How to improve construction site safety with 3D modeling
A full-service contractor in Joliet, Illinois, recently experienced a significant near-miss incident. During work on an underground pump station, a plug on the water main was pulled, causing water to rapidly flood the interior while two employees were still inside. Luckily, no one was hurt. A geospatial expert was called in to document the pump station for a safety report and to create a learning tool to reinforce safety culture.
We spoke with Brian Layhew, the owner and founder of 9 Line Aerial Media, who used an iPhone 16 Pro with the PIX4Dcatch reality capture app to create a detailed 3D model of the incident site.
The aim was not just to document the site, but to create a clear, accurate representation of the environment that teams could analyze, revisit, and learn from over time.
Using reality capture for safety training
While the two employees were on scaffolding working on pipes, a breakdown in situational awareness and a lack of communication with a contractor downrange led to the plug being pulled. Water immediately rushed into the lower portion of the station, leaving the workers with only seconds to react.
“Had they been on the ground, the force of the water would have killed them,” said Brian, “by the time they made it down the scaffolding to access the egress ladder, the water was already waist-deep. It had filled up the room and spilled over the 8-foot retaining wall area in a matter of seconds. They were able to safely evacuate the lower area because of the ladder.”
The workers were able to evacuate safely using an access ladder, but the speed and force of the flooding made it clear how serious the situation could have been.
How to improve situational awareness with 3D modeling
Rather than relying solely on written reports or static images, the contractor needed a way to fully understand the spatial dynamics of the incident. By using just his smartphone with the PIX4Dcatch app, Brian was able to map the entire pump station area, both the structure and the key elements involved in the event.
The capture was sent to PIX4Dcloud for processing with the click of a button in PIX4Dcloud, producing a detailed, measurable 3D model in less than five hours from capture to final output. The processed model was used not only to document the incident but also to serve as an example of how quickly they can be in danger and how unexpectedly things can happen.
Construction site safety with digital tools
With the captured digital reconstruction, you can explore inside and out, with centimeter-level measurement capability. That means teams can revisit the scene, verify dimensions, and build situational awareness without stepping back into a confined space.
What makes this approach particularly valuable is not just the accuracy of the model, but how it is used. This model serves as a training device for safety protocol for the entire company now and gives a much better visual tool to show current and future employees what the entire scenario looked like and how to hopefully plan ahead in the future for as many dangerous scenarios as possible.
As well as serving as a visual aid in situational awareness and boosting all safety aspects of working in and around pump stations, the model has also been shared with other construction companies in the area and featured in discussions for their employees and safety cultures.
“I use the entire PIX4D suite. Why? Because I know that no matter what the customer asks me for, I’m able to create a deliverable that puts me ahead of their expectations and gives them data and insights that no other company they work with can give. PIX4D is absolutely my secret weapon." - Brian Layhew, owner and founder, 9 Line Aerial Media
