Construction Technology: Four Tools to Transform the Jobsite

For construction contractors to be successful, complete work on time, and increase job site safety, they need to take advantage of every available tool to help them win projects.

There are many ways in which construction technology can assist companies in gathering the data and insights they need to gain a better understanding of job site conditions, workers, and equipment.

It is clear that there is a range of technology tools that can transform job sites and improve the process of working on them.

1. Aiming to Improve the Visibility of Equipment

It is possible to continuously send data about the status of equipment using telematics devices from both OEMs and third parties. There are now cloud-based fleet management solutions available to contractors that allow them to integrate the telematics data from their own and rented equipment into a single platform. As a result, contractors will no longer be required to log in to multiple fleet management systems, allowing them to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of managing their entire fleet.

By allowing job site crews to access the desktop or mobile app on their devices, crews can receive alerts when fuel levels are low so that an operator does not run out of fuel on an unexpected basis. In addition to scheduling maintenance, alerts can also be configured to provide reminders when maintenance is due to be performed. The utilization of equipment can be monitored by companies so that they are able to identify underutilized and overutilized assets and adjust their fleet size according to their needs.

A low utilization alert, for instance, may be sent to a contractor informing them that a piece of rental equipment they have not used for a preset period of time is due to be returned, thereby reducing their costs.

2. The Management Of Equipment Access

Companies can have complete control over which workers operate their machines with keypad ignition locks. In order for the ignition to start, only authorized individuals should enter a PIN provided by the contractor or scan an RFID-enabled ID card to start the ignition. Contractors can also use access control systems to remotely lock and unlock equipment through the use of access control systems.

It is possible to assign equipment according to skills, craft, and organizational structure. In order to minimize the risk of accidents, injuries, and property damage that can happen when contractors restrict the operation of equipment to workers who have the necessary training and certification.

It is also possible for companies to track when and where their machines are used with the help of keypad ignition systems. These data can be analyzed by contractors in order to determine their productivity and improve the efficiency of their equipment.

3. Monitoring the Temperature and Humidity in the Workplace

With the help of wireless sensors, contractors can monitor temperatures and humidity conditions from a distance, providing detailed information about the conditions at the site in real time. If the measurements go out of a predetermined threshold, these systems can be configured to send an alert to a worker located at another location. There can be a reduction in labour costs incurred by physically inspecting heaters, which would have resulted in higher labour costs.

With remote monitoring systems, companies have the ability to ensure that both crews and materials on the job site will remain at optimal levels of temperature and humidity throughout the entire project.

Contractors can optimize heater placement and adjust smart heater temperatures remotely through the use of temperature data in order to reduce fuel waste as a result of heater placement. If some portions of a job site are much warmer than necessary, this optimization may also result in a reduction in the number of heaters that need to be rented.

With this type of system, companies can remotely monitor the temperature of concrete during curing and adjust it if necessary in order to ensure that it cures uniformly and reliably. There is a possibility that the need to do rework could be reduced if these steps are taken.

4. Accessing The Insights of the Workers

Construction sites can be made safer and more productive by using wearable devices to make workers more productive and safe. With the use of these systems, workers' location and safety can be monitored in real-time. There is a possibility that companies can identify pinch points in their operations by using data from wearable devices.

In the event that there is an issue with the mobile tool room staff, for example, a contractor can add additional tool room staff to the job site to get workers back on the job more quickly. As a result of the data, a company might consider staggered start times to eliminate delays at worksite entrances during shift changes, as long as the data shows long queues there.

In addition to helping companies to respond to safety incidents faster, wearables can also help them to reduce costs. When a worker falls, for example, these systems can send an alert to the supervisor. The crew members of the crew are capable of notifying managers by pressing a button on their clip if they observe a worker in trouble or notice an unsafe working condition on the job site. If a serious incident occurs, such as a chemical spill, the wearable device will emit an audible evacuation warning, which requires workers to evacuate the area immediately to avoid further damage.

To learn more, watch the following video tutorial.

Video Source: The B1M

Final Thoughts

In the construction industry, there is a range of technologies available to improve the visibility of equipment, to improve worker visibility, and to improve the visibility of job sites also.

In order for contractors to stay at the top of their game, it is a smart move to take advantage of these tech tools and improve safety, productivity, and performance with these tools.

Construction Technology: Four Tools to Transform the Jobsite