SafeTKBlog

Keep up with the latest news and projects from the team at SafeTK.

Mobile Solutions to Safety Permitting

As more and more companies move to mobile safety permitting solutions, one of the primary challenges they face is the decision of which routine responsibilities and functions need to be accessible by the mobile device. As a rule, mobility should increase efficiency rather than create additional labor or ballooning processes – the sole purpose of a mobile solution is to save time. While a mobile solution creates benefits including reduction in labor hours and streamlined daily activities, the goal of an improved, easy to use workflow must remain a priority for the organization.

 

To be able to deliver value to the customer, a mobile solution must provide a simple and easy to use format. An application that is chocked full of excess buttons and screens creates more opportunities for mistakes and generates more time spent on the process, rather than the work that is needed. For this reason, it is critical to an organization to have a solution that is designed to meet the individual needs of the business and built to meet the company’s particular operational requirements. As more and more businesses transition to a mobile solution for plant maintenance, the application must be adapted to manage necessary functionality while improving the workflow process and enhancing efficiency. Some of the features that a mobile solution should offer include:

 

Immediate Data

Maintenance operators need immediate access to the necessary data as well as real-time notifications and confirmations. An operator will be able to finish repair work sooner if they are able to use a mobile device to view schematics or current work orders rather than spending valuable labor hours gathering and assembling all of the essential permits for the repair. When the operator is able to utilize real-time updates, hours of paperwork can be spared and a more precise tracking of the work order can be delivered.

 

A Simple Interface

When transitioning to a mobile solution, one of the challenges faced by operations is the limitations of a devices screen size in comparison to the desktop. While completing plant maintenance, it is often a challenge to convert the intricate solutions to the smaller screen of a mobile device, especially for organizations that use SAP for their planning and scheduling. To help guarantee that the maximum users adopt the new process, businesses need to recognize which of the vital process of daily plant maintenance are to be displayed on the device. The more simple and user- friendly the material is to access, the faster the updates can be completed. This is a situation where an excess of buttons or large blocks of text can serve to clutter the interface rather than enhancing the users process. A streamlined interface makes organizational adoption an easier process.

 

Barcode scanning

A mobile solution is designed to curtail a waste in time. Each second or minute that is shaved off of the process enables more valuable time to be spent accomplishing the needs of the business by increasing productivity and reducing the cost of labor. QR code and barcode scanning with a mobile device dramatically improve the process of searching for equipment information. Not only can the act of scanning assist with equipment history, this function can be utilized to search for necessary parts.

 

Inspections and Routes

For employees who are engaged in planning and scheduling, a mobile device can be used generate, view and update measurement points and maintenance routes in real time. These operators are also able to approve notifications instantly and respond to notifications while remaining on the operations floor. This mobility provides an opportunity create a more complete picture of what has been accomplished and what tasks are still in process.

 

Document viewing

Operators will be able to make knowledgeable and informed decisions about work orders and tasks when they are able to view documents in several different formats such as PDF. Mobile solutions must be able to deliver access to the relevant documents while accommodating multiple formats of relevant documents such as technical instructions, schematics and safety documents. An additional advantage when utilizing a mobile solution is the streamlining process which creates a reduction in physical printing.

 

Images

When plant maintenance operators are able to attach images, hours of vital labor hours are saved instead of spent typing long and detailed descriptions describing a single element of equipment. When utilized during breakdowns, this functionality helps to create a more complete record of the breakdown and provide greater visibility and awareness of the equipment reliability.

 

Quick Implementation

Adding a mobile application to the maintenance process should be simple and easy. With the a rapid and flexible deployment of the application, a business will be able to see and utilize the benefits of the mobile solution.

Partnering with Stilwell & Associates means that you will have access to the most current and up to date product on the market that will not let you down. Unlike other well-known software solutions, SafeTK™ has the cross-functionality between modules that saves our clients a substantial amount of time. You can issue a full work package within a few minutes (or less if utilizing an authorized procedure or standard) and that includes the printing of the tags.