Monitoring and evaluating the status and behaviour of construction workers using wearable sensing technologies

Wearable sensing technologies (WSTs) are valuable in monitoring status and behaviour of construction workers, providing insights into their response under varying conditions and potentially improving their performance. Despite their importance, a comprehensive review of WSTs for evaluating construction worker behaviour and status is lacking. This paper conducted a quantitative and qualitative review of relevant studies. A bibliometric analysis revealed the selected 200 publications between 2011 and 2023 focusing on musculoskeletal disorders, worker activity, worker status, construction safety and occupational risks. Accordingly, a knowledge framework was proposed for evaluating workers' status and behaviour, compassing data collection, artifact removal, analysis, worker evaluation, and applications. Following a qualitative review, six future research directions were identified: sensor selection and placement, experiment validity, end-to-end data analysis, data fusion, human-technology interaction, and modelling worker status. This review provides the current research state and future trends, aiding the practical implementations of wearable technologies on construction sites. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.