An estimation of the crane safety risk factors in the Vietnamese construction industry

PurposeCranes are vital machinery in the construction industry, widely used on most construction sites. However, they are also among the most hazardous equipment, contributing to a significant number of serious accidents in Vietnam and globally. Although previous studies have identified and analysed crane safety risk factors, they often lack the use of quantitative data analysis to assess the risk levels of these factors. This paper aims to identify and evaluate crane safety risk factors within the Vietnamese construction industry.Design/methodology/approachA well-structured questionnaire, utilizing a five-point Likert scale, was developed and distributed to 60 crane-related practitioners working in both southern and northern Vietnam.FindingsThe study identified 59 crane safety risk factors in the Vietnamese construction industry. The most frequent factor is "Crane workers with stress due to time pressure," while the factor "Crane with bad manufacture quality" has the highest severity. Additionally, the findings reveal that 50 out of 59 factors (84.74%) are classified as having a medium risk level, with "Crane with bad manufacture quality" exhibiting the highest risk level.Originality/valueThis is the first study to apply quantitative data analysis to identify and evaluate crane safety risk factors in the Vietnamese construction industry. The methodology presented can also be adapted to estimate safety risk factors for other construction machinery in Vietnam.