4. Methodologies
The aim of the study is to investigate factors that contribute to
accidents involving tower crane installation/dismantling in Korea.
This paper focuses on following objectives: (i) to analyze accidents
related to tower cranes on construction sites, especially accidents
happening during tower crane installation/dismantling; (ii) to
examine the causes of the accidents during tower crane installation/
dismantling; (iii) to identify contributory factors that lead to
accidents during tower crane installation/dismantling; and (iv) to
examine the underlying causes of these factors.
The factors that affect the safety of tower crane installation/dismantling
in the Korean construction industry were investigated by
first gathering accident data related to tower cranes from the accident
database of MOEL. The data from 2001 to 2011 were reviewed
by classifying and analyzing the statistics on the number of accidents,
accident mode, occupation of victims, experience years of
the victims, and causes of accidents. The fatal accident cases occurring
during tower crane installation/dismantling were then
selected. Cases were reviewed from accident investigation reports
produced by labor inspectors of MOEL and technical experts from
the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA). The
accident analysis results were then used to conduct focus group
interviews (FGIs) in order to elicit factors affecting the safety of
tower crane installation/dismantling. The FGIs are able to
strengthen the collection of relevant data and to undercover
underlying meanings (Krueger and Casey, 2000; Rabiee, 2004). Participants
in the FGIs were people who were involved in the process
of tower crane installation/dismantling, such as employers (Team
leaders) responsible for installation/dismantling, chief managers,
engineers and safety officers acting for the principal contractors,
tower crane owners (lessors), and technical inspectors of tower