Latest Study Reveals New Arsenal of Tools to Help Increase Construction Safety

A new study from Dodge Data & Analytics reveals the engagement with and impact of two critical trends for improving construction safety—technologies used on jobsites, and the practice of Prevention through Design. The study, conducted in partnership with the Center for Construction Research and Training and United Rentals and published in the Safety Management in the Construction Industry 2017 SmartMarket Report, is the third in a series of studies that demonstrate the financial and project benefits that contractors reap from their safety investments. It also shows the impact that new technologies being deployed onsite, from Building Information Modeling to drones … Read more

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Using Drones on Projects

Navigating the new drone rules By David R. Cook and Chadd L. Reynolds In recent years, construction contractors and subcontractors have taken advantage of small unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as drones, in the planning, design and construction of projects. By attaching a camera to a small, lightweight drone, construction companies can mitigate the safety risks and costs posed by current methods used to monitor, inspect and evaluate construction. Although the rules for the use of drones in a commercial setting are ambiguous and undeveloped, newly published rules will provide a clearer regulatory framework for construction companies desiring to … Read more

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Skanska USA Building, Smartvid.io Forge Collaboration to Implement Machine Learning

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Smartvid.io, a cloud-based platform for analyzing photos and videos from industrial environments, has collaborated with construction management firm Skanska USA Building. The business announcement, made at the Commercial UAV Expo, will also be discussed at the joint Skanska USA Building and Smartvid.io presentation, New Age “Reality Capture:” Leveraging Machine Learning and BIM to Organize Field Data. The business relationship is made possible by the Skanska Innovation Grant Program, which has been designed to foster applications of new technology to unlock value for Skanska and its clients. The pilot program will support the use of the Smartvid.io … Read more

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Western Specialty Contractors Performs Restoration of Historic Church

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Overlooking the shore of Corpus Christi Bay in Corpus Christi, Texas, stands the historic First United Methodist Church with its towering steeple and monument to Jesus. When the 53-year-old masonry and concrete church started to show signs of weathering, Western Specialty Contractors was called in to assess the damage and restore the landmark church’s façade. Due to its limited accessibility, Western crews and facility engineer Manny Gallardo had to get creative with how they surveyed the damage to the church’s 150-foot-tall steeple. “We used a telescope and stood across the street to try and view all … Read more

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