Streamlining Safety Operations Through the Widespread Use of Mobility Tablets Jim Barry Vice...

Streamlining Safety

Operations Through the

Widespread Use of Mobility

Tablets

Jim BarryVice President, HSEPCL Construction

ASSE PDCLas Vegas, 2013

Rich Baldwin, CSP

U.S. Director, HSE

PCL Construction

Technical Assistance

Present are three PCL staff members who will help answer technical questions:

• Somsong Phungtham

• Galina Delude

• Jeremy Zimmerman

Content

• Introduction• The Need for Mobility Tablets• Overview of Safety Systems• The Evolution of the PCL SMC• Development of the SMC for

Mobility• Benefits• Negative Aspects• Mobility Tablet Training• Summary

Introduction

Introduction

• Managers’ complain – “Too much time in the office!”

• Initial computer use for safety was limited

• iPad introduced in 2010

• Widespread use in construction

Introduction

• Construction applications developed

• BIM

• Schedules, engineering drawings

The Need for Mobility Tablets

The Value of Field Presence

• HSE staff more valuable in the field

The Value of Field Presence

• Observe and correct hazards

• Presence reminds others to be safe

• Assist and help to train supervisors

Overview of Safety

Systems

Overview of Safety Systems

• The PCL Safety Management Center (SMC) is a data gathering and reporting system that is designed to:

• Reduce the time spent in creating safety reports

• Improve the accuracy of safety statistics

• Provide real time safety trend analysis data and graphs

• Enable accurate review of safety data and trends

Overview of Safety Systems

• The SMC collects HSE information on:

• Behavioral Safety Observations

• Pre-Job Safety Inspections and Audits

• Incidents

• HSE Inspections

• Field Safety Meetings

• District/Project HSE Committee Meetings

• Subcontractor Hours

• Monthly Safe Action Plans

Overview of Safety Systems

• Collecting Data Enables:

• Trend analysis of:

• Incident Causes

• Incident Types

• Body Parts Injured

• Updating of OSHA Logs

Overview of Safety Systems

PCL SMC Evolution

PCL SMC Evolution• Originally developed in 2005

• Research and trial and error involved

• Forms modeled after those in the HSE Manual

• InfoPath was used for data entry• InfoPath Forms were saved to Windows SharePoint Services 3.0

PCL SMC Evolution• InfoPath Forms Services

Technology • In MS SharePoint Server 2007 Enterprise CAL

• Also in MS Office Forms Server 2007.

PCL SMC Evolution

Since 2005, additional forms and capabilities added to SMC• Use of mobility tablets

requires completely different systems

• Users with web browser access do not need to have InfoPath installed

• Subcontractors can access our SMC on the web

PCL SMC Evolution• To run off-line, Windows 8 or

iPad SMC application is needed• The complexity of the HSE

forms required the development of unique applications

• Using off-the-shelf forms would have reduced development costs

PCL SMC Evolution

• Project Resources Library• Access to cache of documents

readily available anytimeo HSE Manualso Trade contractor informationo JHAso Fed and State OSHA and

Provinical Standards

PCL SMC Evolution

• Project Resources Libraryo Competent persons logo Training recordso Trend analyseso Engineering drawingso Critical lift plans

o Populated from project, district or corporate office

Development of the SMC for the Mobility

Tablet

Development of the SMC for the Mobility Tablet

• Initiated December, 2011

• First – the Business Requirements Document

• Authored by business analysts and safety pros

• Details refined by IT specialists

• A road map with every spec and capability outlined

Development of the SMC for the Mobility Tablet

Aim was to move from InfoPath to web-based forms

• Anyone with web browser supporting HTML 5 and CSS 5 can use SMC

• Any device can be used… Windows 8 or iPad

• Subcontractors or JV partners can access SMC

Development of the SMC for the Mobility Tablet

• User requirements continually updated

• Beta testing by projects and individuals

• Training conducted

Development of the SMC for the Mobility Tablet

Development was not without difficulties:

• Overseas technical assistance was aborted

• Developers didn’t have too many places to turn to for help since Windows 8 was so new

• Navigation Menus required improvement

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Data entry in field• Data entry much faster because

we only have to do it once

• Web-based applications available to all on project

• Field presence beneficial

• Trends identified in real time

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Incident investigations faster• Witnesses interviewed in the field

• Pictures taken at the scene

• Reference materials available

• Voice and handwriting to text ability

• Report form completed

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Inspection reports done in the field• Complex PCL system easier to

use

• Hazard categories on-line

• Digital pictures of findings inserted

• Voice and handwriting to text ability

• References available on-line

• Near instantaneous report submittal speeds notifications and trend analysis

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Behavioral safety observations submitted in the field• Critical items checklist blocks

marked

• Voice and handwriting to text used for notes

• Digital pictures of observation taken

• Tablet entries made after the observation is complete

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Safety meetings documented• District, project and special HSE

committee meetings

• Field safety meetings

• Names of attendees

• Meeting dates and content

• Persons leading the meeting

• Meeting data immediately available

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Pre-Job Safety Instruction (PSI)• Record PSI audits in the field

• Document PSI accomplishment

• Important to measure subcontractor participation

• Reports assessed in district and corporate office

Benefits of a Mobility Tablet

Negative Aspects of

Mobility Tablet Use

Negative Aspects of Mobility Tablet Use

The advantages are overwhelming, but there are negative aspects• Field users could

be distracted and at risk

Negative Aspects of Mobility Tablet Use

• Evidence shows that SMC entries are faster on a desktop computer

• Initial start-up costs are high• Tablets and applications add

costs to the project• Craft worker perception may be

negative• Training is required

Mobility Tablet Training

Mobility Tablet TrainingFace-to face training to use tablets is done on each site• An IT and HSE professional do the

training on each site

• Two days in duration

• Power Point and on-site, hands-on elements

• Tablet can be used for training craft workers in brief sessions

Summary

Summary

• Value is apparent• Evidence from beta testing

shows that HSE professionals are able to devote far more time to the field

• Beta testers are enhusiastic• More worker contacts assured• Use broadens to all

supervisors

DISCUSSION

Streamlining Safety

Operations Through the

Widespread Use of Mobility

Tablets

Jim BarryVice President, HSEPCL Construction

ASSE PDCLas Vegas, 2013

Rich Baldwin, CSP

U.S. Director, HSE

PCL Construction