Business Insight 3 collaborates with OCS alongside Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture (SCS JV) to develop a unique Mud build-up detection system, and we delivered!
Bi3 takes pride in its versatility and ability to adapt to project needs, MudCam™ is just one of our latest developments created through our Bespoke Development and Prince 2 Project Management services. Bi3 worked alongside OCS and SCS JV to develop an innovative solution which addresses a unique construction issue, mud on roads. Together we have brought about MudCam™. A solution we hope to spread as a non-intrusive solution to legislation requirements and public relations issues stemming from mud on roads. We innovated, we delivered.
What is MudCam?
MudCam™ is specifically designed to tackle the safety concerns related to mud build-ups on roads, entrances, and exits around construction sites. This issue poses a significant challenge for construction projects as it can lead to costly multi-million-pound shutdowns if not properly managed.
When MudCam™ is in place, construction sites can proactively address these concerns, ensuring a safer and more efficient working environment. By continuously monitoring and detecting mud build-ups, MudCam™ enables prompt action to rectify the situation before it escalates, mitigating potential disruptions and safeguarding the success of construction projects.
Industry Award
MudCam has earned industry recognition and prestige, garnering a nomination for the prestigious ‘Technological Innovation of the Year’ award at the London Construction Awards (LCA) 2023. This nomination highlights the solution’s ground-breaking capabilities and its significant contribution to enhancing safety and efficiency in the construction industry. This event is to take place on the 22nd of September 2023.
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“MudCam was developed in direct response to political and legislative requests and to maintain the highest levels of health and safety on the HS2 Project. It’s a totally unique product that demonstrates our commitment to reducing the impact of construction works and ensuring the safety of the surrounding community.
“We’re currently in initial conversations about a number of future opportunities for MudCam and are working with our supply chain to develop new technologies to benefit the wider industry.”
– Andrew Campbell, Security Systems Director,
How does MudCam™ work?
MudCam™ is an advanced video analytics-based solution developed by Bi3 and integrated into Bi3’s Prism platform, a customisable CCTV platform (learn more about Prism here). MudCam’s
primary function is to continuously monitor the areas of road outside construction zones or areas with high traffic of construction-related vehicles. The system’s objective is to detect anomalies on the road surface, such as instances when mud falls off the back of construction vehicles or is dragged out of the construction site by logistics vehicles.
MudCam™ operates on Bi3’s Surface Deposit Detection (S.D.D.), which employs cutting-edge technology to visually identify changes in the road surface. Specifically designed for MudCam™, the system is calibrated to recognise mud as the key anomaly.
When MudCam™ detects the presence of mud on the road surface, it promptly generates an alert. This alert is then transmitted to the Logistics Management Hub or the responsible party. Subsequently, the message can be relayed to the appropriate personnel, such as road cleaning vehicles or site managers, who can take immediate action to address the issue on-site before it escalates into a more significant problem.
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“It’s often the simple innovations that have the most impact. It is important that a project of this scale constantly reviews its work and develops initiatives to create a step-change improvement for our industry. I am proud that OCS have developed this solution for us, to improve safety and create a better environment for road users and the local community.”
Mark Starosolsky, Director of Logistics at SCS JV
Example of the MudCam Detection Zone (The MuCam unit is positioned to the left of the zone)
How was MudCam™ developed?
Bi3, renowned as ‘Experts in Human, Vehicle, and Object Detection’, were approached by OCS to explore the potential of video analytics in enhancing traffic logistic management, safety monitoring, and quality control on the HS2 construction sites across the UK. During this collaboration, the pressing legislative and political issue of mud build-ups emerged as a critical concern. This led to the conception and development of a solution that could automate and optimise the mud clean-up process, providing benefits by, reducing associated costs, and addressing the worries of local residents, communities, and legislation.
Over the course of several months, Bi3 diligently worked on the development of MudCam™, a cutting-edge automated identification system tailored to tackle mud build-up challenges. Rigorous testing and refinement occurred through multiple rounds until the final solution was successfully delivered. MudCam™ now stands as a testament to Bi3’s commitment to technological innovation and its ability to address critical industry challenges effectively.
Legislation Concerns
MudCam™ addresses various pieces of legislation, including the Highways Act 1980 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This is crucial, as mud on roads can lead to accidents, injuries, and public nuisance. This would potentially result in legal liability for the individuals or organisations responsible for its deposition under the Highways Act 1980.
- Section 100 of the Highways Act 19801: This section gives the highway authority the power to drain the highway or prevent surface water from flowing onto it, and to discharge the water into any inland or tidal waters. It also makes it an offence to alter, obstruct, or interfere with a drain or barrier constructed by the authority, and allows the authority to recover the expenses of repairing or reinstating the drain or barrier from the offender.
- Section 131 of the Highways Act 19802: This section makes it an offence to deposit anything on the highway that would damage the highway, such as mud or soil. It also makes it an offence to pull down or obliterate a traffic sign, milestone, or direction post on the highway. The penalty for these offences is a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (currently £1,000).
- Section 148 of the Highways Act 198012: This section makes it an offence to deposit mud or other materials on the highway that would interrupt other users of the highway. The penalty for this offence is a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (currently £1,000).
- Section 149 of the Highways Act 198012: This section gives the highways authority the power to clean the road and recover its expenses from the person causing the obstruction. The highways authority can also issue a notice requiring the person to take steps to prevent or reduce the deposit of mud or other materials on the road.
- Section 161 of the Highways Act 19802: This section makes it an offence to cause soil or refuse to fall, be washed, or carried onto a highway from land that is adjacent to it. The penalty for this offence is a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale (currently £2,500).
- Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 19902: This section imposes a duty of care on anyone who produces, imports, carries, keeps, treats, or disposes of controlled waste. Controlled waste includes any substance or object that is discarded or intended to be discarded. This means that mud from construction sites may be considered as controlled waste and must be handled and disposed of properly. The penalty for breaching this duty of care is an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment for up to five years.
Moreover, if the issue of mud build-up persists and becomes a public concern, there is a possibility of new legislation being enacted. Such legislative changes have the potential to interrupt ongoing construction projects, emphasising the significance of avoiding unnecessary and invasive legislation to ensure the efficient completion of construction projects.
To Conclude
In conclusion, MudCam™ stands as a remarkable achievement in addressing the safety concerns posed by mud build-ups on roads and surrounding construction sites. Developed by Business Insight 3 in collaboration with OCS and Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture (SCS JV), this unique detection system offers construction sites a proactive and efficient solution to mitigate potential accidents, injuries, and public nuisances caused by mud on roads. By continuously monitoring and detecting mud build-ups, MudCam™ enables timely action to rectify the situation, reducing the risk of costly multi-million-pound shutdowns that can disrupt construction projects.
For further information on MudCam or Surface Anomaly Detection System (SIDS) Contact Bi3
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