As much as I like my smartphone, it’s undeniable that they can be a huge distraction on the job site or in a vehicle. The construction industry is dangerous enough without these added distractions, so at least one US contractor has decided to proactively manage their employee’s smartphone usage.
According to a story from For Construction Pros, Walsh Construction, a large contractor based in Chicago, IL, has implemented a system to control what functions of their employee’s phones that they are allowed to use while on company time.
The technology, made by TRUCE Software, combines location and operation data to determine if a non-authorized app is being used on the clock. The intent of the software is to control distractions while on the jobsite, but then to disappear when employees are on their own time, opening up access to all of their applications. This type of technology is dubbed “contextual mobile device management” (CMDM).
TRUCE allows policies to not only be placed upon company issued phones, but also bring-your-own-devices. As of the published date of the article, Walsh has implemented the software onto phones for over 1,000 of their 3,500 workers.
Walsh specifically says they started using the technology due to concerns about smartphone use while in company vehicles and heavy equipment. The software has block an average of 1 text for every 4 miles of driving in the short time that Walsh has had the software implemented, the company stated.
By allowing customizable policies, companies can allow smartphones to still be used for time-saving productivity apps, but limit those that would potentially put workers in danger. For example, the CMDM software can be set up to only allow workers in a company vehicle to make calls through Bluetooth or use their navigation app.
For more information on the TRUCE software, check out the video below:
Full story: Contractor Keeps Workers Safe by Blocking Unnecessary Smartphone Use on the Job | For Construction Pros
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