Cutting accident rates on construction sites How AI solutions are making the construction sector safer
In 2022/23 there were an estimated 37,000 workers in the construction sector suffering from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). The figures also show that 2.6% of workers in the construction sector sustained a workplace non-fatal injury with 14% struck by a moving object during the course of their work. This rate of injury is statistically significantly higher than that for workers across all industries and should be sending warning bells to employers across the sector. To help cut these rates the industry requires a shake up of traditional health and safety practices on construction sites and a review of how new technology can improve site safety and training.
In recent years, some of the most groundbreaking solutions changing workplace health and safety are those which harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The AI wearable device market for health and safety monitoring has been pioneered in the US and is now becoming more established in the UK. New AI health and safety equipment like the WearHealth exoskeleton scanning technology and the Modjoul SmartBelt are bringing exciting change, cutting accidents, and bringing a more advanced level of protection for workers at high risk of workplace injury. Central to this technology is the opportunity for employers to collect detailed data that can help inform future health and safety policies on site. Some of these wearable solutions also provide collision avoidance technology which tracks plant machinery on site helping to avoid accidents as involving collisions.
Exoskeleton suits to reduce injury risk
Exoskeleton suits are already being tested by companies across the UK and are in common use across the US construction industry. These suits can be worn for any job that requires repetitive movement whether it be lifting, stretching, or reaching overhead for long periods of time. The suit helps to protect and support the worker by not only easing pressure on the lower back and core, but also helping to lighten the burden put on the body and back from heavy lifting. This helps to combat fatigue and improve endurance on tasks.
How do they help to keep workers safe?
Technology providers like WearHealth use video scanning technology which helps match the right exoskeleton suit to the physical task being performed, with the aim of ensuring that the suit can assist in the usual daily tasks without the wearer being exposed to musculoskeletal injury as a result. A consultant expert along with the recorded data, can help to identify which is the best suit to fit the task in hand, out of the many that are on the market. A rigorous pre-assessment process is then followed that helps to identify the issues that workers most commonly face in executing a specific activity. The worker is videoed performing the task, this is then processed via an algorithm to produce a comprehensive report of recommended exosuits. An ergonomist reviews the recommendations before it is shared with the client From there, the exoskeleton suit is then trialled by a small number of workers and feedback obtained from them before moving onto implementation. It can take some time for workers to get accustomed to wearing the suit, which is why a phased approach is introduced. Each suit is designed to keep the worker safe and to protect and support their body to reduce MSDs. Using wearable sensors, the employer can view the before and after impact using data generated from wearing the suit to complete the task.
Anti-collision technology
Another benefit of wearable technology is the ability to make the workplace environment safer. For example, when people and machines operate together in close proximity, the potential for workplace accidents inevitably rises. AI wearable technology is tackling this issue head-on, with Modjoul’s wearable SmartBelt, having the ability to communicate with fork trucks or plant operators and workers in the vicinity, while simultaneously measuring ergonomics and environmental factors. Units are installed inside the industrial vehicle to provide an accurate location in real-time within centimetres. Units are also positioned throughout the construction site to provide real-time alerts in high-risk areas such as blind spots or when a crane is operating overhead. Workers on the ground receive haptic proximity alerts from their SmartBelt wearable device alerting them to the presence of a forklift or other industrial vehicle. Simultaneously, drivers are alerted to a worker’s presence via a tablet-like display. The devices simultaneously collect data and measure ergonomic and positioning factors, ensuring that there is detailed data into potential near misses in specific zones.
Challenges for the construction industry
The main challenge facing the construction industry is the ability to move away from traditional ways of working on site and instead commit to investing in a technology that is already showing that it can improve site safety and cut accident and injury rates. This in turn improves productivity and business efficiency.
There is no denying that these AI solutions come at a cost and that the initial outlay needs to be justified. However, evidence is already proving the value and returns of these solutions not only in reduction of workplace accident and injury, but also in more targeted training and support. The granular data generated by the devices, allows employers for the first time, to focus on providing more comprehensive targeted training on lifting, bending and carrying materials, having identified where risk factors are highest. The data can then be tracked post-training to ensure that employees stay on track and act on the training they have had on risk avoidance. Where weaknesses are identified, wearable technology can be used to help to reinforce correct movement and avoid potential injury.
Introducing new technology can be daunting, but there are industry-leading companies to provide support and guidance every step of the way.