Interactive technology transforms toolbox safety meetings

The way we engage with the world has evolved significantly as a result of developments in technology. The way we communicate and absorb information has changed. No longer static, this information is now interactive, and it’s called Augmented Reality (AR). Using a smartphone or tablet with an AR-capable application, anyone can hover over traditional print media and watch it come to life. But what does this have to do with safety?

Thirty-five construction site workers are severely injured each day and over a quarter of onsite fatalities are caused by falls from heights. These hard-hitting facts come from a recent report published by Safe Work Australia, emphasising the importance of understanding safe work practices in the building and construction industry. Because construction sites present such a huge number of risks, it’s so important for construction workers to understand the risks they face on site.

This is where AR fits in. Pro-Visual Publishing is one of a number of companies using interactive technology to enhance safety information by developing new resources to help workers stay safe on the job. Our Pro-Vis AR app enables our construction site safety information resource guides to act as a kind of portal, leading users to further information and allowing them to access hidden content.

Three areas that contribute to a large proportion of industry fatalities include fire hazards, falling objects and scaffolding safety. It’s these three areas that are the focus of our state-specific construction site safety guides. Toolbox meetings will take on a whole new level of engagement with news reel videos, training and induction resources, links to additional information and general safety awareness.

But of all the extra content, the most effective aspect of the safety guide is the animated experience, each demonstrating in striking detail the three common causes of fatality on construction sites and how they often occur. Visual and aural experiences allow viewers to engage with content for longer. For construction workers this could mean the difference between life and death. Construction workers will be able to deepen their understanding of potential hazards and prevent risking the safety of themselves and their mates while on site.

Pro-Visual Publishing’s NSW Construction Site Safety Guide is the first of its kind to be released in 2015, with the QLD, WA and VIC editions to follow. The construction site safety guides are vital resources to ensure construction workers return home exactly the way they came to work.

To request a free copy, visit www.provisual.com.au or email marketing@provisual.com.au and keep your construction site actively safe by downloading the Pro-Vis AR app from the Apple app store or the Google Play store. The future of safety is augmented reality.

Interactive technology transforms toolbox safety meetings﻿