Developing a Safety Scaffold Monitoring System Using Wireless Sensor Network Technology

Scaffold is the most commonly used equipment in various types of construction works. Since various types of construction works use the same scaffold equipment, it becomes more difficult to be controlled and managed, thus resulting hazard frequently. According to the information announced in July 2012 by Council of Labor Affairs Executive Yan, the site collapse or incomplete anti-falling protection has led the site to accident frequently, and this is the main reason that causes construction industry occupational disasters. The labor death occupational hazard ratio rises up to 13% in scaffold activity, and the Council of Labor Affairs Executive Yan has showed that the death ratio is higher when using the scaffold in construction site, the total number of death has reached to 139 from 2005 to 2010. In order to ensure the safety of scaffold user, this study tends to build a wireless sensor monitoring system to detect the reliability and safety of the scaffold. The wireless sensor technique applies in this study is different with the traditional monitoring technique which is limited with wired monitoring. Wireless sensor technique does not need wire, it just needs to consider the power supply for establishing the network and receiving stable information, and it can become a monitoring system. In addition, this study also integrates strain gauge technique in this scaffold monitoring system, to develop a real-time monitoring data transfer mechanism and replace the traditional wired single project monitoring equipment. This study hopes to build a scaffold collapse monitoring system to effectively monitor the safety of the scaffold as well as provide the timesaving installation, low-cost and portable features.