Direction Aware Bluetooth Low Energy Based Proximity Detection System for Construction Work Zone Safety

Over the last decade, the rate of fatality of workers in construction work zones has been of serious concern. One of the most frequent accidents happens due to a ground worker being struck by construction equipment. A major reason behind this is the inability of equipment operators to be aware of the existence of the nearby pedestrian worker. In this paper, the authors propose a direction aware proximity detection and alert system. The proposed system can detect hazardous situations caused by proximity between equipment and the ground workers. Upon detection, it notifies both the ground worker and equipment operator with audible alerts and visualization of the relative location of the hazard. This research utilizes a recent Bluetooth low energy technology to build a proactive proximity and alert system. To evaluate the effectiveness of the system, outdoor tests were conducted. The obtained results show that the equipment operators can efficiently obtain the information on potential hazardous situations to avoid collision with the ground worker.