In the past decade, new technologies have spurred innovation in many functional areas of construction and related industries. However, while technology has led to tremendous advancements in areas like management and modeling (BIM and CAD), transportation (fuel cells), communications (Bluetooth and LTE), and prototyping (3D printing), advancements in personal safety and visibility have lagged. Probably no piece of gear is more indicative of this than the retroreflective vest — the primary piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) used to protect the most important asset on the job site — our people. And a product that has not fundamentally changed since it was first introduced in the 1970s. To make significant progress toward the industry’s goal of zero accidents, PPE needs to evolve beyond the reflective vest.
Construction is one of the world’s most dangerous industries. Even with an increased focus on safety in recent years, 806 deaths and over 300,000 injuries occurred in 2012 in the U.S. alone.1,2,3 On-the-job injuries cost the construction industry billions each year. It takes an average $5.4 million in additional revenue to offset the costs associated with a single non-fatal injury.4 Costs of a death are even higher, with the highest costs borne by the family, friends and co-workers of those who die.