A Worker-Owned Decentralized Identity Framework for Construction Safety Management: Enabling Portable, Privacy-Preserving Verification of Safety Credentials Across Contractual Boundaries

Abstract

Construction safety management is fundamentally constrained by fragmented, project-specific information management systems, where worker credentials, training records, and safety-related data are dispersed across disconnected platforms. Current safety information systems typically manage worker identity verification and qualification records within organization-specific data silos, limiting interoperability across contractors, subcontractors, and project stakeholders. Such fragmented information management structures create significant challenges in multi-tier subcontracting environments, where timely access to reliable and portable safety credentials is critical for site access control, training verification, equipment authorization, and regulatory compliance monitoring. To address this gap, this study introduces a biometric-driven, self-regenerating Decentralized Identifier (DID) infrastructure designed to serve as the foundational identity layer for interoperable construction safety management systems. Considering the highly mobile and temporary nature of the construction workforce, the architecture enables workers to regenerate cryptographic identity credentials on the same enrolled device using only a fingerprint—without passwords, cloud dependencies, or administrative intervention—through a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-compliant fuzzy extractor and Schnorr zero-knowledge proofs. Experimental validation under simulated construction site conditions demonstrates sub-second authentication latency and seamless cross-project identity portability despite biometric variability and connectivity constraints. The findings suggest that the proposed infrastructure can function as a privacy-preserving and interoperable safety information management framework capable of supporting auditable safety compliance workflows, reducing redundant safety inductions, and empowering worker participation in safety reporting across general contractors, subcontractors, and regulatory auditors.