This scholarship will support a Masters by Research project exploring the use of AI in preventing collisions between people and mobile plant in construction.
The Safety and Health Innovation Network (SHINe) is excited to announce the opening of applications for the McConnell Dowell Built Environment Scholarship in Construction Health and Safety. This scholarship will support a Masters by Research project focused on exploring the use and effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in preventing collisions between people and mobile plant on construction worksites.
Funded by McConnell Dowell, a renowned leader in the construction industry with a strong track record in delivering complex projects, this scholarship aims to tackle a critical safety issue in construction. The project will investigate how AI can play a pivotal role in reducing safety incidents, specifically focusing on preventing collisions involving mobile plant machinery and workers, a common hazard in construction environments.
To celebrate its commencement, we asked Nicole Neal, General Manager - HSES (Australia) some questions on their vision for the scholarship and AI in the construction industry
AI enhances construction safety by assisting in identifying hazards, analysing risks, and enabling real-time monitoring, with the potential to improve compliance and significantly reduce incidents. These capabilities align with McConnell Dowell’s focus on proactive risk management, innovation-driven safety culture, and continuous improvement. By integrating the research from this project McConnell Dowell strengthens its commitment to creating safer workplaces and leading industry advancements in health and safety.
We view AI as a powerful tool to drive continuous improvement across various aspects of construction, with safety on-site being a top priority. As technology advances and research initiatives like this demonstrate tangible benefits and highlight opportunities for enhancement, we anticipate widespread adoption across the industry. We’re excited to be at the forefront of this evolution.
Integrating AI into existing safety management systems poses challenges such as overcoming resistance to change among workers, management, as well as clients and other external stakeholders. Additionally, the need for significant upfront investment in technology, ensuring compatibility with legacy systems, and infrastructure could be a barrier for some in the industry.
We will offer access to various worksites within Victoria as well as access to various members of our team, including Health & Safety specialists.
Ensuring data accuracy, privacy, and compliance with industry standards is absolutely critical to successfully implementing and realising the full benefits of AI solutions in the industry.
AI technologies have the potential to significantly impact environmental management by monitoring emissions, noise, waste and energy use in real time to ensure compliance with sustainability goals, as well as assist in habitat mapping for greenfield sites. Quality control could also benefit from AI-powered defect detection and predictive analytics to prevent construction errors. In plant and equipment maintenance, IoT sensors and AI have the potential to assist in predicting failures, minimising downtime and reducing health and safety and environmental risks. Additionally, project planning and logistics could see enhanced efficiency with AI optimising schedules, resource allocation, and site layouts to reduce on-site hazards.
Distinguished Professor Helen Lingard, Executive Director of SHINe, also shared her perspective on the importance of supporting a higher degree by research in this field:
Supporting students doing a higher degree by research helps organisations to answer questions they have about practical safety and health challenges in their operations and can provide important evidence to enable innovation and improvement. It also develops critical thinking, analytical problem-solving and communication skills in the safety and health workforce, which ultimately contributes to evidence-informed decision-making and practice.
This scholarship is an excellent opportunity to contribute to meaningful research that not only addresses real-world safety concerns but also enhances the skills and capabilities of the next generation of safety professionals in the construction industry.
Managing the interface between people and moving plant/machinery is a serious safety issue in the construction industry. Collisions between people and plant can result in fatalities or life-changing injuries. Despite the implementation of a range of control measures, e.g. physical barriers, measures for safe vehicle movement etc, incidents involving people and plant interactions still occur. McConnell Dowell is sponsoring a Masters by Research project to examine the potential for AI technology to be used in the development of safe systems of work in relation to the use of mobile plant in the construction industry. AI collision avoidance systems are being used in some construction workplaces. These systems can prevent incidents in real-time by detecting people close to moving plant and providing warnings or triggering autonomous braking systems. AI systems also support the collection data regarding people and plant movements that can be mined and used for future planning and prevention actions. The project will involve working with construction companies, including McConnell Dowell, to understand how effective these systems are in preventing people and plant interaction incidents in construction projects.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.