SAFETY KNOWLEDGE AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJIREV.824002Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, Digital Safety Analytics, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), Risk Perception, Safety Culture, Safety Knowledge, Safety Training, Systematic Literature Review, Vulnerable Workers, Workplace AccidentsAbstract
Safety knowledge is widely recognised as a critical determinant of workplace safety performance; however, empirical evidence on how safety knowledge influences workplace accidents remain fragmented across disciplines, sectors, and methodological approaches. This systematic literature review aims to synthesise empirical evidence on the relationship between safety knowledge and workplace accidents, with particular attention to emerging digital safety analytics, human and organisational factors, and applied occupational safety and health (OSH) practices across specific sectors and populations. Guided by the PRISMA framework, advanced searches were conducted in the Scopus and Web of Science databases for peer-reviewed English-language articles published between 2015 and 2025. Following rigorous screening, eligibility assessment, and quality appraisal, 47 empirical studies were included for qualitative synthesis. Using a PICo-guided thematic analysis, three overarching themes were identified: (1) digital, AI-driven, and knowledge-based safety analytics (safety informatics); (2) human factors, safety climate/culture, and risk perception at individual and organisational levels; and (3) applied OSH practices in specific sectors and vulnerable worker populations. The findings indicate that safety knowledge plays a central mediating role between safety management practices, safety attitudes, training interventions, and accident outcomes. Technological advancements such as knowledge graphs, machine learning, and predictive safety analytics show growing potential to enhance real-time safety decision-making, while human and organisational factors strongly shape how safety knowledge is perceived and enacted. Sector-specific contexts further influence the effectiveness of safety knowledge transfer, particularly among high-risk and vulnerable worker groups. Overall, this review highlights the need for integrated socio-technical approaches that combine digital safety systems, strong safety culture, and context-sensitive training to reduce workplace accidents and improve occupational safety outcomes.
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