The march of technology makes an impact on every industry, including construction. It’s still a field primarily built on hard work and practical skills, new wearable tech is having positive, beneficial effects on safety and productivity. It’s making it possible for construction workers to do their jobs without as much fear of injuries. 

What Types of Wearable Technology Are Available in the Construction Field? 

Smart Helmets and Headwear 

Let’s start at the top with one of the most important pieces of safety gear on a job site: your hard hat or similar head protection. The construction field now has access to smart helmets, which use tools like cameras, communication systems, and sensor bands to monitor both the workers wearing them and their environment.  

Here are a few things that smart helmets can be outfitted to do: 

  • Detect and alert workers to potential hazards, like dangerous levels of noise or gas leaks, using both visual and audio signals
  • Improve situational awareness by providing data on temperature fluctuations, equipment malfunctions, structural issues, etc.
  • Provide instant, hands-free coordination and communication using built-in microphones and speakers
  • Monitor worker vital signs for signs of fatigue and to detect microsleeps that could cause accidents
  • Mitigate crashes by using sensors to provide real-time proximity alerts. 

More advanced smart helmets can integrate with smart glasses to expand what they can do and even provide a video-game-style heads-up display.  

Augmented Reality Glasses 

The latest safety goggles do more than protect your eyes; they’re loaded with features that can change the way workers navigate a job site. Augmented reality (AR) glasses provide real-time visual aids and enhancements, and as a staple piece of safety equipment, they’re potentially one of the most convenient wearables out there.  

Here are a few things that AR glasses can be outfitted to do: 

  • Record and stream video, both for documenting their work and for training purposes
  • Display real-time information and visual aids, like construction plans, diagrams, or simulated structural models
  • Enhance their surroundings by identifying and marking underground utilities, wiring, and potential safety hazards
  • Improve communication by allowing hands-free, real-time video calls that allow everyone involved a live look at the job site
  • Provide immediate visual alerts and enforcement of safety protocols 

Wearable Exoskeletons 

It still sounds like something you only see in scifi movies, but we now have wearable exoskeleton technology in the construction industry. Not for fighting aliens, but for supporting workers’ strength and endurance, reducing the risk of strain. After all, construction often requires hard, physical labor and potentially lifting heavy materials.  

Here are a few things that wearable exoskeletons can do: 

  • Provide support for proper posture and body position, reducing incidents of repetitive injuries or strains
  • Assist with lifting heavy or cumbersome materials, lessening the risk of back, shoulder, and arm issues
  • Increase productivity by allowing workers to perform tasks easier and more quickly 

There are three different types of exoskeletons: muscle-driven systems requiring no electricity (passive), motorized systems that actively add to your strength (powered), and hybrid systems combining muscle and battery power (pseudo-passive). 

Environmental Sensors 

These sensors come in a lot of different forms, but the tech overall is focused on monitoring a worker’s environmental surroundings for elements that might cause stress or harm.  

Here are a few things environmental sensors are on the lookout for: 

  • Dangerous levels of toxic gases
  • High noise levels that endanger hearing
  • Unstable structures and fall risks
  • Extreme temperatures and weather conditions 

Smart Clothing and Smartwatches 

There is a lot of smart bodywear coming to the construction field, and these pieces can be used in a lot of different ways. Wearable bodywear technology utilizes everything from sensors monitoring your body to GPS tracking in order to improve safety and efficiency. It can be everything from a shirt to a smartwatch customized for the needs of a construction worker. 

Here are a few things that smart clothing is created to do: 

  • Track your location and movement in real time and alert supervisors in case of an accident or fall
  • Track heart rate, body temperature, sweat output, calories burned and other metrics to monitor for overexertion or dehydration
  • Integrate with safety systems across the job site to make for better, more comprehensive oversight
  • Keep workers connected with teammates and supervisors with messaging and notification capabilities 

Smart Footwear 

No construction worker worth their salt would set foot on a job site without their work boots, so it makes sense that tech has been developed to make smart footwear. The latest developments in work boots utilize sensors to improve safety and comfort. 

Here are a few things that smart boots have been designed to do: 

  • Detect falls or shocks by using pressure detection sensors and immediately connect to help in an emergency
  • Accurately track location with a great deal of precision, which is vital in case of an accident
  • Improve on comfort and productivity with upgraded padding and breathable linings to reduce fatigue
  • Charge on the go by incorporating built-in charging mechanisms that generate power from walking 

A Better, Safer Construction Industry 

Construction jobs have always come with a level of risk, accounting for 20% of workplace fatalities in 2024. But that number is dropping with the continued development of wearable technology. These devices are helping to reduce injuries, boost worker productivity, improve on-site communication, and provide quicker, more efficient responses to accidents and emergencies. 

If this kind of work sounds like your thing—practical, active, and rewarding—it’s a great time to get started. Contact ASCTI at 915-505-6488 to learn more about our Heavy Equipment Operator program and get started on a career in construction.