The safety concerns lying around sectors involving heights are quite wide. The risks involved among workers in such a situation can be envisioned to be higher than working without such requirements. And, considering this, it is essential to mention that Fall protection is a crucial aspect of ensuring safety in various industries, including construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, and mining.
These sectors involve working at significant heights, where the risk of falls is a constant threat. There are unavoidable requirements in such sectors to be involved in work posing risks of falls. While these risks have been guided over the past years using traditional safety measures they often fall short of providing comprehensive protection, necessitating advanced solutions to mitigate risks effectively.
According to the British Safety Council, the causes of workplace deaths in 2023 are dominated by falls. Around 135 deaths can be estimated in the year 2022-23 from this issue. Although it occurs across different sectors, it is the construction industry where maximum deaths due to falls have occurred.
This blog understands the situation of fall protection in the construction sector but also acknowledges the turmoil it can bring about to the other labour-intensive sectors as well.
The Importance of Fall Protection in Different Industries
Construction
The highest risk of falls is in the construction sector itself due to the following risks and impacts that it can cause.
Risks: Falls from scaffolding, ladders, and unfinished structures are common.
Impact: Serious injuries or fatalities, project delays, and increased costs.
Need: Effective monitoring and immediate response systems to prevent falls.
Manufacturing
The factory floors are often jammed by types of equipment and labours who work simultaneously in close vicinity. This can add to the risky situation involved as not only those at height can be affected by also those working close by.
Risks: Falls from platforms, machinery, forklifting operations, and mezzanine floors.
Impact: Disruption in production, severe injuries, and financial losses.
Need: Real-time tracking of worker movements and compliance.
Oil & Gas
It is one of the risky sectors to work in due to the intense jobs carried out in the drilling rigs. The red zone monitoring needs to be managed effectively to prevent falls on the drilling floors and cause fatal accidents.
Risks: Falls from rigs, drilling platforms, and elevated walkways.
Impact: Potential for catastrophic injuries and environmental hazards.
Need: Enhanced surveillance and quick intervention to prevent falls.
Mining
The mining operations often occur in confined spaces where the risk of unseen hazards including excavation sites can be found. The protection in falls is very crucial to guide the workers in such situations.
Risks: Falls from mining equipment, shafts, climbing barriers, and uneven surfaces.
Impact: Life-threatening injuries, operational halts, and high medical costs.
Need: Continuous monitoring and safety gear verification to ensure worker safety.
With the existing difficulties in regulating safety in heights across industries, viAct's innovative technology is leading the way in revolutionizing fall protection, offering unparalleled safety and efficiency.
viAct's Approach to AI-Powered Fall Protection in Construction
viAct leverages advanced AI and computer vision technologies to provide comprehensive protection solutions. It can be categorised into three stages and with AI-powered safety monitoring, it can work accurately at each step-
1. Pre-Fall Prevention and Monitoring
PPE Verification: The system checks for proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) before workers begin their tasks. This includes helmets, harnesses, safety ropes, and other essential gear.
Real-Time Surveillance: The computer vision technology continuously monitors workers, ensuring they adhere to safety protocols and use equipment's correctly. Digital Permit-to-Work (ePTW) is facilitated by the system that can check qualifications and allow permits in real-time.
Immediate Alerts: If the system detects a worker without the necessary PPE or engaging in risky behavior, it sends instant alerts to supervisors for immediate intervention. The workers are scrutinised about their safety protocols based on their job roles which can be detected using their gear such as a helmet recognition system.
2. During Fall Detection
Real-Time Detection: The technology can instantly detect a fall incident, thanks to its sophisticated algorithms and continuous video monitoring.
Automatic Alerts: Upon detecting a fall, the system automatically alerts on-site safety personnel and management, enabling a swift response to the incident. It takes a turnaround time of a second and utilises different modes to send alerts such as SMS, emails, and Smart Wearables to name a few.
3. Post-Fall Reporting and Analysis
Incident Reporting: After a fall, the system generates detailed reports, documenting the incident's specifics, including the location, time, and involved personnel. It also records the details about the near misses and any slips or trips along with the falls.
Trend Analysis: This technology provides trend analysis, highlighting areas with higher incidences of falls, job profiles most at risk, and common safety protocol violations.
Data-Driven Insights: Management can use these insights to implement targeted safety measures, conduct training sessions, and enhance overall site safety.
The Technology Behind viAct’s Fall Protection
viAct’s fall protection system integrates several innovative AI-powered technologies to provide comprehensive safety solutions:
Computer Vision: It utilizes AI to monitor and analyze video feeds in real-time that too with very clear images, detecting potential fall risks and ensuring compliance with safety protocols.
Generative AI: Its usage continuously improves detection accuracy and predictive capabilities, enabling proactive safety measures. Moreover, the use of chatbots powered through Large Language Models (LLMs) helps in generating suggestions and feedback to work in the absence of any safety officer to handle the falls.
Wearable Devices: Enhances monitoring with smart helmets and vests that track worker movements and provide additional safety data. These wearables are also effective in sending and receiving alerts making the responses much quicker.
Drones: Offers aerial surveillance to identify potential fall hazards and ensure comprehensive site monitoring.
The benefits of viAct’s Fall Protection System range from ensuring workers are always equipped with necessary PPE and adhere to safety protocol to reducing downtime and delays caused by fall incidents, improving overall productivity and project timelines. The provision for detailed incident reports and trend analysis, helps construction managers to implement effective safety measures.
By using the advances in technology these solutions, can significantly enhance worker safety and set new standards in fall protection across various industries.
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