Timelapse photos of construction in Rio de Janeiro show the vast development the city has undergone in preparation for the 2016 Olympics. The photos were taken over the course of years by satellite imaging company DigitalGlobal.
Construction of venues is always a big topic leading up to the Olympic Games, and the conversation usually revolves around whether the venues will be ready in time.
Construction safety also became a part of the 2016 Olympics conversation, after a report released earlier this year by Rio de Janeiro's Regional Labor and Employment Office confirmed that eleven workers had died while working on Olympic venues or related projects. The report noted that the number of deaths reported prior to the 2012 Olympics in London was zero. When Brazil hosted the World Cup in 2014, at least 8 workers died in construction accidents.
In a recent article about crane safety in construction, Constructor Magazine notes "By nature, construction is a dangerous profession, especially when building vertically in a congested, high-traffic metropolitan area ... That’s why it’s vital to understand the importance of equipment specs, routine maintenance and operator certification, and to have an extremely buttoned up risk management plan."
There are many tools that can help with risk management plans and safety management (including the HR module of Spectrum), but the first step is embracing a culture that promotes a safety-first environment. Unfortunately, this is not always in place and when people prioritize deadlines over safety, workers are put in unnecessary danger.