Groundbreak 2023 in Chicago is officially upon us and we’re covering this year’s top sessions so we can bring the event home to you. From cultural transformation to digital transformation, conference speakers are diving into key industry topics and sharing knowledge with their peers and industry experts on how to better their business, build more efficiently and help create a more diverse and skilled workforce.
Follow along throughout the event and check out some highlights as we share updates Live from Groundbreak — the construction technology event of the year.
Today at Groundbreak, there was a distinct focus on safety. Industry leaders gathered to discuss the significance of protecting the workforce for a brighter, safer tomorrow.
Setting the Tone for Safety
Safety in construction is challenging even in the best of days. With towering infrastructure and bustling job sites, the risks are high. Today’s sessions started with a candid discussion about the real tragedies that can unfold when organizations overlook fostering an authentic culture of safety. The repercussions go beyond just the immediate fallout and onto affecting families and dampening overall morale.
“Our protocols ensure that our people go home safely every day, and we do this on time, on budget and on schedule,” said T.D (Tim) Palmer, Sr. Vice President, EHS at Wanzek Construction.
As experts navigated this nuanced topic, there was a collective realization that the core of every construction company is its people. Keeping them safe isn’t just an obligation — it’s an investment in the very essence of the business.
“It starts with strong engagement and a critical safety culture that ensures our employees are actively involved and committed to watching out for each other every single day. We believe in strong training processes and retraining, when it’s appropriate,” Palmer explained.
Cameras: The Watchful Protectors
A significant chunk of this topic’s discussion was dedicated to the remarkable advancements in jobsite cameras and the roles they will begin to take on. The once blurry, hardly-adequate devices have transformed into high-resolution, capable resources.
Roger Yarrow, the COO of TrueLook, teamed up with Joe Norris, TrueLook’s VP of Enterprise Sales, to trace the evolution of the jobsite camera, painting a picture of its transition from a simple block with a red light to the technologically advanced versions we now have.
With smart technology integrations, these cameras have morphed into versatile devices capable of fostering safety cultures. With artificial intelligence, robotics, drones and even wearable cameras, the horizon of possibilities is expansive.
Beyond the bells and whistles, though, the underlying message was clear: the aim of these advancements is to create a safer environment, streamline workflows, manage resources and optimize costs.
Yarrow and Norris’s shared vision seemed to echo in the halls — the jobsite of tomorrow will be a harmony between humans and technology, working together to ensure safety.
Toward a Safer Tomorrow
A collective sentiment was palpable as the sessions wrapped up. The future of construction isn’t just about towering skyscrapers or sprawling infrastructures — it’s about creating environments where every worker feels secure, where leadership prioritizes safety, and where technology plays the role of a silent guardian.
