Improving Critical Path Method (CPM) by Applying Safety Factor to Manage Delays

Abstract

Compared to other industrial endeavors the construction industry has the highest percentage rate of injuries and illnesses severely causing construction delays. The Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling technique was known to control and to monitor construction activities to meet the project deadlines effectively but not to control and to monitor the project in terms of forecasted injuries and illnesses. The researcher proposed to develop a solution by deriving the Safety Factor to manage delays. The Safety Factor originated from the statistics of injuries and illnesses through classification of the annual percentage rate of the construction activities. Five Color Coding Categories were formulated, guiding the users towards early detection of risks level in the CPM diagram, enabling immediate action and lessening the adverse impact to the entire construction process. The research focused on getting back to the normal time schedule as-planned when disruptive injuries and illnesses occurred by using a safety factor. In which, more dynamic CPM techniques were included in the formulation of the Safety Factor, therefore, increasing construction safety and decreasing construction risks.