Garney Construction has recently trialed a new smart device from Kenzen to help protect workers from heat stress.
The devices, which were worn on the arms of 28 Garney workers at 10 worksites throughout the U.S., monitor key physiological indicators of each worker, including core body temperature, heart rate, and exertion level. Detecting changes in these factors can lead to proactive prediction and prevention of heat injuries and illnesses.
The wearable sensors alert workers by sending vibrations to the device and notifications to their smart phones. Notifications are also sent to supervisors via their phones and a web dashboard that provides the real-time health status of each worker. The alerts escalate from an initial “stop work” message to subsequent alerts for additional measures to avoid emergency situations. Follow-up alerts indicate when a person’s core body temperature has returned to a safe level to resume work.
The collected data can be analyzed to create custom heat stress prevention and treatment strategies at various locations and climates. Garney used the location-specific information to adjust break times and educate employees about the best clothing choices and how to acclimatize to warm working conditions.
Related Stories
| Mar 6, 2013
German demonstration building features algae-powered façade
Exterior of carbon-neutral demonstration building consists of hollow glass panels containing micro-algae "farms."
| Mar 4, 2013
Legendary structural engineer Gene Corley passes away at 77
CTLGroup, an expert engineering and materials science firm located in Skokie, Illinois, is saddened by the news that W. Gene Corley, Ph.D., S.E., P.E., Senior Vice President, died on March 1, 2013 after a brief battle with cancer.
| Feb 28, 2013
Novel multifamily solutions to be presented at New York Modular Construction Summit
The New York Modular Construction Summit will be co-hosted by the Modular Building Institute and Pratt Institute School of Architecture on May 16, 2013, in Brooklyn, N.Y.
| Feb 25, 2013
Turner employs rare 'collapsible' steel truss system at Seattle light rail station
To speed construction of the $110 million Capitol Hill Station light-rail station in Seattle, general contractor Turner Construction will use an unusual temporary framing method for the project's underground spaces.
| Feb 21, 2013
BD+C's 2011 White Paper: Zero and Net-Zero Energy Buildings + Homes
We submit our eighth White Paper on Sustainability in the hope that it will inspire architects, engineers, contractors, building owners, developers, building product manufacturers, environmentalists, policymakers, government officials, corporate executives, officeholders, and the public to foster the development of net-zero energy buildings and homes.
| Feb 18, 2013
Syracuse hospital using robots to reduce infections by 50%
Fast Company's Nina Mandell writes about how an early adopter of UV infection-control robotics—St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center in Syracuse—is seeing positive results.
| Feb 8, 2013
5 factors to consider when designing a shade system
Designing a shade system is more complex than picking out basic white venetian blinds. Here are five elements to consider when designing an interior shade system.
| Feb 3, 2013
Electronic surveying improves accuracy on BIM-driven hospital project
A mechanical contractor combines an electronic surveying tool with a BIM model to make significant productivity gains in a large-scale hospital project.
