Safety on the construction site depends not only on procedures and the responsibility of employees. Technologies are also playing an increasingly important role in helping to identify potential threats faster.
Budimex, in cooperation with Brigade Electronics, tested a 360° camera system using an AI-based solution on rollers and chargers. The technology has been applied, among m.in, to rollers, loaders, dump trucks and skid steer loaders operating in real construction conditions.
Brigade gives the operator a wider view of the machine’s surroundings and helps to see people in areas not visible directly from the cab. AI-powered cameras recognize the presence of a human in specific zones, and the operator receives a visual and audible warning. In the case of rollers and loaders, the image from the cameras creates a bird’s-eye view of the machine on the monitor. The trucks use cameras at the front and rear of the vehicle to increase visibility in hard-to-reach areas. In the case of skid steer loaders, a single camera is used to support the reversing maneuver.
Brigade solutions support the operator, but do not replace it. It is not an autonomous system and does not alter the employee’s responsibilities or applicable safety rules. Its task is to provide additional information about what is happening around the machine, especially when maneuvering in difficult conditions.
The project was implemented thanks to the cooperation of the Innovation Office, the Occupational Safety Office, the Equipment and Production Services Directorate and employees who use machines on a daily basis. This approach allows us to evaluate new solutions not only in terms of their innovativeness, but above all in terms of their real usefulness on the construction site.
“At Budimex, innovations are to respond to the specific needs of our construction sites. An AI-powered 360° camera system increases visibility around machines and helps operators spot people in blind spots faster. Technology does not replace humans or applicable health and safety rules, but it can be an important complement to them. That is why we test such solutions in real conditions, together with operators and teams responsible for safety,” said Marek Klusek, Director of the Warranty, Innovation and Contract Conditions Department at Budimex SA.
The tests help to see how the technology works in everyday work, how it is perceived by operators, and to what extent it can support the mitigation of the risk associated with blind spots around large machines.
This is another example showing that innovations at Budimex respond to the specific needs of teams. Their goal is not to replace people, but to provide tools that help you work more safely and with more control over your surroundings.
