Best EHS monitoring software for construction sites
Milvian AI teamFacilities and infrastructure intelligence
A construction site needs monitoring that moves with the work: dust, noise, temporary power and water, measured across phases. Wireless, battery sensors suit sites where nothing is permanent.
Why a site is hard to monitor
A construction site changes every week. The cutting, grinding and drilling that raise dust move from floor to floor, power comes from temporary boards and generators, and nothing can be hard-wired.
Silica is the headline risk. OSHA's construction standard, 29 CFR 1926.1153, sets a permissible exposure limit of 50 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average, with an action level of 25. Wildfire smoke adds an outdoor particulate risk: Burke and colleagues found wildfires drove up to 25 percent of US PM2.5 in recent years.
What the monitoring must do
| Requirement | Why it matters here | Ask the vendor |
|---|---|---|
| Move with the work. | Dust sources shift as phases change. | How quickly can sensors be relocated and re-mapped? |
| Run without wiring. | Temporary sites lack fixed power and networks. | What is the battery life and the gateway coverage? |
| Track noise at the boundary. | Neighbors and permits set limits. | Do you log sound levels with timestamps? |
| Meter temporary power and water. | Generators and site water are real costs. | Can you meter generator fuel or output and site water? |
Rules and direction
OSHA's silica standard requires employers to assess exposure, using air monitoring or the objective data and control methods it allows. Personal sampling remains the compliance method; area monitors give early warning between samples. Particulate standards are tightening as well: EPA lowered the annual PM2.5 standard to 9.0 micrograms per cubic meter in February 2024.
How to evaluate it
- Map the phase planKnow where dusty work happens each month.
- Place a starter kitPut particulate and noise sensors at the work face and the boundary.
- Test relocationMove a sensor and check the map updates.
- Hand over the recordExport a week of data in the format your EHS team files.
Where Aqueduct fits
aQ AirSafe sensors measure particulates, VOCs, CO2, temperature, humidity and sound, and run on LoRaWAN, so they need no site wiring. Readings carry battery and connection health in aQ Core, and zones can be redrawn as phases move. aQ EnergySmart meters temporary boards and generators, and aQ WaterGuard covers site water. Your EHS team keeps ownership of exposure assessments and records.
Sources
| Source | Link |
|---|---|
| OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.1153 Respirable crystalline silica | osha.gov |
| Burke et al., PNAS, 2021 | pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |
| US EPA, PM2.5 NAAQS reconsideration, 2024 | epa.gov |
