Energy and pipeline workers get instant access to safety rules on smartphones

The employee or supervisor just scans his own ID card or employee's badge with a smartphone and the list of all key documents appears on the screen. Any document is then instantly visible with one touch.

"This eliminates scrambling to find a critical piece of information, removing another time-eater," said CVS President, David Finkelstein. "This is particularly useful to field workers who are often working far away from the office."

Each card has a QR code that when scanned links the worker's smartphone to essential documents stored in the cloud. Documents can be added or modified at any time, ensuring that up-to-date information is always shown.

"No employee will ever again have the excuse that they didn't know about a particular policy, couldn't find a specific document or didn't know whom to call in an emergency," Finkelstein said. The service is free for CVS clients.

He continued, explaining: “Ensuring that workers do only the jobs they're trained for is one of the most critical steps in a safety programme.”

An inadequately trained worker may injure himself and others, damage expensive equipment, cause fires and release hazardous materials. But, in the rush to get things done, when proper vetting takes valuable time, qualifications can get overlooked.

Supervisors in the field often don't know whether a particular worker is qualified to do a particular task or operate a certain machine.

How can they verify training? Paper files don't cut it because they aren't accessible in the field and get outdated fast. Storing training credentials on a central computer system is a step up, but onsite bosses generally can't access this data.

CVS's solution takes advantage of the fact that every worker has an ID card. First, CVS prints an ID card with a unique quick response (QR) code.

Next, the system accesses the employer's database of employee training records and stores the data in the cloud so that it can be accessed from anywhere.

Now, the supervisor simply scans the ID card with a mobile device to read the QR code. The employee's current training records are immediately displayed on the screen, securely and reliably.

An app that lets authorised trainers automatically record attendees who have completed courses is a free option. The trainer just scans the QR code on the badge of each attendee to instantly update their training records.

CVS provides durable enhanced photo ID cards to many employers in safety-conscious industries such as energy, construction, healthcare, transportation, and energy. It offers a simple turnkey system.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/equipment-and-safety/08022017/energy-and-pipeline-workers-get-instant-access-to-safety-rules-on-smartphones/