What is construction tool tracking?
Construction tool tracking makes it possible to determine the physical position of an object or piece of equipment in real time. This technology provides fast, accurate access to asset-related information, making it easier to track and manage.
In the construction industry, where the management of equipment and portable tools is essential, geolocation represents an effective response to the problems of loss, theft, delays and non-conformity of tools. The installation of Bluetooth tracking device incorporating wireless technologies enables real-time monitoring, both in the warehouse (indoor) and on worksites (outdoor).
In this article, find out how geolocation meets the challenges of the construction industry, and which technology to choose for your tool tracking project.
The challenges of construction tool tracking
Automatic inventory of site tools and equipment is becoming a central issue for this sector. The integration of IoT sensors makes it easy to optimize resources.
Indoor equipment management issues
Storage optimization becomes more efficient thanks to real-time inventory visibility, avoiding losses and facilitating planning of tooling requirements.
In addition, this type of IoT solution simplifies equipment compliance management. According to the French health insurance fund, machines are involved in 10-15% of workplace accidents resulting in 4 days or more off work, or more than 50,000 accidents a year.
This is vital to ensure that the certificates of conformity for tools and machines are up to date before they are deployed on a worksite. Periodic inspection of worksite equipment is a legal obligation, which can last from 3 months to several years, depending on the type of tool. Non-compliant tools can lead to work stoppages and safety risks for crews.
Issues related to equipment monitoring on worksites (Outdoor)
Construction tool tracking helps to limit loss and theft, reducing the cost of replacing lost tools. By ensuring better organization of resources, it becomes easier to guarantee the availability of machines and equipment at the right time on worksites. When you consider that poor management of tools and equipment can lead to up to 35% more delays on a worksite, it becomes obvious to say that equipment traceability thanks to IoT solutions will also improve overall worksite performance.
Late deliveries on construction sites have a major impact on construction companies. Budget overruns, late penalties, loss of customer confidence, etc. Efficient management of tools and equipment is therefore crucial to ensuring that construction projects remain on schedule and profitable.
How to track worksite tools using Bluetooth?
Choosing the right technology
Various technologies are available for equipment tracking, including RFID, LoRa, GPS and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)! The choice of technology will depend on a number of criteria: communication range, localization accuracy, beacon autonomy, network infrastructure required, indoor or outdoor environment, overall cost of the solution (tracking beacons, gateway, connectivity, platform), as well as the technology’s interoperability and scalability.
| Criteria | Bluetooth (BLE) | LoRa | RFID |
| Range | Medium (10-100m) | Long Range (up to 15 km) | Short range (a few meters) |
| Localization accuracy | High (a few meters) | Low (large area without precision) | Medium (depending on RFID type) |
| Communication mode | Periodic communication | Periodic communication | Short-distance reading |
| Infrastructure requirements | Beacons & gateways | LoRa stations and network | RFID readers and tags |
| Power consumption | Low | Very Low | Variable (passive/low, active/high) |
| Installation costs | Medium | High | Medium to high |
| Adaptability to the construction industry | Excellent (indoor/outdoor compatibility) | Medium (especially for large perimeters) | Limited (especially for storage) |
Bluetooth is particularly well-suited to the construction tool tracking use case, to meet the environmental and budgetary needs and constraints of the construction industry.
Bluetooth for construction tool tracking: advantages and disadvantages
The use of BLE for construction tool tracking enables detailed monitoring of equipment, at low cost and with low energy consumption. However, it is essential to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this technology in order to adapt it to the specific needs encountered in the construction sector.
| Benefits | Cons |
| Low acquisition cost: 5 to 10x cheaper than other geolocation technologies. | Interference and obstacles: Sensitive to materials such as metal and concrete, reducing range. |
| Easy to deploy: quick installation without complex wiring. | Time accuracy: position updating depends on the selected transmission period. |
| Interoperability: Compatible with many systems (Wi-Fi, existing routers). | |
| Low power consumption: ideal for battery-powered devices. |
Bluetooth infrastructure for construction tool tracking
The implementation of a BLE tracking system relies on various technological elements.
Tracking beacons, placed directly on tools and equipment, emit Bluetooth signals that are picked up by dedicated gateways. Indoors, these can be fixed and connected via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Outdoors, mobile solutions are generally preferred, using smartphones or trackers installed in worksite vehicles or life bases.
As IoT integrators, you play a key role in these processes by developing data visualization platforms. This enables centralized, optimized management of equipment in real time. To better visualize the results obtained by deploying Bluetooth sensors in your solutions, here’s a concrete example of an application illustrated by the Eiffage success story…
Case study: Eiffage Rail and the automatic inventory of railway equipment
Eiffage Rail has deployed a BLE beacon system to track and manage its rail equipment. Thanks to this technology, the time spent on equipment inventory has been considerably reduced, improving operational efficiency and minimizing financial and material losses. The use of connected beacons has enabled better allocation of resources and optimized management of tooling on the various intervention sites. ➡ Discover Eiffage’s success story
Optimizing equipment management by geolocating site tools is a strategic challenge for the construction industry. In addition to equipment tracking tools, geolocation can also be used to optimize the safety of lone workers. ➡ Discover our article on geolocation for lone workers.
