It is no secret that the construction process is a hazardous endeavor because of the higher possibilities of work-related fatalities and injuries. In fact, falls are the biggest cause of fatal injuries at construction sites. Further, from the year 2002 to 2012, 19.5% of all worker deaths accounted for the construction industry.
Several on-site tasks occur every day at worksites, including operating heavy equipment, erecting scaffolding, loading and unloading materials, removing debris, and more. These tasks if not performed under supervision or safety plans, can lead to major injuries and life-threatening situations.
So, the construction industry has been employing smart technology devices to combat injuries, unexpected labor downtime, and fatalities.
How do these safety devices work?
These devices have sensors that can read details about the worker’s surroundings. This information is then transferred to a set up that tracks biometric data, GPS, environmental markers and more.
The devices can also detect worker falls, and then provide employers with real-time information about a worker’s location and safety incident details to deliver a quicker response. These have unique features that allow workers to report incidents and hazards efficiently. Here are three of them:
Smart Wearable
Wearable wristbands don’t just track location, but also eliminate the “Fatal Four.” Smart safety hard hats and vests have sensors, real-time locating, GPS, and vital tracking. Kinetic and solar energy charge these wearables. While working in the sun, construction workers can keep the device charged. These safety devices can address some severe hazards and help workers who are being injured on construction sites.
Drones
Drones are another device that is widely used in construction projects to monitor work sites. The drone allows construction companies to monitor jobs, scan and inspect for hazards, from an aerial view. Besides many other uses of drones, it can play a critical role in the future safety of the workers by pre-inspecting the job site.
Drones can banish the requirement for construction workers or the safety team to regulate high-risk pre-project embark inspections on risk-prone areas. These areas could be the structures causing serious hazards to the employees, which can be addressed using this aerial view device.
However, to ensure operators driving lifts properly and recognizing hazards, an aerial lift train the trainer certification is crucial as per OSHA standards. Moreover, aerial lift training helps workers to maintain overall workplace safety.
Site Sensors
According to the data, 1.3 million construction workers are exposed to asbestos each year. Asbestos can cause mesothelioma, which is a type of tumor produced from a thin layer of tissue that affects the internal organs like the chest wall, the lining of the lungs, heart, stomach, and other organs. About 3000 people in the US are diagnosed with this disease every year.
Asbestos can be found in roofing, floor tile, siding, shingles, fireproofing, plasters, and other construction materials. Most of the mesothelioma patients are construction workers, but that can be avoided with site sensors. The sensors can detect toxins in the environment, including asbestos, so that workers can take proper precautions.
Site sensors are also helpful in reading the moisture levels and temperature in the air, sending the data to foremen and employers. It also provides on-site personnel a real data to detect if a fire erupted in an unmanned room or leakage due to a plumbing fault. Imagine the extent of accidents and the cost we can save if these mishaps are caught at the beginning of the issue.
Conclusion
Using wearable devices at worksites can help minimize accidents and injuries. This will help in taking pro-active safety measures, which leads to better employee morale, higher productivity, lower turnover, and make a project more profitable!
