Safety audits in field service management are a vital practice that ensures the safety of both field personnel and customers. They identify potential hazards, evaluate to what extent the implemented safety practices match the standards, and prevent accidents before they occur. If a company conducts regular safety audits, it shows its legal commitment to the organization of a proper working environment for its employees.
By leveraging remote visual support technology, companies can optimize their auditing processes more effectively, collect more accurate and comprehensive data, and as a result, improve safety outcomes on-site.
1. Consequences of not having remote visual support for field service safety audits
Without the ability to capture real-time visual evidence and utilize video technology, several critical consequences may arise.
1.1. Incomplete documentation
Traditionally, safety audits are conducted using reports and static photographs. There is no opportunity for the experts to collaborate other than exchange emails that are easy to lose or to rely on editable documents. Such reports often do not provide a comprehensive depiction of the work environment (E.g. there is no video recording that would allow hearing the sound of the machines to determine whether the engines run smoothly). It is easy to misinterpret the details which may lead to safety violations and even potential risks.
1.2. Lack of visibility on distant sites
Safety audits are mostly needed for work environment that involves risks. Usually, it concerns the areas that may be difficult to reach and where there is no good connectivity. Therefore, without the right tool that could facilitate safety audits, experts will not have enough awareness of the situation which can negatively impact the overall safety culture within the organization by putting field technicians in danger.
1.3. Limited insights
Suppose a safety audit using traditional means of communication has managed to identify some pain points and the experts even resolved them. Without remote visual support, there is no video footage that could help keep track of the occurred incidents. Meanwhile, it is an invaluable resource for conducting in-depth analysis and identifying patterns or trends in safety incidents. Chances that these incidents will reoccur significantly decrease.
1.4. Difficulty to resolve disputes
In the case of legal procedures related to a safety issue, if there is no video evidence, it may be almost impossible to clarify the sequence of events and establish accountability which may lead to prolonged disputes, increased liability, and potential reputational damage of the company.
2. How does remote visual support work in field service safety audits?
As you may have guessed, remote visual support solutions can mitigate the aforementioned risks. But before we delve into the specific benefits in detail, let’s discuss how remote visual support works in action.
2.1. A real-time video call for field service safety audits
An expert in the service center sends a technician in the field a weblink to connect to a real-time video call via SMS or Whatsapp directly from the field service management software. Both interlocutors get connected in the video-recorded interface. The expert becomes the eyes and ears of the technicians: he/she can assess the equipment through the technician’s back or front camera, take snapshots, use collaborative tools (drawing, adding text, etc.) to guide the technician through the audit and upload supporting documents with no limit in size.
In case the audit takes more than one video call, new sessions can be triggered from the same ticket, so both parties have a sequenced process. All the shared media will be accessible in the archive and found in the field service app thanks to the seamless integration.
2.1. Asynchronous collaboration for field service safety audits
Real-time calls are a great tool in an environment with decent internet connectivity, but what about the sites mentioned at the beginning of the article where good connectivity may be difficult to achieve? Modern remote visual support tools like ViiBE introduced asynchronous collaboration for this specific use case.
A safety audit can be broken down into several stages: when the technician asynchronously films the situation on site and when the expert assesses it and proposes recommendations.
The flow is the following:
- The expert sends the field technician a video report that can be accessed through the weblink via SMS or Whatsapp.
- The technician on-site in bad connectivity films the assets following the standard process of safety audits, and once the connection is restored, he/she clicks on the link and uploads all the videos, pictures, documents, etc. to the video report.
- The technician sends the report to the expert in the service center which will appear in the field service management software.
- The expert accesses the report, provides feedback in the comments, or even requests the technician to make another one if needed.
It is crucial to notice that the video report is a powerful functionality not only for the use cases in bad connectivity. Overall, it can be used to create a storage of the videos that show the state of the assets to use as proof of the conducted safety audits.
3. Benefits of using remote visual support for field safety audits
Based on the described operational flow, let’s sum up the value that remote visual assistance adds to your safety audits.
3.1. Improved documentation
Thanks to remote visual support, all the hazards and safety violations are documented with complete context, unlike static photographs in email attachments. They constitute a more accurate and comprehensive record of the performed activities.
3.2. Better training for field personnel
Video archives of conducted safety audits can be utilized as use cases for technicians that need to be among the first employees who must be aware of the safety practices on-site. This visual context enhances the effectiveness of training programs and fosters a sense of collaboration and knowledge sharing.
3.3. In-depth analysis of field service safety audits
By reviewing video footage, organizations can identify the root causes of accidents, safety violations, or inefficiencies. This analysis helps to unveil patterns, trends, or recurring issues, allowing for targeted improvements and preventive measures. This constituted knowledge base enables companies to make data-driven decisions, optimize safety protocols, and proactively enhance operational efficiency.
3.4. More efficient dispute resolution
Video recordings of the sessions provide an accurate, visual representation of events, minimizing ambiguity and supporting the resolution of conflicts. It helps organizations establish accountability and defend their positions effectively.
3.5. Flexible remote collaboration
Remote visual support bridges the gap between field service technicians and experts in the service center. It takes into account different use cases even the ones with bad connectivity. Video reports are a great alternative for professionals in different geographic locations, who speak different languages, and happen to be overwhelmed with tickets. Asynchronous collaboration allows them to collaborate at a convenient time and never lose track of the performed safety audit. The collaborative interface facilitates more precise diagnostics that can mitigate the risk of downtime in the future.
4. Conclusion
In summary, remote visual assistance solution in field service safety audits brings numerous advantages. It improves documentation accuracy, enhances training effectiveness, increases safety awareness, aids in dispute resolution, and enables remote collaboration and knowledge sharing. By embracing video technology, organizations can ensure a safer working environment for their personnel and reduce incidents.
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