Summer is peak construction season across the country. Whether it’s roads, buildings or homes, construction fleets are busy getting work done before winter hits again. And no matter the type of work, safety is at the heart of every construction business.
Over the past few years, more and more construction businesses have installed video-based safety programs to protect their drivers and their fleets. But these programs go beyond helping improve employee safety while driving. They provide a sound return on investment across a variety of operational functions—from improving operational effectiveness and freight mobility to reducing fuel consumption.
Here are some of the business benefits of video-based safety programs.
Reduced Workers Comp Claims
Video technology helps companies know when drivers are following standard operating procedures—including getting in and out of vehicles, pour materials properly, ensuring locked chute—and when they’re not, giving managers the opportunity to make informed decisions and to coach their employees accordingly. Video also helps verify claim legitimacy.
Avoid Skyrocketing Insurance Premiums
With fleets continuing to feel the pain of double-digit percentage premium increases, even “safe” fleets are not immune from the surges. Video safety helps ensure a safer fleet, resulting in fewer collisions, claims and injuries. As a result, many fleets are maintaining or lowering their insurance premiums, which is money in the bank when most companies are facing increasing premiums.
Improved Employee Relations
Video safety provides an opportunity to engage employees through virtual coaching sessions. With everyone maintaining social distancing, one-on-one communications are becoming less frequent. Coaching gives the manager an opportunity to engage with employees and help them improve.
Improved Customer Satisfaction
Companies continually receive calls from customers stating the job was not done properly or there was property damage. Often, however, there’s no proof for the claim so companies are saddled with additional costs to fix something that was not their fault. Video provides proof of what employees did (or did not do) so the company can maintain its profit margin on each completed job.
Secured Brand Protection
The name on each truck is the company’s best brand advertisement. The last thing a company wants is for the public to see its vehicles being driven in an erratic manner or, even worse, to see those vehicles on the evening news as a result of a collision. Video safety provides the tools needed to help ensure employees are driving safely and reduce collisions.
Increased Fuel Economy and Reduced Vehicle Maintenance
Every fleet manager knows that unsafe driving can reduce years from a vehicle’s life and increase maintenance costs. A video safety program provides insight into driving behaviors such as speeding and close following, which reduce fuel economy and increase opportunities for hard braking. Video is critical to knowing whether a hard brake is due to a driver’s inattention or a pedestrian walking in front of a vehicle. Driving at a safe speed and following distance means more dollars to the company’s bottom line.
Additional Marketing Opportunities
Using a video-based safety program demonstrates that the company is committed to safety on the jobsite, safety on the road and lowering property damage when on a job. In a competitive marketplace, many companies position their safety efforts—and achievements—to help them stand out and win new business.
