FAQ: Digital Safety Inspection Forms

How Can Effective Forms Help Support Health and Safety?

If safety hazards are removed, required repairs fixed, and compliance regulations met, this sets the groundwork for a safe and healthy environment. An effective inspection form is a great way to enable all of these things. Not only does it provide valuable insight into known problems, it can reveal concerns that were not originally considered. Effective forms provide transparency in the field, another key component to health and safety. For more on creating an effective inspection form, check out What Makes A Good Safety Inspection Form.

How Does Transparency Affect Inspection Effectiveness?

Transparency means being able to look at raw data in the office and have a clear image of what is going on in the field. An effective form provides details other than, “Is this broken?” It can tell you the state of an asset, and how soon it might need maintenance. It can also provide valuable insight into existing safety procedures, and any gaps that may need to be filled. On top of this, a truly transparent form gives more than just raw data: it provides rich data, as well, that gives the back office a window directly into the field.

What Is “Rich Data,” and Why Is It Helpful?

Rich data can include anything from photos and sounds, to GPS and timestamps. The inclusion of rich data adds an extra level of authenticity and visibility into inspections. Photos, sketches and audio provide visual proof of compliance along with walk-through notes, and recordings of machinery. Meanwhile, GPS and timestamp data prove where and when forms were submitted, and can be used to provide field workers with directions to where they’re meant to be.

Why Choose Digital Over Paper?

Digital forms make filling out inspections easy. Enabling field workers to take notes, sketch, record audio, and take photos all on one device rather than using four different platforms streamlines workflows, so field workers no longer have to juggle pens, cameras, notepads, and audio recorders. All they need is what they already carry with them: a cell phone or tablet.

What Kind of Training Is Required to Use Digital Forms?

When implementing any kind of solution, training is one of the biggest consumers of time and resources. Digital forms, though, are just like any other form. Once technicians know how to access their forms by opening the app on their smartphone, the rest is just paperwork. Then, once the tech hits “send,” that’s it. No scanning paperwork, no data entry, no filing cabinets.

Register for our Free Webinar: Keeping a Pulse on Field Safety Trends