Construction Law
Benefits and Risks of Construction Wearables Part 1
Construction technology has evolved. Wearing only plain, high-visibility vests and steel toe boots is becoming a thing of the past. Wearable technology is transforming the construction industry and increasing productivity, driving communication, and improving safety. Some of the most popular devices include safety vests with GPS, hard hats with virtual display visors, and augmented reality devices.
Our Nashville construction law firm represents countless construction professionals in a range of construction-related legal matters. We believe that when construction businesses embrace innovation, they will see a positive impact on their performance and a reduction in legal disputes. In this first section, we will share some of the top wearables in construction and list some of their benefits. In section two, we will conclude the series by discussing more benefits while considering some risks as well.
Top Wearables in Construction
Construction workers across America are utilizing wearable technologies on the job site. Wearables are designed to improve comfort, safety, and efficiency. There are many types of wearables in use and more will be developed. Following are a few of the most commonly used wearables.
Smart Caps: Headwear that monitors worker fatigue to prevent micro-sleeps. The smart cap sends alerts through noise and vibrations to wake a worker who falls asleep.
Smart Glasses: Augment what wearers see by overlaying imagery or data. Smart glasses are excellent for training workers (instead of sending them to a class, for example) and allow you to stay connected with workers in real time.
Sensors: Track and compile a tremendous volume of data such as worker fatigue, stress, and accidents.
Heated Jackets: Technology improvements have led to jackets that are lightweight with the ability to heat a worker for eight hours or more.
Cooling Vests: Summer can get hot and muggy; cooling vests help maintain workers’ core body temperature and prevent temperature fluctuations.
Global Position System (GPS): A GPS system that combines wearable technology, mobile, wireless, and RFID (radio-frequency identification) that tracks workers and assets on the construction site in real time.
Increased Productivity
Wearables have already been implemented in the construction industry in numerous ways to help optimize job site productivity. On a basic level, technology enables employees to monitor everything on the job site including GPS tracking, fuel consumption, idle time, and machine hours. Because of this monitoring, companies can create better operating procedures, schedule preventative maintenance, and reduce labor downtime. Data collected from wearables provides valuable information that can help companies improve current practices to increase productivity.
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Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.