How Robotics Are Keeping Construction Sites Safe

The construction industry has the highest fatalities risk as it involves extensively uncertain situations and occupational hazards. As per International Labor Organization reports, construction fatalities account for about 30% of all occupational fatal injuries.

There have been intense research and development efforts to improve workforce safety at construction sites. As a countermeasure, industry professionals are investing in robotics technology solutions to address these safety concerns. In the last few years, the construction market has witnessed a tremendous increase in robotics adaptation as this technology is highly versatile and can efficiently augment operational safety, keeping construction sites safe.

As this intelligent technology transforms the construction sector, let’s explore how robotics technology enables safer construction sites.

Robotics for Safer Worksites

Robotics encompasses various technologies that can help in site surveillance and monitoring to detect high-risk hazards and safety issues. With repetitive inspections using this advanced technology, construction professionals can identify problem areas before they occur and thus save workers from injuries and fatalities.

Construction safety management becomes more manageable with robots as they are equipped with a set of sensors that helps with data-driven decision-making associated with complex constructional tasks. Sensors also offer advanced power and control capabilities for better communication and coordination.

Here, we explore different sensors used in the construction sector and how they increase safety and improve management at construction sites.

Safety laser scanners

Safety laser scanners are frequently used in construction sites as they are equipped with remote sensing capacity for data collection from a distance. They can access difficult-to-reach areas, recognize dangerous conditions and produce detailed representations that help identify hazards.

The UAM-05LP safety laser scanner from Hokuyo is exceptionally reliable as it prevents potentially unsafe situations and maximizes safety with obstacle detection and safety zone configuration.

Crane collision avoidance

Large construction projects involve multiple cranes, which increase the risk of collision. In the crane collision avoidance system, the emitter catches the infrared rays from the reflector. Then, it buzzes an alarm signal to the crane to drop the speed, minimizing the chances of devastating accidents.

Hokuyo offers KAD-300 and RSC-30 LN sensors for crane collision avoidance that offer complete runway detection for material and workforce protection, improving workplace safety. These sensors can reduce the potential for collisions and can be easily configured for any application.

Obstacle detection

Obstacle detection sensors can efficiently assess the surrounding area for obstacles using various sensing methods such as ultrasonics, LED and laser-based scanners. Hokuyo has different LiDAR/Obstacle Detection solutions like PBS-03 JN, UBG-05LN, URG-04LX, UST-05LX, and more. These sensors can efficiently obtain and utilize distance data that help in detecting obstacles, area monitoring, and spatial recognition.

Laser distance sensor

The construction industry uses laser distance sensors that provide an exact measurement of distances with the highest accuracy. These sensors have wide applications like structural health monitoring, height measurement, and automated dimension and width measurement of construction projects.

Hokuyo PGL series laser distance sensors offer long-distance measurement with millimeter accuracy. They can also help with level monitoring and distance-setting trigger points.

 

A Better Approach to Construction Safety

According to a global survey, about 81% of construction businesses will use robotics technology for improved safety in the next decade. Robotics offers integrated construction safety management, including quality inspection of construction sites and workers’ health and safety monitoring. Therefore, construction businesses can move into a smarter future with advanced robotics and use this advanced technology to increase their construction site safety.