• Guy Meyer

Providing a high level of trust to the construction sector

The construction sector is vital to the UK. In 2018, it contributed £117 billion to the economy[1]. The sector employs 3.1 million people, more than 9% of the total workforce[2].

A complex sector

The sector has specific challenges due to its size: companies have to manage large workforces with different skillsets and levels of training, across multiple sites and with varying regulations and compliance requirements to comply to. An added complexity is that 49% of the construction workforce is self-employed.[3]

The serious consequences of mistakes

Mistakes, missed training, incomplete paperwork or unclear instructions; all these can cause major problems and leave construction businesses very exposed. And the consequences can be very serious when things go wrong. In 2019, 79,000 construction workers suffered from work-related ill health and 30 fatal injuries were reported in the sector.[4]

The need for guaranteed proof of identity and qualifications

A key issue is how companies can be sure that an often-transitory workforce really has the qualifications and certifications they appear to have. After 31st December 2020 permission to work in the UK is another obligation that employers have to ensure is in place. And for employees and contractors, how they prove their own qualifications and also gain reassurance that their employer will protect them and provide them with appropriate advice and guidance.

Simply put: how can the truth be guaranteed in a large, complex sector such as construction, where any breakdown in trust can be incredibly serious?


The security of blockchain

The answer lies in blockchain technology, a powerful, secure means of holding information that removes the need to rely on any individual intermediary or agent for the truth. The distributed structure of blockchain has security baked into it. Meaning trust shifts from people and institutions to technology, delivering the protection that businesses, their employees and service providers need.

Solutions to provide better operational control

Catenae deliver solutions that allow organisations to gain better control over their operations, using the power of blockchain. Our products include OnSite WorkID, a digital wallet that allows the user to prove their identity, visa status, qualifications and certification; and OnSite TaskManager, a remote workforce management solution that allows the secure scheduling of shifts and the tasks within them. Both these are delivered within an app on a mobile device.

These solutions use blockchain-enabled systems. This means that all updates and amends are logged with a date and timestamp, but cannot be fraudulently be tampered with.

Peace of mind for the construction sector

At Catenae, we enable the construction sector to rely on advanced blockchain technology to provide the guaranteed trust that businesses, employees, contractors and suppliers need. Allowing enhanced efficiency, productivity and peace of mind across multiple locations, shift patterns and job functions, while recognizing skills and needs at an individual level.

[1] House of Commons Library briefing paper 01432, 16.12.19 [2] [3] The Construction Index, 31.07.18 [4] HSE construction statistics in Great Britain, 2019 #one #two #three #four

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