Are you thinking about going paperless? Read on for answers to the “Why” and “How” of Your Business Going Paperless.

What are paperless safety inspection systems?

To understand what a paperless safety inspection system is, let’s first establish what a paper safety inspection system is. Paper-based systems utilize manual processes to collect data during inspections. These processes include filling out forms, entering data from forms into business systems, and physically filing forms away and/or scanning them.

On the other hand, paperless safety inspection systems (sometimes referred to as digital systems) utilize software to collect and manage data. This means that inspectors use mobile devices to record observations, rather than writing them by hand on paper forms.

Paper vs. Paperless Safety Inspection Systems

Should you go paperless?

There are many factors to consider when trying to decide whether or not you should switch from a paper system to a paperless one (or, if you are just setting up your safety inspection system, which you should implement in the first place).

Some business owners are tempted to use paper systems because of how easy they are to implement. Different team members may have varying levels of experience working with digital tools, but everyone is familiar with paper! Plus, simply paying for packs of paper, ink cartridges, and pens feels cheaper than forking over hundreds of dollars a month for a software provider.

However, there are other ways that paper-based systems will cost you. Paper systems may look good on paper (no pun intended), but since they rely on manual processes, the risk of human error occurring is high. 

Here is a list of some of the downsides of paper systems:

  • Risk of documents going missing, being damaged, or being incomplete
  • Potential for illegible handwriting
  • Need to physically store and organize forms
  • Lengthy data reporting, retrieval, and analysis processes
  • Delayed or uninformed decision-making
  • No way to verify that the times and locations written down are accurate
  • Having to replace lost or damaged documents

Now let’s take a look at the alternative: paperless safety inspection systems.

Undoubtedly, paperless system have a higher up-front implementation cost. Don’t let hearing this make you quickly write them off though! Yes, the initial cost is much greater, but paper systems actually tend to be more expensive in the long run. As we all know, time is money, and paper-based systems use up a lot of time. Ultimately, paperless safety inspection systems give you more bang for your buck when it comes to labor costs. But why is this?

For one, data collection itself is faster using a paperless system, thanks to the way that these systems reduce repetitive tasks via automation. One 90-day study of 12 mining, construction, and fleet operations found that going paperless decreased inspection time by 67%. This increases productivity by allowing inspectors to dedicate more of their time to doing actual project work, not filling out forms.

Luckily, the time-saving ability of paperless systems doesn’t stop there. Not only do inspectors not have to manually enter data, they also don’t have to re-enter that same data into a computer system after inspections are complete. If inspectors need to attach a photo to an inspection done on paper, they have to first scan that inspection form into a computer system and then separately upload the photo from their phone. With digital systems, data, observations, and photos are all automatically saved to the device and the building they were recorded in.

Paperless safety inspection systems also speed up the processes of generating reports and retrieving data. Instead of having to manually analyze data, inspectors can generate reports at the press of a button and even send them directly from the within the software platform. Additionally, since data is stored in the cloud, it is accessible at any moment—no rifling through filing cabinets required. Data can even be pulled based on certain criteria, such as date or asset.

Other benefits of paperless safety inspection systems include:

As your business grows, your inspection system needs to be able to grow along with it. Unfortunately, the larger a business is, the harder it is for paper systems to keep up, due to increased paperwork and storage needs, as well as coordination difficulties. Using a digital platform allows you to unify operations across every team, office, and department.

Paperless systems offer a level of standardization that ensures comparability of data sets from different inspections. The use of required fields and the ability of digital systems to provide data validation in real time also reduces instances of human error.

Since data is stored in the cloud, it cannot be lost, unlike in paper systems where misplacing a binder can mean catastrophe. Cloud-hosted platforms also quicken data retrieval, making it is easier to review past inspection procedures and results.

Paperless safety inspection systems offer administrators the ability to track inspection statuses by the second. Administrators are also granted instant access to inspection results and view of constantly updated live dashboards displaying key metrics. Because of this, administrators are better able to identify trends among data and determine the optimal way to allocate resources.

In addition to decreasing paper consumption, paperless systems generate less waste and use less energy and resources than paper systems. This may sound backward, but the amount of energy needed to both produce and dispose of paper is significant.

Digital systems allow you to schedule, conduct, document, track, and manage inspections all from one platform. Note that you are able to integrate your inspection system with other digital business systems as well.

Paperless safety inspection systems help you stay on top of inspections by automating push notifications to field workers and offering pre-existing inspection questions verifying code compliance. OSHA inspectors also prefer electronic records, as they are able to verify dates and timestamps.

When an inspection fails, paperless systems automatically recommend corrective actions to be taken against deficiencies. This journey of documenting deficiencies, assigning their remedies to team members, and closing them out can all be tracked on the same digital system.

What to look for in a paperless safety inspection system

If, after reading all of that, you have decided that going paperless is the right choice for you and your business, then you may now be wondering how to select the right inspection software. Lucky for you, in this section we will go over some of the features you should be on the look out for when selecting software. 

To ensure you have access to the full range of benefits paperless systems can offer, make sure your digital system checks all of the following boxes:

  • Cloud-hosted
  • Secure
    • Make sure your data is encrypted and backed up.
  • Compatible with mobile and desktop devices
  • Able to integrate with third-party business tools
  • Offline functionality
    • Data collected while offline should automatically sync to the system once your device is online again.
  • User-friendly design
    • The software you choose should have a simple user interface, as well as training resources to familiarize users with the system.
  • Customizable
    • You should be able to set recurring schedules for different tasks, assign tasks and corrective actions to users, and set up notifications to remind users of tasks. Forms, checklists, and workflows must be configurable to your needs. Make sure you are able to group questions together on forms and checklists, as well as utilize conditional logic features to determine which follow-up questions are shown to users.
  • Library of templates
    • The best paperless safety inspection systems offer you both pre-existing templates based off of codes and the ability to build your own templates.
  • Immediate report generation
  • Live dashboards displaying current analytics
  • Scalable

The best paperless safety inspection system available

There are many paperless safety inspection systems and life safety inspection apps on the market, but none of them beat InspectNTrack. Not only does InspectNTrack offer all of the features listed above, it was the first to do so.

Though paperless systems are increasingly becoming the norm, they used to be revolutionary. In the 1980s, TISCOR Protrac—the very first means of automating inspections—was developed. Primitive as they may seem now, the crystal-tipped wands that scanned asset barcodes were what kicked off the move away from clipboards and paper forms. As time progressed, TISCOR continued to innovate and solve customer issues, before eventually being rebranded as InspectNTrack in 2013.

Fortunately, the spirit of innovation that lived in TISCOR did not disappear when the name was changed. Today, InspectNTrack is committed to continuing the work that TISCOR started by working tirelessly to meet customer needs.

Take a look at the packages we offer, decide which fits your needs best, and request a free demo today!

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