Construction sites are dangerous places to be. The industry is much safer, but job site complexity is also increasing. And complicated sites are inherantly more dangerous. New digital and technological solutions hold the promise of providing companies and individuals with essential tools to protect human health and well-being. Here are 4 ways tech will make construction safer.

Hearing protection

Starting from the easiest solution, hearing protection is prime for improvements.  I walk job-sites all the time and I can tell you hearing protection is usually completely ignored.  I’ve never fully understood this.  Construction sites are loud and hearing damage can be a life-long issue for most people.  Cheap hearing protection has been available for decades, but foam earplugs still have limitations.  Electronic noise cancelling is a great option to provide the same or greater level of hearing protection.  These newer systems are advanced enough that environmental noises are still audible so a worker still has his situational awareness.  The electronic earplugs also have the advantage of offering two way communications.  Easier and better communication leads to a much safer environment.

Waste reduction/3D printing

Construction sites create a lot of trash and waste.  Even new construction projects will generate lots of extraneous waste that is difficult to manage.  Extra waste creates obstacles when it piles up in corridors and under the feet of workers.  Overall job site cleanliness is a major factor in worker safety.  The next thing we can do to improve safety is to reduce our waste.  Construction waste is expected to double from 2018 to 2025 which suggests we should collectively focus on this key safety improvement.  3D printing will one day provide the avenue for waste reduction as it is quicker and can more efficiently deliver raw materials to a built form because of its additive nature.  Few materials in leads to fewer materials out.

Smart safety glasses

Safety glasses are the most ubiquitous safety item on constructions sites (aside form hard hats).  They are cheap and very effective at protecting a worker’s eyes.  The last way we can enhance construction safety through technology is via smart safety glasses.  Smart glasses have not taken off with consumers yet, but they hold a lot of promise for industries like construction.  Give that construction sites can be very dense congested, smart safety glasses can potentially alert the wearer of hazards with other IoT devices.  Imagine a scenario in which a smart-enabled piece of equipment can provide a visual cue to the wearer that he’s walking into a dangerous situation.  A wearer would also be alerted of smart tools that are being used in their near proximity as a cautionary device.  You can already purchase a hard hat with integrated smart glasses.

Drones

Finally, the best way to protect workers is to remove them from dangerous places all together. Drones don’t mean less jobs necessarily. Drones will become operators while the most difficult and dangerous work is taken up by the machines. I know this isn’t a perfect solution. Human labor will be necessary for the foreseeable futures, especially for things that require true craftsmen. But drones are already utilized to increase efficiency by capturing more data and creating more detailed pictures of their construction envrionment.

What’s next?

Construction sites have always been and will remain dangerous places. Heavy equiment and powerful tools are going to be necessary to build bifgand complex buidling projects. The construction industry will need to remain vigilant in order to keep workers safe and technology is a tool that will help make us safer.