Is Banning Personal Devices on Worksites Really The Answer?
POSTED: 24 June 2020
AUTHOR: Kian Bullock, Director
“Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.”
HTS prides itself on integrating new technology that increases efficiency and quality of construction. This philosophy is underpinned by our values, however the issue of personal technology in the workplace, including on construction sites, cannot be answered within a binary equation of ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Personal devices have become a ubiquitous (ever present) part of everyday life for the majority of people around the globe and along with it the expectation that people are contactable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As the technology of personal mobile devices has advanced, so have people’s obsession with these devices, some to the point that they believe that they can’t live without them. That said, the use of these devices on construction sites clearly presents an identifiable hazard.
Mobile devices offer distractions that inhibit workers senses rather than enhance them and as such pose a health risk and when you consider the ‘fatal four’ risk factors on constructions sites (falls, electrocution, being hit by an object, and being caught in the middle) it isn’t hard to see how a worker distracted by their mobile device in some way (e.g. message, social media, phone call) is at significantly higher risk from these already major factors (HTS Sets Our Own Benchmarks For Remote Construction Safety). In Australia, Governments have significantly upped the ante on the broader public’s use of mobile phones while driving. Recent legislation is now in place to issue drivers who have their mobile phone in their hands while in their vehicle (including when stationary at lights) substantial fines. Given the accepted risk they pose to the broader public in this context it is not difficult to extrapolate that these risks are magnified on the work site and HTS has implemented policy that reflects this concern making use of mobile devices while operating machinery grounds for instant dismissal.
For many people earphones have become such ingrained part of their daily life.
Another significant concern regarding modern day devices on construction sites is their seemingly constant connection to wired and wireless earphones. Increasingly, these earphones also have noise cancelling technology that significantly reduces the wearer’s engagement with the world around them. The use of earphones has become so prevalent in everyday life that it is commonplace to see someone using them walking down the street, riding public transport, doing chores around the house or even wearing them when they go to bed. For many people earphones have become such ingrained part of their daily life that they forget they are wearing them. Obviously, on the job site the use of earphones poses a significant risk to both the employee wearing them and their colleagues. Arguments from some individuals that compare the use of such devices to the use of hearing protection is misguided. The use of hearing protection on construction sites is designed to minimize sound, not to eliminate it, and ear protection technology has also evolved to cater for this requirement.
Of course, mobile devices also present opportunities to improve site safety. There is several mobile device applications and wearables emerging that can provide supervisors and managers new ways to monitor work and manage risk, often in real time. Some of these new technologies include the real time sharing of app based safety checklists; Centralised and real time updates Occupational Health and Safety dashboards that enable workers and supervisors to register risks and put immediate controls in place for mitigation; monitoring of staff health – particularly in hazardous settings - providing automated red flags to supervisors and co-workers if someone has been injured (e.g. movement sensors); also the opportunity for broadcast safety or evacuation messages on sites, particularly if a major incident occurs. (e.g. Safety Compass and My Safety Buddy). Companies are also leveraging developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to increase the safety of workers for example Fujitsi has created an AI algorithm that can monitor heat stress levels of employees wearing sensing bands connected to their smartphones with data broadcast back to a manger or administrator.
Mobile phones also offer other opportunities in the industry, including in engagement of clients and workers. Technologies have and continue to be developed using mobile phones to integrate augmented reality into the construction process will also greatly enhance worker and customer involvement and connection with projects producing better outcomes.
The most important consideration in all of this is what is best for the worker. Taking advantage of the technical advancements in the industry to increase productivity and risk mitigation needs to be offset against the potential for increased risk to workers. HTS is continually striving to do things better and be open to new initiatives and methods and the opportunities presented by some of the technologies discussed above are likely to play a role in remaining at the forefront on innovation in the industry. Banning mobile phones on site is clearly not the end solution but the implementation of, and compliance with, clearly articulated protocols is in the best interest of productivity and personal and collective safety.
HTS supports the safe use of smart devices on site and acknowledges the future of safety and construction will be to fully embrace this technology. We will continue to work smart to ensure we do so in a manner to keep our employees and the environment in which they work safe.
For our clients, innovative ways to increase productivity and improve safety and well-being are all part of our one-contractor solution. Talk to us today about how we can rocket the value of your next project!