Development of a Cost-Effective Proximity Warning System for Fall Protection
Ziyu Jin, John Gambatese · 2024
Falling from heights remains a major safety concern on construction sites worldwide. In 2020, falls accounted for approximately 34.8% of the deaths in construction in the US. Previous studies have proposed a range of construction technology applications for fall hazard identification and protection. However, few technologies are applicable in real-time scenarios on construction sites, and some of them create a certain level of interruption to operations, as physical attachments to the human body or personal protection equipment are required. The objective of this study is to propose a real-time proximity warning system for fall hazard detection and protection with limited interruptions to operations. The proposed system integrates a microprocessor board, multiple ultrasonic distance sensors, and an early fall alarm with a buzzer. When the sensor unit detects a worker’s movement in a pre-identified hazard zone, the early fall alarm will activate, warning the worker to stay alert and take precautionary measures to prevent fall-related injuries. The proposed system is intended to serve as a supplementary measure for fall protection and prevention, in addition to existing measures.