When it comes to construction site safety,
there are a whole host of high risks to employees and contractors that need to
be accounted for in order to provide a safe and healthy working environment on
site. Therefore, ensuring you’re on top of site safety both now and for the
future is of paramount importance.

To help you decipher what you should be
focusing on when it comes to ensuring the safety of your onsite members, today
we’re taking a look at some of the key construction site safety trends that are
set to be hot topics of discussion in 2020 and beyond. From prioritising worker
wellbeing to exploring the safety benefits of AI and smart technology, we’ll
provide you with an informative view of how to lay the right foundations for
cultivating health and safety best practice on your building site.

Wearable
smart tech

While organisations can carry out all the
right risk assessments and implement appropriate prevention protocols to
optimise onsite safety, there also has to be a level of responsibility put on
individual workers to be more safety conscious.

Of course, much of this comes down to common
sense and educating workers on safety best practice, but there are reports
indicating that the industrial wearable market is set to grow
significantly over the next few years. This means that wearable technology
could soon become the norm for construction sites.

For safety on site, this could entail workers
better monitoring their physical health in relation to job efficiency and
safety by using wearable sensors. A study last year already demonstrated that wearables can prevent fatigue-related injuries in the
workplace, so having this kind of real-time data available to onsite
workers could provide the capability to monitor core health parameters such as
blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels.

Other benefits of wearable tech come in the
form of geo-location tracking that could improve safety monitoring for lone
workers – as proven by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
(RoSPA), who have already begun using tracking devices to monitor locations of
consultants out in the field.

With this growing market comes a whole host of
possibilities to track and manage employee safety more efficiently in ways
previously unexplored, so this is definitely an area to keep a watchful eye on
for this year and beyond.

Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and automation

It seems the wearable market isn’t the only
area undergoing technological advancements in the construction industry either.
While the use of AI in construction has been slower to take a hold than in
other sectors, it’s now becoming a key focus for improving safety for site
workers.

There is now AI software that utilises object
recognition via video feed taken in real-time that can quickly identify
potential risks on site, such as alerting construction workers when personal
protective equipment isn’t being worn correctly. This quick identification
works to reduce or prevent risks before they happen, optimising staff member safety
as a result.

Other innovations also include the use of
drones and automated robotics that use similar AI software to scan large
building sites from above and on the ground respectively, feeding data back to
a centralised system to highlight potential hazards with up-to-date
information. Whether it’s pin-pointing tripping hazards on the ground or a
possible risk for workers at height, the use of AI and automated machinery can
help to bolster safety on site as well as speed up typically labour intensive processes.

Worker
wellbeing

The importance of wellbeing in the workplace
has become a major focus across all sectors over the past few years – but as
with technology, the construction sector has been slower to implement
strategies to address these concerns than other industries. However, 2020 is
seeing more emphasis being put on prioritsing employee wellbeing on site,
taking a more comprehensive approach to employee health and safety that goes
beyond the typical physical ailments associated with construction work.

With figures released by HSE for 2019 showing
that 21% of the 79,000 work-related ill health cases
were attributed to stress, depression and anxiety, it isn’t surprising to see
why wellbeing is becoming an important element of onsite safety. Construction
industry charity Lighthouse Club also reported a rise in the number of calls
they received from construction workers or their families in need of financial and mental support.

All this suggests that we’re likely to see
more measures being taken to highlight the importance of wellbeing in
construction environments. While minimising the physical risks to workers is
still a top priority, more companies are beginning to openly discuss the issues
surrounding mental health too. As a result, this should work to raise awareness
and encourage individuals to prioritise their own physical and mental wellbeing
as an integral part of construction site culture.

Improved
day-to-day safety

While the above initiatives all offer exciting
prospects for improving onsite safety in the future, the physical risks faced
on a day-to-day basis should still remain a core focus for creating a safe
working environment on construction sites.

While HSE figures report a downward trend on
non-fatal work related injuries, there were still 54,000 reported in 2019,
which implies there is still work to be done in getting this figure down even
further. In order to achieve this, construction site managers and workers need
to continue to be vigilant in their daily operations, carrying out best
practice to minimise potential hazards.

Certainly, addressing any areas on site that
could cause trips, slips or falls is a good place to start – these accounted
for 29% of non-fatal injuries last year. This could entail ensuring walkways
remain clear at all times, securely taping up any loose wires and cordoning off
potential hazardous areas with high-visibility
tapes and suitable warning signs.

Other areas for consideration should also
include frequent checks of personal protective equipment (PPE), making sure all
workers’ safety gear is in good condition and appropriate for the jobs they’re
undertaking. These small measures will all go far in cultivating a safer and
healthier working environment for construction staff at every level.

It’s fair to say that we’re set to see some
significant progress in how construction companies operate in 2020 and beyond.
While some of these trends may not be fully integrated right away, we can
certainly expect to see more emphasis on technological advancements, worker
wellbeing and continued vigilance with the day-to-day safety aspects to help
bolster on site safety in the future.

Author
bio:

Alex Jones is a content creator for No1 Packaging
– one of the UK’s lowest cost packaging providers.