Page 29 - Occupational Health & Safety, January/February 2020

alarm system should be quick and easy to install. Make sure that assistance from the manufacturer or supplier is readily accessible, whether virtually or in person, and that simple instructions are in- cluded with the product. The units should be able to be numbered and attached to drywall, wooden or metal framing, or to posts spe- cifically placed in accordance with your fire plan. Deploy units the moment the building is out of the ground, and add more as each stage progresses.
Mobile Implementation
In the event of an emergency, whether it’s fire, gas leaks, flooding, medical emergency, or another significant event, the system should be able to be triggered from any device onsite, including a smart- phone. It should create an invisible, wireless radio mesh network across the site at the touch of a button. In the case of a medical alert, the system should inform relevant personnel of the time and specific location of which device has been activated, so medical support can be immediately and accurately directed to the inci- dent and medical assistance provided. Project management teams should be able to rely on accurate, real-time alerts to make deci- sions, and when needed, raise a sitewide alarm.
Invest in Compliance
Since some areas require construction sites be monitored during off-hours when sites are unoccupied, it’s important to have smoke and heat sensors that activate automatically so that an emergen-
cy response can be actioned in the fastest possible time. Another advantage would be the capability for third-party devices such as code-mandatory standpipe monitors and access control systems to be easily integrated with the network using a simple interface unit. For investigation, insurance, and management of any potential liti- gation, it would be especially useful if all of the data generated on site could be stored in the device to be used after the event.
These features all combine to give a single, overall protection system that monitors a range of risks across the site, and ensures site managers are able to make high-pressure decisions using ac- curate, real-time data.
With such a high concentration of manual activity, in a high- pressure environment where the risks and hazards are continu- ously changing, construction is inherently high-risk. Commer- cial pressures mean timescales for delivery are getting tighter and tighter, building programs are becoming more and more complex, penalties for late or unsatisfactory delivery can in some cases be crippling, and obligations regarding compliance, insurance and au- dits are becoming more and more onerous. Managing safety, health and environmental obligations under such challenging conditions is a constant battle for construction management teams. Commu- nication is the key, and being able to alert your team members to disasters as they arise is priceless.
John Newbury is the Product Innovation & Marketing Director at Ramtech.
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