Sheriff Construction has recently introduced the Causeway ‘Donseed’ digital workforce management system across both our brickwork and roofing divisions.

Usually used by companies much larger than us, we took the decision to keep up with this latest technology, which is giving us greater control of our sites, improving safety and increasing efficiency. Find out more in this week’s blog.

Image of a robot (humanoid-style) looking over a cityscape

We’re living in a time when many of our roads, bridges and buildings are getting old and showing signs of wear. It’s like they’re all getting sick at the same time, making it impossible for inspectors to keep up with the job of checking out every crack, creak or crumble. This is a big problem, because if problems are not caught early, they can deteriorate and even lead to dangerous failures.

Here’s where some clever minds at Drexel University in the US come in. Read this week’s blog to find out more about how they’ve developed a system that uses robots and artificial intelligence (AI) to help with the inspections.

While some of the mobile apps we download end up doing little but take up space on our phones or tablets, others are revolutionising the way we live and work.

Right now, there are a great many mobile apps that are proving particularly useful for those working in the construction industry – supporting people by making every-day tasks simpler, improving efficiency in working practices and raising professional standards higher than ever before. In this week’s blog, we’ve got a rundown of just some of the apps available.

A new technology, using flying robots (drones) that work cooperatively like bees, might soon be something we see in use on a construction site.

Imitating some of the methods used by nature’s airborne builders, the technology (which has so far been tested in a lab) could ultimately be used for manufacturing and building – particularly in difficult-to-access or dangerous locations such as tall buildings or help with post-disaster relief works.

Take a look at this week’s blog to find out more…

Manufacturing industries have been developing and using robotics for several decades, the first example being a robot that was capable of transferring objects from one point to another within a distance of around three and a half metres, designed by George Devol in 1954.

Jump forwards to today and intelligent robots have taken over many of the manufacturing tasks that require high precision, speed and endurance. They are becoming smarter, more flexible and increasingly capable of working independently of humans. It’s safe to say that, without robots, most large manufacturing companies would struggle to survive.

With such advancement taking place in one sector, we thought we’d take a look at what’s happening in construction. Read on to find out three ways in which our industry is joining the robotic revolution.

From April 2022, a new app is set to make the process of checking CSCS skills cards at construction sites a lot simpler, improving site safety and tackling fraud in the process.

At the moment, different trades are signed up to 38 different card schemes which display the CSCS logo. This can lead to all kinds of complications when checking documentation and potentially to workers taking on roles they’re not suitably qualified/ trained for.

The CSCS Smart Check app is being developed as a solution that will allow all 2.1 million cards in the construction industry to be electronically verified quickly and easily in a single place. Keep reading…

In last week’s blog, we talked about several upcoming trends in construction with an increase in the use of robots being one of the things many people in the industry are expecting to see this year.

Just a week later, we hear news of an innovative bricklaying robot that’s just secured accreditation from the housing warranty and insurance provider, NHBC.

Could the rise of the robots be about to begin? Keep reading to find out more…

The world we live in is constantly changing and the construction industry is certainly no exception to this. While some of the changes construction faces are incredibly challenging (for instance, the materials and labour shortages that have been widely reported in recent years) others can be seen as game-changing opportunities to boost productivity, conquer new markets, improve sustainability and support the wellbeing of the workforce.

As we start another year, still in the grips of the global pandemic along with other serious planetary concerns, we’re taking a look at some of the predicted top trends for construction in 2022.

For construction site workers, every day tends to start with a work gear checklist that looks something like this: Helmet – check, Boots – check, Hi-vis – check, Jetpack – check.

Hold up a minute, what was that last one – a jetpack? OK, so it may not be on the list right now but, with the launch of a new jetpack prototype that’s designed to support maintenance and inspection work at hard-to-reach sites, perhaps the jetpack will become one of those essential items soon! Who’s ready to fly?

While robotics have been commonplace in manufacturing for many years, the complexity and unpredictability of factors than can occur on construction sites has made their widescale use in this environment more problematic. Now, an emerging robotic system being developed and tested by a team at Purdue University in the U.S. may be about to change that. Read more in this week’s blog from Sheriff Construction.

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