The construction industry around the world has an ongoing challenge with worker safety. The use of technologies such as the Internet of Things and AI may hold the key to substantially improving worker safety. In this blog post we revisit some of the key ways in which disruptive technologies are affecting the construction industry (as discussed in our report ‘Digital Transformation in the Construction Sector’), with a particular focus on how they can be used to make improvements in worker safety.
To provide some background, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 20% of worker injuries were accounted for by private construction workers in 2019, representing a significant human toll. The financial impact of failures in worker safety is also significant. In the US, 6%-9% of total construction project costs are related to workplace injuries, impacting the net profit of such projects. And there is a direct correlation between improving safety and increasing profits: companies investing around 2.5% of their project expenditure on safety training witness an increase of 4%-7% in net profit and a significant reduction in accidents at job sites.
These figures explain why enhancing workers’ safety is quickly becoming a focal point of improvement for construction companies (which heavily depend on manual labour, often in dangerous physical locations) as they ramp up their efforts to prevent jobsite accidents.
This article examines the use of technology to tackle worker safety, one of the most impactful technology-enabled transformations in the construction sector. It provides an overview of worker safety solutions, their key benefits, and some of the leading worker safety solutions deployed in the construction industry.
Various technological advancements can be leveraged to protect on-site workers, including digital jobsite training through augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), worker fatigue monitoring, and scaffold monitoring. Additionally, the deployment of sensors throughout construction sites allows for the assessment of environmental factors such as the presence of hazardous chemicals, dust particles, harmful noise levels, extreme temperatures, and excessive humidity. Real-time notifications from sensors enable on-site workers to proactively minimise their exposure to potentially harmful situations.
In this section, we summarise some of the principal solutions that are deployed in the construction industry to increase workers’ safety.
According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), accidents occurring due to workers operating at height are one of the top three causes of injury-related deaths in the construction industry. Companies can deploy AI and video analytics to enhance protection for construction workers at risk of jobsite injuries. AI-based monitoring systems can notify relevant authorities of any unsafe practices allowing them to take necessary preventive steps.
The use of drones can reduce the requirement for humans to have to enter unsafe areas. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can take aerial photos and videos, reducing the need for working at height to take site photos. They can identify required construction site maintenance, repairs, and identify damage as well. For example, Texas-based Rogers-O’Brien Construction used drone imagery to avoid exposing workers to risky situations and also decreased its site inspection cost by over 99%. Mobile robots, such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot, can be deployed to work in hazardous environments which would usually require a person.
Exoskeletons can be used to help lift heavy tools and materials on-site. These suits allow workers to bend, lift and carry heavy materials, reducing the possibility of an injury due to fatigue. For instance, Canada-based Freshco.ca’s workers have worn exosuits while holding heavy tools to remove tiles from a building wall. Also, according to research by the University of Gävle, the use of EksoVests (a popular type of exoskeleton) can lower workers’ muscle strain by 60% in industrial sectors including construction. Exoskeletons can be particularly beneficial for countries grappling with an ageing workforce and their use can also support injured workers' rehabilitation in the workplace.
Smart wearables can support on-site safety by assessing environmental hazards and workers’ body metrics, enhancing productivity. According to Rackspace, wearable technology can enhance worker efficiency by 8.5%. Some of these devices are also fitted with cameras, display screens, and network technology for communication. For instance, Guardhat offers a connected safety helmet, called the Guardhat Communicator. These helmets are equipped with a camera and provide indoor and outdoor location tracking via GPS or beacons. There are multiple sensors attached to the helmet which offer environment and worker monitoring, fall detection, and proximity detection, which enable the helmet to alert managers in the event of emergencies.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) can be used to reproduce real-life on-site conditions to train workers. This trains workers to operate equipment more safely, alerting them of possible dangers, and helping them to follow safety protocols (lowering jobsite accident rates). For example, to improve the safety training of staff engaged in activities that take place in confined spaces or at heights, Kaefer Group developed the Safety Street project along with Luminous, providing VR scenarios as part of a training programme.
The deployment of AR and VR technologies extends to simulating accidents in scenarios such as tools falling from heights, and utilising precise data from building information models that contain scaffolding details. These techniques enable trainers to deliver immediate feedback to workers, promoting a safe working environment through real-time guidance.
Implementing worker safety solutions not only helps companies reduce injuries and accident-related costs but also contributes to increased productivity. The deployment of technology-led solutions also plays a crucial role in reducing response times during workplace injuries. Leveraging digitally transformative technologies can enhance working conditions, leading to reduced worker fatigue, minimized project downtime, and improved overall productivity.
With reduced jobsite accidents, companies can lower their overall workers’ risk profile. Companies implementing workers safety solutions can reduce jobsite accidents, impacting its overall workers risk profile. Companies with a poor track record of workplace injuries could be classed as high-risk based on historical workers insurance claims. A company’s experience modification rate (EMR) is compared with its peer group and unfavourable performance results in higher insurance premiums which increase the financial burden and indirectly impacts business profitability.
In conclusion, technology-enabled worker safety solutions can play a pivotal role in ensuring the well-being of on-site workers in the construction industry. By deploying innovative solutions such as AR/VR training, fatigue monitoring, scaffold monitoring, and sensor-based environmental monitoring, companies can significantly reduce injuries, lessen accidents (and their related costs), and enhance productivity. These solutions ensure safer and more efficient work environment by improving the overall working conditions and by reducing worker fatigue. These combined factors result in better employee satisfaction. For instance, Rackspace claims that wearable technologies can also improve workplace satisfaction by 3.5%. By prioritising worker safety through the deployment of cutting-edge solutions, organisations can achieve a balance between the overall well-being of their workers and operational excellence.
The Digital Transformation in the Construction sector report focusses on digital transformation in the Construction sector as enabled by the key technology groups that are the focus of Transforma Insights’ research. These technology groups include: 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Robotic Systems, Distributed Ledger, and Internet of Things (IoT).
The purpose of the report is two-fold. Firstly, from the perspective of a practitioner in the Construction industry, the document highlights new and emerging aspects of change that can be expected to impact the industry in the next few years. Secondly, from the perspective of potential vendors to the Construction industry, it highlights key emerging areas of opportunity to sell new products, services, and solutions to the Construction industry. Our analysis of the key technologies that enable each of the identified areas of digital transformation will help vendors of horizontal (technology-specific) capabilities to identify the contexts in which they may be able to secure new business from the Construction sector.
