From forecasts to foundations: using data to be safer

Our industry is undergoing a lot of change, and it is on the brink of much more, but it’s next stage of development hinges on our readiness to adopt innovative strategies to address the risks that we face day-to-day.

This is the second article of the two-part series, in which Tom Brookes, Operations Director, outlines how Mace is investing in the latest technical solutions to benefit our projects, and our industry as a whole. 

It is becoming increasingly clear that data has a role to play, with new solutions built into construction methods, systems and processes every day, each one improving the way we work. Today, we understand that data is the ordinary – it’s how we use it that makes us unique. This is what led us to explore intentional data-gathering for risk management, relating to the health, safety, and wellbeing of our colleagues.

But what exactly does that look like?

At Mace, our ambition has always been to lead the way as a data-led company and, by using data in ways that we never imagined, we are showcasing how the synergy between people and digital solutions is integral for success. In turn, we make decisions that enable us to work better, safer, and smarter.

People are our most valued asset at Mace, from our suppliers, to our clients, our colleagues, our communities, and our industry. Going home safe and well is a value that permeates everything we do, everywhere we work. But we are facing more challenges than ever before, with worsening climate change and weather conditions prompting additional safety risks and concerns.

In the summer, we saw the effects of increasing temperatures at work, with risks of sunburn, sunstroke and overheating on the rise. But soon, we will be facing contradictory challenges, with cold periods presenting heightened risks of hypothermia, frostbite, or slips and trips from icy surfaces. Working at height is already a major risk – one which our colleagues on site take every day. But in windy conditions, this becomes an even greater risk that must be acknowledged and avoided.

By leveraging historical weather data, we can recognise risks earlier, and help plan and manage them from the outset to ensure safer environments for everyone. More site-based predictions can help us to understand recent changes in local climates, giving predictability to forward forecast trends.

We can take steps such as deploying dust suppression systems to alleviate the risks and inconveniences caused by dust-pollution, or warn our neighbours when wind velocities cause sound refraction to become a disturbance. Regardless of the issue, we hope to continue using meteorological data to inform our community engagement solutions and ensure that we are putting social value at the heart of every decision we make, committing to constructing more responsibly.

That’s because people are the central element to creating Programme Management Office (PMO) excellence. That’s why we also approach community engagement with a dedicated team who actively work to identify and organise opportunities to serve our local people. From residents to schools, charities, and businesses, the team support everyone within close proximity to our projects. Together, people and digital solutions will underpin the PMO approach. 

Everywhere you look in modern life, there are more and more automations occurring, at pace. While technology and augmented reality will never replace the people in our industry, it will certainly make us safer in the built environment. Adopting new systems and processes that allow the industry to predict when risks on sites are heightened is an unmissable opportunity. 

Our data-driven solution is a user-friendly interface which automates the decision-making process for project teams, reducing the manual effort involved in monitoring and scheduling weather-sensitive activities. And by eliminating repetitive tasks, project teams can focus on more complex and engaging activities, leading to greater efficiency, productivity, and safety.

In a world where we appreciate simplicity, the seamless integration of AI and automation with existing project management tools is a compatibility-dream. And by using an integrated reporting platform, we can achieve true efficiency; not to mention, advanced risk-management. By displaying necessary insights and real-time intelligence in one single platform, project teams can make informed decisions that are based on accurate real-time data. 

Simplification of reporting enables us to quickly and effectively communicate across a wide team, which supports the short-term planning process. It enables key decisions to be made in advance, saving time and money across the project – from pre-planning for services to support safe working in cold spells, to replanning around periods of high winds for critical cranage activities, and even additional water or dust management systems in excessive wet or dry periods.

Ensuring that everyone goes home safe and well begins with a culture that champions learning, reflection, and knowledge-sharing. Combining new data with lessons learnt will enable us to collaborate effectively and anticipate when weather-related risks are likely to have adverse effects on our projects, and our people. Leveraging these advanced insights could also be used to predict potential sticking points on the horizon - challenges which may otherwise be missed by human error.

Our industry is about to change for the better, but only if we can openly adopt innovative technologies to mitigate the risks we are facing on a daily basis. In a world where data and robots are allowing us to make better decisions, we will continue to provide the best value for our clients, ensure safety across our workforce, and develop better spaces for our communities. From predictions to projects, meteorological data is laying down the foundations to better-decision making, and is just one example of how Mace is using innovative solutions to work smarter.  

By taking steps to overcome the challenges that climate change throws in our way, it is more important than ever to ensure that the construction industry is not left behind but, instead, moves forward at pace.