Working in the construction industry carries enormous responsibility. Construction projects shape landscapes, invigorate towns and, above all, provide safe, secure places for people to live and work. Safety and security sit right at the top of the list when it comes to planning construction work. The protection of workers and building users is paramount, but security also extends into other areas of the construction project. As well as ensuring physical safety and security, risk management plans must protect construction data and provide robust, auditable information. Construction companies must also prove that a project has been completed following the latest health, safety and environmental regulations.
Unfortunately, disputes can occur and if they become a legal issue, then identifying who is liable for any failures becomes key. Keeping accurate and quantitative records on every audit, inspection and task is one of the biggest risk reducers.
Many companies store documentation and correspondence on hard drives, some on standalone PCs or in-house servers and many without adequate backup. With the evolution of the Cloud, many companies are now choosing to manage data risk by shifting to secure cloud-based construction software solutions, such as PlanRadar.
How safe is your construction data?
Companies have traditionally favoured in-house server solutions for data protection. This prevented cyber-attacks because only internal contacts could edit or delete files from the server. But this protection doesn’t insure against internal threats. A recent US lawsuit occurred because the IT employee of a company deleted entire backups and server data to take revenge for a colleague’s dismissal. Whether from error, accident or circumstance, the loss of business data can be sensitive and costly.
A recent PWC report showed that most companies are underprepared when it comes to cybercrime and that it is the second most reported crime. Cybercrime affects 32% of all organisations and 61% of CEOs view it as a concern, yet only 37% of businesses have a cyber incident response plan.
In this new age of the internet, viruses and malware are no longer the only threat, criminals are looking to steal and sell sensitive information and blackmail businesses. But threats can also come from within the company, whether malicious or accidental.
Making the shift to secure cloud-based construction software
Data security is an important issue for construction companies. What would you do if a defect occurs during the warranty period and you can’t prove that you completed commissioning according to the manufacturer’s guidance? What if a safety issue emerges and you cannot prove that there was an audit or a contractor completed a repair? These types of scenarios will inevitably result in compensation claims.
Cloud-based construction software, such as PlanRadar, is providing secure and safe solutions for the collection and storage of construction data. PlanRadar combines building documentation and defect management in one secure, easy-to-use tool for building owners, contractors, architects and facilities managers.
How does cloud-based computing work?
Cloud computing provides an IT infrastructure via a computer network, without requiring storage on computers or hardware. This means that applications can be provided as a service via the internet. Access cloud-based tools through technical interfaces and protocols, such as web browsers or apps. They also encompass the entire spectrum of information technology, including infrastructure, platforms, and software.
Cloud technology provides almost unlimited scalability. As you aren’t constrained by your server capacity or hard drive location, you can store huge amounts of information and access it whenever you need to. But the benefits don’t stop there.
- Lower operating and maintenance costs – you don’t need to buy expensive hardware and servers or pay for their maintenance – this is all provided by the cloud service provider.
- Pay-as-you-use – users can set up monthly payment plans so they only pay for the space that they use. That gives users the flexibility to expand or reduce their package as needed.
- Automatic software integration – cloud-based construction software automatically integrates with and uploads data to the cloud. Data storage and access are included in the monthly price.
- Security – lost or damaged laptops won’t impact your information storage, as you can access the software through another device. Most solutions use encryption to transfer data between the cloud and to protect stored data.
- Quick deployment – cloud computing provides instant access and real-time updates
- Improved accessibility – if the user has access rights, they can retrieve cloud data anytime, anywhere and from any device.
- Disaster recovery – users no longer need an internal disaster recovery plan as cloud providers ensure data recovery should an incident occur.
PlanRadar: advanced cloud-based construction software
PlanRadar is a cloud-based construction software solution. It provides the infrastructure, application and storage space for all defect logging, audit and preventative maintenance tasks. Secure data storage provides easy access to audit trails and historical data, via digital construction files. Users can access PlanRadar through all smartphones, computers and laptops. Your data is safe and secure, yet accessible, any time and any place:
- Carry out audits through the pre-defined, fully customised templates and uploaded for checking and remedial action.
- Third-party contractors can access PlanRadar for free, complete preventative maintenance tasks and send them to their customers for sign off, seeing only the data relevant to their tasks.
- Record defects via tickets attached directly to the digital floorplan. Users can also attach images and voice and written notes providing detailed and accurate information on the work needed. Supervisors can allocate tickets and assign deadlines and responsibilities for complete construction planning. If there is no internet access, all details are stored locally and uploaded as soon as a connection is available. PlanRadar updates in real-time for complete synchronisation and accurate decision making.
- Full reporting is available at the touch of a button, drawing information from the complete historical audit trail, as well as open and ongoing tickets.
By moving to secure, cloud-based construction software, businesses can demonstrate robust data integrity and safe storage. PlanRadar gives confidence to your clients that all work processes, audits and defects are managed, recorded and controlled. If issues do occur, records are available at the touch of a button.
Try PlanRadar for 30 days free and see the benefits for yourself.
