Mining Dangers: Top 5 Risks and How to Prevent Them

Mining Dangers: Top 5 Risks and How to Prevent Them

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Mining dangers are significant, but the rewards of digging into the earth to uncover treasures of gems, metals, minerals, and stones outweigh the costs. Many health and safety risks are involved in the in-ground work of mining and quarries. However, the top five include injuries from moving vehicles, physical handling injuries, falls, rock slides, and the effects of long-term exposure to mining. Awareness and prevention is the best way to help reduce injuries and fatalities. In addition, learning more about the history of mining has allowed safety practices to improve and led to better safety regulations.

Mining evidence can be found pre-dating recorded history. For example, it was used to harvest materials to make items like arrowheads. Later, the California Gold Rush in 1848 brought many new miners into California, seeking their fortunes and sometimes their lives. The original tools consisted of a pickaxe and hammer, with the occasional use of dynamite to dig deeper and faster.

Coal mining hazards included working in conditions with little access to breathable air. Luckily, advancements in mining technologies have reduced the physical risk to a miner. For example, machines are used to extract ores and minerals efficiently.

Gone are the days of bringing a canary into the mine with you and hoping the animal survives. Advancements in technology have been able to assess mining risks before they happen. However, the dangers of mining persist. The mining hazards of the past may include bad air, tunnel collapse, and labor-intensive work. Today, the risks to health and safety in mining have improved, but troubles remain.

Any moving machinery has the potential to malfunction and cause harm. Mining vehicles like trucks, tractors, and lifting equipment are the top causes of mining accidents. Unfortunately, poor maintenance, aged equipment, and mechanical and human error can cause an injury. Small, poorly maintained roads and insufficient restraints factor into the injuries.

Preventing these risks is quite simple. However, time, money, and complacency impact the likelihood of preventing these risks. First, roads should be sturdy and wide enough for the traffic they will receive, devoid of potholes and dangerous curves. Secondly, employees need proper training in the use of vehicles and restraints. Lastly, maintenance inspections must be scheduled frequently. And equipment must be replaced to maintain vital working equipment.

Even in office settings, proper lifting and moving techniques are essential. The mishandling of materials or equipment can create injuries like back sprains, broken bones, loss of limbs, and even loss of life. In addition, manual shoveling, moving stones, and heavy operating equipment can tax the musculoskeletal system with time and improper technique.

Employees must be vigilant to prevent these injuries. That includes using proper moving and posture techniques. For example, using mechanical lifts and increasing training and safety supervision can reduce the injuries sustained from handling the materials by hand.

Falls are a significant safety factor for miners and machines. The miners have slip-and-fall type injuries, and mining adds to the additional threat of falling from a greater height. Sadly, falls from platforms cause severe injuries and even death. Additionally, devices falling over edges and off platforms pose a greater risk to the occupant and the workers below. Miners also fall when leaning over railings to view the work below.

Prevention is dependent on the degree of construction on the work site. For example, are there platforms, railing, handrails, kickboards, and adequate anchoring? Miners working at heights need anchors with a harness at all times. Machines must be anchored, and weight limits adhered to on platforms. Slips are reduced by increasing attentiveness, reducing clutter, oil and water spills, and using slip-resistant footwear.

Mining hazards have always included falling rock and debris from unstable areas. However, many factors can cause stones to become loose and begin to fall. For example, rainstorms can create a sudden rock slide, and blasting in or near the area loosens rock. Vehicle vibration can destabilize rock, and poor mining design can lead to unforgivable consequences.

Proper planning, maintenance, and adherence to regulations can help keep the mines stable. Proper rock face cleaning, regular hot spot identification, and following the mining plan will reduce the risks. Ensuring ample wall shoring and eradicating hazards before miners begin work is imperative.  

Risks of working at a mine include injury from long-term exposure to vibrations, noise, and dust. Vibrations from using hand-held machinery frequently can cause nerve damage in the hands and arms. Additionally, vibrations that jar the entire body can cause joint and back damage. Long-term exposure to loud noise, like machinery, can cause hearing loss. Respiratory illnesses plague miners from the minuscule dust particles mining produces.

The only prevention for vibration injuries from hand-held tools is to find the right tool with the lowest vibration level for the job. The tool that can achieve the objective fastest, with safe results, and with a low vibration level will reduce the vibration damage. In addition, machines need updating with vibration-reducing elements for occupants and to reduce external vibration.

Noise is reduced by insulation or coverings, using different materials, creating a sound-reduction surround, or using earplugs and mufflers. Reducing the impact of dust on miners includes wetting materials, de-dusting miners to remove dust, and using proper PPE to reduce the intake of dust particles.

Well-trained employees are the most significant contributor to mining safety. Miners can become accustomed to their work and reduce their vigilance over safety devices, increasing their risk. Creating a routine to ensure safety compliance before working significantly reduces the hazards of mining.

Yes. OSHA requires new and experienced miners to complete specialized health, safety, and emergency training. However, federal laws have held mining operators responsible for the health and safety of their miners since 1977.

Even though the dangers of mining have been reduced over the past few decades, the potential for injury remains wherever material digging and moving occurs. However, OSHA training, safety measures, increased technology, and attention to detail can help prevent most injuries. GoCanvas can help you collect data, analyze it, and create better and safer working environments for your miners. Use technology to your advantage by allowing the GoCanvas app to:

  • Create work orders
  • Log repair requests
  • Log incident reports
  • Audit checklists
  • Log equipment inspections
  • Schedule maintenance
  • And more!

Contact GoCanvas to see how we can help increase your revenue while decreasing miners’ injuries.

Brief History of Mining & Advancement of Mining Technology | General Kinematics

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

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High Safety Standards Equals More Clients For Drilling Contractors

High Safety Standards Equals More Clients For Drilling Contractors

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The oil and gas industry comes with many safety risks. However, drilling contractors can mitigate them with the right safety program. High safety standards can go a long way in creating a safe environment for employees and visitors while helping to maintain efficient operations. However, as a drilling contractor, you might not know exactly how to maximize safety in the workplace.

Here we’ll explore the benefits of having a clear safety record and how you can facilitate one with the right safety measures.

Several benefits make high safety standards important to a drilling contractor and an operator. These benefits include the following:

If drilling contractors have safety programs that maintain a consistently safe workplace, this will lead to an increase in business opportunities. Potential partners will be more inclined to work with drilling contractors who have a reliable safety program in place. This protects workers. However, it also helps ensure operations run smoothly throughout each project. As a result, operators and contractors will maintain a better relationship that keeps them in business in the long term.

Reliable safety measures also help save money. This is accomplished by preventing potentially costly workplace incidents. Workers stay safer, increasing productivity while helping you avoid potentially expensive legal issues due to avoidable work-related injuries. You’ll also be able to prevent equipment breakdowns that might otherwise set you back while putting employees at risk. In the end, you’ll experience cost savings as you keep your work environment safe and efficient with a solid safety program.

A good safety program will also promote increased workforce safety in a number of ways. Training for both contractors and operators will help keep workers safer on a regular basis. Workers will understand how to properly prevent workplace accidents and handle equipment safely to avoid potential issues. A healthier workforce is also a happier one. It leads to an increase in productivity that keeps operations running as they should.

There are many steps you can take to implement a safety program that keeps your workplace consistently safe and secure. For example, you can:

One of the best steps is to know all safety protocols and requirements before work begins. You can ensure this by undergoing full training by site safety coordinators who can detail all necessary steps.

Another critical step is to wear sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) that keeps all workers safe on the job. There are many pieces of PPE. Be sure to equip employees with safety goggles, hard hats, apparel rated for the specific job, hearing protection, boots, and gloves. You should also ensure equipment inspections are routinely performed. Look for any wear and tear warranting replacement PPE, which will further keep workers safer at all times.

Before you begin digging, ensure you’ve identified and marked all utilities in the dig site. Also, if you need to build a trench, it’s important to adhere to the guidelines under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Otherwise, trenches can cave in and present other hazards to workers, such as mobile equipment hazards and falling loads.

You should have a policy that helps regulate the use of personal electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets in the workplace. These types of devices can easily distract workers at the wrong moment, leading to potential accidents.

If there are any hazards present that you cannot remove, clearly indicate these hazards with sufficient signage. For example, mark all overhead lines that could otherwise lead to electrocution if workers aren’t aware of their presence. 

You should enforce breaks to keep workers from fatigue, heat exhaustion, and other risks related to working long consecutive hours. Also, educate employees about the differences between heat exhaustion, heat stress, and heat stroke to give them a good understanding of the risks they face in drilling environments. Workers should take occasional breaks to recover and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

If you or workers witness any hazards, unsafe working conditions, or potentially dangerous acts on the part of employees or supervisors, it’s important to report these incidents. Doing so will alert those higher up and help ensure that steps are taken to mitigate safety risks with these dangers present.

You can also keep your workplace safer by developing and following a safety checklist. This checklist can include specific steps to take when checking and inspecting equipment, and other tasks that boost safety before work starts. Checklists also ensure maintenance crews properly complete each repair or replacement.

To help you build these checklists, you can use forms such as an equipment inspection and maintenance worksheet that optimizes the inspection and maintenance process. Specifically, GoCanvas can provide the forms you need to help perform all safety checks and maintenance tasks. These forms are paperless and work with any mobile devices, giving your teams access whenever they need them.

By taking safety seriously, you’ll create a workplace that’s consistently safer and provides workers with the protection they need at all times. If you need help as a drilling contractor when implementing safety programs and protocols, GoCanvas can equip your business with efficient and thorough paperless forms.

You’ll find over 20,000 mobile forms at GoCanvas, including a range of equipment inspection and maintenance worksheets. As a result, you can automate safety checks and more effectively minimize the risk of incidents that could otherwise cause harm to workers and equipment.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

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GoCanvas vs. Fleet Complete: Which is the Best Fleet Management Platform

GoCanvas vs. Fleet Complete: Which is the Best Fleet Management Platform

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Fleet Complete is a comprehensive fleet management solution that offers fleet, safety and compliance, fuel management, and more features. The FC Hub brings a modernized user interface and AI-powered video telematics but is it the right solution for your business?

There are many features to Fleet Complete, including:

Fleet Complete offers fleet management that helps businesses keep track of their assets, including vehicles, trailers, and cargo. It also tracks driver performance, accident reports, and other vital information required for a successful operation.

Fleet Complete’s safety program and compliance management feature help your fleet comply with relevant regulations. It comprehensively tracks drivers’ hours, fuel usage, and other relevant data points to ensure that you stay compliant.

Fleet Complete provides access to FirstNet Verified Solutions, which helps fleets stay compliant with government regulations. The FirstNet-Verified solutions include real-time tracking, vehicle management, and more.

Fleet Complete provides task management that helps fleets manage their day-to-day operations. The tool allows setting up tasks and assigning them to employees, with notifications sent when complete.

Fleet Complete offers dispatch delivery and field service management to help businesses streamline their operations. It includes GPS tracking, route optimization, and other features that make managing a fleet of vehicles easy.

Fleet Complete also includes integration with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), which helps with the maintenance and repair of vehicles. This integration allows essential data to be shared between OEMs and your fleet so you can monitor performance, diagnose problems, and more.

Fleet Complete offers asset management tools to help businesses keep track of their assets. It includes tracking vehicle registrations, inventory, and maintenance records.

Fleet Complete provides ProServices to help businesses with remote diagnostics, user support, and other services.

GoCanvas is a mobile platform that helps businesses automate their fleet management. It offers features like GPS tracking, route optimization, and more. It also makes it easy to manage tasks and assign them to employees.

GoCanvas offers the following features and fleet management tools for fleet operations of all sizes:

GoCanvas offers features to help fleets comply with regulations, including GPS tracking and automated driver scorecards. It also includes a Driver Identification System and an Electronic Logging Device (ELD).

GoCanvas allows fleets to track their vehicles in real-time, manage tasks and assign them to employees. The platform also includes features like route optimization that can help fleets save time and money.

GoCanvas provides real-time insights into fleet operations, including driver performance, fuel usage, and more.

GoCanvas also includes a mobile app builder, allowing companies to seamlessly create custom mobile apps for their fleet operations.

GoCanvas enables businesses to capture data from their fleet operations and automate manual tasks. This helps make managing a fleet easier, faster, and more efficient.

GoCanvas also includes route optimization features that help fleets save time and money. The platform allows users to plan routes, monitor driver performance, and more.

GoCanvas includes reporting and analytics tools to help businesses analyze the data from their fleet operations. This helps them make informed decisions about their fleet operations, such as optimizing routes or improving driver performance.

Some businesses don’t need all the features that Fleet Complete offers and they don’t want to pay for these extras. But they still want automation, mobile access, etc., for their fleet management. For those businesses, GoCanvas is a great alternative. With less bells and whistles, GoCanvas features a strong core arsenal of activities that can help companies automate their fleet management and have mobile access.  It can provide easy form creation, data capture on mobile devices, and reporting in minutes.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

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How Good Fleet Management Yields Better Safety and Compliance

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How Good Fleet Management Yields Better Safety and Compliance

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Fleet management is a critical part of transportation and logistics. Managing a fleet requires careful planning, coordination, and execution. Poor fleet management can lead to safety issues, compliance problems, and increased operational costs. New technologies are making it easier than ever to manage fleets effectively. Automated/digital fleet management systems can help keep your fleet safe and compliant while reducing costs.

Fleet maintenance is keeping the fleet of vehicles up-to-date, safe, and running properly. This includes regular servicing and inspections, ensuring all parts are in working order, tracking fuel usage and mileage, and scheduling preventive maintenance services.

Good fleet maintenance is critical for transportation and logistics companies. It helps to ensure that the company’s vehicles are safe and compliant while avoiding costly maintenance problems down the road.

There are many great benefits to a fleet management system, such as:

  • Boosting driving safety
  • Updating fleet data in real-time
  • Custom reporting to reduce costs
  • Streamlining fleet operations and efficiency
  • Optimizing vehicle upkeep and customer satisfaction
  • Enhancing the route planning

Automated/digital fleet management systems provide several benefits.

1. Better Safety: Automated/digital fleet management systems make it easier to track vehicle safety and maintenance issues such as telematics, diagnostics, driver behavior, and fuel efficiency. This can help reduce the risk of accidents and other incidents associated with poor vehicle maintenance.

2. Compliance: Automated/digital fleet management systems can help ensure that commercial vehicles comply with all applicable laws and regulations. This helps to prevent costly fines and other penalties associated with non-compliance.

3. Reduced Employee/Driver Turnover: Automated/digital fleet management systems make it easier to manage driver safety and GPS tracking, adhere to schedules and track driver performance in real-time. This can help to reduce driver turnover and increase overall efficiency.

4. Cost Savings: Automated/digital fleet management systems can help to save money by reducing fuel costs on factors such as fuel consumption, tracking systems, and leasing, improving maintenance practices for fleet performance and managing drivers better.

Implementing automated/digital fleet management systems can provide numerous benefits for transportation and logistics companies. By helping to ensure safety, compliance, asset tracking, and reduced costs, these systems can help improve fleet management efficiency. With their ever-increasing capabilities, automated/digital fleet management systems are essential to driving success in the transportation and logistics industry.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

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The Best Field Service Apps on the Market Right Now

The Best Field Service Apps on the Market Right Now

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Field service providers have a lot of responsibilities, from completing work orders and providing customer support to ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Fortunately, there are several field service apps on the market that can help make their jobs easier.

There are several field service apps on the market that can help make your job easier. In this post, we will discuss the top 5 apps for field service management. These apps can help you manage work orders, provide customer support, and ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Improve your workflows with GoCanvas. GoCanvas is a mobile app that helps field service providers manage work orders and customer support requests. It also offers several compliance-related features, such as the ability to create and manage safety checklists all from your mobile device.

ServiceMax is a cloud-based app that helps field service providers manage work orders, customer support requests, and inventory. It also offers several features for managing safety and compliance.

Workforce Management is an app that helps field service providers manage their workforce. It includes features for tracking employee time and attendance, as well as managing shift schedules.

Jobber is a cloud-based app that helps field service providers estimate, schedule, and invoice their customers. It also offers features for managing customer relationships and tracking employee time and productivity.

FieldAware is a cloud-based app that helps field service providers manage work orders, customer support requests, and asset maintenance. It also offers features for managing safety and compliance.

These are just a few field service apps on the market today. When choosing an app, be sure to consider your specific needs and the features that are most important to you.

In addition to the apps mentioned above, GoCanvas offers several field service apps. These apps can help you manage work orders, customer support requests, and compliance-related tasks.

The GoCanvas Field Service Automation template helps field service providers manage their work orders and customer support requests. It also offers several compliance-related features, such as the ability to create and manage safety checklists.

Improve the functionality of your business with safety checklists. The GoCanvas Safety Checklist template helps field service providers ensure compliance with safety regulations. It includes a checklist of common safety hazards, as well as the ability to create custom checklists.

Streamline your work orders with work order management. The GoCanvas Work Order Management template helps field service providers with work orders, service requests, and inventory management. It includes features for creating and managing work orders, as well as assigning them to employees.

Enhance the asset maintenance on your job site. The GoCanvas Asset Maintenance template helps field service providers track and manage asset maintenance. It includes features for creating and managing asset maintenance records, as well as assigning them to employees.

Optimize your customer experience. The GoCanvas Customer Relationship Management templates help field service providers manage customer relationships. It includes features for creating and managing customer information, as well as tracking customer satisfaction.

These are just a few of the many field service apps offered by GoCanvas. When choosing an app, be sure to consider your specific needs and the features that are most important to you.

Field service apps can help you stay safe and compliant by providing several features, such as the ability to create and manage safety checklists. In addition, most field service apps can track employee time and productivity. This can help you ensure that your employees are working safely and efficiently. Finally, many field service apps can create and manage customer profiles. This can help you keep track of your customers’ contact information and preferences.

Going paperless is not only user-friendly for your field workers and customers but is also beneficial to your business. Mobile field service apps can help you streamline your operations and improve your customer service. GoCanvas offers a wide variety of field service templates to help you get started on improving the project management, workflow, and job management of your field service company. To learn more, contact us today.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

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How Mobile Field Service Apps Can Improve Field Service Management

How Mobile Field Service Apps Can Improve Field Service Management

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It’s no secret that technology has changed how we live and work, especially in the  field service industry. Field service management has never been easier or more efficient thanks to mobile apps.

Mobile apps have highly impacted the field service industry by making it more effective and efficient by:

  • Mobile apps enable time-saving automation for technicians and allow them to access customer information and service history and track job progress on-site by utilizing their mobile device. This helps ensure that jobs are completed on time, reduces the chances of errors happening, and enhances the customer experience.
  • Mobile apps allow technicians to submit photos and notes from the field, which can help with troubleshooting and problem-solving.
  • Field service managers can use mobile apps as field service management software to create work orders, invoices, service reports, and notifications, assign jobs to technicians, and track job progress in real-time. This allows them to be more responsive to customer needs and ensures that jobs are completed as quickly as possible.
  • Mobile apps allow field service businesses to streamline their workflow and provide transparency in field service operations that were impossible before. Customers can now see what stage their job is at, how close it is to being finished, and what kind of feedback has been received from technicians. This makes customers feel more connected to the process and builds trust between customers and the company.

Mobile apps help improve safety by giving field service technicians access to important safety information. This includes job site hazards, customer contact information, and emergency procedures. They also help with compliance by ensuring technicians follow all the necessary steps for each job. This includes completing safety checklists, documenting accurate job times, and collecting customer signatures. By using a mobile app, field service businesses can have peace of mind knowing that their technicians are following best practices and that their customers are happy with the service they’ve received.

Mobile apps have changed field service management for the better by making it more effective, efficient, and safe. You’re missing many benefits if you’re not using a mobile app for your field service business. GoCanvas provides templates to create a customizable mobile app for your business, including checklists, forms, project management tools, and more. To learn more, contact us today.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

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Common Workplace Hazards for Field Service Providers and What to Do About Them

Common Workplace Hazards for Field Service Providers and What to Do About Them

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Field service providers face a variety of safety hazards while on the job site. Some of these hazards are common to all workplaces, while others are specific to the field service industry. By knowing what these hazards are and how to protect yourself from them, you and your field technicians can stay safe while working.

Common workplace hazards include slips, trips, and falls. However, more specific to the field service industry are risks such as working at heights, driving hazards, electrical hazards, and exposure to harmful chemicals.

Slips, trips, and falls are among the most common on-site accidents. They can happen anywhere there is a change in elevation or surface type, such as going from a carpeted floor to a tile floor. They can also happen when loose cords or clutter create a tripping hazard.

  • Keep floors clean and free of debris
  • Use floor mats or anti-slip tape in areas where there is a risk of slipping
  • Make sure all cords are neatly organized and out of the way
  • Be aware of changes in elevation, such as steps, curbs, or confined spaces

Working at heights can be dangerous for field service technicians, whether climbing a ladder to clean gutters or working on a roof. Falls from heights are one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities.

  • Wear appropriate fall protection gear, such as a harness
  • Inspect your personal protective equipment (PPE) before use to make sure it is in good condition
  • Use the buddy system when possible
  • Be aware of your surroundings and stay away from edges

Field service providers often have to drive as part of their job. This can be hazardous if you’re not used to driving in certain conditions, such as icy roads.

  • Be familiar with the route you’re taking
  • Plan for extra time, so you don’t have to rush
  • Be aware of other drivers

Electrical hazards are common in the field service industry because technicians often work with wiring and other electrical components. shocks and burns are the most common injuries from electrical hazards.

  • Turn off all power before working on electrical components
  • Use proper safety gear, such as gloves and goggles
  • Inspect equipment for damage before use
  • Keep your work area clear of flammable materials

Many field service providers work with chemicals that can be harmful if inhaled or ingested. Some common examples are solvents, cleaners, and pesticides.

  • Read the label carefully and follow all directions
  • Wear proper safety gear, such as gloves and a respirator
  • Work in a well-ventilated area
  • Keep chemicals stored in their original containers

If you or someone else is injured on the job, it’s important to know what your safety procedures are.

  • Call for medical help if necessary
  • Report the accident to your supervisor
  • Fill out any necessary paperwork
  • Follow up with your doctor for any injuries sustained

By following these safety tips, you can help prevent accidents and injuries on the job. If an accident occurs, ensure you know how to respond so you can get the help you need.

Safety training is vital to service work. GoCanvas can help you implement your safety policies by providing your business with field service management software where you can create safety training, checklists, and workflows to protect the operational safety of your field service business. Contact us today to learn more.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

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TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® used GoCanvas to increase data visibility & compliance

With a workforce that primarily works out in the field, many of the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® locations found that paperwork was hindering…

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How Mobile Field Service Apps Have Changed Field Service Management

How Mobile Field Service Apps Have Changed Field Service Management

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Field service management is a critical process for companies that rely on field service technicians to maintain and repair their products. In the past, this process was often handled through paper-based work orders and communication methods that were slow and inefficient. However, with the advent of mobile field service apps, companies are now able to manage their field service operations more effectively and efficiently than ever before. Field service apps allow technicians to access work orders and customer information from anywhere in the world, which speeds up the repair process and improves customer satisfaction. Additionally, mobile apps allow companies to track technician locations in real-time, which enhances safety and compliance. Overall, mobile field service apps provide several benefits that can help companies improve their field service operations.

In the past, work orders for field service technicians were often paper-based, which made it difficult for technicians to access them from remote locations. This would often lead to delays in the repair process as technicians had to wait until they returned to the office to receive their work orders. However, with mobile field service apps, work orders can be digital and easily accessed by technicians anywhere in the world. This allows repairs to be completed more quickly and efficiently, which leads to improved customer satisfaction.

Another way that mobile field service apps have changed field service management is by automating many of the tasks associated with managing a field service operation. For example, apps can automatically give real-time updates to technicians, customers, job site locations, track your service team’s GPS locations, and schedule follow-up appointments. This automation eliminates many of the manual tasks that field service managers previously had.

Mobile field service apps also optimize workflows by providing technicians with the information and tools they need for project management and to complete repairs quickly and efficiently. For example, some apps provide technicians access to customer records, product manuals, and parts catalogs. This allows technicians to resolve problems more quickly without waiting for assistance from a field service manager. Additionally, mobile apps often include built-in scheduling features that allow managers to plan and optimize technician routes. This helps to ensure that technicians can complete their work promptly and reduces fuel costs associated with inefficient routing.

Inventory management, GPS tracking, client management, and scheduling are only a few of the features that can enhance the functionality of your field service business. Mobile apps provide an all-in-one solution for managing your field service business, which makes it easier than ever to run your operation smoothly and efficiently.

Enhancing the customer experience is one of the most important goals of any business, and mobile field service apps can help you achieve this goal. By streamlining workflows, enhancing customer management, and automating many of the tasks associated with managing a field service operation, mobile apps make it easier to provide customers with the high-quality service they expect and deserve. This leads to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty, which can result in positive customer relationships and more repeat business and referrals.

Another benefit of mobile field service apps is that they can help reduce pricing associated with your field service operation and invoicing. For example, by automating appointment scheduling, you can eliminate the need to pay a receptionist to schedule appointments. Additionally, by tracking technician GPS locations, you can minimize fuel costs by ensuring technicians take the most efficient routes to customer locations. Overall, mobile apps can help you reduce the costs associated with running your field service business, which can improve your bottom line.

Field service technicians often work in remote or dangerous locations, which can pose a safety risk. However, mobile field service apps can help improve safety and compliance by providing technicians with the information and tools they need to stay safe while working. For example, some apps provide technicians access to customer records, product manuals, and parts catalogs. This allows technicians to resolve problems more quickly without waiting for assistance from a field service manager. Mobile apps can also track technician GPS locations, allowing field service managers to monitor technician safety and compliance.

Overall, mobile field service apps have made field service management more effective and efficient by automating many tasks associated with managing a field service operation. In addition, mobile apps have improved safety and compliance by providing technicians with the information and tools they need to stay safe while working. Finally, mobile apps can help reduce costs associated with your field service operation. These factors combine to make mobile field service apps an essential tool for any business that relies on field service operations.

GoCanvas can help your business with field service management solutions including customizable cloud-based templates, checklists, and management tools that can be used on mobile devices or tablets. Contact us today to learn more about getting started.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

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We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Construction Business Hacks That Reduce Paperwork: Google Forms

Construction Business Hacks That Reduce Paperwork: Google Forms

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The longer you’re in the construction business, the more you realize the need to reduce paperwork and digitize your forms. Otherwise, using paper forms increase the likelihood of paperwork errors, lost paperwork, and confusion among your staff and customers. 

Converting your paper forms into digital versions can save your construction company time, money, and a lot of frustration. If you’re ready to ditch the paper and go digital, this article is for you. 

Continue reading to learn how Google Forms and top-rated Google Forms alternatives can transform your construction company for the better. 

Google Forms allows you to transform, create and store customer forms in an organized manner. You can customize every form to fit the specific needs of your customers. The best part is since it’s stored in the cloud, you don’t have to worry about losing another form again. Further, any employee with access to your documents can make their own copies and make changes as necessary. 

Businesses operating in the construction industry must meet compliance requirements and keep strict documentation. With that in mind, digital forms can make compliance a breeze compared to paper forms. 

Google Forms and similar online templates allow your company to create, transform, and safely store: 

When working with paper documents, it can be a pain to adjust and customize the forms to fit customer-specific needs manually. With Google Forms and similar online resources, your customers can use personalized forms that speak directly to their needs. 

Further, dynamic fields allow your forms to change automatically depending on responses to each field. Customizations available with Google forms include: 

  • Background and theme customizations (i.e., colors, fonts, images, etc.)
  • Multiple choice, linear scale, and randomized questions 
  • Layout customizations 

Google Forms can be used for compliance, organization, space-saving, and more. However, one of the best features of form digitization is data collection. Imagine if you could calculate customer satisfaction rates, job costs, most in-demand services, etc., with the click of a button. 

How much would that help your business reach the next level? Regarding data collection and analysis, Google Forms doesn’t offer anywhere near the functionality and support of GoCanvas Construction Forms. 

However, it offers basic data collection features and add-ons that can be helpful for small construction businesses. 

Google Forms is one of the most widely used online form platforms, but that doesn’t make it the best. That’s because it doesn’t offer payment integrations, white label branding, advanced design customization, conditional logic questions, electronic signatures, etc.

If you need more robust solutions for your construction forms (i.e., integrations, powerful data collection, customization, dispatch capabilities, etc.), check out a few of the best Google Forms alternatives below. 

  1. GoCanvas Construction Forms GoCanvas Construction Forms offer the same capabilities as Google Forms but much more. In addition to basic features, GoCanvas Construction Forms offer countless construction templates, a user-friendly interface, app integrations, unrivaled support, and in-depth training. 
  1. Survey Monkey – If you’re looking for more advanced survey creation features, Survey Money is an excellent Google Forms alternative. However, a drawback of Survey Money is the cost compared to Google Forms and GoCanvas, and its focus on marketing (not construction). 
  1. Typeform – Typeform doesn’t offer the same functionality as apps like GoCanvas or Google Forms. However, if you’re looking for a simple form creation tool, Typeform has enough to deliver what you need on a limited scale. 
  1. Jotform – Jotform is another reputable Google Forms alternative. Similar to GoCanvas construction forms, it offers collaboration tools, workflow automation, version control, drag-and-drop features, payment integrations, and access controls. 

Learn how to simplify your tasks, increase efficiency, meet compliance requirements, and save money with GoCanvas below. 

At GoCanvas, we work hard to make life easier for you and your construction team. Our digital construction forms help your team better communicate and collaborate on project logistics, equipment needs, project management timelines, data collection, and more. 

Key features of GoCanvas Construction Forms include: 

  • E-signature and photo capture
  • Pre-populated forms and dynamic fields 
  • Automatic location identification 
  • Real-time job site data analysis 
  • GPS to know where your team and equipment are 
  • Barcode scanning 
  • Construction form templates with easy customization options 
  • Creation and conversion of inspections, estimate sheets, work orders, time cards, contracts, and more 
  • Integrations with popular construction apps 
  • User-friendly mobile forms for all devices  (i.e., iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, etc.)

Increase your efficiency and improve compliance with GoCanvas Construction templates and mobile apps. Try it today for free.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

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We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Manage Multiple Projects with Construction Management Software

Manage Multiple Projects with Construction Management Software

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As a construction business owner, your company may be responsible for managing several different projects simultaneously. Each project carries its own set of financials and resources that must be managed separately. 

Recent developments in software for construction management have greatly improved a stakeholder’s ability to remain profitable and keep a close eye on all of their projects. With insight into key areas of each project, owners are empowered to make important decisions in real time. 

In the financing stages of a construction project, you may be responsible for securing funding, managing bids, and forecasting budgets. Throughout the lifecycle of the project, your responsibilities shift too frequently in assessing profitability. Project owners may even be required to share monthly or quarterly project reports with investors.

Financial data for construction projects have historically lived in spreadsheets that make construction budgeting and finance tracking difficult. Construction management software removes the complexity of pulling actionable insights from financial data by organizing important information about each project in readable and shareable interfaces. 

Construction management software allows you to:

  • Review and track bids from multiple sources
  • Estimate your construction costs for every project
  • Share updated, highly-visual reports with key stakeholders

The software provides you with the oversight you need throughout the phases of each construction project. Incidentals and last-minute changes can carry major implications for construction budgets, making it crucial that you’re equipped with the real-time information you need to stay on track. 

Project risk increases once the work has begun. Construction safety becomes a number one priority the minute workers reach the job site. 

To increase accountability and minimize risk, compliance and safety management need to be streamlined. Project stakeholders require access to real-time safety reports to avoid costly, life-threatening mistakes. 

As a construction business owner, keeping an eye on the compliance and safety needs of each project can seem daunting. Collecting information from inspections, walkthroughs, and incident reports requires communicating with many subcontractors across the project. 

Construction project management software groups information for each project into a centralized dashboard. Forms, checklists, and compliance reports can be shared with specific groups of team members, allowing you to track completion in one location.

Centralizing required forms also allows project stakeholders to dispatch required documents straight to the mobile devices of team members in the field. Construction management software provides a level of oversight that holds everyone accountable at every moment.

You no longer need to chase subcontractors down to complete or deliver a form. 

Project statuses change daily. Effectively managing your workforce and resources across job sites makes it possible for you to adapt and pivot quickly. 

But manual processes used to collect the data necessary to make decisions create costly inefficiencies. Construction project management software allows your contractors to collect resource and workforce information about every construction project. 

Team leads can document team member performance and attendance in real-time, setting expectations that keep you efficient. Equipment can be evaluated daily using checklists that ensure everything is in working order. Plus, construction management software uses a cloud-based system that makes important job site data available to all project stakeholders at any time. 

Streamlining your resource management and staying on budget throughout each phase of construction becomes an attainable reality. 

GoCanvas makes managing every aspect of your construction projects incredibly easy. Our construction management software allows you to create an infinite amount of templates for any construction process. 

With our analytics tool, we aggregate document data across projects and instantly generate a branded report you can share with key stakeholders. Our integration feature allows you to connect outside sources of data such as Salesforce and Quickbooks so you can manage your information in one convenient dashboard.

We’ve helped over 5,000 companies save time and money by centralizing important processes and providing them with a single interface that makes project management simple. 

Reach out for a personalized demo to discover how we can increase the productivity of your construction business.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three inspection workers on job site.

The Ultimate Guide to Quality Control Inspections

Managing a construction project is a complex and stressful process. Among other things, you have to coordinate project team members, materials, and equipment and ensure that contractors are not afflicted by the potential risks and hazards present at the construction site. That said, quality means different things to different people which is why you should…

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Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

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