Technological Innovation and Safety Outcomes on Ghanaian Construction Sites: A Role-Based and Project-Type Analysis

Abstract

Ghana’s construction industry is critical to economic growth; however, it faces high accident rates due to poor site inspections, inadequate communication, and non-compliance with safety protocols. This study evaluates the potential of emerging technologies such as wearables, drones, Building Information Modelling (BIM), and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) to enhance worker safety on construction sites. Data were collected from 98 construction professionals in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana using a structured quantitative approach. According to statistical analysis, wearable technology (Mean = 3.17) and drones (Mean = 3.28) had the biggest effects on enabling site surveillance, health monitoring, and real-time hazard detection. Significant differences in safety performance across project types and years of worker experience were confirmed by ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p < 0.001), with less experienced workers being at higher risk. Significantly, building projects outperformed civil projects in terms of safety (p = 0.001), highlighting the necessity of focused intervention. The validity of the results was further supported by the high reliability of the survey instruments (Cronbach's α = 0.886 – 0.963). Significant obstacles to adoption include high implementation costs, technical complexity, and resistance to change. Nonetheless, 65.6% of those surveyed agreed that technological advancements had reduced their exposure to hazards. This study concludes that while emerging technologies hold transformative potential, their success depends on strategic implementation, worker training, and organization readiness.