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The construction industry is known as one of the most risk-heavy sectors on the planet. The statistics show that over 20,000 injuries occur every year on US construction sites. It’s not hard to see why this happens: the industry is full of safety hazards that you don’t see anywhere else.
You can argue that the nature of construction work means it will never be truly safe. Still, things are being done to reduce many risks within this sector, in a bid to help employees feel safer. Mostly, it is all thanks to technology. You will find lots of new technology in the construction industry that’s trying to make it a better place:
Numerical modelling
In this sector, you will often be forced to conduct excavation work. This means digging or drilling away at the earth to create cavities. Naturally, this type of work can be dangerous as you’re unsure when you might hit below the surface or how the ground may react. Thankfully, numerical modelling is making it a lot safer. This technology uses software simulations to predict how rocks will react, allowing for better excavation work with fewer risks involved.
Smart hardhats
Hardhats have always been an essential piece of headwear for construction workers. These hats protect you from serious injuries and could save your life. Now, new technology has created smart hardhats that take things one step further. Here, the hats can detect things such as body temperature and excessive movement. In turn, it can notify supervisors if a worker is getting too hot and may need a break. Similarly, it monitors the swaying of the head to see if someone is lightheaded. A very advanced piece of tech, but one that can help many people avoid injuries on a construction site.
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Drones
The humble drone has come along and changed this industry for the better. With a drone, you’re able to get aerial views of a construction site, which can help with planning and carrying out work. From a safety perspective, drones can also get to high places and provide you with access to things you used to depend on a human for. It can stop people from climbing up ladders or getting too high just to look at something. As the technology improves, we should soon see drones capable of conducting actual work too.
Exoskeletons
This is something that’s maybe not in the mainstream construction industry as of yet, but it will be here soon. Exoskeletons are things people can wear to give them the ability to carry out more work. You can carry large and heavy objects without putting pressure on your muscles or joints. It’s very futuristic, but if we can get the technology to work on a mainstream level, it could prevent a whole host of common construction site injuries – such as muscle pulls and strains.
Overall, we are seeing so many new technological implementations within this sector. Aside from awesome tech to make life safer for workers, we’re also seeing things that can speed up efficiency and productivity. Many construction companies implement 3D printing nowadays, along with artificial intelligence to help with certain tasks. The future of construction definitely revolves around technology, and a lot of it is helping to cut down on injuries and deaths.