Construction companies face many potential sources of legal liability, from jobsite conditions to weather-related delays. Theft and worker safety are also recurring concerns, especially as the opioid addiction epidemic hits the industry particularly hard.

Technology can help shield construction companies from litigation and liability. The same cameras that construction companies use to remotely monitor and document jobsite activity can also be used to provide protection against lawsuits.

Enhanced Communication

The first and easiest step in preventing litigation is improving communication with stakeholders on the front end. Keeping them informed about weather conditions, shipment delays or other factors impeding progress can prevent them from turning to courts in frustration over missed deadlines.

Project managers can use the images captured by construction cameras to depict problems. They can make notes on photos and email them to stakeholders. The camera technology also offers stakeholders the option of viewing jobsite conditions in real time whenever they wish.

Contractors can improve coordination even more through integration of construction camera functions with project management software. A Procore-compatible construction camera, for instance, can record a visual timeline of the entire project that can be viewed through the platform.

Visual Documentation

Remote monitoring supplements traditional reporting by recording jobsite conditions. Construction cameras can provide 24/7 video recording as well as taking still images. Thorough documentation can help protect contractors from litigation. Were deliveries late? Was the jobsite inaccessible or unworkable because of weather conditions? Did a subcontractor make a mistake? All these questions can be answered through recorded images or footage.

If safety violations do occur, managers can review footage to figure out what went wrong. This gives them the data to make necessary changes to keep problems from reoccurring. Construction cameras also give project managers the ability to preemptively discover and fix safety issues before they become dangerous.

The Cost of Opioid Addiction

No supervisor wants to watch every move their employees make, but the opioid epidemic brings new hazards to the jobsite. An estimated 15 percent of construction workers have a substance abuse disorder, compared to the national average of 8.6 percent. In 2016, deaths at work from unintentional drug and alcohol overdoses increased more than 30 percent, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.

Remote monitoring can help construction supervisors keep an eye out for unusual or dangerous behavior on the jobsite. If workers seem impaired, they can be sidelined. Illegal activity can be spotted and dealt with.

Protecting Employees from Injury

Statistics bear out that the construction industry is being disproportionately affected by the opioid epidemic. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescription opioid misuse costs employers $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment and criminal justice involvement.

One common denominator in opioid addiction in the construction industry is painkillers being prescribed because of physical wear and tear on laborers. Construction is one of the most physically demanding and dangerous occupations in the U.S. The injury rate for construction workers is 77 percent higher than the national average for other occupations.

Construction cameras can spot safety problems before they result in injuries. Protecting workers from injury saves money on both the front and back ends. Keeping workers healthy reduces medical expenses and improves productivity.

Accidents can also hit the bottom line for construction companies through financial penalties or civil lawsuits. If safety standards are violated, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can fine companies up to $126,749 per willful or repeat violation.

Theft

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the theft of heavy equipment alone costs the construction industry more than $1 billion in losses each year. Construction cameras provide extras security for jobsites.

Camera technology can be used to monitor the jobsite remotely on weekends or at night when the majority of thefts happen. Knowing they are under observation by cameras can encourage would-be thieves to look for easier prospects. In the case a crime is committed, footage from the construction cameras can be provided to police as evidence.

Before Purchasing a Camera

Before purchasing any construction camera, be sure to evaluate its technical capabilities. To be useful, a camera must have high enough resolution to ensure all necessary details are recorded. At the same time, the resolution must be low enough so that file sizes remain reasonable. Useful features for cameras include being able to record time-lapse video. Web-enabled remote control and live feed access to a jobsite are also important.

Instead of trying to protect themselves from litigation through old-fashioned means of documentation, construction companies can use remote monitoring technology to record the evidentiary proof needed to overcome legal challenges.