Smart technologies are giving a boost to the many industries where construction industry is one of them. The industry, filled with accidents, is often a key area of safety advancement. Smart technology is helping push safety to the next level with the inclusion of:
1. Increasing Visibility with Backup Cameras
Backup cameras do exist. These cameras are often seen in automobiles, but now you’ll also find them on construction sites. These cameras are placed on heavy-duty equipment, such as a backhoe, to allow for a 115-degree view behind the machine.
What’s nice about these cameras is that they also have the ability to record.
“Every year people are seriously injured or killed in Chicago construction accidents. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that 20 percent of all U.S. workplace fatalities in 2013 occurred on construction jobsites, despite strict federal and state safety regulations,” explains Strom & Associates.
And construction site operators will have a much easier time showing that they’re not guilty when the video evidence is in their favor.
2. Taking to the Sky with Drones
Drones are a lot of fun for consumers to play with, but they’re also being used on construction sites to reduce the risk of potential hazards. Reports claim that construction sites may spend up to $20.5 billion on drones between 2017 and 2025.
Why?
Drones allow for a site to be assessed, and drones can also help identify any potential hazards that exist.
3. Introducing Fleet Management Systems
Construction crews have to haul a lot of material, and planning the right route is essential for safety. Fleet management systems are being introduced into many construction companies in an effort to offer:
- Route planning optimization
- Enhance driver safety and skills
- Improve driver safety and behavior
Telematics can also be introduced to collect data that’s needed to determine how to reduce the risk of an accident. The goal is to use smart technology to gather data over a period of time followed by an intensive analysis process.
Management systems are ideal for large-scale construction sites where accidents happen most often on the road.
4. Autonomous Machinery and Machines
Autonomous vehicles and machinery are being tested across the world. These technologies are the wave of the future, and they are making their way into construction sites. The goal is to keep workers out of harm’s way, and this means keeping them away from machinery that is dangerous.
Shipping ports use this technology extensively.
Remote controlled machinery is also becoming popular and allows for workers to use a remote control to operate these machines. Caterpillar and Komatsu are two companies that are already working on this technology.
Australia has been a pioneer in the industry and started with 69 dump trucks that all operated autonomously. The trucks use GPS technology and a human driver that is still in control of the vehicle.
Less fuel is used with these trucks than when human drivers are behind the wheel, and the vehicles are able to reach their final destination while using less fuel.
We’re also seeing virtual reality being suggested as a means of working on complex projects. The technology allows workers to go through sites, find errors and correct them before they become a real-life hazard.