Tackling Construction Safety: A Multifaceted Approach
In the construction industry, safety is more than compliance — lives are genuinely at stake. But successful construction safety programs are increasingly complex and nuanced. Construction safety challenges range from the dynamic nature of project sites and ever-changing regulations to deeply ingrained cultural barriers, underscoring the complexity of implementing effective safety practices. The stark reality is illuminated by 2022’s alarming statistics, which revealed an 11% increase in U.S. fatalities, amounting to 1,056 workers’ lives lost, predominantly due to the “Fatal Four” hazards — falls, being struck by objects, electrocutions, and caught-in/between incidents, which together accounted for 65% of all deaths, with falls alone responsible for 423 fatalities. Furthermore, the sector reported a staggering 169,900 non-fatal injuries, ranking it among the highest industries for workplace injuries and illnesses, and underscoring the significant economic impact, with fatal injuries costing an estimated $5 billion annually in the United States and overall injury expenses exceeding $170 billion. Although it isn’t a perfect metric, we have explored OSHA’s monitoring of construction safety in the U.S. — recognizing that OSHA only proactively inspects a modest percentage of all construction jobsites annually.
In 2023, OSHA’s intensified inspection efforts, with 34,267 federal inspections, targeted these persistent safety challenges, focusing on mitigating the “Fatal Four” dangers in a bid to reduce the high fatality rates. The most frequently cited violations highlight the ongoing gaps in safety compliance, particularly in fall protection, hazard communication, and areas concerning scaffolding, ladders, and respiratory protection.
Another distinction to highlight is residential vs. nonresidential OSHA violations, suggesting the difference in compliance between residential and commercial contractors. OSHA data indicates that many safety violations occurred on residential construction sites, where 90% of cases involving deaths or injuries did not reach abatement. Offenders often avoided consequences by folding, changing names, or disappearing, which presents a significant challenge for accountability and safety improvements. The distinction between residential and nonresidential OSHA violations underscore the pressing need for a nuanced approach to enhancing safety in the construction industry. Specifically, the challenges of ensuring compliance on residential construction sites, where violations are prevalent and often go unaddressed due to the transient nature of small builders, highlight a critical area for improvement. This contrasts with nonresidential projects, where general contractors, driven by their reputation and track record, are more inclined to resolve issues, pointing to the potential for leveraging industry standing to foster a culture of safety.
All in all, these insights not only reaffirm the critical areas requiring unwavering attention but also point to a significant room for improvement in safety practices within the construction industry. At the heart of these challenges is the inherent risk associated with engineering, construction, and frontline work, necessitating robust safety measures to prevent accidents and safeguard workers’ well-being. As we venture deeper into the 21st century, the integration of technology in safety management opens new horizons for operational excellence, offering innovative solutions to age-old challenges. However, it’s imperative to acknowledge that while technology can be transformative, it is not a cure-all for the industry’s safety dilemmas. A safety culture and priority for safe work is crucial for any technology or tactic to improve job site safety outcomes. Our comprehensive approach highlights the urgent need for a multi-faceted strategy to enhance safety measures, blending traditional practices with cutting-edge technological solutions to address the critical safety challenges facing the construction industry today.
Expanding the Safety Paradigm: Beyond Technology
The construction industry’s approach to safety has traditionally been reactive, focusing on compliance with regulations and mitigating risks as they occur. Yet, the evolving nature of work and the increasing complexity of construction projects demand a more proactive and integrated approach.
We have structured our thoughts on construction safety in five high-level groups:
- Cultivating a Safety-First Culture
A safety-first culture is characterized by an organizational ethos that prioritizes safety above all else. This culture is built on trust, communication, and a shared commitment to safety from both management and workers. It requires continuous education and engagement, ensuring that safety practices are not merely followed but are ingrained in the company’s DNA. Creating such a culture involves recognizing the contributions of workers to safety outcomes, empowering them to speak up about hazards, and involving them in safety planning and decision-making processes.
2. Integrative Training and Continuous Learning
Training in the construction industry must go beyond the basics of compliance and hazard recognition. It should encompass a wide range of skills, including the use of new safety-related technologies, understanding the nuances of safety in different contexts, and developing soft skills such as communication and teamwork. Integrative training programs that combine traditional safety training with new methodologies can enhance understanding and knowledge retention. Moreover, continuous learning opportunities, such as workshops, seminars, and online courses, can help workers and managers stay abreast of the latest safety trends, technologies, and regulations.
3. Leadership and Accountability
Leadership plays a critical role in shaping a company’s safety culture. Leaders who model safe behaviors and practices, communicate openly about safety, and hold themselves and others accountable for safety outcomes can significantly influence the safety attitudes and behaviors of their workforce. Accountability structures, where safety metrics are regularly, transparently reviewed and (if appropriate) tied to performance evaluations can reinforce the importance of safety and encourage proactive safety management.
4. Collaboration and Community Engagement
Safety in construction is not solely the responsibility of individual companies; it is a collective responsibility that spans the entire industry. Collaboration among companies, industry associations, regulatory bodies, and educational institutions can lead to the development of shared safety resources, joint training programs, and industry-wide safety standards. Community engagement, such as public safety initiatives and outreach programs, can also raise awareness of safety issues and promote a broader culture of safety beyond the workplace.
5. Safety Incentive Programs
Modern safety incentive programs pivot from traditional, purely metric-based incentives to behavior-based rewards, fundamentally encouraging proactive safety behaviors and participation. These programs, designed with an emphasis on non-monetary rewards such as recognition, training, and team activities, aim to foster a genuine safety culture. They address potential pitfalls, such as under-reporting of injuries, by encouraging open reporting and participation in safety initiatives. While OSHA does not prohibit safety incentive programs, it emphasizes that rates-based programs should not discourage workers from reporting injuries or hazards. Programs must include adequate precautions to encourage reporting, aligning with OSHA’s rules against retaliation for reporting work-related injuries and illnesses.
By focusing on meaningful engagement and recognizing safety contributions, these programs play a pivotal role in enhancing workplace safety, complementing a comprehensive safety strategy, and leveraging tools for ongoing improvement and engagement. This integrated approach not only promotes a proactive safety culture but also supports continuous learning and accountability within the organization.
Technology as a Catalyst for Safety Innovation
While fostering a safety-first culture and implementing integrative training and leadership practices are essential, the role of technology in advancing construction safety cannot be understated. In the stride towards operational excellence, the 21st century has been marked by the pivotal integration of technology within safety management, heralding a new era equipped to address longstanding challenges. Our thorough market map and analysis underscores six primary areas and respective companies that are developing new, improved, and expanded safety-related technologies. These technological solutions, however, should be viewed as tools that complement, rather than replace, the foundational elements of a comprehensive safety program.
1. MANAGEMENT, TRAINING, AND COMPLIANCE:
This area focuses on managing and verifying workforce and supply chain data to improve safety. Companies like Cumulus Digital Systems and SafetyCulture are at the forefront, providing safety inspection software and managing workforce data to identify and rectify safety and quality issues. Many of the companies in this segment offer risk, safety, and insurance software solutions and online contractor management tools, respectively, to enhance workplace safety and improve efficiencies. The emphasis in this sector is on digital safety documentation, real-time health and safety reporting, and risk management solutions to ensure compliance and maintain a safety culture.
Key Takeaway: Companies in this category are pivotal for establishing a foundational safety culture, ensuring compliance with safety (and quality) standards, and managing risks effectively. A significant metric for success in this area is the reduction in workplace incidents and improvements in safety compliance rates. Future opportunities may revolve around leveraging advanced technologies to further streamline compliance processes and enhance real-time safety monitoring and reporting.
2 AI-BASED ANALYTICS & AI-BASED AVOIDANCE
AI technologies are revolutionizing construction safety by not only predicting potential hazards but also actively avoiding them, marking a significant advancement in safeguarding construction environments. A crucial metric here is the accuracy and timeliness of hazard identification and the subsequent reduction in safety incidents. Future innovations may explore more advanced predictive analytics and increased trust in autonomous operations to reduce high-risk exposures on job sites, as outlined further below:
a) AI-Based Avoidance
Companies like SmartRoof and Formant are utilizing technology to avoid hazardous activities in the field (i.e. evaluation of hail damage on roofs after a storm and platform to enable inspection of field inspections such as refineries, etc.). AIM Machines and SafeAI retrofit existing/new construction vehicles for autonomous operations while preserving manual control as needed, to reduce safety incidents on-or-near equipment
b) AI-Based Analytics
Presien and Chooch are leveraging AI and computer vision technology for real-time alerts and visual recognition to identify hazards and improve construction site safety. The focus here is on using AI to model and predict threats, raise alarms appropriately, and create trust in autonomous systems in the built environment.
Key Takeaway: The essence of this category is the innovative use of AI to 1) foresee and mitigate safety risks before they manifest, with a focus on real-time alerts and incident prevention 2) proactively minimizing exposure to hazardous activities.
3. WORKSITE MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY:
This segment is centered around integrating safety and productivity features for construction sites. Genda and FieldNav are providing project and worksite management software solutions to manage operations and ensure safety and productivity. SafeSite and Constructn.ai offer safety management systems and AI platforms for real-time site monitoring with risk detection.
Key Takeaway: The key takeaway for companies in this sector is the enhancement of worksite safety through improved management and monitoring of operations. The effectiveness of solutions in this category can be measured by the decrease in operational disruptions due to safety incidents and enhancements in overall productivity. The evolution in this sector may see more integrated and autonomous solutions for comprehensive worksite management.
4. VIDEO MONITORING:
Video monitoring is crucial for improved safety and productivity on construction sites. Companies like viAct and Forsight are turning CCTV cameras into safety monitoring and prediction tools using AI-based construction site monitoring. Evercam and Invigilo are focusing on jobsite cameras with embedded AI for safety and gate monitoring. The emphasis in this sector is deploying software to existing and/or commodity-purchased CCTV on jobsites to identify potential hazards and monitor site operations.
Key Takeaway: The focal point of this category is continuous and real-time monitoring to ensure immediate response to any safety concerns. The reduction in response time to safety incidents and the increase in detected safety breaches are vital metrics in this sector. The future in this area may involve more advanced and integrated monitoring systems with enhanced predictive capabilities (tying into area 2 above — AI-based solutions)
5. IOT, SENSORS, AND WEARABLES:
The integration of IoT, sensors, and wearables is enhancing safety in construction sites by providing real-time monitoring solutions. For example, Guardhat and Eversun offer IoT safety solutions to ensure the safety of solar construction. Ackcio and Pillar Technologies provide wireless monitoring solutions and identify environmental hazards to ensure worker safety. The focus here is on developing wearable devices and smart helmets for construction site safety management and monitoring worker safety and productivity.
Key Takeaway: The emphasis in this category is on real-time monitoring and immediate response to ensure worker safety. A key metric is the reduction in incidents due to enhanced monitoring and immediate corrective actions. Future developments may focus on more advanced wearable technologies and integrated IoT solutions for holistic safety monitoring.
6. RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSURANCE:
Risk management and insurance are integral to ensuring safety and compliance in the construction industry. Origami Risk and Delos Insurance are providing risk, safety, and insurance software solutions concentrated on managing workers compensation and liability claims and reducing overall cost of worker injury. Aclaimant and Ohutu offer risk management platforms and tools for construction sites to streamline workplace safety and incident management reporting. The aim in this area is to connect safety data to insurance underwriting to save premium and/or loss cost and provide digital certificates of insurance tracking to ensure safety and compliance.
Key Takeaway: Linking of insurance cost & safety and efficient management of insurance processes are the hallmarks of this category (and we see this link as a common thread to define near term cash savings / ROI for all safety solutions across categorization). The ability to accurately assess and manage risks and streamline insurance processes are essential metrics for companies in this sector. Future opportunities may lie in the development of more sophisticated risk assessment tools and integrated platforms for seamless risk management and insurance processing.
GS Futures aims to support safety technology beyond satisfying a compliance mandate; we aim to deeply integrate safety technology side-by-side with proactive safety culture. By harmonizing innovative tech solutions within a comprehensive safety framework, we believe there is a path towards reducing risks and setting new safety standards. We believe in the power of collaboration and invite industry partners and startup founders with innovative safety solutions to join us in this endeavor.
If you have insights or additional solutions, don’t hesitate to reach out to GS Futures!
