Safety Managers Using Mobile Devices on Construction Sites

Over the last few years, the task of managing construction projects has rapidly evolved with the introduction of new technologies like BIM, laser scanning, drones, virtual blueprints, and more. Construction companies are not only trying to keep up with the latest tools to take advantage of but also faced with a skilled worker shortage still lingering from the recession. Delivering projects to clients on-time and in budget with a leaner staff and new technology poses a challenge for construction companies seeking to run smooth and safe projects.

Communication is key for a safe site

Safety managers play a crucial role in creating and maintaining a safe workplace throughout the construction project. Ensuring everyone in the company is compliant with all safety and health laws is critical to a project’s success. By developing comprehensive safety programs and executing them they help mitigate risks on the job site.

As part of managing a safe job site and keeping workers out of harm’s way, safety managers deal with regular stressors like monitoring compliance to policies at the state and local level as well as OSHA regulations during inspections of employees, worksite and operations. They prepare and file numerous reports on the health and safety awareness of the workers and any safety issues that come up on the site. Keeping track of all these paper reports is inefficient and slow. With construction crews being shorthanded they also worry about workers being overextended, what their energy levels are like and also their mental clarity. It’s a large responsibility to manage and many are turning to mobile device technology to help get the job done.

Mobility on the construction site

Today about 68% of Americans have smartphones, with access to more information and tools from the palm of your hand you can manage construction projects in a very effective way. Before safety managers used to go out into the field for a site inspection armed with a clipboard and a paper form to patrol the grounds looking for any risks that pose a threat and checking if operations has implemented correct safety policies and procedures. That information would get communicated to the team whenever the reports were prepared; sometimes being delayed to the cumbersome task of typing up the findings.

With mobile technology, communication of information is done at a faster speed and with more detail than ever before. Safety managers need faster and better ways to inform everyone on the project that the blueprints, evacuation plans, lighting and ventilation pose no danger to the health or safety of the workers. Technology deployed on mobile devices allow you to communicate with all the people involved on the project in real-time.

Mobility on the job site gives construction companies:

• Better communication
• Improved workflow
• Increased productivity
• Better information and insights

One mobile tool to help facilitate the safety auditing process on a job site is SafetyCulture’s iAuditor. The ability to spot hazards and identify opportunities for improving record is essential in keeping safe practices at the front of everyone’s mind. Safety managers can accomplish this more efficiently within a digital inspection format. Inside SafetyCulture’s iAuditor app, safety managers can build their inspections into a template and conduct audits using their mobile device to capture information. One of the powerful features is the image capture which allows safety managers to collect pictures in order to enforce consistent safety practices. By recording their observations digitally it becomes easy to prepare polished reports that get sent off to their team and the client.

Unlike typing up the paper report, information captured digitally can help safety managers review problem areas, introduce new risk mitigation strategies and increase accountability with regular monitoring using data they’ve recorded in iAuditor. More and more clients these days are requesting spotless safety records and fool-proof safety plans for every project. It’s essential that safety remains a top priority for construction companies to win future business. Try SafetyCulture iAuditor for free on your construction project by creating a free account and start staying connected with your team.

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