The foundation of keeping the construction industry safe is grounded in signage and visual cues. Even though those who don’t work in the Integrating IoT sensors will recognise the bold yellow hazard warnings and blue circles of mandatory PPE requirements.
But as projects grow in complexity, spaces become faster and more dynamic. IoT sensors are becoming a way to provide changes in real time that adapt to the environment. You can read more about physical signage, but this article looks at the opportunities (and risks) of new methods of signage.
Do traditional signs still matter?
Digital technology is always going to ask questions about the traditional ways of doing things. Static signage doesn’t require a battery or network connection, meaning there are fewer fail points (the ways it can fail do so slowly, over a long time).
A well-placed sign saying “Head Protection Must Be Worn” doesn’t need to be digital because it applies at all times. It doesn’t need to respond to anything and must remain visible in order to remain compliant with ISO 7010 standards.
But, this doesn’t apply to all signage needs. There are blind spots. It cannot react to a forklift operating around the corner, or that there has recently been a leak.
IoT smart sites using sensor integration
Moving towards IoT smart sites means putting sensors in the environment, but also in the signs themselves. One application is to use proximity sensors. When a worker (who is wearing an IoT chip themselves) approaches a dangerous area (e.g., a traditional sign of “Danger: Keep Out” may exist here, then a sensor can trigger an audible alert. Or, the LED border on the Danger sign itself may flash. This responsiveness only improves the effectiveness of the traditional sign, and a failure in the technology doesn’t result in non-compliance.
Efficacy improves because of a psychological phenomenon called “banner blindness”. It’s where we see certain signs all the time, in the same place, and it becomes a part of the furniture. White noise. We can change this by introducing variations to catch our attention, like flashing.
But, other sensors can also create warnings that only apply in that moment. It’s rare to see dust signage because, most of the time, a space may not contain dust (and it may not be a regulatory requirement). But, if a dust sensor notices a sharp rise, it could trigger an LED sign to warn about dust and to wear PPE. In the case of a static sign, it may be ignored because 95% of the time it’s not relevant.
Connected safety ecosystems then spawn, and each piece of equipment becomes a new source of data. Masks may have noise detection, and we may learn about the times when dangerous levels of noise arrive (the results may be surprising, in some cases).
Site managers can treat safety data as a way to be more efficient, too. To warn someone ahead of time that they will need PPE is to save time going back to find some halfway through a job.
Is AI changing construction safety?
IoT is just the first step – it’s the data input. As we gather more data, AI will transform construction by 2030 because of the ways in which it can use the data to predict events. Artificial intelligence can analyze the data gathered from IoT sensors to predict when an accident is likely to happen before it occurs. And it’s not just one workplace’s data, but cloud solutions can find commonalities across thousands of workplaces for better predictive power.
One example may be in correlating weather patterns and site sensors to execute a Slippery Surface sign. Again, having a static sign here may become ignored, as it only applies during certain weather conditions.
It also manages the lifecycle of construction safety signs by alerting maintenance teams if a sign has been knocked over or obscured by debris. Sensors can be used on traditional signs to determine if they’re effective and compliant.
Compliance with real-time documentation
A huge benefit of combining IoT with signage is how much easier compliance and reporting become. Traditional safety audits rely on manual walk-throughs to make sure that signs are present and visible. Instead, a connected site may use smart fixings to confirm the location and status of every sign. Perhaps computer vision from warehouse CCTV can determine if it has faded.
It creates a digital safety ledger, and it can lead to some surprising benefits like lower insurance premiums or automatic re-ordering of signage just before it becomes non-compliant. If a safety inspector needs hard proof that workers were warned about a hazard, the IoT system may have the evidence needed.
IoT and traditional signage are not at odds with one another. Though there are risks of replacing static signage with digital signage, modern solutions are now using them in synergy. IoT makes traditional signage more effective and reliable, and can fill in the gaps where needed through dynamic and responsive messaging.