Safety in Data
November 12, 2007
Continuing the series on establishing effective strategies for using mobile technology, CT Today looks at safety management. Part one of our series looked at collecting time and production data from the field, while part two examined using mobile applications to ensure quality control with subcontractors.
Barry Nelson, CEO, DBO2, www.dbo2.com, Redwood City, Calif., says contractors should utilize mobile technology for identifying productivity or quality improvement opportunities early in the project—before an at-risk situation develops. The company’s SafetyNet product is a software-based service delivered via the Internet to browsers on mobile devices. Contractors subscribe to the service, which collects and analyzes thousands of safety observations to recognize future issues and provides instant notification of risky behaviors.
The product allows contractors to record observations in up to 20 specific safety and risk areas via a mobile device. These observations are automatically reviewed against safety parameters and organized into usable reports.
One of the biggest benefits to the system is allowing for increased teamwork through the ability to share pertinent safety observations. As contractors continue to work across multiple locations and with a growing number of partners, the need for establishing consistent safety processes is elevated. It becomes a situation where mobile technology is doing much more than simply eliminating paper processes in the field—it is helping lower your risk on jobs.
“Sure, it is great to eliminate paperwork and unnecessary administrative tasks. But the big money lies in using technology that enables leaders to see patterns that indicate at-risk situations, in order to take advantage of productivity and quality improvement opportunities early on in the process,” says Nelson.
He believes the larger opportunity—and ultimately the one with the biggest payoff—lies in using technology to eliminate the rework or avoid injuries. He says, “In this case, you not only do away with the root problem but also with the administration associated with processing it.”