Tower crane safety technologies: A synthesis of academic research and industry insights

Tower cranes (TCs) are vital equipment highly sought after on construction sites due to their efficiency in handling and lifting heavy loads. Nevertheless, the use of TCs on construction sites is riddled with significant safety issues, resulting in numerous accidents across the globe. This study uniquely focuses on the emerging tower crane safety technologies (TCST) field and makes vital contributions by investigating and analyzing TCST research. It aims to explore knowledge gaps and propose future research directions through a systematic review. The uniqueness of this study is its comprehensive examination of TCST, which encompasses not only academic research but also industrial technologies and products. TCST has been categorized based on their purposes and specific aspects of crane management, leading to four key categories: (1) proactive preconstruction crane management technologies; (2) monitoring technologies during construction; (3) anti-collision technologies during construction; and (4) stability control technologies during construction. This study makes a threefold contribution. First, it identifies six crucial knowledge gaps, three in academia and three in the industrial sector. These gaps relate to data completeness, data scope, real-world application, post-construction dismantling, accuracy and data reliability, and data security. Second, it outlines future research opportunities in both academic and industrial contexts, providing a clear path to address these gaps and improve tower crane (TC) operation safety and efficiency. Lastly, it delivers valuable insights to industry practitioners by presenting the latest TCST applications in real-world scenarios, thereby promoting safer and more effective construction practices.