When we talk about Building Information Modelling (BIM), there are many examples of how it is saving the industry up to and over 20% in costs due to increased efficiencies. Among the many known benefits of BIM for construction is its ability to boost construction safety through better planning and communication.
Despite a downwards trend in fatal injuries in the industry over the past 20 years, construction is still one of the most hazardous in the UK. In a 2018 report by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – Construction statistics in Great Britain – you’ll find some pretty eye-opening statistics about workplace injuries and fatalities in the construction sector including:
- 82,000 workers suffering from work-related ill-health (new or long-standing).
- 58,000 non-fatal injuries to workers each year.
- 38 fatal injuries to workers in 2017/18 with almost 50% of fatal injuries coming from falls from height.
In terms of health and safety, some of the benefits of BIM in construction projects that HSE identified include:
- Easily identifying risks early on in the design phase with the ability to navigate and collaborate on 3D models.
- Better planning for logistics.
- Using clash detection to identify issues before construction. This means less exposure to risks on-site e.g. adjusting pipe runs and cutting holes in concrete to remedy clashes.
- Facilitating collaborations between clients, designers, and constructors before starting work.
Having BIM software with H&S abilities built-in means collaborating teams can easily identify and manage any risks they foresee with the design. Using 3D Repo’s SafetiBase for example means that everyone on the team can identify risks and assign them to the correct team responsible for remedying the problem.
Using BIM, scenarios can be simulated before getting to the site meaning teams on the project can identify issues and dangers virtually and plan for them. One of the biggest benefits of BIM is its ability to detect design clashes so users can manage them before getting to the site. 3D Repos Instant Clash for example could highlight in red exactly where a pipe runs through another design element of the model, allowing users to fix the issue before finding it on-site.
3D Repo’s cloud-based BIM platform now has a health and safety feature called SafetiBase built into the software for its users. Safetibase is a cloud-based repository that uses existing best of breed solutions, including 3D Repo’s award-winning platform for Building Information Modelling (BIM), to improve risk management.
Supported by a consortium of leading innovators in the infrastructure sector, including Atkins, Mott MacDonald, Laing O’Rourke, Costain, Bentley, HS2, Tideway, Innovate UK through the Knowledge Transfer Network and I3P, Safetibase improves the communication and visualisation of health, safety and welfare risks saving projects time and money.
SafetiBase comprises a database of health, safety and welfare issues linked to an online 3D repository of project data. Safetibase provides clarity on the management of risk with the ability to track and manage in real-time throughout the project lifecycle.
Read more about 3D Repo’s online Health and Safety tool here.
Interested in implementing BIM in your next project? Sign up for a free 3D Repo account now, or contact one of our experts now to talk about getting your company set up with BIM.
