What efforts have we made to optimize communication between project participants in the construction industry, to accelerate processes and to support all planners involved? The trend towards digitization has now slowly arrived, one can say, also in the construction industry. Applications for architects, engineers, specialist planners, facility managers, and project managers are gratefully accepted and are already increasingly contributing to productivity in the construction and planning process.
Have we not, however, overlooked a crucial point at this point? What about the actual manpower? The greatest capital of any company is its employees. PlanRadar has thought about how to not only network leading positions, but also to integrate the other links in the chain. What does it take and what does this bring us in practice?
We show you:
- Why it is important to incorporate the bricklayer into the process of digitization,
- why this step will increase you and your company’s productivity,
- what means PlanRadar uses to integrate foremen into processes and
- why no additional costs are necessary for the technical equipment.
Best apps for contractors and building workers
Concentrate for a moment on the transmission and the connecting elements the construction industry runs on. In a figurative sense, not all project participants can be found in the driver, passenger or rear seat. The engine is kept running by the smooth cooperation of the smallest chambers, gears, and fuel. A decisive step has already been taken in the automotive industry. The electrical system now installed in every car informs the driver of any discrepancies so that these errors can be corrected immediately by analysis and even show a detour to the nearest garage.
Your construction workers are the weakest link in the chain of participants and phases leading to the finished building. They are the gears that keep everything running. In no other industry, fatal accidents are more frequent than in construction. It is time to take measures that not only protect your employees but also ensure a functioning “gear”.
The most dangerous sources of error in construction result from defects. Such defects may lie in the failure to implement occupational safety measures, but also open electrical lines, unsecured components and the work of poorly qualified personnel working in the wrong trade. In view of the large number for sources of danger, relying solely on the eyes of the local construction supervision, especially in the case of major projects, is almost negligent.
Even if we ignored the dangers to life and limb, to which every worker on a construction site is exposed to in the event of bad management, financial risks will definitely accumulate.
Errors in execution do not only cause a direct defect, which may be noticed later but considerably cause additional costs. Costs resulting from defects that occur after the beginning of the warranty are far more annoying. This is where you take your construction punch list to the next level. Work now with the 30-day trial version of PlanRadar for free!
Construction job app protects against collateral damage
Now, who is responsible in the event of negligence, an accident or a defect that can no longer be attributed to the appropriate person? In the worst-case scenario, you will no longer only have to deal with construction defects, but also bear responsibility for fatal accidents at work. Ensure that all occupational safety measures have been taken and documented in a legally compliant manner to protect your employees and yourself in the event of recourse claims. As soon as an insurance can prove negligence it won´t pay for your damage.
Constructconnect.com collected the data of the past years and points out the need for action in the construction industry:
„Despite accounting for the highest total of worker deaths, the construction industry ranked fourth in highest fatal injury rates among all industries. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting had a fatal injury rate of 22.8 per 100,000 FTE followed by transportation and warehousing at 13.8 and mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction at 11.4.
Of the four industries with the highest fatal injury rates, construction was the only one to see an increase in both fatal occupational injury count and rates. The other three industries all decreased in total deaths and fatal injury rates from 2014 to 2015.”
“Occupations in construction that saw an increase in fatal injury rates in 2015 include structural iron and steel workers going from 28.3 to 29.8, construction laborers going from 13.3 to 15.6 and electricians going from 10.0 to 10.7. Operating engineers and construction equipment operators increased from 8.0 to 11.3, pipe layers and plumbers jumped from 5.6 to 8.0 and carpenters rose from 4.8 to 6.7.
Not all occupations in construction saw increases in their fatal injury rates in 2015. Fatal injury rates for roofers dropped from 46.1 to 39.7, first-line supervisors fell from 17.4 to 16.1 and painters declined from 9.2 to 7.6.”
Start now to really involve all workers in the process of a flawless and safe working environment! What you need for this step is not connected to any technical equipment of your employees that goes beyond the normal extent. PlanRadar allows you to use the resources that are specific to every human being today. We’re talking about a smartphone. Who doesn’t have one?
We want to exploit the full potential of the development of the digitization of the individual. That’s why it doesn’t matter to us if your employees have an Android phone or are equipped with Apple iOS. Our software application works on every common operating system.
Construction apps for builders – Best for remote monitoring
So, what do we want? Get some cover! A construction site is full of hazards and unforeseeable events. If you are interested in having work carried out by a qualified person, to document the progress of work and thereby guarantee the safety of people, then make use of PlanRadar. You rarely have any influence on the qualifications of your subcontractors’ specialists. The greatest source of error and danger on the construction site result from the scope of action each individual has. You may ask how to avoid this. Make sure that in the future you make use of the possibilities of tailor-made software!
Your construction plans are loaded onto our interface and are available to everyone involved in the project. As soon as faults occur on a component which are discovered by you or one of your employees on the construction site, these can be recorded in the construction plan by means of a “ticket”. The exact description of the damage is made with the use of text, pictures and voice recordings. Now you can immediately assign the repair of a defect to a qualified employee. All this is done via mail or the in-app notification. It lets you follow the progress of the works and stay up to date anytime. Four eyes see more than two! Multiply a worker’s attention span by the number of participants! No camera, usually used for construction supervision, will be able to do more than an army of free moving construction workers.
Use the possibility to connect all hierarchical levels now and avoid excluding anyone working towards finishing the building.
Defects, dangers, discrepancies…? Nothing will escape you!
Connect existing hierarchy structures of construction companies with PlanRadar!
The construction industry needed strict hierarchies in parts to ensure success and safety on the construction site. A clear allocation of roles helped to keep staying on schedules and within budget. Nowadays it is important for you to connect the following roles instead of just controlling them from above.
Chief Executive Officer
The Chief Executive Officer decides which projects are of interest to the company. He needs to clarify, with the help of his managers of course, how many workers are needed for a project. The CEO also visits the site to get an overall view.
Managing Director
The Managing Director cooperates with the architect as soon as an order is landed. The budget and the planning are discussed, and all necessary specialists and subcontractors are commissioned to implement the planning.
Project Director
Everything that directly has to do with the costs on the construction site is the Project Director’s responsibility. Whether it is regarding materials, equipment or on-time delivery, he coordinates these processes.
Project Supervisor
The supervisor is the team leader on the construction site. He ensures that everyone works hand in hand, keeps to the plans and ensures that all necessary resources are available.
Construction Workers
A construction worker has enjoyed specific training and is responsible for implementing the planning of a building without defects. Together with his colleagues, he ensures that construction is a success.
Construction crew scheduling app
Cooperation and collaboration in a team that was previously not directly connected but interdependency are necessary to increase productivity. The term Efficient Consumer Response (also called ECR concept or Efficient Consumer Resonance) refers to a way of thinking that aims at minimizing costs and improving customer satisfaction in order to foster cooperation between producers and retailers. The value chain, from production to the end consumer, is examined for optimization potential. Such an approach can and should be applied to any industry. If we extrapolate the ECR concept to the construction industry, construction site workers become the producers and planners together with investors become the dealers. Only a direct cooperation of both parties can lead to effective cost reduction and productivity increase in the overall process.
PlanRadar wants to revolutionize productivity, efficiency, safety, and quality in the building industry. Start working hand in hand with your team members now and give up obsolete and outdated patterns that will only block you moving towards the future. With us, you have the right partner at your side. Contact us now for a detailed consultation!
