Digital Solutions

Tracking the progress of structural steel erection on any job is paramount. One incorrect or misplaced beam can potentially put the whole project in jeopardy.

Yet, the problems with how firms track steel are manifold — some firms plunk data into an Excel spreadsheet, and there can be a discrepancy in data standards among stakeholders on a project.

Boston-based Suffolk Construction has a solution that it developed in house. Live Dimensions, created by Suffolk’s Director of Digital Engineering Denis Leff, utilizes BIM models to track steel progress from design through fabrication and final construction. It has already identified common pitfalls in the erection process, he said, saving the firm time. 

In a news release, Suffolk said Live Dimensions uses artificial intelligence to parse datasets and standardize information into a unified database. That allows it to dynamically update the BIM model, which provides a real-time snapshot of a project’s structural steel status.

Secrets to success

Leff said that his interest in tech began when he spent time working for Samsung in South Korea — he worked from 2010 to 2016 as a BIM development manager at the company’s construction and trading division headquarters in Seoul.

Since moving on to Suffolk, Leff’s passion has been bringing BIM to the masses, even non-experts. Hence, Live Dimensions was born. 

“BIM models hold all the information of what we're about to build,” Leff said. “And I see them generally as underleveraged in our industry, partially because the technology blocks a lot of people. They don't know how to access the data unless you're a BIM expert.”

Currently, Suffolk is using Live Dimensions on its South Shore University Hospital Pavilion Core & Shell project in Bay Shore, New York. The scope for the first phase of work includes abatement and demolition, site utilities and the full core and shell, according to the project’s information page. The $468 million project celebrated its steel topping out in October, and will be completed in the second quarter of 2026, according to the hospital network.

The program helped with two key issues on the build: tracking completion and deliveries. It kept the team from having to deal with piecemeal data entry into an Excel spreadsheet or using costly tracking software. 

Instead, users simply dragged and dropped a BIM model into the program, marking it as ready to track. When steel was delivered, they then scanned the bill of lading from the delivery firm and uploaded it to Live Dimensions.

“Knowing where the material is and what state it is in to ensure continuity in the field is really important, because you don't just stop steel if the steel isn’t ready. You stop the entire project,” Leff said. 

While Leff said it was too early to assess whether the tool can help with mitigating rework, it’s been useful in identifying, and tracking, the routine mishaps that can occur during the erection process, such as bolt hole misalignments and damaged beam replacement.

“A lot of this stuff is par for the course. It happens on every project,” Leff said. “But we're really trying to get an understanding —  is it a project in New York? Is it a particular contractor? Is it a particular fabricator? Is this going to happen, more or less, with certain people that we partner with?”

A focus on innovation

Leff said he built the software in a six-month period before the company was going to put steel up on the South Shore project. With the help of Matthew Chen, a digital engineering intern for the contractor, Leff also turned Live Dimensions from an app into a web-based platform.

Suffolk’s focus on innovation made it easy to iterate the solution — the company has an in-house venture capital arm, Suffolk Ventures, which invests in construction technology across the building cycle. 

“We're very tech-forward as an organization, so there's a lot of support for reaching our goals, our passions, if they fit the bill of moving our company forward,” Leff said.

If Leff were to build this program outside of the company, he said he’d be under more time constraints.

“Here, I'm able to understand the project's needs at a comfortable pace, try things out, reiterate, improve,” Leff said. “It's not like being an external person trying to create a solution for someone else. You have a little bit more time to do things thoughtfully, and that's why I'm going one project at a time.”

Three months into 2025, the artificial intelligence arms race continues for builders. Large contractors, such as London-based Balfour Beatty and Swedish builder Skanska, are developing their own AI-based tools to aid their construction processes.

Other builders use tech solutions that come from vendors. Marietta, Georgia-based Cork Howard, for example, uses Billy the Bot, named and created by Mountain View, California-based software firm Stampli. With the tech, the team is able to cut down on the time, effort and focus necessary to track the litany of invoices that the firm receives and needs to process on any given day.

It’s not just finance, either — AI and its uses were the talk of the expo at Engineering News-Record’s FutureTech conference in 2024, where builders discussed how they used it to check contracts for compliance and increase jobsite safety.

Now, the next iteration of AI is knocking on the construction industry’s door — agentic AI. A type of artificial intelligence that tech giant Nvidia claimed in a Jan. 6 blog post will act as a “knowledge robot,” the tech holds the promise to help companies across industries, not just builders, automate their work. But whether the buzz around it is just hype or has real potential can be difficult for builders to parse as they consider its uses in their day-to-day work.

What is agentic AI?

Agentic AI is an evolution of generative AI — it’s still trained on specific data sets, and users can still interact with it via a chat or prompt. However, what sets the tech aside is its ability to act autonomously.

“Agentic AI represents the next wave in the evolution of generative AI. It enables applications to move beyond simple chatbot interactions to tackle complex, multi-step problems through sophisticated reasoning and planning,” Nvidia wrote.

In other words, agentic AI takes that answer a step further. 

For example, a builder might ask a generative AI bot to figure out how much money it owed to a specific concrete subcontractor in 2024. The bot would answer that query based on that single interaction.

By contrast, agentic AI could create a plan around the bills and invoices autonomously, with the human taking action.

Barry Mostert, tech giant Oracle’s senior director of artificial intelligence and analytics, wrote in a Feb. 10, 2025 blog post that agentic AI puts the construction industry “on the brink of a transformative leap.” AI agents could help builders improve safety, optimize their costs and proactively mitigate risk, Mostert claimed.

Patrick Murphy, the CEO of estimating and takeoff software creator Togal.AI, said that an agentic AI chatbot could operate much like an employee.

“For example, instead of asking an AI to write a few plans and then reviewing them yourself, you could tell an agentic AI to generate multiple options, analyze all the data, select the best one, and even propose new ideas based on current market trends,” Murphy said. “Then, it could check back in 48 hours with a full report.”

Worth the hype?

Although some analysts expect businesses to quickly reap the rewards from AI agents, others are expressing caution, specifically regarding security concerns, CIO Dive reported on Jan. 23, 2025.

“Even though it might be overhyped in the first year, we’re going to be seeing some interesting results this year and also probably some epic failures,” Vladimir Lukic, global leader of Boston Consulting Group’s Technology and Digital Advantage practice, told CIO Dive.

Senthil Kumar, the chief technology officer for Slate Technologies, a contech firm that creates AI tech for the real estate, building and investment industries, is taking a more measured approach. Kumar noted that AI in construction is full of failed full-automation promises, but that the tech could help contractors who carefully implement it get a let up on their peers. 

Kumar said that agentic AI could, for example, help builders manage their schedules, manage risk and compliance, optimize how resources are used and anticipate supply chain disruptions. But knowing that it isn’t a technological cure-all is important.

“There is of course no magical overnight transformation and if one is expected, people will be disappointed,” Kumar told Construction Dive via email. “Those integrating this AI strategically, will gain a significant competitive edge.”

Indeed, other experts are far from certain of agentic AI’s potential, and outright doubtful of its capabilities at present.

“We conducted a thorough review of AI agents in production, analyzing their goals, operational mechanisms, and the extent of their autonomous behavior,” Craig Le Clair, principal analyst at Cambridge, Massachusetts-based market research firm Forrester, told CIO Dive in an email. “Basically, most agents are far from agentic. This is the future and does not yet exist.”

Not on autopilot

Kumar also warned contractors about potential red flags that they could come across from vendors who might be selling a product that isn’t a good fit. 

These range from an AI system that can’t explain its output or an improper integration strategy, to overpromised return on investment or a guarantee of full autonomy. An optimal system, Kumar said, needs human-in-the-loop oversight.

“Selecting the wrong vendor, adopting suboptimal technology, or executing a flawed implementation strategy can result in operational inefficiencies, unrealized potential and wasted investments,” Kumar wrote.

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By FARO Technologies

Learn how to overcome common roadblocks that hinder efficient collaboration and communication between your onsite and remote teams.

Despite technological advancements and collaborative toolkits being introduced daily, one of the biggest hurdles firms today face is ensuring proper alignment and efficient communications between their geographically separated teams. Whether teams are several minutes or flights away from a jobsite, collaborating with separated teams is always challenging.

So, what are the most common barriers to remote collaboration and how can a digital jobsite help you overcome them?

Top 3 Challenges Faced by Geographically Separated Teams

Challenge No.1: Delayed Response Times

With different team members scattered across different time zones, it becomes difficult to quickly get the answers you need from the right person. Calls, text messages, or emails go unanswered, causing avoidable delays and bottlenecks. Over time, this causes misalignment between teams and functions, leading to more serious administrative and construction issues.

Challenge No.2: Failure to Convey the Urgency of Matters

Practicing staggered and infrequent communications between onsite and remote teams usually leads to team members failing to understand or voice out the importance of specific issues. Without a consolidated source of truth, team members situated several hours away or even in different countries find it challenging to fully grasp every stage of development. This also makes it difficult to articulate and distinguish onsite priorities without being there physically.

Challenge No.3: Scattered and Incomplete Documentation

Aligning project documentation across onsite and remote teams solely through emails and ad-hoc markups often results in incomplete folders and archives. Poor communication compounds this situation, and firms relying on a mix of scattered physical and digital documentation are bound to face uphill challenges later. These include difficulties in developing accurate as-built documentation without leveraging technology. Ultimately, resisting innovation threatens to expose these firms to potential issues over regulatory compliance and reputational repercussions.

How Digital Jobsites Help Solve Them

Swift & Seamless Communication Across Borders

Whether remote or onsite teams, utilizing messages, personalized notifications, and tags is key to uniting everyone and ensuring the right message reaches the right person quickly. Quicker response times encourage speedier decisions and swifter implementation of change orders or adjustments where required. Leveraging a cloud-based digital jobsite allows users to raise issues, make recommendations, sign off, and approve onsite work not within hours or days but minutes.

Inch-Accurate and Context-Rich Virtual Site Tours

Instead of relying on 2D photos or PDF documents to align your various project teams at the usual progress meetings, digital jobsites allow visual tours to be taken anytime. Architects, Contractors, stakeholders, and Owners can traverse through high-definition 360° photos and receive relevant information instantly, cutting down communication time. The added benefit of leveraging inch-accurate visuals with 360° photos is virtually obtaining measurements of specific project sections. This enables remote site inspections that result in quicker progress and reduces red tape for approvals despite the geographical separation.

Detailed, Complete, and Cross Compatible As-Built Documentation

Digital jobsites like FARO Sphere® XG enable you to store and archive projects’ documentation neatly and intelligently. This ensures users can easily find the information they need. Adopting digital as-built documentation as the primary archiving method is also a serious time saver, as multiple formats – 2D photos, 3D point clouds, 3D models, PDFs, and more – are stored within a single project and chronologically sorted. A transparent and unified platform hosting historical as-built data comparable with 3D models allows for fast retrievals and reproductions of project information. This serves a range of use cases, from payment requests to complying with regulatory obligations.

Working Better Together Through Digital Jobsites, Even Apart

As illustrated, digital jobsites are an innovative, multifaceted solution helping businesses bridge the collaborative gaps between on-site and remote teams. A digital jobsite allows for the efficient democratization of information while optimizing project visibility for all teams and stakeholders involved. Construction firms who quickly adopt and integrate modern solutions across their teams are ultimately primed to reap benefits and gains in collaboration and productivity, placing them above the rest.

Since artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, has become widely available, the tech has dominated headlines as businesses and workers alike seek answers and best practices.

Construction companies have been bombarded with pitches from companies offering AI-supported products, especially in the area of jobsite safety.

“I think what the biggest challenge that our contractors are facing is they're … frustrated because it's coming at them so fast,” Greg Sizemore, vice president of workforce development, safety, health and environment for Associated Builders and Contractors told Construction Dive.

In this complex landscape, safety experts say they have brought skepticism to the countless pitches as they evaluate the best ways to implement AI into their workflows in an effort to improve jobsite safety. 

“We spend a lot of time telling our contractors, ‘be careful what you draw down,’” Sizemore said. “The caution right now is don’t take it at face value.”

But industry leaders leveraging AI say the good news is that the guidance for the use of generative tools remains the same: Use it as a tool to speed up workflows rather than to replace or add on to existing processes.

Data and governance

In February 2024, Skanska unveiled Sidekick, an AI chatbot. The tool is designed to help the company explore catalogs of data from its numerous projects without introducing secret or proprietary information to the public domain.

Built using the same tech as ChatGPT, users can ask Sidekick questions and it responds with answers based on a collection of internal data that will remain within Skanska’s proprietary cloud. The product is for internal use only and will not be sold commercially.

“We can start to leverage the experience and knowledge from across all of Skanska so that, ‘Hey, I'm not simply learning from my own mistakes and avoiding those, I'm learning from the mistakes of thousands and thousands of other Skanska projects,’” said Will Senner, senior vice president of preconstruction for Skanska.

Sidekick helps to identify which projects and tasks pose the biggest risk, Senner said, assisted by the huge amount of data the Stockholm-based contractor and developer has collected.

“The success of that effort's going to be dependent on the quality of the underlying information that you've got and the breadth and depth of that information,” Senner said.

The large amounts of information collected on jobsites can be a good starting point, said Patrick Scarpati, director of construction technology and innovation for ABC. Even smaller builders often incorporate photo capture or security cameras on their jobs. 

“There is a lot of data thrown around on jobsites now with a lot of digital-based project management platforms,” Scarpati told Construction Dive. “We're still learning as an industry how to structure all of that, right? Data governance, that's the true power of AI, right?”

Milford, Massachusetts-based Consigli Construction Co. has begun leveraging fixed cameras, drone footage and 360-degree documentation for AI safety analysis, said Jack Moran, senior construction technology director for the firm. Consigli has also actively beta-tested DroneDeploy’s Safety AI platform — which captures and seeks to identify potential hazards on site — on several K-12 and higher education projects with plans to roll out use wider soon. 

Moran said the contractor is also using it to collect data.

“We are also exploring AI, machine learning and text bots to streamline the collection and management of safety-related data, such as training records, certifications and materials tracking to better improve and inform our safety operations,” Moran told Construction Dive. “Additionally, we’re evaluating how natural language tools can help teams more easily report, query, and retrieve safety documentation across the project lifecycle.”

Knowing what AI is not

Sizemore said when talking to ABC members about AI use, often someone makes a “Terminator” reference — indicating wariness over the tech and its impact. The comments are a joke, Sizemore said, but they represent real concern.

“These are leaders of companies going, ‘Are my employees going to be replaced in X amount of years because of AI?’” Sizemore said. “And we always bring it back to education and understanding what AI can actually offer you.”

AI is not an additional tool to be added to an existing workflow, Senner emphasized. It also won’t fully replace a worker yet, especially not someone with expertise.

“In our mind, the end game of this is not chatbots, right? Like, this is not about, ‘Hey, here's a chatbot to ask questions about safety,’” Senner said. “This is about how can we deliver the right safety insights to our people at the right time.”

And — unlike the goals of Terminators in blockbuster movies — that human element should remain, Moran said.

“Importantly, we don’t treat AI as a substitute for human judgment. It’s a supplement that helps us scale our attention and gain better visibility across complex, fast-moving jobsites,” Moran said.

MCLEAN, VIRGINIA — Aging infrastructure, extreme weather, budgetary constraints and rising material and labor costs will make innovation more critical than ever for the construction industry, said attorney Yvonne Castillo, professional liability risk advisor at Victor, a Bethesda, Maryland-based general underwriter. 

However, builders must consider the legal landscape as they venture new tools and approaches, she said.

“Given this environment, innovation is going to be really important — not just as a competitive advantage if you operate in this industry, but it's just becoming a basic survival skill,” said Castillo in May 2025 at the Building Innovation 2025 conference, sponsored by the National Institute of Building Sciences. “But unfortunately, innovation does not come without risks.” 

The courts are reacting to novel approaches from builders and developers, and these legal signals can guide contractors on how to pioneer in a way that maximizes chances for success, Castillo said during a conference presentation.

“Innovation isn't just about doing something new,” said Castillo. “It's about doing it in a smart way. It's about anticipating some of these risks that might be coming about, utilizing the best available science and always thinking about, well, what would a court or what would a jury, in retrospect, think was reasonable?”

Climate modeling a must

Extreme weather and changing climate patterns are forcing builders to turn to advanced data tools to guard against legal liability and to help communities recover more quickly from disaster.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes that building code minimums aren't sufficient to address the growing risk posed by today's frequent disasters, said Casey Robb, president at Acworth, Georgia-headquartered C. F. Robb Consulting Services, in a presentation. Nor is building to code enough to protect contractors from legal liability.

In light of climate change-driven extreme weather, “we have to build up our resources locally to address these issues,” said Robb. “Relying solely on minimum standards leaves the community significantly vulnerable, and it's vital to move beyond these minimum codes and adopt advanced resilience codes for measures, and also get deep in the weeds on pre-planning.” 

Recent court rulings indicate that designers, builders and developers need to use climate modeling and consider elements such as likely sea level rise, or risk legal repercussions down the road. Castillo cited cases related to the Gross Reservoir Dam expansion in Colorado, the Battery Park City Resiliency Project in New York City and a housing project in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in which judges affirmed the necessity of consulting climate modeling science when planning and executing projects.

“You can certainly, on your projects, ignore climate data, but it is our suggestion that based on the court cases we're seeing and these early signs of how courts are reacting, it's not the best way to proceed. It is not the most defensible position in court,” said Castillo. “Courts view [climate data] as reliable, credible evidence that you should be incorporating into your projects.”

If a client wants to design only up to code despite knowing that this approach does not sufficiently incorporate future climate data, it’s important to note that in your contract, Castillo said.

“Make sure that everybody on the project knows that you are not going to be addressing major climate risk,” said Castillo. “Contracts matter, climate data matters, insurance matters.”

De-risking innovation

Novel materials and processes bring an increased risk of errors and claims, according to Mika Dewitz-Cryan, vice president and risk management attorney at Victor, in a presentation.

“Even when you're working with familiar and tested products or materials or equipment, if you're using it in a new and unprecedented way, it could introduce new hazards or dangers,” Dewitz-Cryan said. “Sometimes a new technology fails, not because there's something defective with that specific material, but simply because there's a lack of established standards or knowledge about how something should be properly operated and maintained.”

Try to anticipate as many different variables as possible that may be important, and plan accordingly, said Dewitz-Cryan. Ensure that contract language clearly specifies responsibilities and expectations around innovative approaches, and communicate potential benefits and pitfalls as well as likely impacts to the project schedule and budget.

“Always consider consulting with experts for accurate insights. For instance, you might hire an outside firm to test the materials,” Dewitz-Cryan said, because you don’t know what you don’t know. “Prepare alternatives — always have a plan B.”

Sometimes clients are wary of cutting-edge technology, such as generative artificial intelligence, Dewitz-Cryan said. If a client wants you to only use what's proven, that should be communicated early on, but there is also risk in sticking to one way of doing things.

“What's considered innovative today is not always going to be considered innovative,” Dewitz-Cryan said. “It's important to stay up to date with what's going on to ensure you're not being left behind.”

Liz Fong didn’t imagine how much technology would play a role in her career when she first enrolled as a sheet metal apprentice 13 years ago. 

The operations integration manager at Seattle-based mechanical contractor MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions said that she envisioned herself carrying out traditional tasks in the field or shop on HVAC or architectural work. She didn’t anticipate the experience she gained in the technological aspects of the industry, including software and technology management, process development and coding.

For her work harnessing construction technology to drive the industry forward, such as helping with her company’s transition to paperless sheet metal fabrication, Fong was recently named the 2025 Innovator of the Year by the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association.

“Liz is a standout member of our community who is both skilled and proactive,” said Linda Jennings, SMACNA executive director of innovation, integration and learning. “She is a recognized authority on multiple technology platforms and a go-to expert in the field who excels at developing strategies that minimize disruption and maximize results.”

Here, Fong talks with Construction Dive about the work she loves, why she was drawn to a construction career and the importance of technology in the industry.

CONSTRUCTION DIVE: What led you to choose construction for your career?

LIZ FONG: After initially pursuing the college route and eventually continuing to a graduate program, I ultimately decided not to continue down that path. However, I was still looking for a career that would allow me to build something long-term and fulfilling. Additionally, as I approached my 30s, financial security became more of a priority. 

That’s when a friend introduced me to Oregon Tradeswomen, where I was first exposed to the trades and the idea of construction as a career. I found the hands-on nature of the work, the diversity of the trades and the potential for growth really appealing. 

Equally attractive was the "earn-while-you-learn" structure of apprenticeships and the high floor set by the trade unions, which provide not just steady work but also strong benefits and a clear path for long-term advancement. 

The trades and construction seemed like the perfect fit, offering both the stability and variety I was looking for. 

Why do you enjoy working in the sheet metal industry specifically?

The diversity of the trades has always appealed to me. When I was first exposed to multiple trades through Oregon Tradeswomen, it was the variety within sheet metal that led me to pursue it over the others. 

In the 13 years since, it has not disappointed, though not always in the ways I expected. What I didn’t anticipate was transitioning into software and technology management, process development or coding. 

My responsibilities began with managing our model authoring software, which lets users create BIM models, their associated databases and customizations, and have since expanded to influence integrations across the entire lifecycle of model data — spanning the fabrication shop, field operations, logistics and even extending to estimating.

And now, I can’t imagine doing anything else. While I’m no longer hands-on with my tradecraft, it’s a privilege to support my trades family and facilitate their success.

What are some of the projects you’ve most enjoyed working on and why?

A few projects I’ve particularly enjoyed working on stand out due to the sense of trust and responsibility they gave me, as well as the opportunity to develop new skills.

As an apprentice, one project that stands out is the Via6 Towers in Seattle, for which I touched just about every single louver plenum assembly across two 24-story buildings. While far from glamorous, the fabrication process was specific and differed from the traditional duct fabrication I had done up until that point, which made it a special experience for me as a first-year apprentice. 

Another memorable project was the Yakama Casino in Toppenish, Washington, which was my first detailing project. It marked a pivotal moment in my career as a springboard into using technology in my work.

This transition allowed me to build on my trade experience while diving into the broader scope of fabrication processes and technical workflows, not just for sheet metal, but also for plumbing and piping trades as well.

On the workflow development side, I really enjoyed contributing to our transition to paperless sheet metal fabrication. This project involved gathering and transforming data for various purposes, from inventory management and material ordering to facilitating specific shop station activities. 

It was a great way for me to apply my experience with Autodesk Fabrication content, VDC and shop fabrication workflows, while also exploring new areas like SQL and PowerApps. The project was both a challenge and a rewarding opportunity to expand my skill set while improving our team’s overall efficiency.

What benefits are there to working in construction?

One of the most rewarding aspects of working in construction is the tangible nature of the final product — whether your primary tool is a hammer or a computer. It's incredibly satisfying to see the direct impact of your efforts on a project, knowing you've contributed to building something meaningful. 

The work offers variety, requiring a diverse set of roles and skills, and because the industry is always evolving, there's always something new to learn. This keeps things interesting and helps avoid the monotony found in other fields.

Additionally, construction offers stability. As a union member, I enjoy job security, competitive wages, strong benefits and a clear path for long-term advancement. The "learn while you earn" structure of apprenticeships is also a huge advantage, with a low barrier to entry that makes the trades accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds.

What advice would you give to young women considering construction as a career?

For anyone considering a career in construction, my advice would be to embrace the opportunities the industry offers, even if it feels intimidating at first. Don’t let stereotypes or outdated perceptions hold you back from pursuing the trades or limit your understanding of construction to manual labor. 

With the advancement of technology and the increasing emphasis on safety, there’s a place for everyone in every aspect of construction, from the field to the office, and everything in between.

Know that your unique perspective is valuable and vital to the success of any industry. Diversity brings new ideas and approaches, which are critical to innovation and creative problem-solving. The construction industry offers the chance to build a career that is not only personally fulfilling but also provides long-term financial security and growth.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The expo hall at the American Society of Safety Professionals 2025 conference in Orlando, Florida, was full of colorful booths, towering product showcases and even a musician strumming a guitar while donning flexible work gloves.

The annual conference draws attendees from all industries, but many of the items shown there have applications for the jobsite. Here are a few of the most eye-catching:

SpanSet’s Auxivo OmniSuit

In the past, Sanford, North Carolina-based SpanSet has mostly sold fall protection and cargo control, but in the last two years, it has also retailed exoskeletons, said Evan Vogel, sales director.

At the SpanSet booth, visitors could try on the OmniSuit, a strappy exoskeleton designed to assist workers performing above-shoulder work, and demonstrate a use-case by holding a drill above their head and bending to lift a box. The suit itself weighs about 6 pounds, and straps around the waist and thighs. Supportive rests buttress under the arms.

Auxivo’s exo-suits rely on textiles for support, meaning the way they are tightened focuses on supporting a user lifting rather than applying another more advanced (and potentially heavier) tech, Vogel said. For example, bending to lift guides the wearer to squat and lift properly by tightening the material at the lower back, making it harder to lean forward. 

Applications for the suit include manufacturing and logistics, and Vogel said construction trades, such as drywall installers, could benefit from the suit’s design. Currently, the exoskeleton has largely been embraced in Europe, but Vogel said that its popularity is growing in the U.S.

SureWerx Fall Safe harness

At a large booth with a small runway, Elgin, Illinois-based SureWerx’s Fall Safe, a new fall harness, made its North America debut. Demonstrators walked quickly down the runway to demonstrate that the new protective equipment doesn’t lock up improperly due to jerky movement.

The gear is designed to protect workers by measuring for both velocity and acceleration, said Dustin Schneider, strategic account executive for North America. Traditional fall safety measures only velocity, stopping or locking at higher speeds, which can lead to irritating or painful strain when a worker bends to pick something up, according to the firm. It can also result in workers holding the line slack and dragging it along with them.

SureWerx gear measures for when there’s a change in speed, locking hard when the line rapidly accelerates. The result, Schneider said, allows workers to move or walk quickly or bend without having to worry about the harness erroneously locking up.

The new harness will begin retailing in the U.S. by the end of 2025, Schneider said.

Epicore Biosystems hydration wearable

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Epicore Biosystems displayed a hydration-detection wearable. Though some versions of the product adhere to skin, construction workers found it easier to put on and take off the wearable via a strap around the bicep, said Navroop Sidhu, director of growth marketing.

The device is able to measure when the user has lost about 500 milliliters of water, or about one water bottle’s worth. At that point, it begins buzzing, alerting the wearer they need to take a break and hydrate. Once they do, the wearer can press a button to indicate to the device they have consumed water. If they don’t, the device will continue buzzing as the situation becomes more dire.

Epicore Biosystems began by marketing a Gatorade patch measuring hydration for athletes, but Sidhu said that the applications of the hydration tracker have expanded to industries in which workers spend prolonged hours in the heat, like construction.

Caco America’s cool helmet

Caco America showcased helmets aimed at protecting workers’ heads from strikes as well as heat. The U.S. arm of the Panama-based equipment manufacturer Caco Abbo has released the GH400 and GH500 helmets, which have won recognition for their use of Koroyd patented technology originally created for aerospace safety research.

Green cylindrical tubing absorbs the impact of blunt trauma to the type 1 and type 2 helmets, said James Rogers, national sales director for the firm, but also takes up less space within the helmet than traditional EPS foam used by many other brands. As a result, the helmet is made of about 95% air, making it lightweight. That also means it doesn’t increase head temperature as intensely as other equipment, Rogers said.

In 2022, the GH400 helmet won second place in the Best in Show Competition at the National Safety Council Safety Congress & Expo in San Diego.

Paragon cooling vest

Paragon Pro uses ice or ice packs stored within coolers to pump cool water through wearable gear and keep worker body temperatures low. Packs vary in size from small hip coolers with about 45 minutes to an hour of use, to massive coolers designed for multiple workers to use at once on a break.

For those not actively moving around, the rapid cooling will quickly begin to take effect.

“If you run it for 10 minutes, you’re going to want to take it off,” said Clarence Patten IV, president of Paragon Pro.

Currently, the product is used largely for motor sports, surgeons who need to remain cool under hot lights for long procedures and actors in heavy costumes. But Patten sees more applications, and not just for workers on break in need of rapid cooling.

For example, Patten said the suit could benefit workers who are outside for prolonged periods in hot weather, such as line workers in aerial lifts and support crew below.