Page 40 - OHS, September 2020

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
Optimize Large-Scale Construction and Turnaround Projects through Data
How data science helps to keep construction and maintenance projects on schedule and within budget. BY IGOR AVLIJAS
Construction and large-scale facility maintenance projects are significant undertakings and every task must be carefully orchestrated to avoid unexpected,
and costly, delays. New construction of an industrial facility, such as a refinery or a power plant, shares similarities with subsequent major maintenance projects—a nearly endless list of specific tasks and an enormous number of specialized trades that deliver the manpower to make the project happen.
For greenfield construction, it is critical that the project is efficiently managed so operations can begin without delays. For turnarounds, unexpected delays can mean hundreds of thousands per day in lost revenue, or more. This extended time on the job could also lead to more opportunity for workers to face safety hazards, increasing the risk workers’ face when working on a construction site. Data science has emerged as a key tool to help project management teams minimize unexpected cost growth while
increasing schedule confidence.
For these types of projects, the correct people, tools
and resources must all be used in the right place and at the right time to ensure success. Project managers do everything they can to control the project outcome by trying to keep up with every current activity. Without key insights into what is really happening in the field, decision-making can lose elements of the bigger picture. To keep these projects on track, real- time decision making requires complete situational awareness that only data science can achieve.
Getting More from Data
Digital transformation is underway throughout the industry with connectivity and data at the core. Data science brings a broad range of sources together to empower practical decision-making. With interest in digitizing processes, businesses are increasingly finding value in connecting their workers using wearable technology as well as investment in people,
36 Occupational Health & Safety | SEPTEMBER 2020
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