Member Article

Coventry firm develops construction app to help builders track key paperwork digitally

A leading digital design company has worked alongside a Midlands construction business to create and launch a new app to help construction firms access and track key paperwork during busy projects.

‘Under Construction’ – designed by Coventry-based Apps Plus (the App division of Image+ Ltd) – enables construction firms of any size to easily store, track and fill out key forms relating to their SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment, Quality) requirements.

The app was refined by Apps Plus after Birmingham-based construction firm Gridlocked – which specialises in installing ceiling and partition systems in a wide variety of buildings - used it for several months. It is now ready for the wider market to download and use.

Since using Under Construction, Gridlocked noticed a significant improvement across all its SHEQ responsibilities, operations, performance and evidential record keeping. Craig Buglass at Gridlocked said: “An app like this for construction companies like us has been long overdue in our opinion.

“Construction is still one of the most dangerous sectors of employment in this country, so we are always looking to improve on how we process, control and manage risks associated with our specific trade.

“The Under Construction app comprehensively enhanced all our safety, health and wellbeing, quality and environmental aspect requirements and was all wrapped up in a user-friendly way. It’s fast, reliable and a pleasure to use.

“We have also been extremely impressed with the approach from the Image+ team to adapt this system to suit our every need.”

Under Construction allows site managers to streamline project management, enabling them to view updates on progress in real time when workers submit status reports. All documents can be shared with a firm’s principal contractor at any time, saving both parties having to put together the paperwork and travel between sites to assess it.

Notifications can also be sent to users alerting them to any issues, such as safety certificate expiration dates being sent to supervisors far enough in advance for them to address them.

When a firm downloads the app, it may not have all the forms it needs for a given project. Managers can send Image+ the forms it needs to use, and they will tailor the app to store and track those specific forms for that project.

The app also has a form creator, which allows managers to digitally create and store the forms they currently use on site themselves.

Alan Hartin, Managing Director at Image+, said: “Under Construction will be unique for each construction company that uses it.

“Every site and project will be slightly different, so we handle the first step of tweaking the app for each user so the forms they need are included within it.

“Once the correct forms are embedded into the app, it becomes far easier for managers to keep track of everything instead of filling out paperwork the old-fashioned way.

“It gives peace of mind to construction managers that their SHEQ responsibilities are being taken care of, and it also saves time and money by giving them an easy way to share key paperwork with their principal contractors at any time.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .