Construction Industry Tinkers with Wearable Technology to Improve Safety, cut Costs
By Natalie Missakian, Hartford Business
The way Dennis Mullen, New England safety director for Gilbane Building Co., describes it: “Everything we work with is either hard, hot, sharp or heavy.”
Add in the fact that much of the workday can be spent high above the ground or around high-wattage power tools and heavy machinery, and the chance of an accident is even more likely.
To mitigate those risks, a growing number of construction firms are experimenting with wearable technology and the internet of things to enhance their workplace safety efforts.
From trackable clips that can detect falls and help first responders locate injured workers, to hazard-and-fatigue-sensing smart helmets, to bionic exoskeletons that absorb the burden of heavy lifting, wearables are catching on in the construction field. And it’s only a matter of time before some of the best technology goes mainstream, experts say."
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