Proactive Safety Management in Earthwork Operations Using IoT-Driven Real-Time Risk Analysis

Abstract: Earthwork operations are among the most hazardous construction activities due to frequent interactions between heavy machinery and workers in dynamic, constrained environments. Traditional safety practices remain largely reactive and insufficient for real-time accident prevention. This paper presents an IoT-driven real-time risk analysis framework for proactive safety management in earthwork operations. The system integrates machine-mounted telematics, spatial analytics, and dynamic heat-map visualization to assess collision risks at machine and zone levels. A three-week deployment on a construction site identified spatiotemporal risk hotspots and recurring near-miss patterns using meter-level positioning accuracy, demonstrating a shift from reactive control to proactive, data-driven safety management