Over the past year, drones have commonly been seen in a negative light. Drone users have been lambasted for using them to spy on neighbors and for flying too close to commercial airliners. Because of their popularity, the potential danger to others continues to grow. However, there is a growing need for drones as it pertains to workplace safety.
In fact, more contractors are using drones to make safety inspections on tall telecommunications towers, skyscrapers and even remote areas where construction. Essentially, cameras mounted on drones can reduce the need for workers to climb to great heights; thus reducing the potential for falls.
For instance, drones can fly over power lines and send images to workers on the ground. The same could be said of scaffolding inspections. With drones performing these inspections, workers spend less time climbing towers, inspecting live power lines or navigating other dangerous structures. This is an important step given that falls are the number one cause of death in the construction industry, as well as the number three cause of death across other industries.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects there to be more than 500,000 drones across the U.S making such inspections by 2020. This is why more companies are seeking exemptions so that unmanned aircraft can make critical inspections.
Nevertheless, this growing method of inspections does not relieve contractors of their obligation to ensure the safety of a construction site. It could, however, result in fewer workers being put in danger.
The preceding is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be legal advice.
