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Samsung survey of Canadian construction workers illustrates challenges and risks when using consumer devices on jobsites.
(Photo courtesy of Samsung Electronics Canada)
Canadian manufacturers and builders are already managing the added costs of tariffs, labour shortages and supply chain pressures, but a new survey points to another hidden cost that may be of interest: fragile frontline tech. A national survey conducted by Samsung Canada and Leger polling 510 Canadian frontline workers found that construction, and trade workers in particular, are struggling with devices not designed for the environments they work in.
According to the survey, more than 80 per cent have damaged their devices, with cracked screens affecting three in four, and 44 per cent of survey respondents stated that device failures have delayed projects by more than an hour.
That’s troubling given the proliferation of, and reliance on, these digital tools. Nearly 70 per cent stated that mobile devices are critical to their jobs, relying on them daily for navigation, documentation and communication. Almost one in three surveyed said they had experienced a situation where a damaged device resulted in an inability to submit critical documentation.
“We’re seeing more construction teams integrate mobile apps for scheduling, documentation, and compliance, but that productivity only holds if the hardware keeps up,” stated Doug Higgins, vice-president and head of B2B at Samsung Electronics Canada. “A cracked screen or drained battery can bring a job site to a standstill, causing inefficiencies within the business.”
Despite these challenges, 77 per cent of workers still use standard consumer devices, though 67 per cent say rugged technology is essential to their work. Top amongst the features they look for in rugged devices include dust, water, and drop resistance (93 per cent), glove-compatible touchscreens (86 per cent), fast charging (91 per cent), and replaceable batteries (76 per cent).
“The reality is, standard consumer devices aren’t designed for the dust, vibration, and temperature swings of a construction environment,” said Higgins. “Workers need technology that’s purpose-built: rugged, reliable, and equipped to handle long shifts in tough conditions.”
While a cracked screen or a dead battery may seem like small issues, their impact can quickly multiply across teams and projects, adding labour costs, downtime and missed deadlines at a time when every efficiency matters. Samsung recently introduced a lineup of rugged tablets and phones designed to address many of the challenges cited by the contractors surveyed.