Adopting the building information modeling (BIM) process
isn’t just about compressing a project’s schedule, reducing costs and improving
productivity. Metrics show that using BIM can also make the construction jobsite
a safer place to work. Since recent statistics on construction injuries indicate
the cost
to the industry is around $11-billion annually, it’s worth taking a closer
look at how using BIM can lower the number of injuries and fatalities.
As explained in the Dodge Data & Analytics 2015 report,
“Measuring
the Impact of BIM on Complex Buildings,” owners and contractors are using
model-based workflows to improve on-the-job safety. Over 20% of study
participants who used BIM for more than half of their jobs experienced a high
or very high positive impact on safety with 36% to 38% fewer reportable safety
incidents.
The
importance of reductions like these cannot be understated. In the article, “25
Construction Safety Statistics and Trends for 2019,” safety is summarized
thus: “Cost savings to the company are secondary to
the obvious benefits of keeping workers safe. A safe workplace can also result
in indirect benefits like a positive company reputation, the ability to recruit
the best talent and improved employee morale.”
As
summarized in the Health and Human Services report “Costs of
Occupational Injuries in Construction in the United States,” the five
costliest construction segments, accounting for $6.4-billion (over half) of the
industry’s total fatal and nonfatal injury costs, were: specialty trade
contractors; plumbing, heating and air conditioning; electrical; heavy
construction (excluding highway); and residential building construction. According to OSHA, in
2017, the “fatal four” safety incidents included falls (39.2%), being struck by
an object (8.2%), electrocution (7.3%) and being caught in/under/between
objects/materials/equipment (5.1%).
Widespread adoption of the BIM process could reduce these
numbers. Imagine the downstream benefits of just a 30% reduction in $11-billion
cost of construction injuries. Imagine reducing by one-third the 2017 statistic of 99
construction fatalities every week.
A McGraw Hill Construction SmartMarket report in 2014
indicated an emerging relationship between the BIM process and safety. In “The
Business Value of BIM for Construction in Major Global Markets, metrics on
return on investment (ROI) showed there was widespread interest in the
potential impact of BIM on safety, with trade contractors leading the pack. See
the eVolve MEP whitepaper, “The
History of BIM in MEP,” for more background.
How does BIM technology enable improved jobsite safety?
Offsite prefabrication on the ground instead of onsite
construction from above. This reduces the potential for falls, the leading
cause of construction fatalities by far.
Planning job details ahead of time before crews
begin work, getting everyone on the same page.
Identifying clashes and issues early in the life
of the project.
Developing safety models and workflow sequences.
Validation of detailer 3D model and installation
accuracy through the design model.
Although 39%
of MEP trades acknowledge that BIM results in improved project safety
performance, it is still considered an “emerging”
benefit resulting mainly from offsite prefabrication currently. One of the
leading tools in the industry for prefabrication is eVolve MEP. Built
by a team of industry experts who have actually worked in the field, eVolve MEP
harnesses the Revit platform to offer seamless collaboration like no
other software. Every person on the project can work from the same data set in
real time, something only eVolve MEP offers. If it’s time to improve your firm’s
safety performance on jobs with the BIM process, contact eVolve MEP today and talk with the experts
who know your industry and can help you make your jobsites a safer place to
work.
Tell me if you’ve heard this one before: your general contractor uses a Common Data Environment that you don’t use. Maybe it’s Procore or BIM 360 or Autodesk Build or SharePoint. But whatever it is, your firm doesn’t use it & you’re being forced to use it every day on the construction project you’re managing.
Perhaps the one sign every casual observer notices on a job site is the one proclaiming “__ number of days since our last accident.” It’s a point of pride with contractors to have a safe worksite. It not only reflects the project leadership’s commitment to safety; it also shows the workers’ professionalism and attention to details.
Perhaps the one sign every casual observer notices on a job site is the one proclaiming “__ number of days since our last accident.” It’s a point of pride with contractors to have a safe worksite. It not only reflects the project leadership’s commitment to safety; it also shows the workers’ professionalism and attention to details.