Proactive training system for safe and efficient precast installation

a r t i c l e i n f o The construction industry is a crucial component of the Hong Kong economy, and the safety and efficiency of workers are two of its main concerns. The current approach to training workers relies primarily on instilling practice and experience in conventional teacher–apprentice settings on and off site. Both have their limitations however , on-site training is very inefficient and interferes with progress on site, while off-site training provides little opportunity to develop the practical skills and awareness needed through hands-on experience. A more effective way is to train workers in safety awareness and efficient working by current novel information technologies. This paper describes a new and innovative prototype system — the Proactive Construction Management System (PCMS) — to train precast installation workers to be highly productive while being fully aware of the hazards involved. PCMS uses Chirp-Spread-Spectrum-based (CSS) real-time location technology and Unity3D-based data visualisation technology to track construction resources (people, equipment, materials, etc.) and provide real-time feedback and post-event visualisation analysis in a training environment. A trial of a precast facade installation on a real site demonstrates the benefits gained by PCMS in comparison with equivalent training using conventional methods. It is concluded that, although the study is based on specific industrial conditions found in Hong Kong construction projects, PCMS may well attract wider interest and use in future. Supervising the safety of workers is one of today's most important challenges in the management and organisation of construction worldwide , as workers frequently face exposure to potentially hazardous situations such as falling from a height and striking against, or being struck by, moving objects. In the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 1 for example, construction is ranked as the most dangerous industry, with 46 fatalities in 2011 — around 24% of the total fatalities in all industries [1]. With a fatality rate of 0.337‰ in 2012 — an increase of 2.2% on the average of the previous five years [1] — the situation is worsening. With the recent introduction by the Hong Kong Government of ten major construction projects, the industry has experienced a shortage of labour, resulting in companies having to employ people with little relevant working experience. Moreover, the industry's high turnover rate is resulting in more experienced and productive workers being replaced by fresh ones with only baseline performance levels. A major outcome of this is …