Creating Capacity for Failure. Why Proximity Warning Systems are now essential for managing site safety.

Introduction – Why Site Safety Needs Proximity Warning Systems

Incidents involving workers being struck by an object account for 17% of fatalities in the construction industry. And while over 80% of sites utilize personal protective equipment and back up alarms, being struck by vehicles was the largest cause of injury in construction in 2022. [https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/131802, https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/DataBulletin-July2024.pdf]

As interest in workplace safety technology has grown, Proximity Warning Systems (PWS) have evolved from being "nice to have" tools into essential components of modern site safety programs. Their real-time alert capabilities and data collection functions help reduce incidents and improve workplace resilience.

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Understanding the Risk: Struck-By and Caught-Between Incidents

Construction sites and industrial environments are dynamic and often chaotic. Workers may find themselves in close proximity to moving equipment, leading to potentially deadly incidents. Traditional safety measures rely heavily on worker compliance, which is an unrealistic expectation in fast-paced or noisy environments.

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The Capacity Model™ Explained

What Is Capacity for Failure?

The Capacity Model™ by Quanta is based on the understanding that human error is inevitable. Rather than designing safety systems that expect flawless human behavior, it encourages creating systems that allow people to fail safely and recover quickly. The Capacity Model is centred on three pillars that provide a framework to provide a safer way to plan, execute and learn.

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Why Traditional Safety Protocols Fall Short

Conventional safety systems rely primarily on rules, training, and administrative controls. While important, these measures assume perfect behavior in imperfect environments. This is where PWS offers a transformational improvement.

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How Proximity Warning Systems Support Safety Pillars

Pillar 1 – Prevention with Real-Time Alerts

Prevention focuses on stopping incidents before they occur. Traditional methods include:

• Training
• Safety briefings
• Visual cues and signage
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However, these depend on human memory and attention. SensorZone and other Proximity Warning Systems enhance prevention by:

• Issuing real-time physical, visual, and audible alerts when a ground worker is too close to equipment.
• Reinforcing traditional cues like hand signals and eye contact, which may fail in poor visibility or noisy conditions.

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Pillar 2 – Learning from Leading Indicators

Learning means using data to improve safety outcomes proactively, not just after an accident, improving safety protocols. PWS supports this by:

• Capturing detailed incident data: operator identity, equipment type, GPS location, time of day, duration of exposure.
• Offering site-wide insights, including heat maps of high-risk zones.
• Enabling safety teams to focus resources on high-risk individuals, tasks, or locations.
• Highlighting patterns in everyday work behavior, not just accident logs.

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Pillar 3 – Building Capacity for Failure

Even with the best plans, human error can and will happen. PWS helps mitigate the effects of those failures:

• Acting as a backup layer when line-of-sight or verbal communication fails.
• Protecting new workers or visitors unfamiliar with site protocols.
• Alerting operators and workers to hidden dangers like blind spots, stacked objects, and trench corners.

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Real-World Benefits and Data Insights

Modern PWS platforms like SensorZone not only enhance real-time safety but also gather actionable insights that:

• Reduce near-misses and serious incidents
• Improve onboarding and training programs
• Allow safety officers to justify equipment investment with evidence-based ROI

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Conclusion – Making the Business Case for PWS Technology

Proximity Warning Systems are now critical to modern safety strategies. When integrated into a framework like The Capacity Model™, they offer comprehensive protection by supporting prevention, continuous learning, and resilience. Human perfection is unrealistic on dynamic sites. PWS technology provides real-time situational awareness and valuable insights that reduce the likelihood and severity of incidents. This holistic approach strengthens traditional safety protocols and creates a safer, smarter, and more adaptable worksite.

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Interested in implementing a Proximity Warning System on your site? Contact us today at SensorZone (the market leading PWS) for a demo or safety consultation.