Technology

Wearable tech digitises construction workforce

WakeCap, a Dubai based technology company, has developed a safety and tracking device that can be attached to standard construction helmets to provide real-time, cloud-based visibility into each worker’s location and activities. It can also provide a two-way alerting system for workers to report hazards on the spot and receive easy evacuation alerts.

Claiming to be the “first wearable product to overcome the challenge of digitising the workforce”, WakeCap can also be used to report and track materials and equipment on site.

An additional feature is a live heat map, enabled by WakeCap’s sensors to help workers manage heat stress during the summer season.

The product has caught the eye of the Middle East contractor CCC, which has entered a strategic partnership with WakeCap on the 70-storey Opera Grand Tower Project in Dubai.

CCC management is aiming to achieve total worksite visibility of more than 400 workers, improve communication and injury response times and reduce time spent on collecting data on worker attendance, location and project progress.

Aref Boualwan, manager of MIS and business process reengineering at CCC, said: “As the largest construction company in Dubai, one of our main pillars of focus is safety.

“As we got to know more about the product we realised that it has serious impacts on productivity and impact over reducing overheads, so we decided to implement and run a pilot with WakeCap.”

Hassan Albalawi, CEO and founder of WakeCap, commented: “Plenty of innovation is taking place at the office front of construction, but only a few teams are tackling the mega-dynamic onsite operations to control the rampant labor costs and improve the lacking safety measures. At WakeCap, we envisioned a fully digital, automated and connected construction site.

“By piloting WakeCap in one of their prime projects in Dubai, CCC site supervisors and company management will be able to see where workers are on the jobsite and receive alerts to any safety issues in real time. This level of visibility and actionable data helps them proactively improve safety, protect their workers, and achieve greater productivity.”

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