Executive
summary of Technology
Adoption and Safety Issues in Construction industry in Australia
This
report is about the technology adoption and safety issues in construction
industry in Australia. In the Australian construction industry, the issues of
safety of the employees are increasing rapidly and thousands of people died and
injured because of the lack of safety precautions. The companies are using many
of the latest technology in order to improve the overall safety in the
constructional sites. The adoption of the new technologies is also becoming a
challenge for the companies in Australia. The constructional work is one of the
most dangerous occupations in the world, that need a lot of courage to do
because the employees to deal with heavy machinery and have to work in highly
vulnerable circumstances. There are many of the latest technologies like
Building Information Modeling, Drone, RFID Tags, Wearable technologies,
Wearable Technologies ICT devices, to improve the condition of safety in the
constructional sites in Australia. The training level that people required to
improve their abilities and be trained how to use and adopt innovative
technologies might be a barrier to the adoption of technology application. At
the end the conclusion and recommendations are provided to adopt the potential
solution of the problem faced by the constructional industry in Australia.
Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in
Construction industry in Australia
Introduction of Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in Construction
industry in Australia
The safety is said to be the main issues in
the construction industry in Australia. In the Australia with the advancement
of the constructional methods and latest designs of infrastructure the complications
of the employee’s safety in the construction industry is also became serious. In
the very recent times, the issues of the employee’s injuries became very high and,
in the future, there is a need to introduce some solution of the problem to
provide the employees with the safer environment working in the constructional
industry. To improve the level of
satisfaction of the employee for their job in the constructional area, there is
a need to develop more secure and safe environment to work. There is no doubt that the constructional work
is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, that need a lot of
courage to do because the employees to deal with heavy machinery and have to work
in highly vulnerable circumstances. Annually thousands of employees in
constructional industry in Australia injured or even died because of the lack
of safety, measures [1].
The constructional industry in Australia has
to dear a millions of dollars of financial loss because of all of the incident
s and injuries of the employees on construction side. The companies in the
Australia are using a lot of precaution in order to improve the safety of the
constructional area. The adoption of new technology is also a good option for
the companies to improve the overall safety of the constructional sites.
Although adoption of the new technology is also a challenge for the companies
because they have to first train their employees for using new technology and
operations on the constructional sides all increase. The use of the new
technology can also help the company to overcome the safety issues. There are
different kinds of latest technology that are used by companies in Australia to
improve the safety, but there are many of the carriers for the companies in the
adoption of new technology. In this paper , there would be discussion about the
adoption of different types of technology to overcome the safety issues and
what are the potential barriers for the company in the adoption of the
technology [2].
Adoption
of technology for construction safety of Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in Construction
industry in Australia
In past ten years, the construction industry
in Australia has changed considerably because of modern technologies. The GPS, building
information modeling and devices of Information and Communication Technologies
are between ones which functional in projects of construction. Even though the new
technologies application in construction industry has augmented in previous few
years, this industry at rest is considered disinclined concerning the implementation
and adoption of technologies. The overall adopting of technology for the safety
purposes in construction industry is sluggish in comparison to a lot of other sectors
of industry [3].
The construction safety go through this slow adoption
of technology even above other industry parts, safety in construction has remain
mainly unaffected for a lot of years. Even though, these days the considerations
of safety are taken critically by companies of construction in Australia, the performance
of safety is still distant from approaching a satisfactory level. The statistics
of accident in Australia point toward that the industry of construction is measured
as the most hazardous occupations. According to research conducted by OSHA, it
is reviewed that in 2014, about 874 workers of construction died and it is
about 20.5% of fatalities of the worker in Australian private industry [4].
The (OSHA) given the existing practice and
performance of construction safety, it give the impression that this industry required
a new inclination to develop safety management and also safety performance. An
internal look at the recent practice of safety in construction discloses some of
the possible areas that may advantage perceptibly from new technologies application.
Latest
technology types of
Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in Construction industry in Australia
The Building Information Modeling (BIM) is presently
extensively practical within the industry of construction. The BIM is said to
be a tool that defined as a digital demonstration of functional and physical individuality
of an aptitude. The implementation of BIM might help a design of pre-
construction, construction and construction phase’s project. For the safety,
BIM normally benefits projects of construction by conducting assessment of risk
and recognizing hazards of safety. It improves communication and safety
planning by rising the overall safety issues information. There is a numerous
study have been carry out concerning developing definite BIM uses for enhancement
of safety. The safety-rule checking platform in BIM platform categorizes possible
safety vulnerability automatically so that prevention methods can be useful in the
automatic approach [5].
Drone of Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in
Construction industry in Australia
In the construction industry the use of drone
is also a new concept to minimize the accidents cause by falling from heights. The
drone is an aircraft unmanned that is able to fly separately, that is, done
without control of human. This drone is formally called unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAV). Fundamentally, a drone is a airborne robot that may be tenuously
fly through and controlled by the software. The plans of controlled flight in rooted
systems operational in combination with GPS. For the safety inspection the drone
can be used. It is controlled by manager by using iPhone/ iPad to collect data
from jobsite, visually verifying the steps in work, providing real-time
recognition of hazards, and viewing hard to reach region. In accumulation, the
use of drone also agree to real-time on the site communication by using radio
connection or live video among field workers and the manager safety that show
the way to on-time response efficiency and higher communication [6].
RFID Tags of Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in
Construction industry in Australia
The Radio frequency identification (RFID) is the
technology that based upon the radio signals usage for transferring data. A tag
is connected with item and also scanned while needed through a mobile or stationary
reader by using radio waves. A tag in the RFID tags typically has a exclusive
code, that allow tagged objects to be identified independently. Some of the preceding study recommends that
RFID tags together with active and passive tags are possible resolution to maintain
site safety. The RFID tags can be connected to individual protective equipment.
These tags on the items also assist the manager to recognize workers real-time
location and advise them when they go into hazardous areas.
Wearable
technologies of
Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in Construction industry in Australia
The wearable technologies consult any diminutive
electronic devices and clothing for the employees for example glasses, smart
watches and hard hat that worn by workers in the construction site and transport
their serious real time data that is administer by a executive or safety supervisor. The wearable technologies
can calculate biometric information of the worker for example, blood gas
saturation levels, heart rate, body temperature, repetitive motion, and movement
of velocity. After that, the manager will obtain alerts in case a worker’s
vitals are at hazardous. Not just can wearable technologies offer construction
workers real-time monitoring but they can offer safety alert and alerts location-based
to workers. For example, a worker can use the smart watch that can warn him to
put on his defensive clothing when worker is operating near heavy machinery [6].
The Information and Communication
Technologies and it comprise the variety of devices hardware and software for
example database, assistive technology, image editing software, personal
computers, digital cameras, scanners and spreadsheet programs. At present,
there are a broad assortment of safety mobile applications and definite
software that are attempt in field by practitioners of the construction. Normally,
information tracking is necessary for recognizing the hazards of safety and keep
away from accidents on jobsites the construction industry in Australia. A
variety of information related to safety can be composed or transport and recognized
by Information and Communication Technologies devices support in applications
for safety. This information also comprises some of markups and pictures of
unsafe working circumstances, data sheets and standards, safety materials, safety
reports, job hazard analysis, and on-site training materials. Having information
access that also permits people to collaborate on site and communicate issues
of safety on time and facilitate decision making that is more cooperative [2].
Barriers
in adopting new technology of Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in Construction industry in
Australia
The uses of technologies for safety in
construction industry perk up safety activities efficiency of and lead to a
safer job experience. The industry construction is measured to be unenthusiastic
to change. Additionally, there is general construction view by employees who
don’t carry out the tasks on jobsite don’t recognize work sensitivity. This
view might cause a confrontation to adoption of new technologies and methods
that require changing the traditional working conditions. So, the universal struggle
to change and use of technology in construction industry became a barrier towards
the application of technology. These construction industry views recommend about
the organizational and individual factors in construction industry that is also
likely to avoid practitioners from accepting and adopting technologies. The
construction industry is extremely aggressive; as a result, the productivity is
a determinant decision- making aspect by companies for implementation of the
technologies. Additionally, in spite of decision of the organization to adopt new
technology, its definite practice based on how employees put into practice the
specific technology [4].
So, in order to understand the aspects that
can control intention of individual to use technology can help administrators
to put into practice strategies to improve and augment the adoption of
technologies and develop the process of innovation adoption. Generally, energy,
time and expenditure of the adoption of new technology are serious factors for
the good construction projects completion. For this reason, to encourage the consumption
of new technologies, the benefits ought to give explanation for the investment
of energy and time need for application. In case the existing innovations cost
are not reasonable for the small to medium-sized companies, ambiguity to get
hold of benefits from the technologies makes people hesitate about new
technologies investment. A number of studies disagree that the economic
condition companies influence significantly the process of technology adoption [7].
The training level that people required to improve
their abilities and be trained how to use and adopt innovative technologies might
be a barrier to the adoption of technology application. In some of the cases, the
experienced workers are enthusiastic to accept inventive solutions, but the load
to obtain new skills in this matter causes barriers to technology adoption. In
the ground of technology adoption is point towards the complexity level of
technology that impacts on velocity of its accomplishment. In reality, users’ easiness
perception of technology application plays an important position in technology implementation
and adoption. In addition, the knowledge and skills of people is to applying modern
technology also likely to amplify their purpose to use technology and speed up the
process of adoption [6].
In case a corporation not adopt a new technology
that is beneficial, it is probable that company uses technology as a
competitive advantage. In general, for a successful adoption of the technology
in any company, there must be an effectual support system and a common tendency
to both spend in technologies, and also provide essential training to improve skills
of users. Consequently, the support of the management influences considerably
the tendency of an decision organization for technology transport, and also its
users’ purpose to implement new technologies in the construction areas for the
safety purposes. It must be noted, for providing users training might be a demanding
task for companies related to the construction industry, because in a lot of
cases, people are in a wide range of experience and knowledge make it hard to
effective train everyone. So, it can also be said that the organizational and individual
factor have a huge impact on adoption of technology for safety in the construction
industry. The construction company cultures an affect considerably the decision
making of organization, and also the attitude of peoples toward adoption of
safety innovations [8].
Conclusion of Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in
Construction industry in Australia
Summing up be the discussion it can be said
that the issues of the employee’s injuries became very high and, in the future,
there is a need to introduce some solution of the problem to provide the
employees with the safer environment working in the constructional industry.
The adoption of new technology is also a good option for the companies to
improve the overall safety of the constructional sites. The overall adopting of
technology for the safety purposes in construction industry is sluggish in
comparison to a lot of other sectors of industry. The implementation of BIM
might help a design of pre- construction, construction and construction phase’s
project. The drone is an aircraft unmanned that is able to fly separately, that
is, done without control of human. A tag in the RFID tags typically has a
exclusive code, that allow tagged objects to be identified independently.
The
wearable technologies can calculate biometric information of the worker for
example, blood gas saturation levels, heart rate, body temperature, repetitive
motion, and movement of velocity. Normally, information tracking is necessary
for recognizing the hazards of safety and keep away from accidents on jobsites
the construction industry in Australia. The industry construction is measured
to be unenthusiastic to change. Additionally, there is general construction
view by employees who don’t carry out the tasks on jobsite don’t recognize work
sensitivity.
In case the existing innovations cost are not
reasonable for the small to medium-sized companies, ambiguity to get hold of
benefits from the technologies makes people hesitate about new technologies
investment. Consequently, the support of the management influences considerably
the tendency of a decision organization for technology transport, and also its
users’ purpose to implement new technologies in the construction areas for the
safety purposes. The construction industry is extremely aggressive; as a result,
the productivity is a determinant decision- making aspect by companies for
implementation of the technologies.
Recommendations of Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in
Construction industry in Australia
By analyzing the safety issues in the construction
industry in Australia and the challenges in adoption of new technology it is recommended
that implementation of the tech do not inundate employees with innovative ideas
that might increase the success chance in the adoption of new technology.
Similarly, some of the companies must be discriminating regards transport a new
technology to construction projects and set understandable goals to ensure that
they acquire a technology that provides realistic profit. Implementation of new
technologies required to put together slowly with the present construction
practices. For improving the culture of safety in a company is indispensable
for application of technology. The definite new tech usage occurs when user actually
consider and desire to use it. There is also a need to set up with open-minded
employees to implement technology in a company by choosing team depends on aptitude
to desire to learn and innovate technologies. On the other hand, this technique
might have a difficult, because older cohort and natives with imperfect technologies
proficiency will not be selected and in this case new experts are also needed
to hire. In the case of new technology experts advice is also necessary to so
that the process of new technology adoption could carry out effectively without
any difficultly.
References of Technology Adoption and Safety Issues in
Construction industry in Australia
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Appendices