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Many construction companies continue to use analog methods to document safety training and risks on job sites, such as spreadsheets or paper forms, with workers physically signing off on items such as toolbox talks. However, there are several recurring issues with these methods.

Fremont CA:  No one ever intends to make a mistake or cause an accident on the job. However, there are ways to prevent and reduce the inherent risks of working in construction. Fortunately, one tool has become critical in assisting construction companies to do just that: mobile workforce management software. Construction leaders are leveraging such technology now more than ever to foster cultures that truly promote proactive safety.

Here are three examples of how mobile workforce management software helps companies build cultures of proactive safety:

Digital Documentation

Many construction companies continue to use analog methods to document safety training and risks on job sites, such as spreadsheets or paper forms, with workers physically signing off on items such as toolbox talks. However, there are several recurring issues with these methods.

First, the paper trail becomes difficult to follow. Then there are the delays in sharing this documentation between a job site and the back office, which means that unsafe situations and conditions can go undetected for days or weeks. This exposes workers to risks while also exposing businesses to increased liability. In addition to the delays and increased risks, these methods are wildly ineffective. It takes time to document, share documentation, review, and address issues. All of this can lead to additional delays and high administrative costs.

Overall, these antiquated methods are a painful process that disengages people from safety, resulting in safety becoming an afterthought in a company's culture. That is a risk that businesses cannot afford to take. Construction companies, on the other hand, can document training and risks in real-time by using a mobile workforce platform. Companies can immediately implement new procedures across all of their job sites and in the palm of each worker's hand, eliminating long wait times for updated safety information to reach critical workforces.

Instant Communication Features

Mobile workforce solutions include instant communication features that connect workers on the job site to project managers and leaders who are frequently located offsite. What is the significance of this? It establishes an open channel for on-site employees to express their concerns and alert company leadership to issues they are likely unaware of. Simple chat functions on mobile workforce platforms enable workers to share videos and photos to alert others of safety issues. Assume a worker discovers a problem with a project, such as faulty wiring or a beehive. They can take photos or videos of the problem and share text that explains it. These can be instantly distributed to a company's entire leadership team, allowing action to be taken to address the issue before safety is jeopardized further.

Construction companies can avoid larger problems by encouraging workers to speak up and report health, safety, and project issues they see on a daily basis. An open line of communication between on-site workers and company leadership fosters a safe culture. It's not just about ticking boxes for OSHA and local health departments. Open communication engages field workers and gives them control over their own safety as well as the safety of the entire job site.