Current State of Construction : What Remote Work Looks Like

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What are construction professionals supposed to do when their government orders them to “work from home”?

As lockdowns and social distancing measures are put into place due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, construction teams around the world are finding themselves in a precarious position.

For many, the response has involved limited work hours, staggered shifts, and reorganized schedules. For others, on-site work has stopped altogether.

There’s no doubt that the current crisis is going to disrupt the construction industry in a significant way. Lockdowns threaten deadlines, and the resulting economic uncertainty threatens budgets, investments, and jobs. Unlike other industries, construction can never truly operate remotely.

However, the industry is better equipped to handle this crisis now than at any time in history. Remote construction monitoring technology enables safer closure of job sites, empowers project teams to perform certain tasks from home, and will put project stakeholders in a better position when this crisis resolves.

 

Shutting down job sites safely

No one was prepared for this pandemic. Many construction projects have already been halted, and those that remain open face restrictions that can change with little notice.

When shutting down a job site for any extended period of time, it’s critically important to document existing conditions. Our customers have historically used our comprehensive construction photography services to prepare for natural disasters, and they’re using it in a similar way right now.

Having detailed images of on-site conditions helps owners get what they need from insurers down the line, and while this current crisis isn’t a flood or a fire, insurance may still cover some of the losses experienced during shutdown. Getting a comprehensive visual review of your site now can help simplify future conversations and get you back up and running sooner when restrictions are eventually lifted.

 

Getting (some) work done from home 

You can’t install plumbing or fit windows from your sofa, but there are some tasks that certain teams can do while practicing social distancing. And the more you get done now, the better shape you’ll be in when work continues. 

Remote construction monitoring technology isn’t limited to photography. Aerial imaging, measurable 3D images, live HD webcams, and 360 virtual walkthroughs also enable remote work for project teams, especially when these assets are mapped to floor plans in a cloud-based platform. 

Here are some suggestions for construction tasks that can be completed remotely using visual documentation:

  • Conduct QA and QC of work that was already completed
  • Conduct OAC meetings online and walk through site conditions together virtually
  • Take accurate measurements and order materials for off-site fabrication
  • Resolve outstanding RFIs, change orders, and submittals
  • Update plans to reflect site conditions
  • Oversee and track the progress of any work that continues on-site

 

We’re here when you need us.

For our part, Multivista is continuing to operate wherever it is safe to do so.

Our boots-on-the-ground teams are ready to be dispatched to your job sites in order to install 24/7 webcams and/or capture high-quality photographs, aerial imaging, measurable 3D images, and 360 virtual walkthroughs.

All Multivista-collected visual data is made available via a secure cloud-based platform that can be accessed from anywhere. Multivista does not limit the number of users you can add to your account, so entire teams can access and collaborate on projects remotely.

We’ve been helping construction teams reduce risk for over 15 years, and we hope that our proven solutions can be especially useful in this time of uncertainty.

Using Multivista’s remote construction monitoring technology, we believe project teams can take back some control over the current situation and improve their prospects for the future.

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