Automation, Fatality and Human Ingenuity; Innovations with Fatal Consequences
23 September 2019
The construction and civil engineering industry has rapidly accelerated the pace of digital technological adoption in-line with the drive to adopt Industry 4.0 as a panacea for a variety of complex and problematic issues facing the sector. These issues include: the need to enhance production performance and drive down costs while simultaneously engender a inherently safer by design working environment.
On this latter issue however, technology per se will not yield the full anticipated (and often over inflated) safety improvements needed to reduce the serious impact that a major incident or fatality can have upon an organisation, its employees and wider society.
This presentation provides a practical case study examination of how human ingenuity has actively sought to disable safety devices fitted to mobile plant and machinery under the illusion that production rates will be improved. The research highlights the importance of education and continual training, design changes and safety control interventions and site safety supervision.
It also introduces new theory and provides avenues for future research endeavours. The purpose is to generate new academic discourse and provide polemic clarity designed to intellectually challenge both peer and practitioner readers engaged in the digital construction coup d'état.
Further Details
31 October 2019
11:00 - 12:00
H.15 Sackville St Building
For more information or to confirm attendance, please email the academic lead Obuks Ejohwomu.