Saudi Construction Leader Prevents Workforce Heat Stress Risks with viAct Smart Watch & Video Analytics AI
A leading construction giant in Saudi Arabia, managing large-scale infrastructure projects under extreme desert heat, faced urgent concerns around worker health and compliance during long outdoor shifts. Traditional manual checks could not reliably detect early signs of fatigue or heat stress, exposing workers to medical emergencies and project delays. To counter this, the company adopted viAct AI-powered video analytics system integrated with IoT-powered smart watch, ensuring real-time heat-stress monitoring and intervention.
63% reduction in on-site medical emergencies
due to Real-Time Heat Stress Alerts.
95% Compliance Rate Achieved
with automatic logging of hydration breaks and PPE adherence.
Higher Workforce Morale
by ensuring safe conditions during peak summer operations.
Company Overview
This Saudi-based construction giant is one of the region’s leading developers, managing major housing, transport, and energy projects. Employing over 15,000 workers, the company faces the challenge of ensuring worker well-being under extreme desert heat. Committed to innovation and compliance with regional safety mandates, the firm embraces AI-driven technologies to strengthen workforce protection, boost productivity, and reinforce its global reputation for operational excellence.
Story Snapshot
Recurring cases of fatigue, dehydration, and heat stress during peak summer highlighted the limits of manual supervision. Seeking a proactive safeguard, the company adopted viAct AI-powered video analytics integrated with smart wearables. Within one year, the system cut on-site medical emergencies by 63%, prevented 4,800 lost work hours, and ensured strict compliance with heat safety protocols.
Industry:
Construction
Location:
Saudi Arabia
Use Case:
Heat Stress & PPE
The Challenge
Protecting workers from heat stress in extreme desert conditions
This Saudi construction giant managed multiple large-scale projects where workers toiled outdoors under soaring desert temperatures. Fatigue, dehydration, and heat stress were recurring challenges, with manual monitoring unable to identify early symptoms. Supervisors often intervened only after emergencies, risking worker health and disrupting progress. Paper-based reporting slowed response times and limited accountability, creating compliance concerns with regional labor mandates. Leaders realized incremental fixes would not be enough. To safeguard thousands of employees and secure productivity across sites, the company needed a proactive, always-on system capable of monitoring workers continuously and alerting teams to heat-related risks before emergencies occurred.
Leaders understood that relying on fragmented practices could not keep pace with the intensity of Saudi Arabia’s working conditions. They needed a smarter, AI-enabled framework to prevent incidents, protect worker morale, and keep projects on track.
“Extreme heat placed our workforce at risk. Many cases went unnoticed until it was too late. Since adopting viAct, we’ve started practicing safety before heat signs accelerate into accidents, ensuring safety in our large-scale projects.”
HSE Head
Saudi Construction Leader
The Solution
Building proactive safety intelligence with AIoT-powered oversight
To safeguard workers against desert heat and long-hour fatigue, the Saudi contractor adopted viAct smart site safety system. By integrating AIoT-powered smartwatches with video analytics, supervisors could monitor vital signs like body temperature and hydration, while also detecting fatigue indicators such as slowed reactions and posture deviations. Risks that once went unnoticed until emergencies now triggered instant alerts, enabling proactive rest breaks, hydration cycles, and task rotation.
“viAct gave us the ability to act before heat stress incidents escalated. Real-time alerts from wearables and cameras transformed how we protected workers in extreme conditions,” shared the company’s EHS Director.
“On the ground, it meant less guesswork—our team leaders knew exactly when to step in and adjust shifts. It turned reactive crisis management into proactive worker care,” added the Site Safety Supervisor.
Early signs of heat stress detected through viAct AIoT-powered smartwatches
Working long hours under the desert sun exposed crews to dangerous spikes in body temperature and dehydration. To counter this, the construction giant deployed AIoT-enabled smartwatches linked to viAct safety platform. These devices continuously measured heart rate, skin temperature, and hydration levels, flagging the earliest signs of heat stress before workers collapsed. Supervisors received real-time alerts, enabling immediate cooling measures, shaded rest, or shift adjustments to protect workers’ health in extreme heat.
Fatigue monitoring through video analytics-powered micro-posture monitoring
Extended shifts in scorching temperatures increased risks of fatigue-related incidents around heavy machinery and elevated works. viAct video analytics analyzed worker posture, micro-sleep patterns, and slowed reaction times to detect exhaustion early. Alerts were issued when workers showed visible fatigue, prompting supervisors to rotate tasks or schedule recovery breaks. This proactive monitoring prevented accidents caused by drowsiness, particularly in high-risk zones, while also helping management design safer schedules aligned with desert climate demands.
“This not only reduced accident risks linked to exhaustion but also improved workforce well-being by aligning schedules with real-time human performance data. By moving beyond reactive incident reporting, the firm fostered a culture of preventive care.” mentioned the Site Safety Supervisor.
The Impact
Building Workforce Resilience in Harsh Desert Environments
The deployment of viAct transformed how the contractor managed site safety during peak summer. Heat-related medical emergencies dropped significantly as early alerts from smartwatches enabled timely hydration and rest, preventing hospitalizations.
Fatigue-related near misses around heavy machinery were also reduced, with supervisors intervening before exhaustion impaired worker performance.The contractor reported steadier productivity across long shifts, fewer lost-time incidents, and improved morale among crews working in unforgiving heat.
Demonstrating this resilience also strengthened the company’s standing with regulators and positioned it as a reliable partner for mega-projects where workforce welfare is closely scrutinized.
“Extreme heat is part of our reality, but viAct turned this liability into a managed risk by giving alerts before a collapse.”
HSE Head
Saudi Construction Leader