Ferrovial Construction has trialled Reactec’s R-Link smart watch to improve worker safety at London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
Reactec’s new proximity warning system was used to protect Ferrovial employees working in close proximity to moving vehicles during night-time runway repairs.
Ferrovial Construction’s Head of Safety for the H7 Programme, Bill Mitchell, said:We work in a busy environment at the airport, and we regularly review our procedures to ensure people are distanced from plant as much as reasonably practicable. Whilst we have not incurred any incidents involving plant and people on our projects, it is a growing concern at Heathrow and the wider construction industry. In reviewing accidents involving plant and vehicles elsewhere in the industry, we identified that some of these incidents could be avoided and decided to investigate the role that technology could play in reducing the level of risk.
The R-Link wearable watch provides data driven insights into a range of health and safety risks, including hand arm vibration (HAV) exposure and the detection of close proximity to moving vehicles and active machinery.
Throughout the trial, this technology allowed Ferrovial Construction to create exclusion zones around vehicles and warn workers when they were in close proximity to a hazard.
The data collected by R-Link was also processed by Reactec’s cloud-based Analytics software to inform safer ways of working.
Jacqui McLaughlin, Reactec CEO, said:Ferrovial Construction has a keen sense of the value of innovation and a proactive approach to supporting workplace health and safety. The trial with their Heathrow Airport construction team was a success and we look forward to ensuring that the construction and engineering firm realises the full benefits of Reactec’s proximity warning system, and the greater functionality of R-Link, as we expand its features going forward.
