption for H&S between large construction enterprises and SMEs within the South African context could provide valuable insights. Practical implications This study presents a novel approach, leveraging the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory and demographic analysis, to determine the key predictors of SMEs’ intentions to adopt BIM for H&S management. Social implications Socially, the study promotes the adoption of BIM for H&S. Digital technology is advancing and upgrades social standard, it is crucial for the society to adopt BIM for H&S. Originality/value Existing BIM for H&S management research has neglected SMEs’ adoption intentions, focusing instead on broader adoption enablers. This study presents a novel approach, leveraging the DOI theory and demographic analysis, to determine the key predictors of SMEs’ intentions to adopt BIM for H&S management.