Challenges facing the construction industry
The construction industry is massive and employs around 8 million people in the United States. Employees work in all kinds of settings and projects. Some construction work is done by formalized companies, and some is done by independent contractors. The variety within the construction industry presents a fair number of challenges that businesses need to contend with.
Project delays
Delays are common in construction projects for several reasons. Maybe the project requirements change, maybe there’s some issue with your supply chain, maybe you aren’t organizing as efficiently as you could be, or maybe the weather gets in the way of your schedule.
Whatever the reason, project delays mean you spend unnecessary time waiting and losing revenue, and can lead to contract disputes. That’s why construction project management is so important, because having the most accurate picture of all the materials, resources, time, and skills needed to complete a project is the best way to avoid a delay.
Labor shortages
As many people as the construction industry employs, there are also noticeable labor shortages faced by many companies. It’s also difficult to retain skilled labor when you do find it. Do what you can to incentivize workers to remain with your business. For example, be diligent about construction site safety so you don’t make an already dangerous job more hazardous for your employees.
Safety concerns
Construction work can be hazardous, as it often involves working with heavy equipment or in precarious settings such as working at height or around electricity. From job to job, the hazardous you and your team will encounter are going to be different.
That’s why it’s important to perform hazard inspections when you start work every day, so you become aware of any risks and so you can catch risks that develop day-to-day. You might also check for construction hazards at the end of the day to make sure there’s nothing that could endanger anyone still on-site (like civilians).
A key part of construction safety is ensuring that work is done in a safe manner. This means regularly inspecting and maintaining any equipment so that no one uses faulty machinery that would endanger themselves or others. Employees should also wear their PPE at all times.
Regulatory compliance
Compliance in the construction industry goes hand-in-hand with ensuring workplace safety. As it’s a field rife with injuries and accidents, there are strict codes of conduct that regulatory bodies like OSHA enforce through regular compliance audits. Failing to meet their requirements can lead to fines or business shutdowns, depending on the number and severity of your violations.
In addition to larger regulatory bodies like OSHA, there are state and local laws that construction companies need to abide by when they work. Local laws in particular can change a lot from location to location, so it’s important to do your research.
Using Lumiform in your construction business
If you’re looking for a solution to manage your construction business, the workflow automation platform Lumiform has you covered. The all-in-one combination of desktop and mobile app make it much easier to address the challenges of the construction industry.
Lumiform makes project management easier by allowing you to prepare custom checklists where you list everything that’s needed to complete a project and create an outline of your schedule. That way, you know your timeline and the factors that could lead to project delays. You can also assign this schedule to an employee or employees so there are people accountable for staying on task.
Use Lumiform for all types of inspection, from electrical safety, PPE, equipment maintenance, site walkthroughs, and anything else needed to declare a construction site ready for work. By following a checklist, you won’t miss or overlook any potential safety risks.
Another benefit of Lumiform checklists is that they make required safety and compliance inspections much faster. That means you can complete routine tasks in less time and be more productive with your hours.
All the data you collect with Lumiform is automatically stored in the cloud and encrypted, so you and only you have access. You also always have compliant documentation on hand, in case you need to present proof to an auditor.
You can collect data straight from the mobile app, online and offline, as long as you have a smartphone or tablet. As well as storing documented proof of your findings, Lumiform sends you regular analytics reports so that you can identify issues recurring patterns in your construction business and design corrective actions to improve.