How 4D BIM makes construction jobsites safe?

4D BIM for Construction Safety Planning

4D BIM plays a central role in construction site safety planning and allied activities, as it helps prevent accidental occurrences by allowing you simulate and dynamically visualize various construction scenarios.

4D BIM incorporates an extra element of “time or schedule” to a 3D BIM model. It is an important tool to drive virtual risk analysis, and understand and evaluate site conditions against safety standards. BIM companies provide 4D BIM Modeling helps contractors, project managers, owners, AEC firms to plan and make safety assessments, thereby evading potential hazards, prior beginning the construction work.

BIM allows creating 3D BIM models with 4D sequencing and scheduling, taking into consideration the applicable safety standards specified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The building’s visual representation as 3D model along with 4D sequencing and scheduling, allows stakeholders to identify potential hazards and plan safety considerations under the purview of entire construction framework.

Overall 4D BIM aligns site plans, communication, status information and risk-mitigation frameworks along safety guidelines, and creates roadways for improved occupational safety.

Construction site safety hazards

Construction sites can prove fatal to workers if health and safety guidelines are not strictly followed – often caused by negligence of construction managers or contractors.

Here are five most common safety hazards at construction sites.

• - Falls
• - Accidental Hits
• - Electrical hazards
• - Poor Trenching practices
• - Poor Scaffolding
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• As many as 71% of safety incidents can be prevented by safety considerations at design stage. 

• (Source: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/80962936.pdf)

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  How 4D BIM helps mitigate construction safety risks?
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  Correct application of 4D BIM gives an opportunity to make construction processes safer, by making safety an integral part of entire construction ecosystem. 4D scheduling helps in building robust logistics plans and site layouts, which allows better interoperability amongst components, not just improving performance but aligning their operations along safety norms.
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  • - Accurate sequencing and scheduling allows stakeholders to pinpoint potential hazards at the pre-construction stage.
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  • - Visual representations allow in-depth risk analysis and safety evaluations to produce detailed reports of site conditions.
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  • - Construction planners can get an insight into which energy and environment credits attainable in the project.
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  • - 4D simulations can be executed specific to safety procedures, allowing stakeholders to identify suitable methodologies, get access to safety components, and tap into vulnerable areas.
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  • - The extra dimension provided by 4D plays a crucial role to enhancing the efficiency of prefabrication and preassembly methods.
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  • 4D BIM Model optimizes construction costs for a multistorey building in UK
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  • A UK-based architectural firm was unable to tackle challenges of modeling exact elements and accurate MEP drawings of pipe and systems, to enhance its design intent and devise excellent strategic workflows. 
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    • The team of BIM experts at TrueCADD created a clash-free coordinated 4D model for construction scheduling that helped ensure hassle-free construction, within pre-decided timeframe of two months. The client could optimize cost and operational efforts significantly, facilitated by improved design intent communication.
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  • Benefits of using 4D BIM for construction safety planning

• 1. Visual representation
• You can rehearse project activities and demonstrate the workability of the plan in the “virtual world.” And therefore you can enhance your risk mitigation framework by increasing collaboration, minimizing risk, strengthening communication and identifying issues in sequencing.
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• 2. Assess suitable safety methods and procedures

Different work methodologies can be assessed to come-up with methodology-efficiency matrix – allowed by increased visualization.

• 3. Greater clarity of equipment placement

- Feasibility of equipment placement on site can be assessed and evaluated. This helps you avoid potential clashes due to improper equipment placements.

- 4D scheduling and simulation potentially reduces the scope for uncertainty in the planning process.

• 4. Easier identification of potential hazards and risks 

4D acts as a platform for identifying potential hazards and modalities, which allows mitigating risks by applying suitable methodologies to prevent safety compromise in pre-construction stages.

• 5. Improved site layout and safety plans
•  Being a visual tool, 4D helps contractors, vendors, supervisors, design specialists amongst other stakeholders in getting access to illustrative site layout and safety plans.
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• Conclusion

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• Realistic simulations can allow constructors to ensure effective program control and mitigate risks; and when there are no robust risk mitigation frameworks then it can help them build one. 4D BIM Service providers offer 4D BIM modeling services to help ensure health and safety guidelines, making the tool critical to the project’s success. 

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  • 4D sequencing and scheduling enhances the construction efficiency by allowing stakeholders to adhere to safety procedures, essential to reduce the project risk.

    
    

  • The potential of 4D BIM modeling lies in detailed visualization, hazard identification, scripting layouts that advocate safe movements, detecting clashes and optimizing work sequences that allow reduction of workspace congestion.

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• About Author:

Harika Singh is an academician and published writer. Her passion for engineering and technology reflects in the in-depth coverage she provides on technology trends. 20 years of work association with institutes of repute across India and the US positions her to provide valuable insights to business stakeholders on achieving scalability and operational efficiencies through digitalization.