Tomorrow’s thinking today

Construction and demolition are changing rapidly, leading to observers on both sides of the Atlantic analysing how this will translate into actual equipment manufacturing and deployment.

Times are changing in demolition. In terms of the workforce, equipment manufacturing, supply chains and its relationship with other industries and the general public, it is a constantly moving picture. So how will the jobsite of the future reflect this new environment?

At the start of this year, the USA’s Association of Equipment Manufacturers, which represents almost 1,000 companies in the construction sector, asked industry experts from across its staff for their views.

Jaime Vos, senior director of revenue development and cultural innovation, pointed to an industr ywide emphasis on organisational culture reflecting areas like employee values, work-life balance and mental health awareness.

“With so much change taking place in 2022, organisations in many industries, including equipment manufacturing, are being forced to respond by re-examining their business models,” said Jaime.

“What many have called the Great Resignation has affected organisations of all sizes and has made employee retention the single most important issue of 2023.”

Julie Davis, senior director of workforce and industr y initiatives, believes that: “Employee training and development should be a top priority for equipment manufacturers. While employee training and development may be a budgetar y afterthought for some equipment manufacturers, it is becoming increasingly clear up-skilling, re-skilling and newskilling employees on an ongoing basis is fast becoming the new normal”. Julie also cited the US$120 million of government funding for the Apprenticeship Buildi America grants programme.

The US Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Jason Malcore expects even more take up alternative fuels this year.

PHOTO: AEM

Mitigating collisions with Volvo CE system

Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has launched a Collision Mitigation System for its wheeled loaders, an automatic braking feature that suppor ts operator response and helps reduce the risk of collision when working in reverse.

Volvo CE says that this is the first system of its kind from an original equipment manufacturer. It assists operators while working in reverse and automatically applies service brakes when the wheeled loader approaches any obstacle, aler ting the operator to take fur ther action.

It is estimated that wheeled loaders spend an average of 40 to 50% of their time being driven in reverse.

The system works by identif ying when there is a risk of collision and responding by automatically activating the brakes for two to three seconds to slow the machine down prior to impact or bring it to a stop to avoid it. This initiation of the braking aler ts the operator to inter vene.

The system will remember the last slope the machine climbed, allowing operators to reverse down a pile without activating it.

It can also be temporarily deactivated for specific site conditions.

Jason Malcore, senior director safety and product leadership, says we can expect more from the rise of alternative power.

“Diesel fuel is the primary power source for the non-road equipment industry, and it will likely continue to be for the foreseeable future.

“However, if one thing’s for certain, it is this year will spotlight the many alternative power challenges and opportunities facing the non-road equipment industry and represent an inflection point for new power sources in the coming decade.”

Turning to the site itself, United Kingdom-based leasing company Van Ninja’s commercial manager Jonathan Beadle has identified five areas where advanced technology will improve health and safety in future operations – and ideally reduce the annual £16 billion ($19.5 billion) cost of injuries within the British construction industry.

These are:

■ Wearable technology – which can help to monitor vital signs, identify collisions, and keep track of workers who are working unaccompanied

■ Site sensors – to monitor noise levels, temperature and dust particulates

■ Digitalised safety processes – allowing for more traceability, real-time visibility and consistent standards across sites

■ Drones to monitor sites – providing an aerial, wide-view inspection of the site and the surrounding area

■ Digital training sessions – offering a more streamlined approach to avoid miscommunication and help employees to be more familiar with necessary procedures.

Last word to Jonathan Beadle:

“ Technolog y provides an abundance of opportunities for many different industries, but given the risks for construction workers, the advancements are particularly useful for this sector due to the ability to improve safety.” ■