Rogers-O’Brien Construction Named Winner in the Mid-Sized Business Category of Fast Company’s 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards

The Texas-based, family-owned general contractor is recognized among giants like Google and Microsoft. 

DALLAS, May 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Fast Company’s 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards winners were announced today.

Rogers-O’Brien Construction (RO) has been named a winner in the Mid-Sized Business category for their innovative use of the VigiLife SafeGuard technology to enhance worker safety. In 2022, Texas saw about 300 deaths due to heat-related illnesses, the highest in two decades.

RO had already implemented annual heat safety training for their 98 craft construction workers, who work 50 to 60 hours a week under the Texas sun. Ross Daly, Director of Safety at Rogers-O’Brien Construction, Dallas-based general contractor, said, “While training and mindset are critical, they have limitations.” Seeking to outdo the sun in brilliance, RO adopted the VigiLife SafeGuard, a wearable sensor designed to enhance worker safety through real-time analytics and alerts. In the summer of 2023, Rogers-O’Brien became the first general contractor to implement SafeGuard technology across their workforce.

The device connects to a smartwatch and functions like a fitness app, tracking biometrics like heart rate and core body temperature. It alerts workers when they need to slow down and, at more critical levels, notifies the on-site safety manager to bring the worker into a cooled environment for recovery. This proactive approach aims to prevent heat-related issues before they escalate.

Heat-related illnesses can increase project costs due to lost time, medical expenses, and accident investigations. Daly underscored that safety remains their top priority: “If it prevents even one heat-related illness, the system pays for itself.”

“We’re pioneering a new era of worker safety,” says Todd Wynne, Chief Innovation Officer. “SafeGuard technology empowers us to prevent heat-related risks and protect our employees like never before. As the first general contractor to adopt this game-changing solution, we’re setting a precedent for the industry and demonstrating our unwavering commitment to sending everyone home daily.”

About Rogers-O’Brien Construction: Rogers-O’Brien Construction is a leading construction company based in Texas, committed to delivering high-quality projects while prioritizing client service. With a rich history and a forward-thinking approach, RO strives to create lasting value for future generations. Read more about RO’s world-changing idea here: https://www.fastcompany.com/91072038/rogers-o-brien-construction-world-changing-ideas-2024.

About the World Changing Ideas Awards: World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company’s major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and bold concepts that make the world better. Judges choose winners, finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With the goals of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to work on solving the problems that affect us all.

About Fast Company: Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

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SOURCE Rogers-O’Brien Construction Co