Construction Worker Safety Will Be Improved with the spot-r Wearable

In May (2017), Connecticut-based developer of wearable IoT technology for construction sites, Triax Technologies, launched its spot-r network technology that provides real-time data about the construction site environment. It consists of a lightweight wearable sensor, which clips onto a construction worker’s belt, and a closed mesh network that is powerful enough to go through concrete and steel. The device is designed to track workers while on the job site to monitor their safety and alert required personnel of any issues or incidents. 

The spot-r wearable can identify slips, trips, and falls, as well as alert site supervisors of any incidents immediately to quicken response times to injuries. It also features an alert button that the wearer can activate to report site hazards, incidents, or injuries. Along with this, authorized personnel can trigger a site-wide evacuation alert that is emitted by the wearables. All of this ensures that injured workers receive aid faster and personnel can be removed from dangerous environments quickly before a major incident occurs. The device features a one-year battery life, which is much higher than other safety wearables that have battery lives ranging from one to 30 days. This ensures that it does not run out of power during a worker’s shift and does not require regular charging. It is also water and impact resistant, which is vital in a construction environment, as workers are often outdoors in hazardous conditions.

The location of the users is tracked via the closed mesh network, which automatically tracks when a worker enters the job site and continuously tracks his or her location throughout his or her shift. This enables supervisors to see where each worker is located, ensuring that they are working on the right task and ensuring that any workers potentially at risk can be alerted instantly. This helps to save valuable time, which would have previously been spent on locating workers. This information also helps to log key data regarding incidents, whether it is a worker injury or a site-wide environmental issue, which can be used to inform insurers on when and where the incident occurred. The collection of this information can also be used to aid with future projects. Moreover, aggregate historical hours that have been collected can be used to estimate future project timelines and determine the number of workers required.

The mesh network hardware is installed and actively monitored by Triax Technologies technicians. This ensures that it is set up correctly and will continue to function as required, with no power loss or data disruptions. The non-GPS network only connects to job site zones where workers are located, which maximizes safety on the site and ensures privacy is protected when they leave. The network features secure data encryption to ensure that no data is compromised.

The spot-r technology is already being used by a number of large construction firms to help address safety and location issues common in the industry. For example, Turner Construction, one of U.S.’s largest construction companies, is using the devices to ensure that all workers return home safely at the end of their shifts. The company has found that spot-r enables supervisors to identify when workers are in a time of crisis. A.P. Construction, a leading construction management and contracting firm, is also using spot-r to improve safety performance and personnel well-being on construction sites with over 100 personnel. The company found the device to be useful, as it does not get in the way of the workers due to its small size and light form factor. As the benefits of this technology are made known, more and more construction companies will look to adopt it to help improve the safety of their workers.

With construction work, injuries can include burns, electrocution, falls (leading to broken bones), muscle injury, and toxic chemical exposure-related illnesses; there is a clear need to track workers in these careers to ensure that their safety is protected and of top priority. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015, 4,836 workers in the U.S. died from a work-related injury, 20% of which occurred in the private construction injury. While currently directed at the construction industry, Triax Technologies’ spot-r technology clearly has the capability to improve the safety of workers in a range of industries, including manufacturing, field services, and transportation. Safety technology is a clear requirement in a number of enterprise industries, and the spot-r device will help to drive shipments of wearable safety devices and improve the safety of a large number of workers.