TABLET-EX-GEAR CHEST PACK

Mike Trumbature

I recently received my new TABLET-EX-GEAR CHEST PACK and started shoving it full of different gadgets to check out its potential.

Doing inspections on fire pump controllers requires a minimum of a camera, a screwdriver to access equipment and a volt /ammeter to take readings or troubleshoot problems. Most of these rooms are poorly lit and sometimes require a flashlight to look for damage or up inside an electric motor. There is frequently pipe to have to crawl through, water on the floor and no place to safely lay a tablet or computer. Most annual inspections these days are done on computer forms of some type.

The cell phone is standard everywhere and smart phones can be used as a miniature tablet PC within limits - until the battery runs down. A lot of older equipment requires Windows-based software to download historical data so typical tablet PCs are out. Newer equipment has USB download files, allowing data to be downloaded into a flash drive in text or .csv file formats that can be read on tablets. The Toshiba Thrive is equipped with a full-size USB 2 port and SD card slot that will accept a full size camera SD card for better photo viewing on the job.

In order to make sure the cell phone stays up, there is a USB portable charger. This unit uses individual AA batteries which can be used in other devices also, like penlight flashlights. Smaller units are available with less charge time and special batteries. It can also recharge tablet PCs with the same battery voltage.

Last Update, 10-21-2013, 12:45 PM

10” TOSHIBA THRIVEThe 10” Toshiba Thrive tablet PC was one of the first fully-ported tablet PCs to offer a full size SD card slot, USB port and HDMI out as as well as an interchangeable battery.

The Thrive is also one of the bulkiest tablets in the industry. In its picture frame portfolio case (shown), it is larger than a 10” notebook computer. In spite of its mammoth size, it easily fits in the pack vertically with room for the zipper to close.

10 INCH ASUS NOTEBOOK AND TARGUS CASE

Even with the Targus padded carrying case thickness, it fits comfortably in the pack. With the pack’s heavy construction, the case is not required.The front and rear chest pack panels are protected with full-size sheets of removable ABS plastic, each in their own pouches. This offers additional protection for tablets with thinner protective cases or no case at all. The Toshiba Thrive comfortably fits the rear pouch without its case with the screen covered with a light cloth and facing the rear panel for extra protection, leaving room in the front for anything, including the notebook computer. With all the stuff I frequently use loaded in the chest pack, my backpack fits comfortably over the chest pack’s shoulder and back straps.

RIGHT SIDE AND FRONT POUCHES

The right side straps provide a place to clip the camera and cell phone cases to with their belt clips. This allows easy access and removal for relocating on my belt with the pack removed. The displays face inward for protection.

There is plenty of room for a notepad and access to pens and pencils in front.

The portable USB charger charges from a 120 volt outlet or 12 volt cord and will fit any of the three pouches. This is handy to have when your cell phone, GPS or similar USB charged device batteries get low. This larger unit uses regular individual AA batteries. Smaller units use their own fixed batteries.

LEFT SIDE STRAPSThe larger belt clip flashlight shown is extremely bright and waterproof. Smaller penlight “AA” battery flashlights will fit the side pouches and can use rechargeable batteries from the USB charger. Getting caught out in the dark with no flashlight or one with dead batteries can't be fun. Penlight flashlights can make a great backup to a larger one if it fails.The pack’s rear belt is also capable of carrying the flashlight, reserving side space for more gadgets. A small first aid pouch kit will also fit the rear belt, reserving side strap space for more gadgets. The phone and camera easily fit in the front pouches, freeing up the right side for larger gadget pouches like below.The HOME PAGE link on slide #9 shows optional pouches and ideas available for their use.

See the HOMEPAGE, last slide, for more accessory pouches.

POWER DISTRIBUTION SWITCHGEAR ROOMSAn example of a lineup switchgear room where building engineers may visit routinely to get readings or download data if there is a problem. Information for Arc Flash Analysis is gathered from the front or inside nameplates. Much of this gear is 8’ tall. There is no place to lay a tablet PC to free up your hands for operating controls except on the floor.

FIRE PUMP CONTROLLER INSPECTIONSTablet PCs and clamp on VOM ammeters are common on many electrical equipment inspections and service like below. The top of an open electrical enclosure is no place for a tablet or computer, especially with limited room with conduit. It could easily get knocked off into the controller and set off an explosion like the one the right.

Many of these controllers, like the one below, use various forms of data-logging for historical activity. The notebook computer is a must for me. These controllers used everything over the years from 1.44 floppies, USB and serial port cables with Windows download manager software, to current flash drives and SD cards to retrieve data from. The chest pack has plenty of room for the 10" notebook computer (without case), external USB floppy drive and 7" tablet PC for controller schematics, IOMs, inspection forms etc. The front pouches have room for the USB and serial cables.

FIRE PUMP SIMULATED FLOW TEST REPORT Example of a two-page NFPA 25 mobile app fire pump inspection report showing a speed corrected pump performance curve.

TAKE A BREAKOne or two 3’ - 4’ Bungee cords or nylon strap with good metal hooks can be used to wrap round a tree or pipe and fasten to the pack’s metal “D” rings on the side.

This photo shows a single 3/8” X 40’’ Bungee cord with the straps X-crossed in rear (not shown) to keep the cord secure around the tree with the weight of the pack pulling it tight. Longer cords can be wrapped to take up slack on smaller trees. Shorter cords can be doubled to increase the reach.

It can likewise be used to clip around a conduit on top of an electrical cabinet like the one on slide #8 on the right side, allowing the pack to be suspended on the right side of the cabinet, out of harm’s way yet still within easy reach.

Although this cord was used on an empty pack, knowing the weight of your pack and cord or strap limits may be required to prevent a cord or strap failure for this use. Never use either strap over a sharp or lightly supported object or with a heavily loaded pack with unknown variables.

Examples of fire pump control panels to access for inspections and service. Crawling over and through these pipe mazes is dangerous enough with both hands free, much less having to carry a computer or tablet PC and tools. Often times there is no place to lay a tablet or computer while working. Standing water on the floor is quite common in these rooms. Dropping an expensive tablet PC on a dry floor is bad enough. Dropping one in water is worse. Tripping and falling while juggling a computer or briefcase is a disaster!

OSHA - STRUCK BY FALLING/FLYING OBJECTSEvery year people are injured by material and tools dropped or knocked off of elevated work surfaces. While the benefits of something like the chest pack offer obvious protection for your tablet, camera and other gadgets and tools, it can also offer protection for people working below you from your gadgets or tools if you drop them. It provides a proper place to store everything not in use along with places for similar add-on pouches. The chest pack is included with one lanyard line in the main pouch for a tablet PC and one on the upper left front pouch. Each of the front pouches is equipped with loop holes for additional lanyard lines for other gadgets that you may need quick access to like phones, cameras, etc. The pack also frees up both hands for climbing ladders and scaffolds as well as having both hands free for ladder tie off. Below is a clip from OSHA’s FALLING/FLYING OBJECT safety advisory website. It doesn’t matter if you’re using a tablet PC, notebook computer or notepad in a portfolio. If you drop it, or one of your other gadgets or tools on someone’s head, you’re in trouble.

ADDITIONAL WEBSITE LINKS

Tablet-EX-Gear Chest Packs Home Page

Personal Testimony

PHOTO ALBUM - Collection of presentation photo originals

Fire Pump Inspection Forms - NFPA 25 fire pump inspection app for desktop or mobile devices

SPREADSHEET ENGINEERING FORMULAS - Examples of mechanical and electrical engineering formulas for tablet PCs

SAFETY

OSHA - STRUCK BY FALLING/FLYING OBJECTS

OSHA - SLIPS TRIPS AND FALLS

ENDURE, Inc. - Examples of tablet PC safety software