Top 5 Construction Site Inspection Software to Start Using in 2021

This article will tackle the following:

• Challenges of construction site inspections
• Common construction site hazards
• what is a construction site inspection app
• what construction site inspection app should I use?
• what makes a good construction site inspection app?
• list of construction site inspection apps

The Challenges of Construction Site Inspections

People in the construction industry are aware that their jobs put them at risk and even with safety standards and protocols that are required to follow, there is a possibility that incidents can happen. The problem is not lack of awareness and action but rather the follow through to the actions done.  Performing construction inspections needs to be consistent and sending out reports should be real-time. Paper-based inspections take more time to accomplish and critical hazards may be gone by the time the report has been submitted. Construction site inspections that are written on paper are prone to incorrect data and reports getting lost.  It’s now recommended to use digital construction site inspections such as software and apps.

Common Construction Site Hazards

OSHA said that Hazards such as falls, electrocutions, struck by objects, and being caught between objects are the top causes of worker fatalities (58.6%)  in construction sites. These are known as the fatal four. Preventive measures such as conducting consistent construction site inspections will help eliminate the fatal four and lower construction site related deaths. The following will help you know what to look out for and precautions you can include during inspections:

Falls

The main causes of workers falling are the improper use or lack of safety harness, unsafe work platforms, and unprotected roof/floor at a working level higher than 6 feet in construction.  OSHA recommends that employers examine if the work platform is adequate. When it’s deemed to meet the work platform criteria, the employer or safety officer needs to check if fall protection is required and comply with the standards. These standards include guarding rails for leading edges 6 feet off the ground, safety net systems for sloping work areas, and wearing appropriate uniform and safety gear like harness and hard hat.

Electrocutions

Electricity-related hazards such as fire, explosions, and shock happen when workers make contact with unsafe equipment or other energized sources. Electrocution is the fatal exposure to electrical energy. OSHA recommends workers to utilize insulation, guarding, grounding, electrical protective devices, and safe work practices to prevent electrocution.

Struck by object

Getting hit by an object can lead to death since there are dangerous materials in the construction site such as sharp and heavy objects. A scenario is steel bars rolling down and hitting someone below. Another common occurrence is building materials such as nails and concrete can fall off during construction. Keep your workers safe by making sure everyone is wearing their hard hats and boots. Inspect if precautions are placed and that materials off the ground are secured. Remind workers to check if a task is properly executed.

Caught between objects

Workers that are caught in and between objects such as operating equipment (pulled into or caught in machinery), caved in structure, and rolling/sliding equipment (truck frame and a lowering hydraulic bed). OSHA stated that identifying objects that could cause these incidents is the first step for safety precautions. Workers should stay behind locked and prohibited areas which can contain hazardous materials and equipment. Employers should know that equipping workers with protective gear isn’t enough when dealing with heavy and large equipment. Machinery and tools need to be guarded, supported, and secured. Workers that are conducting repairs should make sure that the equipment is de-energized as well since this can cause objects to suddenly move.

What Is A Construction Site Inspection App

A construction site inspection app is a type of software that is used as a tool to conduct inspections with. A construction site safety inspection app carries a wide variety of features such as templates for the inspections, schedules, and the record of the inspection reports. Another app feature is organizing reports. This helps detect repetitive issues that could be used for your company’s corrective action plan. The construction industry benefits from using apps since mobile devices are more accessible and reliable on the job site. Using this tool makes sending and receiving reports possible in real-time which is critical for construction workers. Another factor is that immediate attention will be given to the necessary areas due to its efficient inspection reports. 

What Construction Site Inspection App Should I Use?

There are many construction site applications available that your organization can select from based on the requirements. It’s good to take note that construction site apps should be selected not because of popularity but from their suitability to your workplace. Apps such as iAuditor by SafetyCulture, Onsiteform, Dashpivot, and LetsBuild have similarities and uniqueness as well as both pros and cons. There are more available applications but these construction site inspection apps emerge as the top ones to use this 2021.

What Makes A Good Construction Site Inspection App?

Knowing how to choose an app for your whole organization, especially one that involves the safety of your workers can be daunting. The first step is to list down features you want and need from an app. Here are the features to look out for in choosing the right construction site inspection app: 

Customizability of inspections

Templates and forms of your inspections should be customizable. There are apps that don’t allow any form of modification but there are ones that offer a library of templates for download that could be altered as well. Companies that do construction site inspections will benefit if the app allows workers to upload media file types. Safety officers can take immediate action from the images of vital areas especially those that need attention. Some construction site inspection file templates could be uploaded and will be converted for the app. This enables file formats such as DOC and PDF to be automatically transferred and usable for an app.

Real-time reports

Construction site inspections should be sent and received in real-time. This useful feature decreases the likelihood of workplace injury and incidents since safety officers can review reports quicker. Having real-time reports also means that the filing of these will be timely and won’t be backlogged. Some workers would choose to not report and fix the issue themselves since processes take a lot of time. Workers will not have to pass around the report to the next shift by having a digital inspection report. Owning a record of all inspections done can pinpoint recurring problems that can’t be done if workers don’t submit their reports. 

Scheduling of reports

Construction site inspection apps that have a scheduling feature should be considered when choosing an option to integrate into your system. This will allow the people in your site to be able to consistently conduct site inspections. Having this feature can help your company ensure that quality and safety standards are being followed. Users will get notifications on their mobile device, this could vary but is normally sent out 5 minutes before the inspection needs to be done.

Manageable and easy to use interface

Conducting site inspections using an app shouldn’t be a chore. Apps are made to be accomplished quicker and easier compared to paper-based forms. The app’s interface should be simple and understandable to every user in your organization. Some app providers provide tutorials on how to use their apps so check their website and see if they have resources and support available before committing to integrating it into your system. Make sure that the users in your organization learn how to use the app first before implementing it in your site to prevent late reports or reports with erroneous information.