Wearable technology has already infiltrated the personal gadget space, however, wearable devices in construction can do much more than just monitor heart rates.
At GagaMuller, our founders recently worked closely with the Tyndall Institute in Cork to develop a wearable device for proximity detection for COVID-19. The device collects user breach data to give absolute accurate reflection of all social distance breaches on site.
The easily mountable device can clip on and off hardhats, can be worn on a lanyard, or it can also be attached to a tool belt in order to monitor the workers compliance to social distancing. The accuracy of the data collected also makes it possible to perform better assessments around breach hot spot locations, all the while allowing logistics team to better organize their site.
So, what did you interpret from above,was it the word location?!
It's funny how most of us wear smart watches, use Alexa, and allow Google access to everything we do and where we are yet, the thought of this degree of analysis and control on a construction site is profound.
A myth to debunk today is 'Big Brother' is not watching when it comes to wearables on site, at least not yet.
What is apparent is more and more companies are seeing the huge benefits of it:
66% of organisations have admitted that they will be using wearables within the next 2 years
What we should be considering when we think of wearable technology is an invisible layer of safety that will bring to the workplace a level of security never comprehended before.
Imagine possessing the ability to fully trace all social distancing on site in the event of a cluster outbreak; Imagine the ability to geofence site areas that require permits and identify management when there is unauthorized breaches; Imagine a warning message to any user and management whenever a team member comes close to a leading edge, or to an area prone to material drops from height or warning machine drivers of unseen people in danger. This is all possible and available right now, we just need to get over our obsession that 'Big Brother' will be watching if we introduce wearable technology.
In all the above instances the location is not pinpoint. It is simply when a user comes within proximity of another sensor. So for all the Naysayors and sceptics, this just means that we simply put a sensor on a machine, or on the door of a permit zone, or close to all leading edges, on the users helmet or on a lanyard and whenever the user comes within contact of these sensors, they can provide data to potential risks.
This magnificent technology means we can not only reduce incidents on site but actually predict them before they occur in the future.