There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has changed the way that many industries think about communication and productivity. In the construction industry, companies are relying on technology more than before. But what happens in six months or a year? Will you be prepared for a second wave? Industry influencers are looking for innovations in these areas, to minimize risk and keep projects moving on schedule.
Safe Entry
Right now, when incident rates of COVID-19 are still high and increasing in certain parts of the country, trying to prevent sick people from entering the jobsite is one of the most important goals. However, this has led a lot of businesses and property owners to have to invest a lot of time evaluating each person before they enter the site. This leads to lost hours and lower productivity. Software and tools that could quickly scan a person’s temperature as they walked in could dramatically speed up this process without increasing risk.
Collaboration
Working together in a time of social distancing and remote work takes on a completely different meaning. You still need to know the status of certain aspects of the project, even if the person who is doing the work is at a different part of the site or possibly in a completely different location. Collaboration tools that work in real-time make it easier for you to quickly assess where people are with a particular task. Communication tools simplify the process of asking questions and getting clarification without having to leave an app and move to another one.
Remote Monitoring
Construction is such a hands-on industry that the idea of remote monitoring may feel a little foreign. But the more that companies have access to tools and analytics that allow this, the better that contracting businesses can protect themselves and their employees while still maintaining a high level of productivity. Remote monitoring can provide a number of benefits, including:
- Health updates on employees, such as heart rate or temperature
- Safety
- Progress on a particular task
- Proximity to other workers
These elements have a lot of potential in a post COVID-19 world, as well.
Incident and Data Tracking
Municipal and state organizations are getting better at tracking the way that a single incidence of COVID-19 can spread through an area, but it’s still slow. Companies currently rely on contact tracing to discover where a particular case may have originated and how it might spread through the jobsite. They may have to wait weeks to get useful information. Instead, improvements to incident and data tracking may make it easier for businesses to accumulate data on interactions. That way, if someone who works on a large jobsite ends up testing positive for a contagious illness like COVID-19, they will have a resource to help them. It can simplify the process of finding out who else this person came into contact with, and which areas need extra sanitation as a result.
If you look back at the wave of influenza that passed through the country a century ago, you’ll notice a wide variety of technological improvements that came as a result. This pandemic is likely to make some big changes, so you’ll want to be aware of what they are and how they can help you. The right education is key. To discover what it takes to become a licensed contractor and run your own business, visit CSLS today!