Not only is the shift from paper forms to digital a major worldwide trend but it is also a transformation that many businesses have undertaken to make operations easier. These mobile forms are able to collect data from the field and users are able to send results back to a company headquarters.
Experts in the health and safety are increasingly adopting mobile forms and appreciate the ability to use them when performing their daily duties. Accuracy and efficiency especially in health and safety is crucial as it could mean the difference between a safe and compliant workplace and one where poor practices could lead to injury or death. Below are advantages to using mobile forms in the area of health and safety and reasons to consider adopting them.
1. Increased operational efficiency
Historically, health and safety workers would have to have access to a fax machine or wait until the return to headquarters to share information. In both of these situations, it would still be someone’s responsibility to input the information into a database for record-keeping purposes or to analyze them at a later date, leading to delays in the ability to access details of an inspection.
Mobile forms are becoming increasingly popular because of the ability to collect data on a smartphone or tablet then share it instantly with a push of a button. They allow for the generation of reports within seconds and allow the user to send information and results to whoever needs it instantly.
2. Better compliance
A mobile form allows employees to become more aware when in the field and holds everyone more accountable for their actions. As a manager, you will be able to easily transfer mobile forms that are up-to-date and relevant to your field workers so that they can take necessary measures pertaining to health and safety immediately. The speed of data submission has helped to improve the time taken to react to a particular act which is crucial in the field.
Digital mobile forms can come with features such as single sign-on and time stamps and these can help managers to know who is completing a form as well as where and when they are doing it. It provides you with the capabilities of creating both individual and group permissions assigned to the appropriate form for a user as well as their ability to access data.
3. Improved accuracy and reduced human errors
Poor penmanship and incomplete answers are some of the mistakes which can occur when using hard-copy forms and when it comes to health and safety this could be tragic. Mobile forms can highlight incomplete responses and makes it impossible to submit the inspection until all questions are completed as needed.
This is crucial in health and safety inspections when a lack of information could have dire consequences. Mobile forms also reduce the chances of mistakes occurring due to poor penmanship because all information and reports are typed on the form instead of handwritten.
4. Ability to track and analyze
Better organization and quick availability of data within your system are among the many benefits of using mobile forms in health and safety inspections. Having all information collected from health and safety inspections and saving it electronically allows personnel to search through any data effectively and in a timelier manner. This provides a company with the ability to track data which comes from the field and then compare it to other data.
The generation of reports is actively supported and easy to do which gives companies a snapshot regarding which companies that inspections were completed on are in compliance with regulations, which ones needs to be concentrated on, and if enforcement of health and safety laws needs to be looked at.
