Tech & Software
Tech-enabled safety and compliance
Photo Credit: Arcoro
By Brad Kneeskern
larger teams and companies with many employees to track. Technology can help mitigate safety and compliance hurdles and provide the foundation for long-term solutions to industry-wide challenges. The snowball effect: Why growing companies must act early Leading a small team of employees drastically differs from managing dozens or hundreds of workers. It can be easier to identify and address emerging issues quickly, and trust and communication are streamlined since fewer levels of management separate leadership from field employees. The same is true on the other end of the spectrum. For instance, you’re much more likely to actively participate in a company safety meeting if you’re one of five employees as opposed to one of 100. While firms on the rise may feel like their safety and compliance programs are under control, seemingly minor problems can grow exponentially as the construction business scales. For this reason, organizations should implement solutions long before small issues develop into perfect storms for worksite safety risks and noncompliance penalties.
How can construction companies leverage technology to overcome safety and regulatory issues? Construction professionals operate under the watchful eye of numerous federal, state, and local government agencies committed to ensuring the utmost safety on job sites. Employers in the construction industry are acutely aware of the potential risks that accompany safety violations, from hefty fines to, most importantly, the safety and well-being of their employees. The problem—as anyone who’s ever tried organizing a construction safety meeting in the field will tell you—is the logistical nightmare of getting everyone up-to-date with their training and certifications. Furthermore, even if you manage 100 percent attendance at one session, how do you keep each employee engaged or prove their participation? Are you confident their other certifications haven’t expired? What if their friend signed their name on the sign-up sheet? Issues like the above are alarmingly common in the construction industry but aren’t always noticeable in the moment, particularly for
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csengineermag.com
September 2023
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