Anyone who has seen the photos has to be impressed. While many plots of formerly grassy land are basically sand pits, the debris and devastation left strewn across Japan following the earthquake and tsunami that hit Fukushima in 2011 is nearly gone. From collapsed homes and furniture to massive boats literally tossed ashore by the massive wave, cleanup efforts have turned to actual rebuilding as Japan continues the long journey back to normal. Perhaps equally impressive is the effort from workers around the world, coming together and putting their best construction tools to work for the greater good.

In a recovery effort that involved aid workers in the UK, construction companies in the US and government officials from Japan, many different groups had to work together to stabilize Japan in the early going. For construction companies and builders looking to bring people from foreign nations on board, there are several construction and measuring tools that can be of use to help break through the language barrier.

Measurement Conversion Calculator: Many countries outside the US are not on the same measurement system as we are. Having a conversion calculator at your construction site can help foreigners who don't measure in feet and inches make sense of common measurements your team uses.

Stair Calculators While they may seem like simple structures, flights of stairs can be some of the most complicated parts of any building project. Stairs calculators can help reduce these calculations down to simple numbers for builders of all nationalities. From measuring the depth and rise of each stair to keeping cuts long enough for each stair to reinforcing and strengthening the stairway so it is up to code, stair measurements have to be perfect before they hit your construction tools and leave no room for poor communication between your team. Make sure you have a stair calculator that can offer all measurements clearly and in a variety of conversions and scales.

Distance Measuring Tools: In large building projects like Fukushima, marking off large swaths of land is an everyday occurrence. Keeping property lines and other barriers during cleanup requires the use of estimating tools and other distance measuring devices. By marking off different areas and measuring the lines you have to work with, builders can see how large a foundation they have to fill and how big of a structure they can build on. From laser measurements to distance wheels, surveyors and builders can better determine the scope of different reconstruction projects to keep order in large projects like Fukushima.