You may already know that since the 1980s, construction has been the industry with the highest number of workplace deaths. In July 2019, the HSE publishes the annual UK workplace fatality report for the year 2018/19, which revealed that 147 workers died as a result of a workplace injury between April 2018 and March 2019. And among these 147 deaths, security breaches in the construction industry. is responsible for losing 30 lives; shocking right?

Although the report also indicates that there has been a sharp reduction in the number of deaths since 1981, we believe that it can be reduced even more; Fatality can be easily avoided! How do you ask? Obviously avoiding the killers of ‘The Fatal Four’ on construction sites.

The injuries and death also took a toll on the construction company’s budget. The estimated costs of fatal and non-fatal workplace injuries amounted to a whopping £15 billion in 2017/18. One thing is clear from these statistics: the UK construction industry is struggling to ensure construction site safety! And the construction industry is seeing impressive numbers in both injuries and frequency costs. The good news is that Building Information Modeling can provide a promising solution to all construction concerns, including construction risks!

BIM, the trump card!

Building information modeling technology improves the quality of building planning, design, and construction methods. Detecting conflicts between construction trades and resolving them at the design stage itself is making the construction site safer. Building on structural BIM services, architectural BIM services make it easy to identify potential collisions and mitigate those collisions before construction begins. Through the use of detection technology, workplace deaths and injuries related to being struck by moving construction vehicles can be significantly reduced.

Off-Site Prefabrication and Fabrication – The model-based approach makes it possible for overall constructions to rely more on off-site prefabrication of building components in a controlled factory environment.

Scenario planning: Structural BIM services allow us to build a building component virtually before construction begins, making it possible for the general contractor to explore various what-if scenarios and avoid obvious risks later while working on the construction site. In a BIM model, contractors can see different sequencing options, elevation alternatives, site logistics, and obviously they can get an idea about the cost associated with it all! A BIM model can correctly guide contractors to predict hazards.

Visual Communication – Building Information Modeling allows all stakeholders to visualize how each different building component is best built while ensuring maximum safety. Visual communication is also great for training workers on safety procedure.

Some examples of different construction companies using Building Information Modeling to ensure site safety

Let’s take a look at the findings of the Dodge Data & Analytics SmartMarket Report:

• 37% More than a third of contractors and owners have reported a reduction of more than 5% in reportable incidents.

• More than 21% of respondents who did more than half of their work with BIM said they experienced a high or very high effect on safety.

Another study has revealed similar results,

• 24% of MEP contractors have said that BIM has improved safety during the installation of different MEP components.

• 27% of architects and GCs reported seeing improved overall safety as a result of implementing BIM services.

According to this article, large companies also rely on BIM to ensure safety on construction sites.

• Lend Lease uses security models to sequence security and show the process of integrating models into the workflow.

• Skanska has reported that founding BIM is an effective way to de-risk welders. Skanska has used BIM models to detail concrete and steel structures so well that the team can cast the embedments and attached beams four levels up without anyone having to climb into the elevator shaft to weld it.

• Turner Construction uses BIM as a tool for four automated logistical safety checks to prevent incidents from occurring. The company uses a 3D BIM model to execute all construction and installation details before crews arrive on site.

Parting words

Several studies have already suggested that the construction industry is saturated with traditional injury prevention strategies and yet we are losing so many fellow construction workers in the workplace. BIM can reduce the risk associated with construction work. Don’t just take our word for it; Several investigations show that BIM improves safety in construction work. Many construction companies trust Architectural BIM Services, Structural BIM Services for safety planning and training! So before you fall behind, you better start using BIM services!

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