The most important asset for any construction company is its workers. Without employees, the company is nothing – employees’ skills constitute the driving force of any project. 

Construction sites are also one of the most dangerous work environments, where accidents frequently occur, often with high consequences. Employers have a duty to secure the safety of their workers, through the implementation of smart safety solutions. 

As technology continues to advance, those solutions are becoming increasingly complex and effective, a few of which we explore below. For additional insights on modern construction safety solutions, refer to the ANT Telecom site. 

Lone worker apps and devices

In order to protect those working alone in the field, they need a means of effective and reliable communication with other members of their team. 

There are apps available that can be used on smartphones, but in the case that the environment is unsuitable for modern, relatively delicate consumer devices, there are also devices which are specifically designed for lone workers. 

Both the apps and devices feature specialised safety functions, such as impact alarms which call for help in the case of a fall, panic buttons to initiate an alarm, and means for effective communication of more complex data.

Voice over Wi-Fi communication

Another useful type of communication device for construction workers is IP handsets which facilitate Voice over Wi-Fi communication. Construction environments are often fast-paced environments, where speed is critical – both in response to crises, and for the efficient day to day running of operations. 

Mobile signal is often something that can’t be relied upon, and there are certain environments where walkie-talkies are ineffective. In these cases, Wi-Fi networks can provide the most consistent form of worker communication, helping to keep construction workers safe.

Critical Alarm Management

When managing a large workforce, equipping each worker with a communication device is only the first step to ensuring their safety. The second step is managing that communication network, which can be achieved through the utilisation of a Critical Alarm Management system.

Alarms that can be raised in the workplace are more varied than just cases where workers have already been hurt. A Critical Alarm Management system should also be able to facilitate the reporting of hazards, in turn facilitating rapid responses to alleviate further risk of injury.

Automated Incident Manager

When a worker reports an accident, it shouldn’t be down to another person to send out the alarm to the designated response team. 

With an Automated Incident Manager, when the signal comes from a worker’s device that they’ve been hurt – either from self-reporting or from a motion sensor – the Automated Incident Manager can automatically log the accident, and then call for help from the appropriate response team. This might be the emergency services in the case that the worker is in a more remote location, or if they’re on-site, it could be a site-specific incident response team.