Leveraging IoT to Empower Heavy Equipment Operators: Boost Efficiency & Safety

You’ve probably seen construction equipment recently at sites around your community. However, it’s not always obvious that these machines are often far more advanced than previous models.

That’s because they increasingly feature Internet of Things (IoT) equipment sensors that send data to the cloud, giving equipment operators and their supervisors better visibility they can act upon in the moment. Here are some interesting examples of what smart construction equipment can do.

Improving Tracking Capabilities

An equipment operator’s productivity can suffer if they arrive to do a task and discover that the machine they need is not there to use. However, equipment tracking sensors can eliminate such hassles. Additionally, they help site managers verify that the equipment available to use is sufficient for the tasks at hand, reducing preventable delays.

In one real-life example, a French construction company took this approach at all of its sites. The result allowed tracking more than 20,000 pieces of equipment across thousands of locations. More specifically, it shows people the real-time locations on a map.

It’s also possible to see where and how each employee uses a piece of equipment. Then, managers can spot and address abnormalities.

Decreasing Unexpected Equipment Downtime

Sudden breakdowns of heavy equipment can cause budget overruns and lost productivity. However, the increased availability of smart construction equipment means people get warnings of abnormal performance before failures happen.

For example, unusual vibration or an elevated operating temperature could both be signs that a piece of equipment needs prompt servicing. Many IoT sensors pick up on minute changes, enabling them to detect signs of trouble before humans notice them.

Benefits like these facilitate better expense management, too. For example, some companies specializing in construction equipment for rent use smart sensors to monitor the condition of all assets at any time. They then have information that helps them decide when to order replacement parts or schedule service calls.

Enhancing Safe Storage Options

Construction equipment typically represents a significant financial investment for the people who use it. Fortunately, the IoT helps protect those assets, increasing the likelihood that owners will get the maximum payoffs over time.

A best practice for storing equipment during the winter is to keep it in enclosed storage locations to protect it from the elements. Relatedly, fluids and oils should stay at room temperature to safeguard against freezing. Equipment sensors can verify the conditions in a storage unit do not get too cold as the environment outdoors changes.

IoT sensors are also ideal for protecting against theft and vandalism. For example, using a geofencing feature on a sensor provides an instant alert if the machine goes outside a designated area. Then, it’s easier to catch the culprit and return the equipment to its rightful owner. Similarly, the IoT can identify if workers try to use machines without authorization.

Uncovering Operator Usage Trends

Researchers forecasted the sale of 6.8 million pieces of smart heavy equipment from 2018 to 2025. Relatedly, they anticipated a 25% compound annual growth rate through 2025. While discussing their findings, the group brought up how people who use and show interest in smart construction equipment often use the associated technology to monitor fuel consumption and other useful metrics.

The data collected by IoT sensors can help operators realize that their machine-operating habits may negatively impact fuel consumption. The people using the equipment are not solely to blame. For example, the type of work performed and the appropriateness of the machine for the task can all affect overall fuel usage. However, behaviors including hard braking, quick acceleration, and too much idling can all cause heavy equipment to use too much fuel.

Suppose operators and their managers stay abreast of the necessary statistics. In that case, it’s easy to make practical changes, such as establishing an idling policy or having an operator enroll in a remediation class to break bad habits that raise fuel consumption. One solution on the market even shows where undesirable operators occurred, letting managers take data-driven corrective actions.

Preventing Heavy Equipment Accidents

Construction work has many inherent risks. However, training and protective gear are two of the many things that can reduce the dangers. Applying the IoT to heavy equipment is another practical and effective strategy. It’s impossible to remove all risks from any activity. Fortunately, the IoT can substantially cut them down, keeping the workforce healthy and ready to contribute to company needs.

Getting hit with heavy equipment or materials is the second most common cause of private-sector worker fatalities. However, the IoT can provide increased awareness to both the operator and people nearby to minimize those incidents. For example, equipment sensors can create safe zones around the machine and trigger alerts if a pedestrian gets too close to equipment in motion.

They may give audible and visual warnings to operators or even disable the equipment if the person does not take the appropriate corrective action. Similarly, a growing number of people who work with or around heavy machines wear IoT products that vibrate or give other cues to encourage them to get out of the way.

Smart Construction Equipment Will Keep Improving

This overview shows you some of the most frequently chosen ways to utilize the IoT as someone who operates or manages heavy equipment. However, as more people decide to take that route, other ways to take advantage of the technology will inevitably emerge.

Operating heavy equipment safely and productively requires taking several proactive measures. As more people use the IoT, some of those actions will likely involve investing in equipment sensors, teaching operators how to analyze the data they collect and otherwise helping them make the most of that increased connectivity.