Pandemic Compels More Technology Uptake on Construction Sites

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but stress is the foreman provoking further innovation. In these stressful times, we’ve already seen a lot of pioneering techniques to safely keep construction sites active. In the months and years ahead, the pandemic will continue to leave its mark on the way we build the world around us. In the larger Texas metros, the COVID-19 emergency has forced some projects to partially or fully suspend operations while others that were set to break ground have been pushed until next year, according to Matt Hoglund, central regional leader and management committee member with DPR Construction. Though some of DPR’s clients have hit the pause button while they evaluate the economic impact of the pandemic on their business models, the vast majority of their projects have progressed forward. DPR instituted a number of safety protocols on active job sites that, in the end, caused minimal impacts and allowed work to forge ahead. “Construction involves mitigating hazards under normal circumstances and COVID-19 prevention is now a new hazard taken into consideration in planning daily work, labor needs and PPE,” said Hoglund. “As a result, construction has proceeded consistently in most areas, with even some additional work being added by our healthcare teams as our customers seek their own solutions as a result of the pandemic.” Click to read more at www.rejournals.com.