You spend a lot of time on the jobsite, so it’s important to be protected at all times. Part of the way this is done is through the Occupational Safety & Health Act of 1970 (OSHA), which was created to “prevent workers from being killed or seriously harmed at work.”

Today, there are also stricter mandates for construction-related activities that keep workers at a safe distance from one another.

That is why it is crucial for two-way radios and other accessories to be used. Plus, investing in prevention is a great strategy for promoting safety in the workplace and keeping you and your employees happy and healthy.

Below, we will provide construction site safety tips while showcasing various cost-effective technologies that can help improve safety and security, whether it’s during or after the effects of COVID-19.

Today’s Challenges

When it comes to today’s construction sites, there are many challenges at hand. For example:

• How can you communicate and share info in real time with your entire crew, especially during social distancing?
• How do you provide eyes on the scene from anywhere?
• Can you document and respond quickly, not just to security emergencies, but also to day-to-day incidents?
• Can you do all this with products that are not only cost-effective, but also provide the reliability you need for your jobsite?

OSHA outlines methods that employers must use to protect employees from potential hazards.

It requires employers to provide working conditions that are free of known dangers. Plus, workers’ compensation programs exist to assist people in any work-related accidents. These programs require use of certain safe practices and equipment. They also compel employers to monitor hazards and keep records of workplace injuries and/or illnesses.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an advisory list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce.” While the guidelines vary by state, they show how it is no longer best practice for workers to be closer than six feet, which can be challenging when communicating on sites with ambient noise. You will also want to avoid sharing devices or accessories during or between shifts.

Improving Your Safety & Security

These regulations and guidelines ensure that workers maintain safe work practices at all times, which includes social distancing during unique situations like the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, there are many different types of technology tools that you can use to address the above-mentioned workplace challenges.

Here are examples of the communication technologies we have to offer:

• Two-way radios: Simple to use and durable enough to withstand any coverage or weather limitations.
• Video surveillance: Will keep your work teams and job sites more secure, helping to prevent injuries or damage from occurring.
• BDA/DAS systems: Boost wireless signals and ensure mandated coverage in hard-to-reach areas.
• Ally Incident Management: Uses a single platform to access, share, and document critical data from all locations on a construction site.

Many of the solutions we will cover below are vital links to construction safety and productivity, but they also serve as valuable infrastructures to facilities’ operations and maintenance once construction has been completed.

These technologies can summon help when tools or extra crew members are needed. They can also ensure that buildings have the proper communication systems in place to meet the local codes and mandates from the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) before construction is complete. For example, pulling cable for video surveillance and Public Safety & Cellular BDA/DAS at the time of construction is a much more cost-effective investment up front than after the fact.

With this in mind, many construction companies now include these solutions in their bid submissions and final Bill of Materials (BOM) to enhance their turn-key capabilities and ensure receiving a timely certificate of occupancy.

Two-Way Radios

Two-way radio systems, like MOTOTRBO, help increase team safety and productivity. Here is a breakdown of the ways this is done:

• Clearer voice communications and sound quality over an extended range: Not limited to a certain distance when getting in contact with a worker, a supervisor, or even emergency personnel.
• Wide range of accessories: Everything from lightweight headsets and noise-canceling headsets to hands-free devices, so you can provide the right device for the right workers.
• GPS for worker and fleet tracking: Know where team members are at all times. Mobile radios are great for keeping drivers connected with the home office and managing fleet vehicles.
• Man Down Notification: Can detect if a worker has fallen or gotten into an accident. Uses a radio’s accelerometer to gauge movements and vertical position of a worker—cost-effective and potentially lifesaving.
• Easy to operate (push-to-talk): You can deliver clear communications through voice and data (i.e., text messages).

Furthermore, these radios optimize fleet coordination, which reduces time to destination and fuel costs.

Video Surveillance

Video surveillance helps identify theft, vandalism, and security instances after hours for a safer worksite. You can also add alerts for different types of unsafe practices, such as unauthorized vehicles in restricted areas, workers not wearing hard hats, safety harnesses or other PPE, and more.

Avigilon offers top-quality video surveillance systems, such as cameras, monitoring equipment, infrastructure, and access control.

For example, Avigilon Appearance Search allows you to sort through hours of video with ease, and quickly locate a specific person or vehicle across an entire job site or multiple sites if connected to the same Avigilon Control Center (ACC) Client software. Avigilon cameras’ technology reduce the total cost of ownership by providing higher resolution imaging, so you can use fewer units.

Here is an example of video surveillance at work:

• Detection: Unauthorized personnel entering the site after hours or equipment leaving after hours.
• Analyze: Employee entrances ensure all personnel are authorized and reporting or leaving work at reported times or if personnel entering designated areas aren’t wearing proper safety equipment. Facial analytics can detect and alert when disgruntled former personnel enter the job site.
• Communicate: Once unusual personnel or equipment is detected through various analytics, that information can be dispatched to staff across radios and smartphones.
• Response: Through Avigilon Artificial Intelligence, alerts can be sent over radios to notify personnel that vehicles with vital supplies are arriving at loading docks or if unauthorized personnel are entering restricted areas.

Keep in mind that while surveillance systems are beneficial during construction, they can also be an important part of the permanent facility infrastructure.

BDA/DAS Systems

According to PlanGrid and FMI Corporation, “rework caused by miscommunication and poor project data has been projected to cost the U.S. construction industry more than $31 billion” a year. To help prevent any type of rework needed, specific communication systems need to be properly installed throughout an entire construction process.

Bi-Directional Amplifiers (BDAs) and Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) are signal boosters that increase in-building coverage for wireless two-way radios. Installing BDA & DAS systems are not only beneficial for first responders in emergency situations, but they are also important communication tools that improve productivity and safety for maintenance, engineering, operations, and security teams.

While constructing a new building, there are two main factors to keep in mind:

• RF coverage is required by the local AHJ in conjunction with the International Fire Code (IFC) in hard-to-reach areas, like stairwells or basements.
• A certificate of occupancy is required to tell you what the structure will be used for, that it is suitable for a specific type of occupancy (residential, commercial, etc.), and that it complies with all building codes.

You will want to make sure the BDA/DAS systems support on-site requirements before the building is complete. Otherwise, it will cost more and be more difficult to go back in and make any necessary changes.

Ally Incident Management

This software technology allows for real-time data to be captured. It simplifies security operations with one platform.

Here are the key features of this tech:

• Incident and records management/daily activity logging
• Comprehensive dispatching tools
• Communication with smartphones and radios
• Digital image, video, and record storage
• Location mapping/analytics with heat maps
• Personnel management with training records
• Maintenance records
• Customizable tables and fields

You can make the most of your records by attaching an unlimited number of images, documents, and audio/video files to incident records and log entries.

Quickly access all critical data directly from any web-enabled device, seamlessly share information among personnel, and visually track trends in incident locations throughout your construction site.

Plus, enhance your crew’s decision and situational awareness with Ally’s built-in analytics and reports.

Learn More About Construction Job Safety

As you can see, it is crucial to have the right safety equipment in place for your construction projects. Not only will they help protect workers and your jobsite during social distancing or regular operations, they will also increase team productivity and improve job efficiency.

BearCom is your one-stop shop for two-way radios, video systems, and everything else needed to fulfill all the previously mentioned construction site safety tips.

We are also the largest Motorola Solutions dealer in the world; whatever you need for your construction site, we can provide it. This includes engraving personal radios and accessories for easy identification, as well as showing you the proper way to clean and sanitize all your communication systems.

You can get a free consultation and evaluation to determine what products you need to keep everyone and everything safe. Contact BearCom to get started today.