Worksite safety is the most important aspect of any construction project. There are many ways accidents can occur on a site including trips and falls, improper handling of hazardous materials, fire and falling objects to name but a few. Poor lighting, worker fatigue, dehydration and stress can also be contributing factors. Reducing the chances of accidents occurring is often down to human supervision to ensure occupational safety, which can be challenging. But new technologies have emerged which can help enhance construction site safety. In this blog, we will look at the best ways to avoid accidents and how to improve worksite safety through technology and smart safety monitoring.
Accidents on worksites are all too common but by implementing correct working procedures and promoting a safety culture, the chances of incidents occurring can be dramatically reduced. Health and safety should be ingrained into all workers on a site and this will not only prevent injury but also improve worker job satisfaction. Here are 5 key measures to consider when formulating a safety strategy:
Overexertion, exhaustion and even dehydration are common causes of accidents. So whether it is an employee trying to increase their productivity excessively or simply pushing themselves too far, all forms of risky behaviour should be highlighted and discouraged.
Poorly trained workers are not only a danger to themselves but also to others so ensure workers have the training they need and assess if any refresher or new training is required going forward.
Workers are often exposed to hazardous materials in construction. These should be identified beforehand with strict controls on how to handle them and what safety measures must be followed and what PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is necessary.
A schedule for regular inspections of machinery and tools should be drawn up and workers should be supervised by an experienced member of the team. Supervisors should be readily available for workers to ask questions or raise concerns.
Regular reviews of the safety strategy should be carried out to identify any new risks and if any new safety measures should be implemented. Workers’ input can also be valuable during this process.
If any incidents do occur, they should be logged and thoroughly investigated to find the root cause and if any remedial actions need to be taken.
A safety strategy taking into account the measures above will undoubtedly help to reduce the chances of accidents, but they are largely dependent on humans to monitor. With the advancement of technology, some important safety monitoring tasks can be carried out by smart devices, taking the strain away from supervisors and bolstering construction site safety even further.
GF Technovation has developed a Smart Worksite Monitoring System for just this purpose. Smart safety monitoring can detect many signs of potential accidents before they occur in a much more effective manner than human tracking alone.
The system uses a combination of video analytics, IoT, facial recognition and AI to detect anything from workers not wearing PPE to fire and smoke. Tailored to each site, users simply have to identify what they would like monitoring and the safety experts at GF Technovation will install the correct sensors to suit the needs. Users then need only then to set up the monitoring parameters and the system will begin monitoring 24/7.
As an IoT device, when the sensors or cameras detect any usual occurrences, the system will alert the responsible personnel via a mobile app or email. This allows supervisors to monitor their site round the clock and also enables them to keep track of work progress.
Improving worksite safety is the concern of all reputable construction companies but it need not be the job of humans alone, new technologies can help to take the strain away and boost overall safety levels. Learn more about GF Technovation’s Smart Worksite Monitoring System here.
