Construction Contractors Embrace New Technologies as Fatalities Rise
According to the most recent data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 991 construction-related deaths reported in 2016, up from 738 in 2011, and the leading causes of deaths in the construction industry were falls, electrocutions, struck by object, and caught in or between equipment. The industry is facing such challenges as an aging workforce, and companies increasingly are implementing new technologies to mitigate the injury risk. These include safety apps on mobile devices to communicate with workers and streamline the pre-test hazard assessment. In addition, Building Information Modeling — a 3D model-based process that allows architects and engineers to plan and manage buildings and infrastructure — resulted in a positive impact on safety for 69 percent of contractors in 2017, according to a study by CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training and Dodge Data & Analytics.