In the high-pressure world of construction, every minute counts. But when safety is at stake, cutting corners is not an option. For Southbase Construction, a leading player in the New Zealand industry, ensuring onsite safety has always been a top priority. The stakes are even higher with complex projects like constructing secure facilities in sensitive sites. A single oversight could result in serious risks, from worker injuries to community hazards, like a high risk patient escaping into a hazardous construction zone.
This article spotlights how Lem Prestage, Group IT Manager at Southbase, harnessed the opportunity to orchestrate with AI, to completely revolutionise how Southbase approaches onsite safety.
The Urgency to Innovate High-Stake Safety Processes
Traditionally, site inspections and observations are manual processes, with workers dedicating valuable time to recording notes and ensuring compliance. This time-consuming approach often leaves gaps in efficiency, traceability, and response times. With the rapid pace of construction and the increasing need for accountability, Lem Prestage, Group IT Manager at Southbase Group, recognised the urgency to innovate.
Southbase’s Breakthrough with Workato and Voice AI
Lem and his IT team had already seen great success with using Workato to integrate disparate onsite safety tools to get an accurate picture of who is onsite. Yet his vision extended far beyond this. He sought to redefine how safety inspections and observations were being conducted completely.
Lem’s team relied on Workato’s proven Enterprise Orchestration capabilities to orchestrate their backend systems with a voice-based AI assistant. Here’s how they reimagined this workflow for workers and their managers:
- Voice-Powered Inspections: Workers simply speak to an AI assistant in natural language, supplying general inputs for inspections, observations, or daily diaries. The assistant asks leading questions for missing information to complete the task. It can even collect photos if required.
- Streamlined Integration: Workato takes transcripts and updates Southbase’s custom safety system, Safebase, with accurate, traceable audit records.
- Real-Time Alerts: In critical situations, such as if an unauthorised person enters a hazardous area, Workato can instantly notify stakeholders via platforms like Twilio and Microsoft Teams, ensuring swift resolution.
- Proactive Visibility: Workato’s integration with SignOnSite enhances worker visibility, ensuring safety measures reach everyone on-site.
Impact of AI-Driven Orchestration
The impact extends beyond efficiency:
- 10x faster inspections, all accurate: By closing the loop on safety processes, Southbase slashed inspection times by a staggering 10 times — from 5 minutes to just 30 seconds — without compromising accuracy.
- Improved safety rating: With faster inspections and reliable audit trails, Southbase has elevated its safety ratings, gaining a competitive edge to secure more business.
- Empowered site workers: Workers on-site feel empowered knowing that potential hazards are addressed in real-time.
- Insights and visibility for managers: Leadership is equipped with the insights needed to drive continuous improvement.
Limitless possibilities ahead
Looking ahead, Southbase is not just adopting technology; it’s setting the stage for the future of construction. Lem is now pioneering Agentic Orchestration, in a quest to make worksites safer, smarter, and more sustainable. He believes the possibilities are limitless.
Imagine a future where voice AI assistants can predict risks before they occur, optimise workflows across teams, and foster an era of collaboration that revolutionises the construction industry.
With leaders like Lem Prestage at the helm, Southbase is proving that innovation isn’t just about staying ahead; it’s about making a tangible difference — one site, one inspection, one breakthrough at a time.
