May 2, 2023

Experts from Skanska, Shawmut, Turner, Balfour Beatty and Clark said planning, prevention and prediction are the present and future of jobsite safety.

Construction is a hazard-filled industry. But it is also one contractors, start-ups and tech firms continuously seek to improve by providing new practices or technologies.

In light of Construction Safety Week, Construction Dive asked experts to chime in on the industry’s state of safety, both the good and the not so good.

Here, in a digital round table, is what these experts said.

CONSTRUCTION DIVE: What is the most exciting thing evolving in construction safety today?

Richard Ryan, senior vice president of national safety, Balfour Beatty: We believe advancements in technology and their implementation into our operations relies on the tools’ ability to deliver meaningful outcomes that improve jobsite safety and productivity. 

For example, our safety observation technology provides critical insights into leading indicators of incident trends and high-potential or near-miss events that could result in a fatality or life-altering injuries. 

Our teams and trade partners use a mobile app to document safety observations in real-time, which is continually expanding and improving our data through artificial intelligence.

Because our culture prioritizes the holistic wellbeing of every individual on our jobsites, we know that any successful safety observation platform must be accompanied by an effective conversation. Whether the observation is regarding an unsafe behavior or action or even a positive reinforcement of safe choices, conversations are vital in empowering the workforce to take charge of safety.

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