Almost three quarters (73%) of contractors expect IoT technology to improve occupational risks, and the majority of them expect a high level of improvement. Among the risk management uses for IoT technology include the following:

Proximity sensors and wearables help reduce the risk and impact of falls;
Biometric devices reveal worker impairment and help reduce the risk of injury; and
Visual monitoring, combined with sensors and the application of artificial intelligence, provides data on hazardous behaviors and environments.

Two types of technology were frequently mentioned by the participants as having the greatest potential to address project risks:

This category includes several different types, from sensors that track the movement of workers on the project and that can help detect falls or unsafe behaviors, to biometric monitoring devices that can notify supervisors of workers who are impaired, to headsets that augment reality.
Visual auditing. There is enthusiasm for pairing existing video and photo documentation of sites with artificial intelligence that can detect trends, see deviations that create safety violations, and help flag areas most likely to have an issue. Visual auditing can also detect issues with building construction and other potential defects in real time.

These two types of technology, in particular, are seen as critical in addressing occupational risks, including avoiding injuries and workers' compensation claims. One participant sees a jobsite where it will be standard practice to be issued a wearable when you begin work. "[You] go along as you've always done, but there's data being collected that will be used to mitigate risks," he foresees. Another notes that visual auditing can help recognize issues "that everyday workers may not see and recognize."

Special Reports /

IoT adoption driven by improved safety records, reduced costs

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