One of the biggest challenges for construction businesses is keeping a site safe at all times. Just about anyone can enter the yard and steal material or equipment. Because of that, there has been a massive emphasis on introducing tech and protocols for monitoring people who enter and exit a location.
With the use of the internet and GPS, we can finally secure our investment. Geofencing is a concept that has taken the world by storm in the last few years, showing its true potential in the construction industry. In this article, we’ll talk about this software and how it improves site security.
What is Geofencing?
As you might’ve guessed by the name, geofencing is a technology that sets up virtual boundaries around a construction site. It’s a perfect solution for companies that want to monitor activities within a specific area.
However, creating these barriers is much more complex than you might think. The geofencing software needs to combine Wi-Fi connectivity with GPS and radio frequency identification technology. So, whenever a person with a smartphone app enters an area, the software will immediately take note of their presence.
While geofencing technology is valuable in various industries, it excels for construction businesses. Given that many people enter and leave a site during the day, you want to track all their activities. The tech is especially valuable for timekeeping, helping you determine the actual worker engagement.
4 Geofencing Security Benefits
Geofencing provides numerous advantages at the site. Besides construction time tracking, it is also a vital measure for preventing theft, increasing efficiency, and reducing waste. Here are a few main reasons why you should implement this technology for your daily operations.
- Reduces Theft
- One of the biggest issues for construction sites is unauthorised access and theft. The issue is especially prevalent in areas with lots of residents and foot traffic.
- Although we still can’t prevent petty theft, we can finally secure our vehicles and equipment. Given that all these machines have GPS installed in them, you can determine when they enter or leave the premises. The same tech is installed on employee’s phones, which helps you establish if they were transporting equipment from one site to another.
- As soon as you notice a vehicle or equipment leaving a site, you’ll receive an alert on your phone. If the transport wasn’t previously scheduled, this notification will serve to establish if this was an honest mistake, unauthorised use, or theft.
- The best thing is that these trackers can't be tampered with, and the police can use them to retrieve your company assets. Besides theft, geofencing technology also does wonders for tracking employees and determining their performance.
- Improves Safety
- Aside from providing benefits for the company, the geofencing concept is vital for employee safety. With virtual barriers in place, workers receive phone notifications whenever they exit a safe area. For example, they might be approaching a location with hazardous substances. The same tech helps them drive vehicles and use equipment.
- Geofencing also makes lives easier for the site managers. Through their telephone, they monitor the situation on the field and can send rescue teams if and when necessary. Keep in mind these virtual zones are modifiable allowing the supervisor to make alterations as he sees fit.
- Besides limiting foot movement, the zones are used to limit driving speed. Employees behind the wheel get instant notification when they surpass zone limits, enhancing their safety and that of their colleagues.
- Reduces Waste
- Reducing fuel and machine waste goes hand in hand with safety. The software allows supervisors to improve fleet routing, moving them away from potentially dangerous zones while saving fuel. Keeping vehicles in a tip-top shape also affects worker safety, as they won’t have to worry about sudden malfunctions.
- By monitoring historic routes, managers can create better, more efficient pathways. The tech is especially fantastic for machinery, as it shows managers which equipment is still working. That way, you can turn them off, preventing nasty surprises during the second shift and potential injuries.
- Improves Time Tracking
- With advanced software, you can easily determine how long a person has stayed at work. The entire process is streamlined and doesn't require human input. The work duration is immediately entered into the system and will be used when determining paychecks.
- Managers break down these zones even further, to determine how much time a person has spent on a particular task. In terms of safety, employee tracking is perfect for staffers who tend to stray away to places where they shouldn’t be.
Geofencing Disadvantages
Generally speaking, geofencing is a technology that has solved a lot of headaches for the construction companies. Nevertheless, as with most other software, it does have a fair share of flaws including battery and energy reliance, privacy concerns, tech limitation, and high costs.
Privacy concerns are perhaps the most glaring ones. Not only are your employees endangered, but you also have to think about customers and other stakeholders who might visit your site. Most companies solve this issue through compliance policies and contracts, although this isn't always applicable.
We also have to think about battery drain. For example, if your workers haven’t charged their phones or if something unpredicted happens, it would render technology useless. Cost is the last, biggest issue. Given that you need a tracker for each piece of equipment, expenses tend to ramp up rather quickly.
Last Thoughts
All in all, geofencing is vital for time tracking and ensuring a high level of safety at the construction yard. The software monitors each piece of equipment, vehicle, and employee that comes within the virtual barriers. With it, you prevent theft, increase safety, and enhance your time-tracking protocols.