Balfour Beatty’s collaboration with an AI-powered platform is transforming safety protocols.
- The digital solution is a partnership with the CEO’s nephew’s firm, Site Assist.
- Since 2021, this platform has transformed permit-to-work processes on Balfour Beatty sites.
- Balfour Beatty has seen a significant reduction in utility service strikes as a result.
- The company’s safety improvement is hailed as a model for the construction industry.
Balfour Beatty, one of the UK’s leading construction and infrastructure companies, has significantly enhanced its safety record by deploying an AI-powered digital platform. The platform, co-managed by the CEO’s nephew, Luke Quinn, is designed to streamline and digitalise permit-to-work procedures.
Since its introduction in 2021, Site Assist has been instrumental in slashing the number of utility service strikes. Balfour Beatty’s data indicates a projected decrease from 200 strikes in 2022 to just 55 in 2023. This reduction demonstrates the profound effect of technology on construction site safety.
Site Assist, incorporated initially by Luke Quinn in January 2021, offers ‘easy-to-use, yet complex digital solutions.’ It enhances both safety and efficiency, underscoring Balfour Beatty’s commitment to technological advancement.
Financial accounts from 2022 and 2023 reveal that Balfour Beatty paid £1 million annually to Site Assist, classified as a ‘related party transaction.’ This transaction has been disclosed appropriately, ensuring transparency in the company’s financial dealings.
Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty’s CEO, has actively promoted the significance of safety measures in construction. In a recent LinkedIn post, he emphasised the critical nature of using advanced digital tools like Site Assist to elevate safety standards. Site Assist, in response, lauded Quinn’s leadership as ‘inspiring.’
Balfour Beatty’s spokesperson highlighted a historic low in its lost time injury rate in 2023, achieved over 104 million hours worked. Their approach to integrating technology reflects a forward-thinking strategy focused not only on safety but also on productivity and cost-efficiency.
While no impropriety in using the platform has been suggested, Site Assist’s clientele extends beyond Balfour Beatty, including firms like Costain, Babcock, and HS2, marking its industry-wide impact.
The firm’s approach to health and safety is unequivocal, prioritising workplace well-being above all. Balfour Beatty’s digital strategy is yielding substantial dividends in terms of safety, efficiency, and assurance.
Balfour Beatty’s adoption of Site Assist exemplifies a strategic shift towards leveraging technology for improved safety in construction.
