{"id":2672,"date":"2025-05-28T19:48:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T23:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog2wrkdev.wpenginepowered.com\/southbase-safety-insights\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T08:21:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T12:21:02","slug":"southbase-safety-insights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog2workato.wpengine.com\/southbase-safety-insights\/","title":{"rendered":"Southbase\u2019s AI-Powered Safety Revolution Delivers Insights 10x Faster"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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>, a leading player in the New Zealand industry, ensuring onsite safety<\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Urgency to Innovate High-Stake Safety Processes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Southbase\u2019s Breakthrough with Workato and Voice AI<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lem and his IT team had already seen great success with using Workato to integrate disparate onsite safety<\/a> 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201c<\/div>\r\n
\r\n\t\t\u201cThis isn\u2019t just an opportunity for our IT team to leverage AI in isolation. Instead, it\u2019s our responsibility to intelligently orchestrate with AI, so that our workers don\u2019t lose precious time when a safety hazard presents itself. Workato is built to be this orchestrator.\u201d <\/div>\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\tLem Prestage, \t\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\tGroup IT Manager, Southbase Group\t\t\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t <\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n

Lem\u2019s team relied on Workato\u2019s proven Enterprise Orchestration capabilities to orchestrate their backend systems with a voice-based AI assistant. Here\u2019s how they reimagined this workflow for workers and their managers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"southbase<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Voice-Powered Inspections:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Streamlined Integration:<\/strong> Workato takes transcripts and updates Southbase\u2019s custom safety system, Safebase, with accurate, traceable audit records.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Real-Time Alerts:<\/strong> 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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Proactive Visibility:<\/strong> Workato\u2019s integration with SignOnSite<\/a> enhances worker visibility, ensuring safety measures reach everyone on-site.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Impact of AI-Driven Orchestration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The impact extends beyond efficiency: <\/p>\n\n\n\n