Tools for returning to the jobsite
Recent insights from the Construction Activity Index show that the majority of U.S. workers are returning to the jobsite. However, with this return to the field, there are new challenges and safety concerns to be addressed.
Along with our partners, Procore is committed to helping our customers navigate the difficult and dynamic situation we all find ourselves in due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keeping Workers Safe
As workers return to the jobsite, many are required to follow new guidelines to ensure the safety of themselves and others who will work around them. For example, OSHA guidelines recommend pre-screening employees before they enter a jobsite with a health questionnaire as well as temperature reading. This pre-screening, combined with masks, handwashing, and social distancing requirements can be daunting to enforce, particularly on large jobsites. Our partners, however, have proven they can help.
SmartBarrel, Nyfty.ai and MyComply help to ensure that field workers follow guidelines by tracking pre-screening checklists and only allow jobsite entry or clock-in once the checklists have been completed. Additionally, these partner solutions provide the ability to notify supervisors immediately if a worker falls into an at risk health category.
Once inside the project walls many workers are presented with a new set of challenges, which includes social distancing. While monitoring social distancing compliance can be difficult, our partners have addressed this issue as well.
Smartvid.io has taken a photo/video approach, allowing teams to document and measure instances of non-compliance. This information can then be used to train and educate teams on the importance of distancing on the jobsite through stand downs and tool box talks. Additionally, Triax provides real time notification when workers are too close. Using pager-like devices, workers are notified when they are within six feet of nearby workers.
Maintaining Productivity
In addition to making sure workers are safe, staying productive remains top of mind. Collaborating and coordinating from afar is part of the new normal. Procore customers are leveraging our newly launched Zoom, GoToMeeting, and Teams integrations to make it easier to schedule and attend meetings hosted by project teams. These video conferencing integrations encourage collaboration without interruption so critical decisions can be made and projects can continue to move forward.
Getting labor to the right place has always been a challenge on construction projects, but that challenge has been amplified by COVID-19. First, labor must be available. Second, labor must be scheduled and coordinated. With so many changes happening in the last several months, companies have been forced to scale up and down their workforces. Leveraging an integrated HR system that can help with getting team members hired, onboarded, and working on their projects quickly is a crucial part of returning to the jobsite. Arcoro is helping to solve these added challenges by providing the tools that help companies post and fill their open positions more efficiently. Moreover, the ability to sync workers from Arcoro’s HR solution directly into Procore can save time and can keep the back office and field in sync.
With project schedules being shifted, accelerated and sometimes delayed, project workers are shuffled around project sites on a regular basis. Scheduling and communicating with workers where they need to be are critical aspects of keeping a jobsite productive and efficient. Laborchart helps alleviate some scheduling issues by allowing users to schedule workers based on their project needs and immediately notifying workers upon any changes. Leveraging tools like these can help keep productivity rates high.
Regularly evaluating your tech stack to ensure you are using right solutions for your company's needs during these changing times is critical. If you have any questions about how these solutions or the Procore Platform could help your business in today’s new normal, just reach out to your Procore point of contact for further information.
