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With hybrid Gemba Walks, your manager can visit the construction site more often. This, on the other hand, prompts better contact with the employees. As the relationship gets stronger, they feel more comfortable sharing their concerns about safety, hence informing you on what needs to be done. Let’s talk about this in a bit more detail.
The Role of Gemba Walks in Construction Safety
Gemba Walks, a concept rooted in Lean management, involve going to the "Gemba" (a Japanese term meaning "the real place") where work is performed to observe processes, ask questions, and engage with workers directly. In construction, these walks are crucial for understanding on-site conditions, identifying potential safety risks, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Traditionally, Gemba Walks are conducted in person, requiring managers to be physically present at the construction site.
However, the nature of construction projects, often spread across large areas with complex and dynamic environments, poses challenges for effective in-person Gemba Walks. Travel logistics, time constraints, and the need to coordinate with multiple stakeholders can limit the frequency and thoroughness of these inspections. This is where Virtual Gemba Walks come into play, offering a solution that combines the principles of Gemba with the advantages of virtual technology.
The Impact of Virtual Gemba Walks on Construction Safety
So, how do virtual Gemba Walks contribute to safety? This is a multi-step process.
Firstly, as mentioned in the previous section, thanks to the accessibility provided by remote technology, such as 360° cameras and drones, virtual Gemba Walks can be organized more frequently than their traditional counterparts. It does not matter how many stakeholders there are or where they are—you just need to have someone walk with the camera (or use a drone instead), and all the parties interested can participate no matter where they are.
The more frequent walks naturally contribute to higher safety—if something is controlled more often, then it is less likely that it will break down unexpectedly. However, this is but a portion of the full impact.
Other benefits of Gemba Walks conducted virtually include a better relationship with the team, which can also lead to higher safety. How? First, the team members will have more trust in the managers, so they will more likely report minor fixes. Secondly, a good relationship will lead to your team believing in the managers and, hence, listening to them—they won’t disobey your instructions when something does not work as intended. Finally, this will lead to higher motivation and, therefore, quicker fixes.
The least benefit we need to mention is the implementation of additional technologies to gain a better overview and, hence, conduct more thorough inspections. For instance, doing a Gemba Walk virtually means that you can include a drone in the process and look at the site from above or from angles that would otherwise be inaccessible. This will enable you or your managers to spot malfunctions that wouldn’t be identified during a traditional inspection.
The Takeaway
As you may see, virtual Gemba Walks often lead to higher construction site safety than traditional inspections. Therefore, we recommend that you get the required technology and consider implementing it in your organization. This will enable you to reduce the number of work accidents and boost your workers’ motivation by showing them that you care about their safety.
You may also read: Gemba Walk Checklist: 10 Essential Tips for an Effective Walk
