Using AI to Improve Health and Safety in the Construction Industry

Workplace fatalities and injuries in the construction sector are very common. Although the numbers vary from one country to another, tens of thousands of workers in the construction industry get injured every year. Common risks in the industry include getting caught between objects, falls, electric shocks, and being struck by loose/ falling objects. This brings us to the main question, “Is there a way to cut down or avoid these accidents?” 

Identifying a Better Way to Managing Complexity in the Construction Industry 

The main reason why the construction industry has performed so dismally on safety in the last three decades is because of complexity. Particularly, the human brain finds it tough to manage everything correctly when faced with complex situations, especially dealing with big data. Other factors, such as underestimating the risks, overworking, and overestimating the adopted mitigation strategies, work together to exaggerate the challenges. 

At this point one might think that bringing onboard highly experienced people is the answer, but it only helps to cut down the risk with a small margin. The complexities are so many, and, therefore, a more complex solution is required. 

This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes into play. The strength of AI comes from its ability to process large amounts of data fast and getting useful patterns to identify risks that result in danger or safety issues, prompting action on time. The more data that construction firms gather, the more effective AI is in keeping staff safe. 

Improving Safety in the Construction Industry: It Is Time to Get Smart

Precision medicine is being used as a new method of treatment because it considers a patient’s variability of genes, environment and even lifestyle. 

With this approach, it becomes possible to predict the best prevention strategies that are likely to work better with a specific group of persons. In the same way, precision safety that integrates AI is being used to evaluate complex construction variables so that teams can pick the best interventions and strategies for a safer site. 

According to research and to experts like Novade, the advantages of AI are now becoming evident. In one of the studies done by the University of Colorado, researchers were able to correctly predict the type of injury as well as the affected body part based on 5,300 injury reports from 470 contractors and millions of work hours. 

In another study in Singapore, a contractor provided data gathered from 27 construction projects, including monthly inspection records. 

Using advanced AI algorithms, it was possible to predict not just the occurrence, but the severity of accidents. Although the research in the industry is new and might require more data, the indications are that AI can be an excellent tool for accident prediction and prevention

AI Application for Better Safety in Construction Sites 

As more businesses in the construction niche shift to digital solutions over time, analyzing trends and picking areas for prompt corrections will be a lot easier. 

What you must appreciate is that a good AI foundation must start with data gathering. For example, you need to note information related to project stage, type of project, ownership model, cost, workforce size, nature of materials, building design, and safety inspection reports

When an accident happens, AI is able to learn from the incident by noting its characteristics. It will also factor the level of compliance so that the risk of accidents in the future projects will be easy to estimate and decimate. 

As you can see AI technology is the new safety driver that is helping to improve safety of the construction sites. It factors all variables and can work even in the most complex situations to help managers and workers understand the prevailing risks and address them on time before accidents or disasters happen.