This guest post comes to you from TrueLook Sales Representative, Joe Norris. Joe is passionate about learning the needs of his customers and helping them come up with the perfect solution to manage their jobsites.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put additional strain on construction firms, as they struggle to remain profitable while dealing with staffing issues and implementing mandatory local, state and federal safety regulations. These challenges have been layered on top of all the others that the industry has been facing for years: The ongoing labor shortage, increased cost of materials, and shrinking timeframes for project completion, to name a few.
Amid the chaos, budgets for new technologies and tools are shrinking. However, the right tools can help reduce costs and enable crews to work smarter and more efficiently. Firms must choose wisely and select solutions that will provide the best ROI.
Until recently, construction cameras have been more of a nice-to-have than a need-to-have item, but the health crisis has changed that. Today, installing cameras on the jobsite may be one of the smartest investments a firm can make, creating a business advantage rather than just another cost item on the balance sheet. And as far as construction cameras go, TrueLook’s provide the most bang for your buck. In this post, I explain why.
They Provide Visibility for Accountability and Safety
Since the pandemic began, most construction projects have continued to operate, and to do so, they’ve had to implement CDC recommended precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the jobsite. But it’s often difficult to enforce regulations at all times, especially when project managers can’t always be present.
For example, if you require workers to wear masks or practice social distancing, how can you be sure they’re following the rules? One worker could potentially infect entire crews if he brings the virus to work unwittingly and chooses to take off his mask.
Like a watchful eye, construction cameras can help firms ensure workers are adhering to the CDC’s guidelines at all times. Simply knowing they’re being recorded by jobsite cameras provides incentive to follow the guidelines, and if anyone violates the rules, it’s all on tape. TrueLook cameras enable remote live viewing via a web browser, so you can check in at any time and see what’s going on at the jobsite. They can spot violations, take immediate action and hold people accountable.
This holds true for any safety or code violations — not just those related to COVID-19 precautions. Say a worker fails to wear his hard hat in an area where it’s required. Or crews aren’t storing materials properly, leaving them vulnerable to theft or damage. With construction cameras placed in key areas across a jobsite, you always have insight into job activities and can act to mitigate risk.
The ROI of better jobsite visibility via construction cameras is substantial, as it helps cut costs in a number of areas. For instance, greater visibility can help prevent worker injuries, which in 2018 cost firms an average of $1,100 per employee in productivity losses. And with a single compliance violation costing up to $40,000, increasing your visibility into whether or not your workers are following the rules could potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars.
They Help Track Progress and Prevent Costly Construction Mistakes
Increased jobsite visibility doesn’t just prevent injuries and compliance violations, it helps projects stay on-track and on-budget. The insight TrueLook cameras provide — via still photos, live viewing and even time lapses — help you make sure things are progressing as planned. Reviewing daily photos and videos helps determine whether or not key milestones will be met by the target date, and enables you to make necessary scheduling adjustments, if needed.
Greater jobsite visibility also reduces the risk of costly construction mistakes. For example, you can review footage to see if there are any problems that could interfere with work being completed, and catch and prevent mistakes early, before it’s too late to fix them.
They Reduce Travel and Support Remote Working
An important benefit of TrueLook construction cameras — particularly given the current restrictions on travel — is the ability to review photos and video footage of the jobsite remotely.
TrueLook cameras enable you to capture multiple time lapses at once and throughout a project, which you can share with owners and investors to keep them updated on a project’s progress, without requiring them to travel to the site. Similarly, if you’re running multiple jobsites, you don’t have to drive or fly between them as frequently. Being able to view live-streams and other visuals from the jobsite makes travel unnecessary, which not only saves you time and money, it supports collaboration and decision-making without putting back office workers at risk.
Several large corporations use TrueLook cameras today for that reason. One, for instance, has a project in New Jersey and one in California, but the organization she works for is not allowing employees to fly. She uses our cameras to stay informed and up to date on her projects, and collaborate with her team.
TrueLook’s cameras automatically upload all imagery to the cloud, and anyone on the project can view them online. They can compare shots, mark up photos and share them directly from the TrueLook application. The TrueLook application is now available as an “Embedded Experience” application from Procore, as well, so firms can easily access all photos and videos without even leaving the Procore application.
They Deliver Tremendous Value and Ongoing ROI
Of course, surveillance is a key benefit of jobsite cameras, reducing all types of jobsite theft and providing visual evidence for police investigations and insurance claims. But most prefer TrueLook solutions over others because of their superior time-lapse and live-viewing capabilities. Time-lapse and live streams can be leveraged for marketing, public relations and analyst relations, and can help raise awareness among local communities for large projects.
And the beauty of TrueLook is that our customers gain access to all of these features for one monthly fee — no additional costs, no surprise extra charges. The value is second to none. And given today’s unique challenges, it’s an investment firms can make and feel good about, that will deliver ongoing ROI, now, and in the months and years to come.
