The Need to Confirm “Eyes On” Inspection

Mobile Checklist Support, Process Assurance Management, Risk Management, Safety

An aquatic facility manager once told me he found his CPO completing a months’ worth of water quality inspection forms on the day he was submitting them to the health department. It was just too much trouble carrying the forms around while doing inspections, he had found it easier to fill them out once back at the office. That had evolved to completing all with normative data at the end of the month. It didn’t mean the inspection wasn’t done, it simply meant there was no accurate record of it. The question becomes how long  before a few inspections are missed, yet there is a completed report? That is the beginning of an eventual catastrophic outcome.

Employees will always find a shortcut to completing any process. At times that resembles efficiency, but often it is avoidance of your best practice standards. They are willing to take chances you are not. It matters little if we are using paper or digital checklists if there is no confidence that either reflects an actual “eyes on” procedure. However, the use of a digital device does provide the technology that can deliver certainty.

The RiskWatchCloud uses two methods that confirm inspections are “eyes on.” Our checklist app has a feature that requires a digital label to be scanned before an inspection report can be opened. This works particularly well for equipment inspections. The label is created in the software at the same time the device is added, and once sent to a printer it is a simple matter to attach it. This also works equally well for room or “area” inspections. Simply attach the label to a wall. The legal requirement is “on or near” the inspected item(s).

The other method used is our GPS feature. We can assign a location for any device or inspection area that includes GPS coordinates. Creating the report at the assigned location will automatically attach those coordinates. When an inspection report is filed, the system compares the location of the user with the assigned device or area location.

Both will place the employee at or near the device or area when the inspection was done. It validates that at the time of the inspection, there were “eyes on.” It is an added level of accountability.

The need for confirmation is not a failure of trust; rather it is a matter of trust but verify!

Safety: Certainty that what is supposed to work does work!

Mobile Checklist Support, Process Assurance Management, Risk Management, Safety

An AED almost never fails, but they do require management and oversight. One of our clients was a large recreational facility. Using a mobile device, the staff would start each shift by scanning a QR label on their AED that would confirm eyes-on completion of a ready report. One inspection noted that the battery had failed despite an expiration date a year in the future. It happens. Unfortunately, the management team relied on the expiration date not wanting to invest in a backup battery. But the non-compliant status automatically generated an immediate follow-up, a new battery was overnighted, and the single AED for that facility was operative 24 hours later.

That incident happened on a Monday, on Thursday one of their clients suffered a cardiac arrest. The AED was rapidly deployed by the staff, and the individual was responsive by the time the ambulance arrived. He survived to be discharged from the hospital several days later. One can imagine the outcome without that accountability tool. And yes, on Friday that manager invested in a backup battery.

Certainty is a level of confidence attributed to a particular knowledge. Safety checklists are an accountability tool that provides certainty, knowledge that all elements of a safety procedure are in place. They are particularly effective when they require eyes-on reporting, automatic non-compliant notification, and follow-up inspection.

The RiskWatchCloud provides certainty, a particular knowledge that your safety equipment is in place and functional, your staff ready to implement a policy that must be successfully carried out the first time. Our mobile checklist system saved the life above, and others! We can deliver an entire safety system, or in many cases integrate our mobile checklist application into your legacy product. Contact us, we are always happy to discuss your needs.

Providing a Roadmap for Employee Success

Mobile Checklist Support, Process Assurance Management, Risk Management, Safety, Training

The staffing needs of the recreational community frequently requires part time or seasonal work. The ideal employee fit is often young people seeking an entry level opportunity. For the employer that solution is not unproblematic.

Lacking life experience and maturity, young employees are less capable of critical thought, often fail to recognize organizational priorities, and can make poor decisions that negatively impact both customer service and safety. Comprehensive on-boarding and consistent managerial oversight are critical. But what is most needed is an on-going roadmap for employee success.

Checklists and workflow reports are often thought of as a management tool, but by crafting an employee-centric document they can serve as a guide for your expectations. As part of the safety process the repetitive action of completing  a readiness report by a young staffer prepares them to react rapidly and effectively. Designed similarly to a checklist, a workflow report is a guide to what is to be done and when it is to be done. Utilizing both lets the employee know that they are accountable for the organization’s safety and customer service process.

Being a young employee means learning responsibility, acclimating to a work environment, and becoming a self-sufficient team member. Being a good manager means providing a pathway for their success.