Integrating resilience engineering and UAS technology into construction safety planning and control
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 18 June 2019
Issue publication date: 5 November 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an exploratory study in order to understand the contributions of the resilience engineering (RE) concept and the use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) technology to support the safety planning and control (SPC) process.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study on a construction project was conducted and involved the following steps: diagnosis of the SPC process; development of a safety monitoring protocol using UASs; and field tests to monitor safety performance using UASs and data analysis.
Findings
In terms of its theoretical contribution, this work presents a conceptual framework explaining how the RE and the UASs can contribute to the SPC process. Also, this paper provides, as a practical contribution, a protocol for safety monitoring with UASs integrated into the safety routine, highlighting the tasks that can be checked and unsafe conditions and safety/production conflicts identified through monitoring.
Practical implications
This study can be used to support and stimulate the construction managers who wish to adopt the RE concepts and UAS technology to improve safety management.
Social implications
An efficient SPC process can improve the work conditions at construction sites, contributing with the reduction of accidents rates.
Originality/value
The paper highlights the need to adopt new approaches, as RE concepts and UAS technology to support the SPC process, in order to improve safety conditions at construction sites.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication of Brazil through CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) (Grant No. 448414/2014-7) and by the Brazilian construction company, MRV Engineering. The authors are also grateful for the Ministry of Education of Brazil through CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) and the Secretary of Science and Technology of Bahia-Brazil through FAPESB (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia) for the students’ scholarship support.
Citation
Rodrigues Santos de Melo, R. and Bastos Costa, D. (2019), "Integrating resilience engineering and UAS technology into construction safety planning and control", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 26 No. 11, pp. 2705-2722. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-12-2018-0541
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited