Accident Investigations in the Construction Industry – Lessons from Aviation

This research project examines how accident investigations are conducted in the construction industry and how they can help reduce accidents.

The project will be carried out from 2023 to 2026 with financial support from Afa Insurance.

Despite a long-term decline in accidents, progress has stalled, and similar incidents recur frequently. The project is based on the premise that the problem is not merely about analyzing accidents, but about how knowledge gained from investigations is utilized and put into practice.

Through interviews with industry stakeholders, studies of construction companies’ investigation processes, and comparisons with the aviation industry’s established safety systems, the project analyzes methodology, implementation, and knowledge transfer. Aviation is used as a comparative case because the industry has succeeded in reducing accidents through systematic safety work and robust learning processes.

The project’s results show that the challenge lies not primarily in conducting accident analyses, but in preserving and translating knowledge into practical measures. The study identifies a need for strengthened investigation capacity, clearer forms of knowledge sharing, and working methods that better support learning across organizational boundaries. Overall, the project contributes new perspectives on how accident investigations can be developed to create lasting safety improvements in the construction industry.