Impact Of BIM On Building Safety Planning In Construction Industry Essay.

Contemporary Construction Issues Being Investigated

In Australia, Construction is one of maximum revenue generating industries. Over the last few years, the construction industry has generated over $360 billion of revenues, 9% of GDP and has also generated 2.4% of yearly annual rate (Bueno et al. 2018). Building Information Modelling (BIM), is a determined as one of the most valuable tools used in construction industry.

The contemporary issue that has been investigated in this paper is BIM methodology, application of BIM for building safety planning and potential of the methodology for integrated implementation of safety measures occupational safety measures during the constriction in the site. Construction of a two-storey building in Madeira is the case study considered for the paper for safety measure analysis (Oliver et al. 2020). During construction, 2D AutoCAD software was used by the professionals Falls from height during construction stage, has become a major and very common problem that must be prevented with professional safety practices. During the construction cycle, due to lack of safety and security measures, most of the construction companies are facing major issues. There are many construction companies who are avoiding the use of different adequate safety elements such as helmets, gloves, eye protector glass etc. Using 4D BIM, over changing time, it is possible to assign safety technicians, designers, supervisors, managers.

BIM methodology has the aptitude to integrate safety measures from design stage to construction stage. During construction stage, the integrated safety issues and occupational issues are also presented as part of the investigation. At construction sites, construction issues have been identified as one of the major issues (Andriasyan et al., 2020). The safety issues in the construction site includes safety during the excavation, frame working, scaffolding, stacking, material handling, housekeeping works. Excavation work, housekeeping, scaffolding are the major safety issues occur in construction sites must be checked and taken care by the professionals. If adequate safety measures such as- personal protective equipment, ladders safety, lifting precautions, proper site-based training are not taken then safety issues can occur.  

4D BIM is a process of linking 3D digital model with schedule or time related information. BIM is an emerging technology. Lack of expertise and lack of widespread are a major issue related to this technology. Lack of awareness, cost effectiveness for smaller projects, resistance to changes and lack of cooperation among the stakeholders are the major issue with the use of 4D BIM.  The 4D BIM technology is still under investigation and there are not much people who are aware of this technology and its usage (Sun, Fan & Sharma, 2021). BIM implementation protocols, 4D simulation approaches, accessibility issues are still under research. BIM technology is not using by the construction professionals globally.

Reasons for Which the Topic is Critical and Being Explored and Examined

In most of the cases it is found that, there will be one subcontractor, who is unaware of its use and may not be capable to use this. The legal consequences related to use of BIM technology is not yet tested and settled by legal professionals. In order to use BIM software as a new technology, adequate investment is required. There are not adequate staffs aware of using BIM technology. In order to use the BIM software effective training and development program are needed (Charef, Alaka & Emmitt, 2018). Apart from that, trained staffs are also needed. construction projects require bespoke structure, engaged stakeholders, interfaces and logistics. For safe design and construction outcomes, clear understanding on time, cost and deliverables are essential. However, in most of the cases, dues to inadequate safety measures, safety issues occur. The analysis is critical due to lack of information sources and expertise.

This issue is one of the most widely discussed problems which requires adequate attention from the professionals. The opinion of associations, government and construction professionals are different about the importance of this issue. According to the construction professionals, safety management is needed to be performed by the professionals during the entire project cycle stages in terms of design, planning, construction and maintenance phase (Liu et al., 2021). The safety management strategies should be developed using long term risk management program. It will allow collaborative work environment and stakeholders as well. Accidents have high social and economic cost which is definitely needed to be avoided. The construction companies should invest on safety measures.

According to the government, Safe jobsite is defined as one of the most important areas to consider. Using BIM technology, falling from height hazards can be detected and prevented. BIM allows protection measures using slab boundaries (Antón et al., 2018). The project managers will be able to visualize, assess as well as prevent risks throughout the project cycle suing the concept of BIM technology. According to be health and safety international government agency, falls from height in construction site is the most vulnerable safety concern.

According to the construction professionals, the highlighted issue of fall from height management is important for the construction professionals because daily hazards check can mitigate the falling from the heights. Risk or hazards management should be performed regularly. Leadership and safety training is also necessary because it helps to emphasize the need of continual safety awareness (Barrile et al., 2019). The evaluation must be communicated regularly with the project team members. In order to guard the staffs from fall from heights, personal protective equipment ios very essential to adopt. The construction professionals feel that, the site, in terms of spills, leaks, floors etc. should be cleaned up regularly

Opinion About the Importance of the issue

As per the associates, the construction site should be integrated with toolbox meetings for discussing activities before initiating the project, because fall from height issue should be prevented. 4D BIM technology should be used for structuring safety inside the construction side. Fall from height is one of the most common causes of injury and death in construction site (Paavola & Miettinen, 2019). Each construction workplace has the risk of fall from height, must be prevented because productivity can be hampered and such situation can hamper the employee morale as well. If the construction company does not have adequate safety policy and training arrangements then this kind of injury is possible.

If the problem or risk identified is managed closely then, it will benefit the industry, organization, professionals and end users. Risk of danger and accidents are dramatically increasing in the construction sites. Fall protection system is defined as a system which put in place to limit the accidents in construction sites. In order to provide professional training, the 4D model and the respective virtual simulation are exceptionally well (Lim, Janssen & Stouffs, 2018). If the fall protection problem is solved successfully then the construction site productivity will be improved. The probability of delay delivery of the project and overallocation resources can also be reduced. It will improve the employee’s morale and ensure that all the staffs are focused on their commitment and assigned responsibilities.

Using 4D technology, if the issues are solved then the construction manager would be able to deliver the faster with outstanding economic benefits. Coordinated and consistent information helps to produce better visualization and innovative architecture for the construction (Xue et al., 2019). It will help to facilitate better resource management plan. Visualization, construction simulation also become easier with the help of this technology. Mainly for better safety measures during the project cycle, BIM methodology is using in the construction sector.

In order to reduce the numbers of occupational accidents in the construction sites, the methodology previously using in the research to investigate the issue is not at all effective. The case study is construction of a two-storey building located in Madeira. The building outline was developed using 2D AutoCAD. The building was comprised of a basement and a ground floor. The basement is buried with structure composed of strengthens concrete walls around the complete perimeter (Maietti et al., 2018). For structural and architecture design the AutoCAD model was used.  AutoCAD gives accurate and reduced architectural and construction errors. This method helps to save the operational time and cost. This method is easier applicable easy data transfer. For layering feature and database for manufacturing this method is much beneficial. Autosaving and drawing recovery are the other activities can be performed using this technology. It will give amazing flexibility to the architect.

Impact on the Industry, Organizations, Professionals, and End Users

General Conclusions of Previous Research

From the previous research, it has been concluded that, the safety elements included in the structural model includes two families of guardrails in terms of hole covers, traffic directions, site fence. Instead of scaffolding, working platform in the height was also integrated with architectural model. The methodology diagram maintained for completion of the architectural platform are building analysis, 3D BIM models design, activities scheduling, risk identification, safety measurements, federal model in Naviswors and safety files. From the previous research it is concluded that, BIM provided an excellent design model with detail resource planning (Antón et al., 2018). It was analyzing the project planning, scheduling and subcontractors. The project progress was tracking to check whether the materials, equipment and people assigned are reached in time or not. It has been found that, the safety management was performed throughout the project cycle. The prevention through deign approach was followed to address occupational safety for minimizing risks associated to the construction site. For improving effective communication, ptd. technique is used.

In order to eliminate or minimize the encountered risks, the possible solutions those were identified by the researcher are 3D BIM, 2D AutoCAD, 4D BIM. In this new innovative era of technology, different accident prevention programs, technologies and tools are implementing in the construction industry (Antwi-Afari et al., 2018). BIM based model helps to recognize critical risks and reduce those. It is helpful for safety management and safety performance of construction site. It helps to develop new methods to manage and control consecutive construction work environment. Using this visualization tool, developers can identify the risks and manage those as well.

Among the different fall prevention tools in construction site, the best tool to be used is 4D BIM. 4D requires accurate set of visualization rules through which parts are displayed. The software helps to accelerate building modelling components (Charef, Alaka & Emmitt, 2018). The libraries used in this approach are software specific. However, in other modelling software, GDL objects used in the AutoCAD software. For testing the first pilot project, 4D BIM software is used.

This model is used above all other because it helps to define object representation as well as visualization rules. In order to carry out comprehensive BIM based falling presenting planning this model is best suited. As safety railing model us implemented on the structural model it is essential to manage the details.

The concept of 4D modelling is under research and requires further analysis opportunities well. The ideas of 4D BIM and 3D BIM are adopting by most of the construction industries for preventing rate of fall from height. From the model and its virtual analysis, it can be said that in future the concept of 4D will be definitely utilized. It will give real construction structural design (Badenko et al., 2019). It will give support safety planning, risk assessment and safety communication as well. The 4D innovative model will help to link the design and planning as well. It helps to create safety related components so that the safety model gets created successfully. The concept is improving rapidly as a result, it can ne utilized in future as well.

The reasons are elaborated here-

• 4D BIM helps to mitigate risks because it can improve team coordination as well s communication.
• It will ensure that probable conflicts will be reduced.
• The model helps to improve delivery time as well as cost savings
• It will also help to improve the quality of the construction projects
• It will also help to develop architecture that can prevent the construction fall from height

The ACE sector has implemented advanced technologies for achieving higher productivity, quality as well as safety levels. Use of these tools require high level safety and security. The new product or service that may emerge from this research, is 5D BIM model.

5D BIM model helps to delivery accurate cost estimation and forecasting. It will give detail quantity takes off. It will give real time changes to the quantity take offs according to design modification (De Vargas, Bataglin & Formoso, 2018). It will ensure faster decision making. Most importantly, 5D BIM technology will give further opportunities towards fall prevention.

References

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