From PJ Farr, founder of UK Connect
Site safety is a primary concern for any housebuilder. A quick search through the websites of developers, both big and small, reveals various commitments to worker welfare and an assortment of badges showing off recognition of best practice from NHBC (National House Building Council), HBF (Home Builders Federation) and CHAS (Contractor Health and Safety Assessment) to name a few.
In spite of all this affirmation, last year there were over 54,000 non-fatal injuries in the UK construction sector, and no doubt many have been on housing projects. Worryingly, the overwhelming majority were attributed to incorrect use of personal protective equipment (PPE). This is a shocking statistic because it’s something that’s easily preventable if proper procedures are followed.
Of course, a constant vigil is the obvious answer. However, on large-scale construction sites, some of which span several kilometres, it can be difficult for site managers to keep a constant eye on everyone in the contracted workforce.
One method to mitigate against lax-PPE use and drive down related accidents is to look at and reconsider the potential of your CCTV cameras, making them tools to improve safety as well as security.
Did you know that it’s now possible for your cameras to pinpoint workers who are not wearing the correct PPE, as well as highlight this on a mobile device, in real-time via push notifications or display alerts on a dashboard?
Of course, these CCTV systems are a little more than your average camera. They are in fact ‘smart cameras’ linked to sophisticated AI and software systems. Better known as PPE Detection Systems (PDS), this technology has the ability to grab stills which are then automatically monitored by a computer trained to identify where PPE equipment, such as hard hats and high-vis vests, is missing on individual workers. This is then sent through to a software platform which can be programmed to instantly notify the site manager of the incident on a mobile device.
Furthermore, if PDS are not deployed on multiple sites, it will start to produce valuable data trends which will produce a holistic picture of all your sites so you can see which ones are more compliant with regulations than others.
From research we conducted last year, we found sites that were not getting the basics right with correct PPE usage were likely to be relaxed or non-compliant with other critical health and safety protocol. It would appear that what seems like an easily avoidable issue is having serious knock-on effects. PDS, which is getting more accurate day-by-day and better understood, provides housebuilders with a simple to install and significantly effective tool.
In the 21st century, with all the information and tools we have available, there really is no excuse for poor on-site safety. Fortunately PDS is starting to gain traction amongst housebuilders, making PPE laxity a thing of the past.
Those sites which have started to explore PDS have started to see the benefits, not just in terms of improved safety, but also increased efficiency and cost savings due to fewer days lost through injury. It seems like a no-brainer to me. This emerging innovation has the potential to exponentially improve on-site health and safety. It’s time housebuilders and developers sat up and took note!