The rise of health and safety inspection platforms transformed regulators not only in terms of digitalisation but also in terms of changing the role of inspection software from a tool to a service that allows the integration of other tools as well. IoT technologies are a great example of a tool that can optimise the inspection model by being integrated into an existing inspection platform. Before going deeper into this topic, let’s have a quick look at the definition of IoT:
What is IoT?
IoT (Internet of Things) is the connection between devices and the internet that serves to register changes in the environment. This information is often used to inform decisions and transform many sectors into smarter versions of themselves.
IoT has a big optimisation impact on safety inspections by helping regulators enforce inspection activity when they receive IoT notifications for dangerous activity registered by IoT sensors. The faster notification for high-risk events is a prerequisite for more effective risk mitigation that may save lives.
How the IoT can be integrated into the inspection management system?
There are as many IoT examples, as there are many regulatory sectors in the inspection software segment. For example, if we’re managing food safety inspections in restaurants, we must regularly run inspect checks on how food is being stored. By installing temperature sensors in the fridges that collect data and sends it to the inspection platform, the inspection prioritisation becomes more efficient, because the IoT devices improve safety, reduce costs for unnecessary inspection checks and enables safety inspectors to spend their time on jobs with a relevant risk score.
Related: Food safety inspection and digital transformation
IoT devices may collect complex information that enables inspectors to predict accidents and therefore mitigate high risks on time. The inspection platform enables inspectors to do their job smarter, while IoT helps inspection platforms to become more helpful and provide more actionable information for the tasks that matter the most.
IoT making inspection services smarter – who benefits the most?
The use of inspection software for document management, inspection tracking, scheduling and planning, reports generation etc. gives regulators better visibility on where safety inspectors should focus their time. IoT gives them better visibility on what’s happening in the environment. If the inspection software categories a field of wind turbines as a low-risk entity for the next 6 months due to a recent inspection outcome report, then a thunderstorm may occur and require a new inspection due to a change in the environment. IoT provides inspection platforms with this data and therefore the actionable insight from the platform becomes more valuable.
Integrating IoT on inspection platforms is more than an alarm notification feature. It’s a new way to approach risk management in safety inspections. For more information on how your inspection process can benefit from inspection software and IoT integration, contact us here.
