Simon Meyer, Construction Managing Director, explores how on site biometric systems have evolved to play an enhanced role in construction site management.
The British construction industry is changing, with a number of factors driving the change:
- the rise in the number of skilled construction migrant workers following recent changes to EU working restrictions,
- the UK Commission for Employment and Skills’ recent report that found inadequate skills, qualifications or experience in UK workers is hitting the construction industry hard.
- the imminent shake-up to the CSCS scheme, replacing the current Construction Site Operative (CSO) cards from July
In response, biometric systems have evolved to offer more than identity verification at a turnstile, with today’s biometric worker and construction site management systems providing the information to manage sites with greater ease, combining the requirements of subcontractor management, security, H&S and operations under one system. Such systems automate site required reporting including time and attendance, local labour, diversity and accreditation reporting – avoiding a huge manual overhead.
Construction Site Management Best practice: combining identification and accreditation
A biometric approach, used in tandem with CSCS, CPCS, IPAF or PASMA accreditations, ensures workers and subcontractors can be better managed on site. Combining biometric verification with smartcard access, including using the CSCS card to store the biometric template and allow access (something unique to MSite), avoids the data duplication that can arise when multiple systems – recording access, health and safety and accreditation information – are running simultaneously. While identification and accreditation have historically been separate, we are now seeing a move towards aligning the two, linked by the common, biometrically assured identity in both.
This fits perfectly with our Identity Assured Management strategy and we will be developing our solution to allow companies to not only verify an employee’s identity with MTrust, but also their accreditations with MSkills and ensure they are in the right place at the right time MSite. Combined it takes construction site management to the next level.