The recent Safety Management in the Construction Industry 2020 SmartMarket report by Dodge Data & Analytics provides a comprehensive look at efforts by contractors to improve jobsite safety. Here are three highlights related to technology and the potential safety benefits of replacing paper-based processes for data capture and analysis with a system like B2W Inform.

1. 1. Electronic data capture is gaining but remains underutilized for safety

      Three years ago, close to 60 percent of contractors surveyed by Dodge relied on paper forms or spreadsheets to collect data in the field. Only 42 percent used software, but the tables are turning. Three years from now, more than 80 percent say they will be using software. The numbers and trend were very similar for tracking construction safety performance data specifically.

      Those surveyed ranked the following capabilities, in this order, as their top requirements to improve data gathering and analysis: getting accurate data from the field, ability to do trend analysis, getting comparable, structured data across all projects, getting data promptly, analyzing different types of data, storing data in an easily managed way and creating custom reports. Paper forms are a barrier to all of these.

      Still, when asked to list the major benefits of improved data collection and analysis, only 36 percent of contractors listed improved construction safety. Completing projects under budget, increasing productivity, achieving greater profitability and staying on schedule all ranked higher.

      These results indicate that contractors are focusing electronic data capture and analysis efforts more on productivity tracking. They haven’t fully realized the connection between better data and improved construction safety management.

   2. Toolbox talks are #1, and B2W Inform enhances them

      The Dodge report says 73 percent of companies rely on supervisors and foremen as the primary conductors of jobsite safety training. They also rank toolbox talks as by far their most effective way to communicate safety messages to jobsites.

      This is an area where a system like B2W Inform adds significant value. Toolbox talks require content. B2W Inform eliminates the cost, lag time and administrative effort required to print and distribute hard copies. Supervisors and foremen get the materials they need easily and immediately, increasing the timeliness, frequency and quality of the presentations. The electronic format also opens up the potential for video clips to be used as an important and effective learning tool.

   3. Technology drives safety, but don’t forget forms

      The Dodge survey assessed current and potential impacts of “technology” to improve jobsite safety. Contractors weighed in on how much nine technologies ranging from drones and wearable devices to automated equipment and augmented reality could improve jobsite safety. Three interesting facts jumped out from this data.

      • Only wearable devices, at 63 percent, were seen as having an exceptionally high potential to improve jobsite safety in the next three years.
      • Almost 70 percent of the contractors surveyed were not currently using any of the nine technologies that they were asked to weigh in on for safety.
      • Electronic data capture and reporting was not included as a technology options in the survey.

B2W Inform may not seem as “high tech” as wearable devices and augmented reality. The truth is, however, replacing paper forms and adding more advanced reporting and analysis capabilities can be an extremely important step towards improving construction safety management.

“Filling out paper forms is cumbersome, and the lag time in getting the data back was a liability,” according to Mike Nelson, safety coordinator at Minger Construction. “Having safety data stored electronically in one database also makes it easier to generate reports. Instead of just collecting the information, we can actually use it to identify trends and improve our performance.”

Learn more about how B2W Inform can improve your construction safety management.