BOSTON and NEW YORK – Shawmut Design and Construction announced a new leadership role and unveils state-of-the art safety innovations in a strategic move to enhance its world-class safety program.
The company has promoted Shaun Carvalho to vice president of safety, adding safety representation at the executive leadership level. Carvalho, previously the firm’s safety director, will lead Shawmut in piloting and implementing programs and technologies, ultimately advancing the firm’s commitment to creating a safer industry for all. This announcement comes as Shawmut prepares for the upcoming Safety Week, the annual industry event where the company educates staff to train and manage safety techniques and protocols.
“At Shawmut, we are establishing a truly unique combination of cutting-edge technology, dedication of corporate resources, and unmatched passion to further our world-class safety program,” said Les Hiscoe, CEO of Shawmut. “As such, I’m pleased to welcome Shaun Carvalho to our executive leadership team. Throughout his tenure with Shawmut, he has been a driving force behind our industry-leading safety programs and initiatives. By spearheading new safety innovations and task forces, his leadership will allow us to create an injury-free environment and help shape best practices for the industry at large.”
With over 16 years of experience in construction safety, starting off in the field as a site safety manager, and working his way up to a leadership role, Carvalho has been instrumental in developing, implementing, and managing safety policies, programs, and procedures. This year, Carvalho launched new task forces and pioneered innovative software platforms that identify and document hazards in real time, allowing teams to immediately address issues and prevent incidents.
To proactively respond to the opioid crisis, Carvalho has mobilized the cross-functional Opioid Task Force which provides resources for the construction industry to combat the epidemic. By partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield to pilot an opioid toolkit program, Shawmut trains all office services staff and superintendents on opioid overdose recognition and emergency response, including the administration of Narcan. The teams communicate opioid recognition and provide information on resources nationally, to everyone on all project sites, by way of safety orientation, as well as site signage and toolbox talk trainings.
Shawmut has also rolled out new technologies, including SmartVid.io, which reduces risk by harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that automatically detects safety performance in jobsite photos, measures trends, provides workflow analysis, and allows the teams to drive desired on-site behaviors. The system can spot PPE compliance, environmental hazards, fall protection, electrical issues, access issues, and other potential hazards.
Similarly, ConstructSecure allows project teams and safety managers to make informed decisions that help improve performance based on incident data in real time. This groundbreaking safety monitoring app facilitates site inspections and tracks incidents, identifies gaps in safety and training programs, and utilizes project-specific subcontractor incident data to monitor trends, and create corrective action plans.
To further monitor safety and provide instantaneous data for on-site job conditions, Shawmut is piloting the use of the Triax Spot-r Clip, a wearable device that automatically connects to the Spot-r network when workers arrive on site, tracking workforce location by floor and zone. This device detects falls at the jobsite and sends immediate, detailed notifications to supervisors, improving injury response time by up to 91%. Additionally, anyone wearing the device can alert the site teams to a hazard by simply hitting a button. These new technologies offer multifaceted solutions that together promote and ensure safety for everyone, from field personnel to the executive team.
Additional Shawmut safety initiatives include the mobilization of the Fire Safety Task Force to help teams identify exposure areas and solutions to prevent fires on job sites. During the Safety Blitz, which is deployed during critical times to provide additional support and resources to project teams, senior leadership visits and reviews project sites for compliance. Shawmut also has a robust Safety Incentive Program, with the goal of celebrating and rewarding positive safety behaviors.
From May 6th to the 10th, Shawmut will celebrate its tenth annual Safety Week by offering a series of interactive demonstrations designed to train employees on the latest safety procedures, protocols, and technologies. Most notably, Shawmut employees will participate in the ASSP VR Fall Protection Experience, where they will be asked to identify fall hazards while virtually navigating a two-story roof. By replicating real-life construction sites, workers will gain valuable fall safety training and learn how to mitigate potential hazards. Shawmut will also offer demonstrations of the EksoZeroG, a robotic arm that holds heavy tools on aerial work platforms and scaffolding, and the EksoVest, an upper body exoskeleton that elevates and supports workers’ arms, assisting with tasks ranging from chest height to overheard. Both technologies are designed to help ease physical burden and reduce fatigue over the course of a worker’s shift.
As one of the first construction firms to celebrate Safety Week, Shawmut anticipates this year’s events will include well over 800 trainings and 15,000 attendees. The company’s renewed commitment to world-class safety cements its position as an innovator in the category, driving a culture of safety throughout the industry.
