Technology has proved to benefit many industries nowadays. The construction industry, for instance, has been harnessing the power of technology to overcome common challenges on the construction site. 

With the use of technology, project managers can now make field management more efficient, prevent or minimize on-site accidents, address environmental impact, solve supply chain issues, and track equipment and materials better.

Here are the top five construction industry challenges and how technology helps to overcome them. 

On-Site Injuries and Fatalities

Although construction workers comprise only 6% of the United States workforce, 20% of worker deaths in the country happen in the construction industry. Compared to any other industry, injuries and illnesses are 24% higher among construction workers. 

If the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finds inconsistencies with your on-site safety and health standards, one accident or death can be a huge cost to your project. Therefore, you should ensure that construction employees are safe on site. 

Technology can improve site safety through the efficient collection of data, timely warning of potential hazards, and the ability to quickly adapt to the surrounding conditions. Wearable technology is becoming more common in construction sites as it helps prevent or mitigate workplace injuries and fatalities. 

Construction workers can wear smartwatches that monitor heart rate and body heat to prevent heat stroke while working under the sun. Safety vests and hard hats with built-in cameras help monitor site workers and the surroundings to prevent collisions with machinery and other accidents. 

Project Planning and Field Management Issues

Time and money are very important in construction. But at the project planning phase, project managers and construction employees already waste a lot of time and money with a myriad of meetings, trips to the site, and plan revisions. 

The ability to view potential changes in the initial plan is much needed by project managers. Technology gives project managers this capability and makes project planning more efficient. Automated measurements are now possible to take on the site, minimizing trips to the office and having several versions of unreliable data. 

Project planners can overlay potential adjustments with the present structure using computer software. Augmented reality (AR), for instance, enables project planners to view additional details of the construction site and monitor changes. By overlaying prospective project changes, construction employees can also look at these adjustments before adopting them. 

The amount of time and money you can save in construction project planning and field management is indeed incredible because of technology! 

Theft of Construction Equipment and Materials

Theft in construction sites is pretty rampant. Stolen construction equipment, materials, and tools are estimated to reach $1 billion every year. With this problem, the solution is the creative use of new technology.

Many construction sites are using drones for a lot of reasons, including the tracking of construction equipment and materials. A flying drone equipped with a camera can monitor a job site during and after work hours. This device serves as a deterrent to would-be thieves prowling on the site, and it captures those in the act of stealing things in it. 

Aside from tracking construction equipment and materials, drones can also help in site inspections, worker safety, and progress reporting. the good thing is that this technology can only get better due to the advancements in artificial intelligence. 

Supply Chain Issues

We have already mentioned that time and money are precious commodities in a construction project. If you want to generate or increase profit, you have to ensure the purchase and utilization of equipment and materials are timely. The construction site won’t operate if the delivery of equipment and materials is delayed. 

Nowadays, you can procure construction equipment and materials through your laptop or smartphone. There are cloud-based, analytic-driven procurement platforms that ensure the speedy purchase and delivery of your construction needs.

Environmental Impact

The emissions from construction machinery, heavy use of fuel, and construction waste are detrimental to the environment. While this environmental issue can’t be eradicated, we can at least mitigate its effects using technology. 

The utilization of solar power in the operation of a construction site can help reduce carbon footprints. You can also use machine learning in project management to improve efficiency and minimize construction waste. 

Machine learning can recognize patterns and problems to solve the environmental impact of construction. This technology can create a better job site for construction workers and protect them from potential hazards. 

Takeaway

The technological advancements we’re enjoying today also benefit the construction industry. Common challenges present in construction projects can be solved and mitigated through the creative utilization of modern devices, tools, and platforms. 

Using drones, smart PPEs, automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and mobile procurement technology, you can overcome the common hurdles in the construction industry. If you want to ensure job site safety, increase productivity, reduce downtime, minimize environmental impact, and keep track of construction equipment and material, harness the power of new technology.