Twiceme Survey: 60% of Contractors Lack Access to Workplace Digital Safety Systems

A new survey from Twiceme Technology, a Swedish safety solutions innovator, highlights a significant gap in the adoption of digital safety systems within the construction industry.

While 79% of safety managers use digital tools to track safety information and personal protective equipment (PPE) health, only 40% of contractors report having access to this vital data, according to the 2024 Construction Safety Survey of 500 contractors and 390 safety managers.

Digital safety technologies, such as those embedded in PPE, are becoming increasingly important in construction, a sector that has traditionally lagged behind industries like outdoor sports in adopting such systems.

These tools can enhance workplace safety by providing immediate access to information on equipment health, certifications and emergency data. Faster access to this information can be critical in reducing response times during onsite accidents.

The survey revealed concerning statistics about construction site accidents:

• 69% of contractors said they or a coworker had experienced a serious jobsite incident.
• Among these, 54% noted that first responders lacked key health information about the injured worker.
• Additionally, 45% of first responders were not adequately trained to provide initial aid before emergency services arrived.

“Safety managers are doing a great job with digital safety processes, but there is a critical gap when this information does not reach the workers,”Christian Connolly, CEO, Twiceme said.

“Distributing smart PPE can help solve this issue. Investing in PPE like safety helmets and harnesses that have Twiceme-enabled NFC [near-filed communication] chips embedded within revolutionizes how information is shared and accessed, thus having a positive impact on how management and contractors can respond and act in emergency scenarios.”

The survey also explored features that safety managers value in digital safety systems:

• 96% prioritize alerts for overdue PPE inspections and real-time compliance reports.
• 96% value insights into worker attendance and location on jobsites.
• 91% consider automatic reminders for expiring worker certifications essential.
• 88% see benefits in paperless inspection and OSHA-compliant reporting.

Over 88% of respondents said they would pay at least $15 more per PPE item if it included an integrated safety management system for tracking certifications, equipment expiration and emergency responses.

“As general contractors and other industrial organizations across the U.S. transition from hard hats to safety helmets or plan to invest in other job site PPE, such as fall protection, they should also look at embedded digital technologies as a top priority,” Connolly added.

This survey underscores the pressing need for broader adoption of digital safety solutions to enhance jobsite safety and efficiency in the construction industry.