all industries are embracing the new technologies emerging every day. These technologies have also impacted the way contractors in construction companies are doing business and how they think about their workers. High technology is greatly helping construction companies by providing new and improved machinery, as well as, methods of working. Today, construction companies are able to gain innovation, thanks to the new tech that is increasing efficiency in the industry. In particular, the benefits of IoT in construction are unmatched with companies embracing RTLS and RFID technologies. The complicated logistics of construction are now becoming easy with RFID technology. It is now easy to track people, assets, and materials in real-time. There are various ways construction companies benefit from RTLS and RFID technologies, and this article will discuss these ways in detail.
Table of Contents
Tools and Equipment Tracking
One of the main benefits of including RFID and RTLS technologies is their ability to track and locate assets and tools. RFID construction asset tracking is highly beneficial and helps companies ensure tools do not disappear on the site. There is a high concern of tools and equipment disappearing on construction sites, and this is why an RTLS system is crucial. It saves money and reduces expenses that construction companies undergo with such losses. RFID technology can help identify and locate where a machine is, how it is used, and the frequency of usage. This also allows the site supervisor to send a machine to the right position, reducing downtime and improving productivity.
In the past, tracking of assets was done manually by the crew where they needed to physically record the serial number of every machine. Today, it is easy to record when an employee checks in or out and where every tool is using RTLS technology.
Employee Tracking
Additionally, RTLS and RFID technologies allow supervisors to track the identities of the people on the site, where they are, and whether they are subcontractors or not. Some construction sites are also dangerous and supervisors need to know the exact condition and position of their employees when working in dangerous environments. RTLS technology from Litum can help project managers and supervisors to manage their employees. They can track the number of workers present on-site and where they are working in real-time. As this technology advances, construction companies can use RTLS and RFID in progressive sectors like project inspection, maintenance, and timecards.
Worker Safety
Workers’ safety is an essential aspect of a construction site. What construction companies are doing today is installing readers on areas with potential dangers. Whenever a worker wearing an RFID tag approaches this dangerous zone, the reader is able to activate an alarm that alerts the worker of the potential danger. A manager can also create a barrier with an RFID reader that will alert them whenever a worker enters an unauthorized zone.
RFID technology also allows these companies to create a system that protects workers from falling. It allows the person responsible for safety to track the maintenance, location, and inspection of the protection systems being used on the site. Therefore, a construction company can get the most out of RFID technology by ensuring employees wear readers that alert when a worker falls, an employee enters an unauthorized zone, and a motion sensor that alerts when a worker does not move for a long time.
Another good thing about RTLS technology from Litum is that it helps avoid personnel and equipment collision on the job site. With Litum RTLS tags on equipment, it is easy to get an alert on a potential collision. The system detects when equipment or vehicles on the site are dangerously close to each other and warns about an impending collision.
Inventory Management
Construction companies can avoid missing items and the need for more inventory using RFID. An RFID tracking system helps to identify scrapped items to know if they were certified and inspected before they were available on the site. RTLS technology from Litum provides data on the materials available, helping to reduce mistakes related to material misunderstandings. The technology offers a centralized system of site assets, and this improves accuracy. Litum’s RFID keeps data on the location and status of an asset and how it is being used. This helps managers to know how workers in remote areas are using and storing equipment and materials.
RTLS offers an excellent way for construction companies to manage the materials on site. The companies can track the materials being used, those on-site and off-site, and the materials that need to be added. The ability to streamline the flow of materials reduces downtime and wastage.
Get the Best with Litum RTLS Technology
These are four ways RTLS and RFID technology are useful in the construction industry. The integrated tracking system provides valuable details on the location of assets and employees. The data collected and stored by the system is important in making crucial business decisions and improving productivity.