The Texas-based,
family-owned general contractor is recognized among giants like
Google and Microsoft.
DALLAS, May 14, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Fast Company's 2024 World Changing Ideas
Awards winners were announced today.
The Texas-based, family-owned general contractor
is recognized among giants like Google and Microsoft.
Rogers-O'Brien Construction (RO) has been named a winner in the
Mid-Sized Business category for their innovative use of the
VigiLife SafeGuard technology to enhance worker safety. In 2022,
Texas saw about 300 deaths due to
heat-related illnesses, the highest in two decades.
RO had already implemented annual heat safety training for their
98 craft construction workers, who work 50 to 60 hours a week under
the Texas sun. Ross Daly, Director of Safety at Rogers-O'Brien
Construction, Dallas-based general
contractor, said, "While training and mindset are critical, they
have limitations." Seeking to outdo the sun in brilliance, RO
adopted the VigiLife SafeGuard, a wearable sensor designed to
enhance worker safety through real-time analytics and alerts. In
the summer of 2023, Rogers-O'Brien became the first general
contractor to implement SafeGuard technology across their
workforce.
The device connects to a smartwatch and functions like a fitness
app, tracking biometrics like heart rate and core body temperature.
It alerts workers when they need to slow down and, at more critical
levels, notifies the on-site safety manager to bring the worker
into a cooled environment for recovery. This proactive approach
aims to prevent heat-related issues before they escalate.
Heat-related illnesses can increase project costs due to lost
time, medical expenses, and accident investigations. Daly
underscored that safety remains their top priority: "If it prevents
even one heat-related illness, the system pays for itself."
"We're pioneering a new era of worker safety," says Todd Wynne, Chief Innovation Officer. "SafeGuard
technology empowers us to prevent heat-related risks and protect
our employees like never before. As the first general contractor to
adopt this game-changing solution, we're setting a precedent for
the industry and demonstrating our unwavering commitment to sending
everyone home daily."
About Rogers-O'Brien Construction: Rogers-O'Brien
Construction is a leading construction company based in
Texas, committed to delivering
high-quality projects while prioritizing client service. With a
rich history and a forward-thinking approach, RO strives to create
lasting value for future generations. Read more about RO's
world-changing idea here:
https://www.fastcompany.com/91072038/rogers-o-brien-construction-world-changing-ideas-2024.
About the World Changing Ideas Awards: World Changing
Ideas is one of Fast Company's major annual awards programs and is
focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and
bold concepts that make the world better. Judges choose winners,
finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the
potential for impact. With the goals of awarding ingenuity and
fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with
great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more
people to work on solving the problems that affect us all.
About Fast Company: Fast Company is the only media
brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business,
innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders,
companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in
New York City, Fast Company is
published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister
publication Inc., and can be found online at
www.fastcompany.com.
Media Contact:
Laurel Dicus
ldicus@r-o.com
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SOURCE Rogers-O'Brien Construction Co