You’re a safety manager at a job site and you’re overseeing a range of risky activities. From cement mixing to large steel girders or prefabs flying above your head. How do you keep your team safe? Where do you start? We expect all construction workers to have a heightened sense of awareness but we don’t live in a perfect world. We can help make things safer.
1 in 5 deaths among U.S. workers is in the construction industry1. From falls to improper use of ladders, to poorly assembled scaffolding, keeping workers safe at construction sites is serious business. IoT has made strides in safety at construction sites. Digitizing safety processes and tracking activities in real-time making it a lot easier to spot a flaw that could be fatal.
80% of construction professionals say mobile technology is a top priority4.
Let’s take a quick look at a simplified version of safety at a construction site. Dr. Swiss Cheese’s safety model.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_cheese_model
Digitize the safety process and log risks in real-time
Enforce compliance and safety across all contractors using e-logging with construction software like Ineight on mobile. Safety managers can manage any potential risks that could delay, cause an overrun, or prevent a fatality in real time. Add transparency, maintain accuracy, and effectively manage RFIs for contractors with digital tools and on-site mobile devices.
98% of engineering and construction companies surveyed by Ernst & Young agree that digital solutions are critical to the future viability of their company. Technology adoption can be a challenge for worksites with paper logging and memorization of safety protocols.
We can help transition paper logging and enhance worker safety awareness with our suite of ruggedized mobile devices designed for the modern construction site. Monitor, and anticipate gaps in safety at the work site and push real-time safety updates to workers.
Drones
A construction site is one of the most dangerous places to work and falls account for 34% of worker fatalities2 due to unsteady platforms, hazardous conditions, and manual work. Drones are being tested to perform some of the more dangerous tasks at the job site. Moreso, fleets of drones with cameras are also being used for job site safety and workplace inspections. As this technology matures we expect more construction companies to adopt drone fleets in the near future.
As drone operators become more commonplace at the construction site, we can help expand visual screen real estate with iPads or slave multiple drones to a command and control iPad fleet hub. Fly drones remotely or take control of a drone at the job site to inspect a critical hard-to-reach structure.
Connect the job site
Global use of sensors was expected to reach $27 billion in 2022, up from $7.5 billion in 20163which includes construction sites. As the new generation enters the workforce, technologies such as fall sensors, asset protection sensors, cameras, or drones will become more prevalent. Growing the need to connect these new technologies to a central command and control system.
Remotely monitor future job sites, provide clients real-time updates, or track the status of prefabs at off-site locations. As project management and engineering processes move to the cloud, achieve greater efficiencies and less downtime with contractors by sharing digital schematics or immediately updating engineering plans in real-time with contractors.
Our Cradlepoint wireless network infrastructure solutions can help secure your connections at the worksite and inside vehicles, can connect IoT devices including drones, can scale as you build, and can run off LTE or 5G unlimited data so you can have connectivity before the telecom providers even arrive.
Wearable tech
In 2020, more than 130,000 construction workers missed days of work due to illness or injuries, decreasing productivity2 in an already labor-scarce industry. Maximize the use of construction site sensors with wearables. Minimize potential worker injury and strategically place sensors across the job site to create a virtual safety barrier that can send triggers to worker wearables if they’re at risk of falling or collisions.
Go further with wearable tech to detect falls that alert emergency services immediately. Monitor worker health to prevent overexertion and track a worker in potential health distress. Wearables also add a layer of hands-free communication for workers and the rest of the construction team.
We can help keep workers safe with a suite of wearable devices that can be loaded with safety apps that connects to your network of safety sensors.
We hope this is a helpful reminder of just how important safety is in the construction industry and how taking it for granted can cost billions.
How eSquared Communication Consulting Serves the Construction Industry
eSquared empowers retail, construction, field service, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and healthcare teams to achieve a competitive edge. We deliver tailored, end-to-end business mobile solutions that seamlessly connect people, assets, and data to help our customers make insightful business decisions that grow the bottom line.
Get award-winning 24/7 help desk support and telecommunication and internet solutions. Protect your workers with our strategic guidance and end-to-end solutions. When you think of safety, think eSquared. Let's chat.
References: 1 OSHA 2 BLS 3 Zion Market Research 4 Truelook Construction Cameras
