Why construction sites are hard to protect
Copper, tools, fuel and machinery stand in the open, fences are temporary, and nobody is on site between evening and morning. Guard patrols are expensive and cover a site only part of the time. Many sites already have cameras or a camera mast, but recordings are only checked after a loss is discovered.
What ProDataAI Lens watches for on site
- Perimeter breaches and theft at night: people or vehicles in the site area outside working hours.
- Vehicle movements: vehicles counted in and out at the site entrance, with the time.
- Unattended machinery and material areas: activity near storage containers, machine parks and material stores at hours you set.
- Safety gear during working hours, if you want it: missing helmets and high-visibility vests in areas you define, as a safety alert. See safety gear detection.
Because sites change, the areas you draw on the camera image can be adjusted as the work moves on.
Setup on a construction site
ProDataAI Lens reads standard IP cameras and network video recorders. On a construction site the cameras usually sit on a mast or a container with a mobile connection. A small agent on site reads the camera streams and sends video over one outbound, encrypted connection, so no ports have to be opened. Where the connection is weak, a GPU server on site can handle detection (hybrid), and where nothing may leave the site, everything runs on premises.
Read more on cloud, hybrid or on premises.
Workers on site, data protection and the works council
Construction sites are workplaces. If cameras can see workers, plan the setup with your works council and data protection officer: purposes per camera, hours, who receives alerts, retention. ProDataAI Lens reports events and does not identify people: no facial recognition, no tracking of individuals, no performance figures. Subcontractors' workers should be informed by signage and, where you can, through the site rules.
Frequently asked questions
Can ProDataAI Lens work with a mobile camera mast?
If the mast provides standard IP camera streams and a network connection, yes. We check the connection quality in the pilot; for weak connections, detection on a server on site (hybrid) is an option.
Does it replace a security guard?
No. It makes sure the people you have act on real events with the clip in hand. Many sites combine ProDataAI Lens alerts with a guard service or a call-out provider. See AI video analytics and guard services.
Can we move the protected areas as the site changes?
Yes. The areas are drawn on the camera image and can be changed when the work moves on.
Which security cameras work for construction sites?
Standard IP cameras and network video recorders, usually on a mast or a site container with a mobile connection. You can keep the cameras you own or rent; in the pilot we check which ones give reliable alerts.
What happens when the system raises an alarm at night?
The alert goes with a snapshot and a short clip to the person or service you choose, for example the site manager or a call-out provider, who decides what to do.
Does it work for construction sites in the UK?
Yes. UK sites are set up and supported in English, with data protection built for UK GDPR. See ProDataAI Lens for UK businesses.
Is AI construction site monitoring GDPR-compliant?
It can be set up that way: a clear purpose per camera, detection areas limited to the site, short retention, signage at the entrances and, where cameras see workers, an agreement with the works council. ProDataAI Lens does not recognise faces or identify people. See our guide to GDPR, works council and the EU AI Act.