Construction Success Story
Jobsite cameras do a whole lot of good

In a periodic meeting with his CPA, a general contractor described some challenges he was facing on his company’s mostly large-scale commercial projects. Among these were a continuing shortage of project managers (PMs), a less-than-stellar safety record, and a discouraging tendency for tools and materials to disappear without explanation.

“There’s no silver bullet for all these problems,” his CPA warned. “Or maybe there is.” Based on his experience with other construction clients, the advisor suggested he investigate the possibility of using jobsite cameras to monitor and record project activity.

Considering the options

Today’s jobsite camera systems do far more than provide blurry security videos. Construction cameras now provide photos at much higher resolutions than security video. In addition, they can produce high-definition time-lapse movies and stream high-def video on demand.

Camera options include fixed-position models and pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) models. The former are fine for projects that can be covered sufficiently from one or two angles, or those where time-lapse video is needed. PTZ cameras can move vertically and horizontally, by preset or remote controls, to capture activity from various angles.

Most construction cameras offer a range of megapixel ratings from 6 to 50. All can produce high-resolution images; but the higher you go on the megapixel scale, the finer the details and the more powerful the zoom.
Most camera systems, of course, consume on-site power sources. But solar-powered systems are available for projects where power is unavailable or inconvenient to access.

Choosing a provider

The contractor wanted a full-service provider that would advise on proper camera placement, offer equipment maintenance and repairs, store video data indefinitely, and assign a dedicated support person for the duration of a project. He requested demos to make sure the cameras would interface smoothly with his company’s project management system and be easy to use.

After doing research, the contractor had a list of several providers making detailed, competitive bids. He worked with his CPA to set a feasible budget for the purchase and calculate an anticipated return on investment.

Enjoying the benefits

Eventually, the contractor bought and had installed up-to-date camera systems on his three largest projects. Although it wasn’t a silver bullet per se, the technology simulated having an extra PM on staff, as the contractor himself or one of his top PMs could monitor work from anywhere, 24/7.

In addition, safety performance improved as more and more potential violations were spotted and corrected before incidents. Last, the widespread pilferage plaguing his job sites diminished prodigiously once employees, subcontractors and other on-site visitors were told “Smile! You’re on camera!”