Making Construction Sites Safer with Virtual Reality

Sounds like a lot of work instead of just visualizing it in your mind with the aid of past experiences on job sites. But I guess this placates people who think that everything has to be done with a computer to be valid.

I think it has more to do with the classic 'paper trail' effect so that when something goes wrong they have a data trail they can back track to put the proper blame on someone, other than the site manager or crew members, who overlooked something basic sense should have brung to light well before it happened or didn't happen but should have in reality on the job site.

As much as I hate doing paperwork I have had the pleasure of using it to kick a falsely placed blame intended to cause problems or termination for me back up the company ladder a few times now with rather amusing results!

I believed this planned virtuality may only work IF those design engineers will /can implement and do all the real construction work themselves! Which is very doubtful maybe impossible to happen?

A safer working environment maybe achieved If all the different aspects of work with varying human as well as environmental factors are determined beforehand, all incorporated in the design and implementation processes!

Conceptually its good! Reality ??

That translating things to reality and actually having it done properly is the real kicker for too many design firms.

I can't begin to say how many construction sites I have been on where I had to meet with the head of the site management who was suposed to be in charge of seeing that every detail was done right and proper yet a quick walk around showed otherwise only to find out through casual conversation with the guy that they only reason he has his job is because he onthe inside of the local construction 'good ol' boys club'.

What you mentioned is a very real scenario in the industry! And one of the many variables that this virtual reality simulator Research people need to provision for, to be realistically functional

Another reality situation not often considered which directly affects safety in any job sites, are the number of unpredictable "job order changes"!

Any construction project almost always do encounter a number of necessary job changes /alterations prior to its final completion...

Costly but necessary changes, an industry constant that probably hard to predict nor simulate.

All I would want to know is where the lunch truck is parked so I could get a breakfast burrito and a cup of joe at break time.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/27758/When-Is-The-Best-Time-Of-Day-To-Drink-Coffee

PW, I read that blog. My answer: whenever you want to.

Site safety is an (if not THE most) important topic and as you outline correctly, with people like those dedicated researchers at the University of Bochum, feasible solutions to increase it with the use of VR will arise. But the use of VR in construction is not limited to that, there is even a lot more you can do. It can even help you at having a more efficient progress documentation and overall processes, e.g. with lean construction: https://medium.com/holobuilder/the-future-of-virtual-reality-in-lean-construction-385fc35fa151#.i3xt96qf1