Virtual Models can prevent construction injuries
Last week's Sourceable article "Virtual Models can prevent fall related injuries on Work Sites" pointed to the potential that BIM and related technologies have in lowering construction injury rates. Reducing injuries is a top of business item for most serious contractors these days. See the article:
https://sourceable.net/virtual-models-can-prevent-fall-related-injuries-work-sites/
Australia has some of the leaders in the Virtual Construction Space. I have been impressed with Queensland based Real Serious Games and there are others who can show what is possible in Australia right now. Anyone at the recent Melbourne Construction Technology Summit would have seen how fast this space is moving. Real Serious Games has an impressive customer list.
Readers should be aware that my industry commentary is based on my independent observations and is not sponsored. See:
https://www.realseriousgames.com/
But, uptake of this technology could be limited by Australian unions who see these advanced solutions potentially disrupting unproductive work practices.
For example there has been push back over a pilot project to test exo-skeleton technology coming out of the recent middle east conflicts. Exo-skeleton technology could help older workers to stay in the workforce and lower strain injuries. In addition to carrying technology to warn workers about unsafe work edges and spaces, Exo-skeletons can also monitor body stress and mass. There are already examples of this technology saving lives and encouraging workers to adopt more healthy lifestyles. The CSIRO is also at the forefront of these technologies as presented to a PrefabAUS conference I attended in Melbourne last year. It would be a pity if the wellbeing and productivity of Australian construction workers was denied by unions.
Global construction productivity is the modern challange for our industry as emerging economies compete for new production and export opportunities. And don't think these economies are immune to the need to improve worker safety – they know the impact of the avoidable input costs in a competitive global market. Just ask the South Korean consortium that just won the $2.5bn contract to supply new trains for NSW. It really is time for the Australian industry to take notice of all of constructions global moving parts.
The Safe Work data that was reported in Sourceable's article was interesting. I have recently overlaid Australian construction's falling accident and fatality rates with data on the falling rates of union membership. There seems to be a correlation with falling construction injury rates and falling union membership. Who knows? That is work for some academics who specialise in this research.
Alas, the construction leaders in safety are not followed by others who do not get the modern construction enterprise and project practices which fully embrace measurably "better, smarter, safer, faster and cheaper". Too often the chaos that is still embedded in traditional construction practice and culture is evident on construction sites I visit. While the potential of BIM, DfMA, Lean and a host of other modern construction technologies are present it seems to me that the point is often missed - How can the sum of the parts turn in a measurably better outcomes? For those interested Dean Strombom's book titled 'The Commercial Real Estate Revolution' is an instructive read.