Use case · Assets and containers
Tool tracking on construction sites with Bluetooth® beacons
Construction is one of the most influential sectors of any society and contributes significantly to the economic growth of a country and a region. Tools are an integral part of the construction industry and must be managed efficiently – not only to prevent theft, but also to keep projects profitable. Wireless technology combined with GPS trackers opens up new possibilities for construction site monitoring and has a significant impact.
Image: Teltonika Telematics
The challenge
The harsh reality: theft remains a major problem on virtually every construction site in every country in the world. Materials (especially copper and timber), easily transportable small tools and equipment, high-value power tools and heavy machinery continue to be attractive targets for thieves looking to make large profits from these lucrative crimes.
For example, data from London's Metropolitan Police shows that tools worth £17.5 million were stolen in 2020 – almost £57,000 per day in a single city. According to research by the Federation of Master Builders, 51% of builders in the United Kingdom have been victims of tool theft. In Canada, the annual cost of theft of building materials, equipment and machinery is estimated at around 300 million to 1 billion US dollars.
In addition, the shortage of materials and tools resulting from the price increases caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic has driven demand even higher, making them particularly tempting targets. The result: the situation is worsening and threatening construction companies in already difficult times.
Unfortunately, conventional theft prevention measures – video surveillance, removing tool batteries, locking smaller tools away in specially secured containers, strict internal company policies and heavy penalties – require considerable investment, considerable effort or both, without delivering the results that contractors expect and depend on. Another challenge: site managers, supervisors and foremen spend (or waste) a great deal of valuable time managing and finding, in real time, what they are looking for and responsible for – workers, goods, materials and equipment such as tools, machinery and devices.
For a company to work as efficiently as possible and remain competitive, it is logical and sensible to keep employees accountable and well organised by recording, monitoring and analysing their activities, the equipment entrusted to them, working hours and so on. The old-fashioned “pen and paper” method has proven to be ineffective, time-consuming, cumbersome and error-prone.
Thanks to the broad product portfolio of Teltonika Telematics, wireless Bluetooth® technology and well-thought-out approaches, these hurdles can be overcome easily, with minimal effort and maximum results.
The solution
As GPS vehicle trackers and suitable accessories are already widely used in the construction industry and on large construction sites, they can also conveniently be used for tracking equipment indoors and optimising the relevant processes. Examples used here are the water-resistant Teltonika FMB202 model with Bluetooth® functionality and the EYE Beacon – a small ID radio transmitter in a rugged IP67-rated housing.
Bluetooth® is used here because GPS signals indoors or in narrow streets and gaps are often not accurate enough, as they are attenuated and scattered. What is more, every Teltonika vehicle tracker supports up to 100 beacons simultaneously.
How it works: Beacons continuously transmit signals that are unique to each beacon. The Teltonika GPS devices read and identify each one of them as well as their distance from the device. The FM devices then send this data in the iBeacon or Eddystone profile, together with their GNSS position data, to the way4net Portal for analysis. This means that any item fitted with an EYE Beacon can be tracked in real time from any smart device with an internet connection.
For long-term tracking, beacons can be screwed on or, alternatively, simply attached with standard adhesive tape. Quickly and easily attached when needed, and quickly removed again when not.
In this case, FMB202 trackers are permanently mounted on the ceiling or the upper wall area of the construction site: in the work areas of each floor, in corridors, stairwells, parking areas, temporary material stores and warehouses, plant rooms, welfare rooms and so on. There they serve as signal gateways, while Bluetooth® LE ID beacons are attached to the relevant equipment and people. Alternatively, customers can also use their own mobile app to monitor the ID beacons in the construction site area.
Smart features included
For maximum benefit, the EYE Beacon offers two practical features: “Proximity Event” and “Filtering by Name”. With the “Proximity Event” option, a vehicle tracker can generate proximity events depending on the received Bluetooth® signal strength of the beacons. This allows the location of each moving beacon (i.e. the tool in question) to be determined fairly accurately and assigned to the “Near” and “Away” zones.
This makes it possible to create lists of the tools detected in each zone or to trigger targeted event notifications. If, for example, an item leaves all detectable zones (a so-called “Lost” event), the GPS device in charge registers this and records the exact time of the event – which helps with further investigation.
With the custom filter function “Filtering by Name”, assets can be grouped and named according to a characteristic that makes sense for your business (e.g. hand tools, power tools, machinery, equipment, boxes of consumables, pallets of material). Alternatively, only a specific group of valuables is captured with ID beacons, while other beacons nearby are ignored. This is particularly useful when many subcontractors are working on the construction site. Overall, these intelligent event scenarios help to sort, monitor, manage and optimise the use of assets on the construction site extremely efficiently.
The result? Maximum workforce accountability and productivity, significantly improved occupational safety and discipline, streamlined workflows and optimised use of assets – tools, equipment, materials, consumables and machinery –, minimal waste of company resources and so on. At the same time, thefts on the construction site are prevented, significantly reduced or detected while they are still in progress, leaving enough time to respond appropriately. All of this noticeably increases project profitability, the company’s reputation, competitiveness and ROI.
System overview
Graphic: Teltonika Telematics
Your benefits
Precise real-time tracking of construction tools
Site managers and foremen can track the location of every relevant asset in real time, around the clock, 365 days a year, via internet-connected smart devices. 100 % traceability of everything that matters to the construction company and to project efficiency.
Theft protection on the construction site
Thefts of tools, equipment, materials and machinery are prevented, significantly reduced or detected while they are still in progress, leaving enough time to respond appropriately.
Valuable smart features of the EYE Beacon
The practical event scenarios “Proximity Event” and “Filtering by Name” help to sort, monitor, manage and optimise the use of assets on the construction site extremely efficiently.
Customisable settings for every site and every project
For maximum benefit, the signal strength and transmission intervals of the Teltonika BLE ID beacons can be precisely adapted to your operational requirements.
More discipline and proper use of tools
Continuous recording and monitoring of workflows, combined with a suitable incentive scheme, improves the company’s reputation and optimises workflows and operating costs.
Wireless and cost-effective
Bluetooth® ensures quick installation and set-up, low susceptibility to interference and low power consumption, and is inexpensive. If damaged, lost or stolen, Teltonika EYE Beacons can be replaced quickly.
Devices used
Devices from Teltonika – available from way4net to buy or rent, bundled with the way4net Portal.
FMB202
Water-resistant tracker with Bluetooth® which, permanently mounted on the construction site as a signal gateway, detects the beacons and sends their data together with the GNSS position to the portal.
Learn more →
EYE Beacon
Small Bluetooth® LE ID transmitter in a rugged IP67 housing, attached to tools, materials and people, which enables zone and group assignment with “Proximity Event” and “Filtering by Name”.
Learn more →
Note
Content and graphics based on the use case by Teltonika Telematics (original on teltonika-gps.com), translated and adapted for way4net. Device data according to manufacturer specifications. Together, we will work out which devices and functions suit your application – and you can test the solution with a 14-day trial.
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