9 Ways Companies are Utilizing Reference Data

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

9 Ways Companies are Utilizing Reference Data

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The apps built using GoCanvas have access to a powerful tool that allows businesses to pull information from dynamic and static data sources to populate fields and information in apps automatically – this tool is called Reference Data. App developers can include reference data in apps by uploading a CSV file into GoCanvas and referencing it from within an app or through web-based integrations. An app can reference multiple sources of reference data, and multiple apps can use a single source of reference data.

There are many reasons why users may want to use reference data, but the two most popular ones include populating a drop-down list and auto-populating fields. Developers can implement drop-down lists with reference data to allow users to pick from a pre-built table (CSV file) while pulling information mapped to additional columns in that file.  

Manufacturing Uses

Manufacturers can benefit from the use of reference data in various ways. A major use case for manufacturers is related to inspections and quality control. Properly inspecting items and ensuring the quality of products coming off the production line is critical for manufacturers to operate effectively and maintain a good reputation. Developers can also use reference data to improve safety checks by customizing evaluations of production lines and process controls.

Equipment Inspections

GoCanvas has plenty of apps that users can use to perform inspections in manufacturing facilities. These apps help ensure that technicians can inspect equipment used in manufacturing and inspect the end-product. The use of reference data can significantly improve the performance and value of these inspections. For example, a manufacturer can use GoCanvas at various points on its production line. Apps can map reference data on a production line so that as a specific object or component passes in front of an inspector or user, that object or element can be selected from a drop-down list or identified with a barcode scanner. Additional columns of reference data in a CSV file can provide users with inspection criteria required to perform an inspection accurately. 

Quality Control

Similarly, quality control processes can ensure that final outputs on a production line meet various criteria and pass quality control measures. Quality control professionals can select items from a drop-down list or use a barcode scanner to pull the correct information to allow them to perform a detailed check of the item. Reference data can standardize the options that users can select when performing quality control. For example, one product may have various electronics and batteries requiring a different set of quality control details than a manually operated item. Reference data can map the multiple components that need to be checked depending on the item type selected. 

Inventory Management

One of the most prolific uses for Reference Data is inventory management. Inventory management is a critical step of the supply chain process. The process for companies with inventory to catalog what they have available can be daunting, and there is a high potential for incorrectly handled inventory management to cause problems.  

With reference data, app developers can directly map product lists to various fields of GoCanvas apps. This use of reference data helps to standardize product names and also to pull in other information about a product into the app, such as its pricing, a description of the product, its location in a warehouse or storage area, barcode or SKU numbers, and the expected quantity available, among other information.

Integrating barcode functions with inventory management apps allows barcode scanning with either the native functionality of a mobile device’s camera or the use of external, dedicated barcode scanners.

Physical Inventory Audits

Users who need to perform physical inventory audits can use GoCanvas and reference data to track the items in the inventory more effectively. Individuals who perform inventory checks can scan the barcode on an item or select the item’s name from a list populated by reference data. If scanning a barcode, the Reference Data can populate the item name and description into the app. Conversely, if an item’s name is selected, the app can display the SKU number, or users can use a barcode scanner to validate the item type. Users can check the number of items counted during an inventory audit and compare them with the number of items available in an ERP or inventory management system. The app can provide additional information to the user, such as the item’s location, the manufacturer of the item, the type or category of the item, and more.

Field Service Companies

Field service companies are regularly deploying workers into the field to perform a range of different tasks.  

Providing Services Consistently and Efficiently

A service worker can select a specific service from the reference data list, and it can populate the app with the correct screens to document that service. Additionally, depending on the service, the app can use reference data to identify different tools or equipment required to perform that service, the service’s pricing, and other important information. This information can ensure the accurate and consistent performance of services every time.

Dispatch Feature of GoCanvas

If you have been using GoCanvas for your field service company, you have likely been using the Dispatch feature. The Dispatch Feature integrates with GoCanvas apps that have Dispatch Enabled. Dispatchers can send a push notification and pre-populated app to a Service Technician’s device. Dispatchers can use reference data to generate multiple dispatches with multiple data sets from existing reference data files. This process helps quickly create multiple dispatch instances with various information that the dispatcher can map to the Reference Data fields.

Invoices and Estimates

A very straightforward use case for Reference Data is for generating accurate invoices and estimates. A business with a list of the products or services it sells and provides can use Reference Data to ensure the inclusion of up-to-date pricing and consistently name items in generating invoices and estimates. Given a source of Reference Data such as the following table, a user can create an invoice by selecting the Product Name and drop-down field that maps to Product_name. The invoice can include the SKU number by mapping to the Product_sku field, and the pricing automatically populates by mapping to the Product_pricing column. Using this Reference Data keeps Product Names consistent as a user is only able to select “Item A,” “Item B,” or “Item C,” rather than typing the item name which users could write as “Item A,” “A,” “12345A,” or “Item A – 12345A”. This consistent naming schema helps control records’ accuracy while also avoiding issues with entering prices incorrectly or requiring users to refer to outside resources to check an item or service’s pricing.

Product_nameProduct_skuProduct_pricing
Item A12345A9.99
Item B12345B15.99
Item C12345C12.99

Crowd Control and Security

Many businesses and buildings are concerned with controlling the visitors that enter buildings and maintaining buildings’ security. Additionally, events regularly limit individuals’ attendance based on whether they have signed up, registered, or purchased tickets. Reference Data in GoCanvas can pull information from a list of attendees, and the app can map different details related to their registration status to their names.  

Building Access

Buildings with high-security requirements can have a list of potential visitors that identifies the areas they are authorized to visit, notification protocols for when they visit, and specific restrictions on the dates/times they can be on the property. When checking in, a visitor can provide their name. The app can then pull reference data mapped to other information. Security guards can escort individuals who check in to the building areas they are authorized to visit, notify appropriate individuals of their arrival, or deny them access to the building.

Event Access

For events such as conferences, expos, or other exhibits, event producers generally limit attendance based on whether individuals have tickets, if they are with a specific company, or register at the door. Event managers could use reference data to allow a GoCanvas app to associate a name with identifying if that individual has a ticket or has registered for the event. For unregistered users, a user could allow them to register directly in the GoCanvas app when checking in.

Learn More About Reference Data

To learn more about using reference data in GoCanvas, check out our GoCanvas Help Center’s Reference Data section. 

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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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7 Examples of Creating Forms & How to Craft Your Own

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

7 Examples of Creating Forms & How to Craft Your Own

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Creating forms to capture data is one of the most important components of business today. When you design a great form, your business is collecting data that then becomes an asset you can use for reports and analysis. 

But if you’ve ever experienced creating a form, you already know that how you structure the form will impact the data that’s collected. You want to be very thoughtful in how you design your forms, making it easy for people to respond, while also getting the required information in the correct format. 

This blog post will introduce you to some of the most common form fields and we will explain some of the best practices for creating an effective form. We will also highlight some of the specific types of forms to consider and examples of how they can be used to collect information. 

While there are many options to choose from, it’s good to remember that forms are simple and with some practice, you can become an expert in no time. With the form builders on the market today, you’ll be able to create forms, improve workflows, and automate key business processes to become more efficient. Keep reading for an overview on creating forms and additional resources to get started.

What are the most useful form fields for different types of forms?

Modern form builders have many different types of form fields that can be used for different business purposes. Some common examples of field types are things like: 

  • Dropdown menus
  • Checkboxes 
  • Multiple-choice selections
  • Scale sliders 
  • Text inputs
  • And much more! 

People have many different reasons for using forms, so it makes sense to have a form builder with a wide variety of form fields to fit every data collection need. With so many options for the types of form fields you can use, it may be helpful to also think about them in terms of categories:

  • Text and Numbers
  • Choices
  • Multimedia
  • Date, Time, and Location
  • Other miscellaneous field types

In the next section, we cover some of the most common types of forms and a brief summary of the types of form fields that are most commonly used. This should give you an idea of how these form fields are put into practice for some of the top business use cases for collecting data.

1. Contact Forms

It’s quite common for businesses to collect contact information from their customers. Contact forms typically use text and number fields to collect a name, telephone number, email address, and similar types of information.

A good practice to remember in forms is to think about how data is collected and designing your forms to standardize the data. For example, instead of using an open text field, you may want to consider using a choice field with a drop-down that lists the available options. 

A great example of this is for fields like “State,” where you would want to list a drop-down of formatted states. In this example, if you were to leave the field open-ended, you could get a wide variety of formats for the same state (e.g. NY, New York) or you could have misspellings that happen by mistake. Giving people a drop-down ensures that data is formatted correctly for when you need to report on it later.

Contact forms can also be used for longer text fields that allow people to submit more extensive information, such as the reason that they are submitting the contact form. 

2. Invoices

Invoices are used as forms to collect payment information, typically in a table-style format. These can be used to highlight an item name or description, the quantity of an item purchased on the invoice, a price per unit, and a total cost for each line item. 

This type of form typically uses text and number fields, as well as a calculation field that can automatically perform math calculations to make it easier for people by pulling in dynamic information like prices and sales tax.

These types of forms are particularly useful if your business has dynamic pricing that is stored in a separate database. Instead of requiring employees to look up the current price, it can be automatically populated with real-time information to make the process more efficient when processing invoices.

Other advanced features include payment authorizations and signature form fields so that customers can sign for credit card transactions or sign off on agreements. Many digital forms can also accept credit card information that people can integrate through payment processors like Square, PayPal, Stripe, and other similar solutions.

3. Surveys

Surveys are one of the most popular use cases for forms and they are used to collect answers or feedback from a group of people. Common examples include asking customers to rate your level of satisfaction or collecting feedback from employees on ways to improve your business. With so many possibilities for types of surveys, it makes sense that they leverage many different types of form fields, including:

  • Choice fields such as a drop-down
  • Multiple-choice questions 
  • Single choice checkboxes
  • Multiple choice buttons
  • Open text and number fields
  • Calculation and summary fields to tabulate scores
  • Slider and rating options (like 1-5 stars) 

If you have a more complex survey, you can also consider using conditional logic in your form. This means that people will be navigated to different options that are dynamic based on their answers to the questions.

For example, if someone answers “Yes” to a question, they may be prompted later on with the option to provide a more detailed explanation for their answer. If they selected “No,” then they may be directed to a different set of follow-up questions. This type of logic allows you to make the form more dynamic and relevant based on the information that is provided in real-time.

4. Inspections

Creating forms for inspections provides form builders with many options to create highly effective and powerful inspection tools. 

Like many forms, inspections often begin with different Text and Number fields where an inspector can add their information and the relevant details about what they are inspecting, such as the address or the reason for the inspection. Inspection forms also include a number of advanced options:

  • Checkboxes to check off items
  • Choice fields to provide pre-selected input related to the inspection
  • Text and number fields to provide descriptions, context, or numerical values to the inspection 
  • Photo fields to upload an existing photo or add new photos using the camera functionality found on mobile devices  
  • Track GPS locations if required to log the physical location

5. Logs

Creating a log is a fairly simple use case for a form. Logs typically are in the format of a table and people can log certain information, but most commonly are seen with companies that need to log work milestones, like keeping track of time or materials.

Log forms vary in the type of information collected, including text and numbers, multimedia, date, time, location, and others. Using digital logs, companies can ensure that projects stay on time and data can be collected from a large number of people for reporting purposes.

6. Records

It’s very common that businesses need to create records. This can be for tracking a certain event, documenting specific actions that have occurred, or even for recording physical items.

When creating a record, forms can help to standardize the data that is being collected. This will depend on what type of record is being created, but most commonly text and number form fields are used to track specific details about the record and the date/time of the event.  

Companies may also use automated notifications that remind individuals when to generate records. For example, if a record needs to be generated every month for a certain action, calendar alerts for the future can be set up when logging a record. 

One familiar example is creating a customer record for a CRM system. Companies create a customer record form to intake information about a customer or update existing information about a customer. The form builders often integrate directly into the customer relationship management (CRM) systems so that companies can use these forms to update and maintain records seamlessly.

7. Checklists

Checklists are widely used in different industries as forms to collect information. The simple nature of a checklist allows people to select from a multiple-choice checkbox item or a single checkbox item. Many times these will use the required field option so that every checkbox requires you to select an answer before you can submit it.

Inspections will frequently use checklists so employees can certify that a long list of items has been inspected. This is another example where conditional logic is particularly useful, giving people the ability to request additional information on the form depending on the check box response.

Should I use templates or state with a new form?

After reading this article, you can see how forms can go in many different directions and there are endless ways to customize the information that’s collected. Many people find that it’s helpful to start from a pre-built template and then customize the form to fit your specific needs. Other people prefer to start totally from scratch, so there is really no right or wrong answer to the question. At GoCanvas, our form builder provides a great deal of flexibility to fit all of your form-building needs and we have an extensive library of templates to help you get started.

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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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A Beginner’s Guide to Checklist Apps

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

A Beginner’s Guide to Checklist Apps

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Checklists are essential for keeping your team or yourself organized. They are most often used for task management, project management, or workflow optimization.

If jobs at your workplace rely on checklists for the completion of tasks, investing in checklist apps can be a game-changer for increasing your productivity. At a very high level, this means that your staff is leveraging mobile devices (iOS/Apple or Android devices) that have customizable checklists for specific business purposes.

Most apps allow you to start from checklist templates and customize them to fit your needs. You can input due dates, create subtasks, collaborate with co-workers, automate tasks, and take advantage of the other types of advanced features that are included. In a business scenario, there are many benefits to using a mobile application rather than relying on a simple piece of paper.

Continue reading this article for an introduction to checklist best practices, key benefits of using an app for checklists, industry examples, and some free templates to get you started. 

What are the best practices in making a checklist?

To create a well-crafted checklist app, it all starts with making a good checklist. Any time you are collecting data, it’s important to give careful thought to how things are organized and to give specific direction on what’s required. Here are some of the best practices to consider when creating an effective checklist:

Identify your intent  

Clearly defining your intent is helpful for framing the checklist to reflect your specific needs. For example, the checklist may be used as a to-do list, an inspection checklist, a step-by-step guide, a task manager, or a tool to provide you with reminders.

Start with broad categories

It’s helpful to use broad categories when putting together your checklist or task list since there can be a variety of items that need to be included. Within each of those broad categories, checklist items can focus on basic tasks, subtasks, and other items that advance the checklist’s purpose.

Don’t be afraid to get granular

While broad items are an excellent way to start, getting granular in a checklist ensures that people address the specific items or steps when they go to complete the checklist. This level of granularity will help to avoid missing items and making mistakes.

Keep it simple

You should always keep checklists as simple as possible to ensure that your checklists are easy to use for anyone that needs to fill them out. Some use cases will require technical knowledge, but it’s important to remember that the purpose of a checklist is to make it easy for staff to complete. 

Consider extra space for note-taking

Sometimes it makes sense to have extra space on a checklist to add optional notes. This is helpful when people need to provide additional context to a checklist item. For example, people may need to explain why they couldn’t complete an item on the list, they may need to flag something for follow-up, or they may need to flag that a new task item needs to be added in the future. 

Create separate checklists when appropriate 

It’s sometimes tempting to include related lists together. But you should consider keeping separate lists for different purposes, so teams are always using the correct checklist for the right scenario.

What are the benefits of a checklist app?

Now that you have a framework for creating an effective and user-friendly checklist, it’s helpful to understand why a checklist app may be a better option for your business, rather than a regular paper checklist.

Checklist apps and platforms have various functionalities that improve the way teams work. Here are some of the top benefits of using checklist apps for business: 

Availability across multiple devices

With the rise in popularity of mobile devices, everyone is familiar with how to use apps on their phone, and this makes them incredibly convenient for people to access from anywhere.

Checklist apps today are available as mobile apps on both iOS and Android operating systems and through desktop software or web-based platforms. All of the data is securely stored in the cloud, giving teams the ability to work from any device that’s preferred.

Easy to customize

Non-technical staff can easily build and customize their checklist apps, leveraging a familiar drag and drop functionality that doesn’t require help from IT or programmers. You can quickly build checklists and use the drag and drop feature to reorganize the layout based on your preferences. For businesses that want to embrace digital technologies but have limited technical resources, mobile apps are accessible and seriously easy to build for organizations and teams of all sizes.

Advanced features available

Another benefit to apps is that they allow you to incorporate many exciting and advanced features to boost your productivity. This includes things like adding different types of fields into checklists such as calendars, time stamps, required text fields, signature capture, image capture, and much more.

More advanced checklist apps and systems also allow for automating workflows. For example, if a checklist notes a malfunction or problem during that inspection, an organization can send an automated dispatch request to the proper team member. You can see how checklist apps are great for businesses that need to work more efficiently and really streamline their processes.

Access to templates

Not everyone wants to build a checklist from scratch. That’s why checklist apps come with pre-built templates that are put together for specific use cases and they are designed to be customized to fit your unique needs. Some providers of checklist apps will also work with you during onboarding to build the app to your needs, giving you the exact templates your business needs to get started.

Integrations to improve workflows

Another benefit is the ability to leverage integrations to other applications you already use today. This is done by using a pre-built integration, a custom integration using an API, or a connection to a platform like Zapier that allows you to connect with thousands of other cloud apps. This can truly change the way your business operates and checklist items can trigger various automated actions to occur in other platforms.

Many checklist platforms also integrate with commonly used work productivity tools such as Google Workspaces (e.g., Google Keep, Google Tasks, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, and Gmail), Microsoft Exchange, Trello, Slack, Asana, and more.

Collaboration with co-workers

Many businesses need to use checklists that are filled out collaboratively by different team members. Apps allow co-workers to collaborate and share their checklist app submissions in real-time so everyone can be on the same page. This type of syncing capability helps workers and businesses be more productive and spend less time on manual processes.

What industries use checklist apps?

Checklist apps are used by many companies across a number of different industries. Here are some of the top use cases by industry:

  • Construction, Repair, and Improvement companies use checklist apps as components of building inspections, safety inspections, punch lists, maintenance checks, site inspections, compliance checks, and more. 
  • Transportation & Warehousing companies use checklist apps to improve the safety of drivers and vehicles on the road, with apps like the pre-trip driver checklist.  Inspection checklist apps are also used to ensure the longevity of machinery and equipment. 
  • Field Service Providers use checklist apps for contractors and employees that are performing work in the field and they need to ensure consistency with services being provided. These companies also have field service projects that use checklists to perform routine safety checks on jobsites.
  • Manufacturing industry operators use checklist apps to significantly improve workflows, efficiency, and manufacturing outputs. They’re also used to help improve worker safety and the safety of end-users of products. For example, food manufacturers use checklist apps that are geared towards food safety.

GoCanvas checklist apps

Creating a checklist on paper forms often leads to incomplete, inaccurate, or inconsistent data that’s hard for businesses to manage. A better way to manage checklists for your business is to use a mobile app that guides your staff on how to fill in all of the required information correctly. 

GoCanvas is an easy-to-use and powerful platform that enables businesses to create new checklist apps from scratch or take existing checklist templates in the GoCanvas store and tailor them to meet specific use cases. GoCanvas apps can integrate easily with a wide range of third-party providers and tools to increase your workflow efficiency and create opportunities to automate your business processes. The world of technology is easier than its ever been for businesses of all types to leverage these types of cloud applications to work smarter and be more productive at work.

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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 Digital Construction Inspections Improve Safety

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

How Digital Construction Inspections Improve Safety

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Why are construction inspections required?

Construction inspections are performed during all phases of a project to ensure that health and safety standards are being met. Employee health and safety is a top priority for construction companies and there are regulations in place set by OSHA to ensure compliance.

In addition to the inspections that companies perform, OSHA also performs their own inspections of construction sites that can happen at any time to review compliance and issue any penalties or fines.

With the sheer volume of construction sites, it means that OSHA has to prioritize where they are performing inspections. According to the OSHA fact sheet on inspections, they prioritize based on a specific set of criteria:

  • When they hear of imminent danger situations
  • When severe injuries and illnesses are reported
  • When workers complain anonymously
  • When various agencies or organizations refer potential hazards
  • When workplaces are known historically to be high hazard
  • When they are performing a follow-up inspection

The prioritization of inspections is effective to incentivize employers that follow the rules and implement health and safety best practices. The goal is to have thorough construction inspection processes in place so that you are identifying issues, or your employees feel like they can come to you first with their concerns, and issues can be appropriately addressed. Having these processes in place is good for your employees’ health and safety, as well as your company’s productivity and bottom line.

Benefits of Using Mobile Apps for Construction Inspections

The traditional method for performing a construction inspection has been on paper forms. But anyone who has dealt with paper forms knows how inefficient that process can be. Some of the pitfalls of paper forms include:

  • Lost or misplaced forms buried in filing cabinets
  • Human error when filling out the form
  • Incomplete or inaccurate data that causes issues later
  • Sustainability concerns with heavy usage of paper

The current shift in the construction industry is a move toward digital transformation, where documents live as secure files in the cloud and can be filled out via mobile devices on construction sites. 

You can see how this type of solution solves the challenge of paper forms, ensuring that documents are easy to find, are filled out properly, and are in line with sustainable practices, reducing paper usage. 

With all of this information now available in real-time, another win for construction companies is the ability to analyze the data to understand safety trends and to have the necessary reports available when they are needed most.

Data and analytics have been slow for adoption in the construction industry, but data analytics is quickly becoming one of the greatest assets for improving productivity, ensuring safety and compliance, and tracking and reporting on key elements of business operations.

The Top 10 OSHA Violations in 2021

A recent article from Health and Safety magazine cited data from OSHA that summarizes their annual report of the top 10 health and safety violations. Below is a summary of the data for the construction industry violations in FY 2021:

  1.     Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 5,295 violations
  2.     Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,527 violations
  3.     Ladders (1926.1053): 2,026 violations
  4.     Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,948 violations
  5.     Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 1,947 violations
  6.     Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 1,698 violations
  7.     Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,666 violations
  8.     Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,452 violations
  9.     Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,420 violations
  10.     Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,113 violations

OSHA reveals this data to create awareness around the top hazards in the workplace so that employers can proactively address health and safety issues that are very much preventable. In the next section, we will cover how you can improve construction health and safety programs with digital construction inspections that can help to minimize your risk from the top 10 violations cited by OSHA.

Apps and Templates for Construction Inspections

Leveraging digital technologies and the use of mobile apps can help you formalize your safety management programs. It will help you store inspection and training records in case you need to show documentation, helping you to stay compliant and avoid fines.

A benefit of using GoCanvas for your safety management program is that we have hundreds of pre-built construction inspection templates, checklists, and incident reports that your company can leverage and customize to fit your unique needs.

To minimize the most common OSHA violations, check out our list of construction inspection apps and templates that we have compiled for you to get started.

Construction Inspection apps and templates:

Additional templates for construction inspections

In addition to this list on health and safety, there are other types of construction inspections that your organization should be aware of, including ones for quality control, building inspections, and much more. The top 10 list is a great place to start, but if you are looking for additional construction inspections, checklists, or reports, you can find them through the GoCanvas application store.

With the current competitive landscape of construction and the tight margins that exist, every company should prioritize ways to keep their workforce productive. Leveraging technologies like GoCanvas to improve your health and safety programs will lead to lower risk to your company and greater profit margins over time.

Try GoCanvas for free today
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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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16 Construction Safety Stats to Know in 2021

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

16 Construction Safety Stats to Know in 2021

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Why is construction safety important?

The construction industry tops the list when it comes to workplace injuries and fatalities, even with tightened safety regulations over the years. It’s important for companies to prioritize construction safety to minimize these risks and keep employees safe. When employees are safe, it strengthens your company’s reputation, and it leads to greater employee satisfaction and retention over time.

Here are some key stats that put into perspective the importance of construction safety:

  1. About 20% of worker fatalities per year in private industry were in construction – accounting for one in five worker deaths for the year
  2. More than half of the fatalities resulted from what OSHA calls the “Fatal Four” (falls, being struck by an object, electrocutions, and getting caught in or between equipment or objects)
  3. Eliminating construction industry deaths from the “Fatal Four” could save more than 582 U.S. workers’ lives every year, given that the death toll stems largely from non-compliance with safety regulations
  4. Businesses spend $170 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses — expenditures that come straight out of company profits

How daily construction safety meetings can help

Safety meetings and training will help you keep in compliance with OSHA standards that require employers to talk to employees about safety. Many construction companies are holding daily safety meetings, also known as toolbox talks, that cover the key areas that employees need to be trained on.

By implementing regular safety meetings on different topics, you’ll likely see a decrease in the number of accidents on site. Here are some key findings on how these daily meetings can help:

  1. Companies that host safety meetings once a month have a total recordable incident rate (TRIR, a statistic you can calculate and compare to industry averages) four times higher than those that hold them daily
  1. Holding daily toolbox talks reduces a company’s DART (days away, restricted, or transferred) rate by 66 percent compared to monthly talks.
  2. Implementing a safety program can reduce injury and illness costs by 20-40%.

How construction safety impacts productivity

Prioritizing safety leads to greater productivity in the construction industry. Given the state of the construction industry in 2021, companies will need to maximize their productivity in order to stay competitive and ensure projects are completed on schedule for customers.

Here are some key findings on the impact of safety on productivity:

  1. The productivity lost from workplace injuries and illnesses costs an additional $60 billion yearly
  2. The median number of days away from work because of a job-related injury or illness in construction is 10 days.
  3. Companies with good health and safety programs outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index in Australia by 24.9 percent. Companies that didn’t have those programs underperformed.

Ensure compliance and avoid costly fines

The construction industry is one of the most frequently inspected by OSHA and they can visit a worksite at any time for an inspection. Employers that have strong safety management programs in place ensure that they are in compliance with OSHA standards, and they are less likely to be fined.

Here are some important stats on OSHA violations and fines:

  1. OSHA’s maximum penalty for a “serious” violation is $13,653 per violation
  2. The OSHA fine for a “willful or repeated violation” is $136,532 per violation
  3. The fine for a violation that causes an injury but not a death (what OSHA defines as an “other than serious” violation) is $13,653. In the tragic event that an employee’s life is lost, violations become criminal offenses and can carry fines of up to half a million dollars.

Impact of safety on insurance premiums

Another benefit of focusing on safety is that you avoid more accidents, which in turn can lower your company’s insurance costs. Workers’ compensation premiums are calculated by taking the rate that is set based on the class of employee and multiplying it by an experience modification rating (EMR). The EMR adjusts premiums based on your previous three years of injury records.

Lowering the number of incidents will help to keep your costs down, and here are a few noteworthy stats about insurance premiums in the construction industry:

  1. Employers in the construction industry spend about $1 per hour per employee on workers’ comp, compared to the national average of $.45 per hour per employee for all other industries
  2. Employers pay almost $1 billion a week in workers’ compensation costs alone
  3. A small improvement in your EMR can translate into a 10-20% reduction in insurance premiums.

There are also many indirect costs of claims, including lost productivity, cost to hire replacement workers, and administrative costs to handle the claims.

Comprehensive safety management for construction

The data makes it very clear that construction companies and their employees benefit when the organization is invested in safety programs. Investing in a solution like GoCanvas makes it easy for companies to track and report on their safety programs in near real-time.

Our safety management solution is customizable to meet your business needs and it includes several pre-built safety forms, including Toolbox Talks, Incident Reports, and Job Safety Analysis.

One interesting (and final) stat to share is that GoCanvas customers report reducing their risk and liability by 18%. You can get started for free with GoCanvas to see how mobile apps and forms can make your safety program more effective.

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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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What are the Main Stages and Processes of Incident Reporting?

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

What are the Main Stages and Processes of Incident Reporting?

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Incident reports are effective tools to promote safety in the workplace. You want to do everything in your power to fill out your incident reports as professionally and effectively as possible. We have compiled a thorough list of the main incident reporting stages so you can ensure you’re taking every step to foster a culture of safety in the workplace. Here are the main stages and processes to consider for incident reporting: 

1. Initial response and disclosure 

You should begin the process of incident reporting as soon as an incident or near-miss occurs. Your initial responses should include administering any medical aid that’s necessary, containing spills, and calling the authorities if needed.

You should also contact your company leadership team so they’re aware of the situation and can begin reporting protocols right away. Your leadership team will ensure other team members have left the danger zone and are out of harm’s way.

You can then begin formal documentation once you’ve secured everyone’s safety and notified supervisors. 

2. Preserve and document the scene 

You will need to start your incident reporting by getting formal and accurate documentation immediately after the event has occurred.

You will first want to make sure that your teams have shut down any equipment and that any hazards or spills have been contained. As soon as it’s safe to do so, you will need to preserve the scene of the incident and begin recording the details of the event by taking photographs and videos of the scene.

You will want to begin your documentation before equipment or other materials have been moved for clean-up purposes so that you are getting an accurate picture of the scene. In some instances, you may also want to use tape or cones to prevent team members from compromising the scene before you have had a chance to fully document the incident. 

It’s critical that you record as many details as possible so the investigative team can have the most complete picture of what happened and what led to the event. Here are a few important details that you will want to include when surveying the scene:

  1. Equipment involved in the incident
  2. Cleanliness of the area as well as obvious hazards, such as spills
  3. Weather conditions 
  4. Lighting and noise
  5. The presence or lack of safety guards and safety equipment
  6. General location, date, and time of the incident

3. Gather witness testimony 

Gathering witness testimony is one of the most crucial components of incident reporting and interviewing witnesses in a timely manner will increase your chances of acquiring accurate details about the event. You can move toward collecting information from witnesses once you have finished documenting the scene of the event.

Contact the supervisor to get the names and contact information from anyone that was present and promptly begin interviewing the witnesses. You don’t want to delay these interviews because it’s possible that the memories of witnesses can become blurred with the passage of time – particularly in the case of a traumatic accident or near-miss.

To help you maximize your witness interviews, here are some helpful tips to consider:

  • When possible, conduct your interviews at the scene of the incident to help witnesses remember some of the more minute details of the incident. 
  • Assure witnesses that your job is to gather information and not to place blame. Emphasize that their honesty is crucial to the safety of the workplace and that incident reporting helps to prevent future accidents.
  • Allow witnesses time to think and retell the incident. Ask open-ended questions. 
  • Interview witnesses privately. This gives them the opportunity to recall their own memories of the event and not fall under the influence of another witness’s testimony. 

You should record all this information as thoroughly as possible. In addition to written notes, consider using an audio recorder or filming witness interviews so you don’t miss any crucial details.

It’s best to discuss interview methods with supervisors or leadership before you begin. After an incident, workers might be afraid of providing their testimony, so you will want to make sure they feel safe and supported throughout the process.

4. Complete the form 

You should compile a formal incident report once you’ve gathered all of the pertinent information. OSHA requires workplaces to file incident reports on accidents, injuries, and even near-misses. The administration also provides helpful forms to ensure you record and submit your incident reports correctly. 

5. Report to the authorities 

In certain cases, you will need to submit the report to the appropriate authorities once the report has been completed. For example, this would apply in instances where there’s been a fatality, a hazardous spill, or any other major event where there are statutory requirements for you to disclose this information to the proper authorities. 

6. Determine the causes 

After you file your incident report, you now must work to determine how and why the incident occurred in the first place. This process of investigating a workplace incident is often referred to as a root cause analysis.

You or your investigative team will need to conduct a root cause analysis to locate the gaps in your safety protocols and systems so that you can determine the “root causes” of an incident. OSHA provides a helpful guide for determining the root causes of an incident and this guide outlines helpful questions to ask when executing your investigation.

This guide can help you to consider the incident from multiple viewpoints and ensure you are performing a thorough examination of the incident. 

7. Implement corrective actions 

Once the investigation has been completed, you can start to take steps to prevent a similar incident from occurring again in the future. Your team can implement the corrective actions that are needed to cultivate a culture of workplace safety that’s in the best interest of the organization and its employees. 

The first place to start with your corrective action plan is to understand the safety and quality standards for your workplace. Once you have a solid grasp on these standards, you can begin to plan specific ways of preventing future harm and educating team members on how to practice workplace safety. 

For example, this could be anything from stressing the importance of wearing safety gear to dedicated training on safe equipment use. Your corrective action plans should be tailored to your specific workplace and the weaknesses that you uncovered in the incident investigation. 

Creating a safe and productive workplace

Incident reports are an important part of creating a safe and productive workplace for all your team members. When you take the necessary steps to complete the incident reports, you’re enabling the company to take the appropriate corrective actions, and this will allow the company to be more prepared going forward. At the end of the day, it’s all about doing everything you can to foster a safer working environment for everyone.

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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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Incident Report Examples & Templates

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

Incident Report Examples & Templates

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Knowing how to effectively file incident reports is a critical component for companies that want to cultivate their culture of safety at work. Incident reports are designed to document the important details surrounding an accident, incident, or near miss that happens in the workplace. 

These reports are incredibly useful for informing companies on the real gaps that exist in their safety protocols, ultimately allowing them to address these issues by implementing new policies and protocols to prevent future incidents from occurring. 

In this article, we cover three of the most common incident report types and the corresponding report templates that you can use. Continue reading for examples and templates to use when these types of incidents happen at your workplace:

  • Basic Incident Report
  • Field Incident Report
  • Construction Accident Investigation Report

Basic incident report template & sample

If you need a basic template to get started, make sure to check out our basic incident report template that’s free to get started with using the GoCanvas app store. Our template includes the most common information to include in a basic incident report and it can be fully customized to meet your company’s specific requirements.

Picture of an incident report template

What are basic incident reports used for?

Basic incident reports work for a variety of types of incidents, giving you a flexible template that can be used for different types of accidents, near misses, or injuries. A basic incident report template should include all the essential details that you and the investigative teams will need to fill out following the incident. 

How often basic incidents occur 

Wondering how often basic incidents occur? If you look at the most recent findings from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it shows that the rate of recordable incidents in the private industry was at 2.8 percent among full-time workers. The data shows that nearly 900,000 incidents resulted in lost time when looking across all of the reported incidents in a given year.

Key info for basic incident reports

A basic incident report needs to include all the details the investigative team will need to evaluate during their review, including: 

  • Location, date, and time of the incident
  • Witnesses and their contact information 
  • Witness testimonies 
  • Those involved in the incident
  • Actions that were taken post-incident 
  • Injuries incurred
  • Medical treatment administered 

Field incident report template & sample

When an incident happens in the field a report must be filled out and sent to the proper authorities. Get started for free on the GoCanvas app store, using our field incident report template that allows your field teams to use a mobile device or tablet when submitting their reports.

Picture of a field incident template

What are field incident reports used for? 

You will need to use a field incident report for any work-related injuries that occur offsite or outside of company property. Field incident claims are typically more complicated than claims filed for an on-site incident. With that in mind, you should make sure to be thorough when collecting the details of a field incident to ensure that claims are efficiently processed.

Key info for field incident reports

In addition to all the information included on a basic incident report, field incident reports should also include the location of the accident and the address of the workplace.

Construction accident investigation report template & sample

The perfect tool for any construction company is available through the GoCanvas app store using our construction accident investigation template. Use this resource so that your construction company is prepared when a workplace accident occurs.

Picture of a construction accident template

What are construction accident investigation reports used for?

You know that the construction industry presents a wide range of hazards and dangers. Construction accident investigation reports are crucial to identifying weak points in safety protocols and they can actually help your business establish better safety practices. These reports can help your company and they can also help inform the entire construction industry on how to better minimize injuries on job sites. 

How often construction accidents occur 

If you look at data provided by OSHA, you will see that construction accidents are the most common type of reportable incident and about 20 percent of fatalities in private industry are in construction. The most commonly violated OSHA standard is fall protection, which falls under the construction sector. 

Key info for construction accident reports

In addition to all the information required on a basic incident report form, a construction accident investigation report should also include the name of the contractor, the name of site foreman, and any violations that were issued. 

Additional templates available for all your use cases

Documenting incidents and injuries is crucial for promoting a culture of safety in the workplace. With incident report templates on hand, you’ll be able to document any accidents when they happen, and your team can work to improve its protocols for a safer workplace. 

If you’re looking for additional incident report templates that we didn’t cover in this article, be sure to check out more examples of incident reports in our app store. We have hundreds of pre-built forms to help you get started and our product has a variety of features that will fit all your business needs.

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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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Form Builders and Templates – What You Need to Know

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

Form Builders and Templates – What You Need to Know

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Forms can be complex and many times they can be more nuanced than you might expect. But with properly designed layouts, you can improve workflows, facilitate automation, and enable your business to customize and enhance its data collection practices. Continue reading this blog post for:

  • Information about forms
  • A summary of different types of forms on the market today
  • Examples of industry use cases for forms

What is a form?

A form is a tool that has fields where individuals can write text or select from various options. The end use of forms can vary significantly, but most often they function to register for something, fill out a statement, create a request, or submit an order.

Forms may also be multi-purpose by design, and they can even lead end-users to different outcomes based on how they respond to the form fields.  While most forms are provided blank, some form designers may also leverage placeholder content in digital forms that can prompt users to provide certain types of data.

Forms can also have advanced features like dynamically populating content using data that is being referenced from a database, often referred to as reference data. Reference data can help pre-populate form fields, simplifying the process for people filling out the form by leveraging data that is already known.

The benefit of using forms to collect data is that they help to make data consistent and uniform for storing, processing, and analyzing the data. One common example of using forms is when businesses need to collect data from their customers to store inside a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

Integrating the form with the CRM database allows a business to dynamically populate the form fields based on the data they already have from the customer. It then allows them to collect a standard set of data fields from customers, ensuring that they are bringing in consistent and standard data that can be used when creating reports and performing analysis.

What are the different form builders on the market, and how are they used?

There are different types of form builders available to the market today. Some of these form-building tools have more niche-specific uses, while others have a broad set of use cases. Here’s a quick overview of some of the different form builders on the market today:

Mobile App Forms

Mobile app forms are specialized forms that function as mobile apps. GoCanvas is a leading firm in developing mobile app forms for data collection and sharing. Users can access the form builder to create custom apps that can be used on tablets and smartphones or through a desktop app available on Windows and Apple computers. 

The data from these forms is stored in the cloud and it can help businesses reduce their paper usage. The functional capabilities of GoCanvas apps include GPS location capture, photos, custom form fields, signature capture, and reference data, among others. Users can share form submissions through a .csv file or a PDF report. 

GoCanvas also integrates with a wide range of platforms, including Quickbooks, Salesforce, Dropbox, Google Drive, PulseM, Netsuite, Zendesk, and much more. Through Zapier, GoCanvas can integrate with over 3,000 apps to automate workflows and increase workplace productivity.

WordPress Plugins

There are countless WordPress plugins available that form writers can use to develop and deploy forms accessible from websites. Some of the most popular ones include Gravity Forms, Formidable Forms, WPForms, Jetpack Forms, and others. These form builders are drag-and-drop plugins that are dynamic in their applications. It is relatively easy to embed these forms directly into websites designed on the WordPress CMS. 

Most often, people use these types of forms as a contact form, registration form, or marketing form to collect information for email marketing campaigns. These forms can also function as a submission tool for file uploads or a payment authorization tool that can integrate with PayPal or Stripe systems.

Form data collected through these plugins are typically accessible in various formats, including an online dashboard or exportable format through .csv or XML format. Users can customize these forms by using more advanced CSS or HTML code to define specific looks and functionality.

Email Marketing Forms

Most email marketing campaigns will use lead capture systems and CRMs for marketing and sales purposes. Some of the most well-known email marketing providers include Hubspot, Mailchimp, and Constant Contact – all of which have forms that can integrate with various types of websites, mobile apps, or through stand-alone systems.

In general, these forms are somewhat limited in their capabilities, although it is possible to automate workflows based on inputs and conditional logic. Most commonly, these types of forms are meant to collect basic information that can inform marketing and sales teams about interested customers or prospective customers.

Survey Tools

Google Forms and SurveyMonkey are two popular tools for sending out free or low-cost surveys.  These types of forms can be built with conditional logic, automation, and other capabilities to collect data from groups of all sizes.

Reporting dashboards are also available in these platforms so that users can generate actionable and insightful data from results. Google Forms integrates directly with Google Sheets so that these forms can quickly aggregate data into a cloud-based Google Sheet.

Use cases for different form builders

Given the various types of form builders available to the market, it may be helpful to compare the different uses for each form builders we’ve covered in this article. Here’s a quick summary:

  • Mobile App Forms are helpful tools for businesses that require checklists, reports, data collection tools, evaluations, guidelines, and other tools for recording, reporting, or sharing information.
  • WordPress Plugins can be used in various use cases but are often deployed for contact capture purposes, as registration forms, contact forms, and other somewhat simplistic use cases. 
  • Email Marketing Forms are niche purpose forms, mostly related to capturing contact information for users. 
  • Survey tools are great for collecting responses from respondents and aggregating data into easy-to-understand insights such as charts and graphics. 

How different industries can use forms effectively

Nearly every industry today uses forms to improve its business processes and outcomes. Here are some of the innovative ways that companies are using mobile forms to streamline their operations:

  • Work orders for companies in the construction, repair, and improvement industry may be generated through a form builder to integrate with systems such as Quickbooks so that accounting departments can approve expenditures or authorize work quickly. 
  • Building inspection forms can utilize conditional logic and automation to rapidly dispatch the correct maintenance personnel depending on the nature of an issue during the inspection.
  • Estimate sheets can be used to help businesses to bid effectively on projects, using calculations that can be performed automatically through the form.
  • Time tracking can be automated for staff when companies may leverage GPS capabilities integrated into forms to ensure that inspectors are at the correct job site at the right time
  • Field service reports can streamline communications between workers and their offices, ultimately minimizing miscommunications and improving service outcomes. Field service technicians can use technical service orders to automatically request specialized service types while including pertinent details such as images of problem areas, GPS coordinates of where a problem is, and much more.
  • Forms for Human Resources departments to effectively track employees’ time, ensure proper training sessions are attended, or even authorize vacation and time-off requests with ease.
  • Compliance and safety management for organizations that need to comply with OSHA requirements. These companies use forms for inspection checklists to maintain employee health and safety by ensuring that facilities are in compliance and that proper safety inspections are occurring regularly.

Mobile apps and forms can make an impact on businesses of all types and sizes. If you are looking for other types of forms to use for your business, GoCanvas has done the work for you already – we have over 20,000 mobile app forms that are pre-built for many different industries and use cases to help you get started for free.

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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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What are Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)?

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

What are Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)?

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What is a SDS and what is its purpose?

The term SDS refers to a Safety Data Sheet that is used by chemical companies to stay in compliance with the regulations set by OSHA in the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). Companies that manufacture, distribute, or import chemicals are required to provide Safety Data Sheets to inform workers of the hazardous materials they are handling.

The main purpose of a SDS is to provide companies with a standard template they can use for communicating critical information about their hazardous materials for the safety interests of their workers. 

SDS Information You Should Know

In 2012, OSHA updated the HCS to be aligned with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). It’s important to point out that Safety Data Sheets are part of the legislative process at OSHA, meaning that they can change over time and new amendments can be enacted by the administration. 

The changes that occurred in 2012 were enacted in part to reduce trade barriers globally for American companies and to provide consistent standards for communicating and classifying hazardous chemicals. As part of these changes, the long-used material data sheets (MSDS) also became obsolete, and companies were forced to move to the new 16-section SDS format to stay in compliance and avoid any applicable fines. 

What’s included in the current 16 section SDS format?

OSHA structures the Safety Data Sheets into 16 sections so that all companies have a standard template to keep things consistent. Each of the sections has a distinct purpose for classifying hazards and below we have included a high-level summary provided by OSHA’s website of what’s included in each section of the Safety Data Sheets.

Sections 1 through 8 

OSHA states that “Sections 1 through 8 contain general information about the chemical, identification, hazards, composition, safe handling practices, and emergency control measures (e.g., fire fighting). This information should be helpful to those that need to get the information quickly.” 

  • Section 1: Identification
  • Section 2: Hazard(s) Identification
  • Section 3: Composition/Information on Ingredients
  • Section 4: First-Aid Measures
  • Section 5: Fire-Fighting Measures
  • Section 6: Accidental Release Measures
  • Section 7: Handling and Storage
  • Section 8: Exposure Controls/Personal Protection

Sections 9 through 11 and 16

OSHA states that “Sections 9 through 11 and 16 contain other technical and scientific information, such as physical and chemical properties, stability and reactivity information, toxicological information, exposure control information, and other information including the date of preparation or last revision. The SDS must also state that no applicable information was found when the preparer does not find relevant information for any required element.”

  • Section 9: Physical and Chemical Properties
  • Section 10: Stability and Reactivity
  • Section 11: Toxicological Information
  • Section 12: Ecological Information (non-mandatory)
  • Section 13: Disposal Considerations (non-mandatory)
  • Section 14: Transport Information (non-mandatory)
  • Section 15: Regulatory Information (non-mandatory)
  • Section 16: Other Information

Why are sections 12 through 15 labeled as non-mandatory?

As we mentioned earlier in this article, the 2012 changes to the SDS format were designed to bring more consistency between the SDS format and the globally recognized GHS standards. That’s why sections 12 through 15 are now included in the template and marked as non-mandatory.

It’s important to note that OSHA “will not enforce the content of these sections because they concern matters handled by other agencies.” While these sections are not mandatory to be in compliance with OSHA standards, it makes sense to use these sections if your company works internationally and also needs to comply with the GHS.

Can a SDS be stored digitally?

As more companies invest in digital transformation initiatives, it means that companies are moving towards housing much of their critical information in secure, cloud-based platforms. When it comes to SDSs, OSHA indicates that safety data sheets can absolutely be stored as digital documents. OSHA just requires that these SDSs are easily accessible for all employees who need to understand the hazardous chemicals that are being used for their job site. 

Another best practice can be to assign a person or team to manage the SDSs and make sure that they are always accessible and up to date. Having these documents stored digitally and made available through a mobile application will help your team manage the documents and ensure that your workers know where to find the latest version of the SDS. 

In the rare case of a power outage or emergency situation, it makes sense to have a hard copy of your SDS available for workers. But otherwise in today’s digitally connected world, it’s going to make sense to have digital copies available for your SDSs that can be readily accessible in a secure mobile device on-site.

Covering SDSs in Safety Toolbox Talks

Toolbox talks are a great way to educate your workers on best practices in the workplace by sharing everything they need to know on staying compliant with regulations for jobs and projects. You can use these daily safety meetings as an opportunity to review the SDSs, covering how to find them and how to interpret the information that is provided, making sure to highlight the potential risks involved with chemicals on site. 

Your leadership team may also want to consider implementing a safety management solution to help manage compliance with OSHA and to ensure your employees have access to the latest data sheets.

By moving these processes online, it will also allow you to analyze which employees and job sites have actually completed the training programs, so you can identify and address any potential issues before they result in an accident or fines.  

Safety Data Sheet examples and templates

If you are looking for free SDSs sheets, you may be interested in the GoCanvas app store where we have built out safety data sheet examples and templates that you can use as a starting point.

Companies that deal with potentially hazardous materials are starting to implement chemical management programs and mobile applications have proven to be effective for tracking and managing these programs. 

Our safety data sheet templates can be used to contain a range of information about chemicals and materials being handled. They are meant to communicate to the reader any protective equipment needed when handling the chemicals or materials, hazard communications such as signage or pictograms, information about hazardous substances that may make up component materials or ingredients of the subject of the SDS, and how to handle spills or exposure to hazardous material.

Construction companies that move to GoCanvas have found that it helps them track and report on their safety programs in real-time, giving them a better place to manage their SDSs and helping to improve the health and safety initiatives at their workplaces.

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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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Why Go Paperless and the Benefits of Doing So

Posted on by GoCanvas Team

Why Go Paperless and the Benefits of Doing So

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More and more, businesses are moving from filing cabinets and arcane paper files to going paperless. What are the benefits of going paperless, and what does it mean for an office to become a paperless office? How can businesses become paperless effectively?

Ten Benefits to Going Paperless

  1. Improvements to Document Management Practices: When someone needs a document in a paper-based office, the process of tracking down that document can be a nightmare! Does an employee need to find it in a filing cabinet or archives? What happens if the filing of a document occurs incorrectly? Some businesses even maintain Document Management Specialists or Records Custodians teams to handle the retrieval and filing of documents. The workflow process for simply finding or requesting a document can create a lengthy and exhaustive process. Paperless offices can avoid these issues by having streamlined document management practices. The use of specialized document management software can free up personnel resources and incorporate version controls, digital editing, flexible search options, easy sharing of files, and more.
  2. More Efficient Use of Office Space: Commercial real estate can be expensive, and storing paper is an incredibly inefficient and wasteful use of that space. Some estimates indicate that storing paper takes up between 50% and 70% of office space. Rows of filing cabinets, office archive space, and bankers boxes full of documents take up an incredible amount of space and representing a constantly growing cost. With paperless offices, file cabinets worth of data can be easily stored either in an onsite server with a fairly minor footprint or, as is more common, in the cloud where there is absolutely no loss of localized office floor space. The limitation of storage space is also a worry of the past as both physical servers and cloud storage are easily scalable. 
  3. Availability of Digital Documents for Remote Workers: Remote working has become a given for many businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic, which quickly forced many businesses to change operations and implement work from home opportunities for employees, highlighted the potential pitfalls with reliance on paper documents. While the COVID-19 pandemic may subside soon, work from home is here to stay for many businesses, which means that paper files may not cut it when it comes to productivity. Having a paperless office can ensure that employees working remotely can operate effectively and efficiently.
  4. Availability on Mobile Devices: For many businesses, having accessible documents on the go is critically important. For example, construction companies may require to access work or change orders remotely, or field service technicians may need service reports while at a facility – the potential needs for documents on the go are endless. Paperless offices ensure that important documents, digital forms, and other key files are available on-the-go and in real-time. 
  5. Automation of Business Processes: A critical component of going paperless is capitalizing on process automation. The use of document management software or process workflow solutions allows companies to manage, route automatically, and act on information through built-in rules. 
  6. Accessible Data through Optical Character Recognition (OCR): Optical character recognition has changed how businesses can handle paper effectively. Before using OCR, paper documents that businesses digitized were not of much use other than being stored digitally – the information on them was inaccessible in a meaningful way. OCR, a technology that has been steadily improving over the past several years, has made scanned or archived files accessible through indexing and searching. Modern OCR technology even can turn handwriting into accessible and recognized characters with a reasonable degree of reliability.
  7. Cost Savings: There are multiple ways that going paperless creates cost savings – printing and copying documents is resource-intensive, requiring paper, toner, ink, staples, and more. Printers, fax machines, and copiers can be major expenses for an office requiring ongoing maintenance, repair, and replacement. Additionally, as already has been covered, the storage space for files is wasted floor space that generates no revenue for a business. Many companies can improve their bottom line by going paperless while improving business operations in a true win-win situation.
  8. Digital Files and Digital Signatures: When requiring physical signatures on documents, it may take days for copies to be mailed or sent by courier, extensive follow-up may be necessary for obtaining a signature, or signing these documents may require multiple people in a room together. This antiquated process can be time-consuming, expensive, and an inefficient use of time. With digital files, signing documents can occur through a computer or mobile device with verification processes to ensure that the signing of documents occurs securely and with identity verification practices in place. These electronic signatures, or esignatures, are easier and more secure than traditional pen-to-paper signatures. 
  9. Safety and Security of Important Documents: The safety of documents comes in different stripes, but the most notable include safety against damage or destruction, as well as securing them from unauthorized access and viewing. Paper documents are susceptible to damage from water, fire, mold, and even from pests such as rodents or insects. Furthermore, prying eyes can easily access paper documents whether or not they are authorized to; however, businesses can encrypt digital documents accessible to the appropriate individuals only.
  10. Going Green: It is becoming more and more important to businesses’ identities to be environmentally sustainable and eco-friendly. Going paperless is a great way to reduce a company’s carbon footprint while promoting sustainability. Manufacturing paper takes a toll on the environment by harvesting and treating lumber – even recycled paper negatively impacts the environment. Similarly, toner and ink used in printers and copiers can damage people and the environment. Paperless offices can significantly reduce, or even eliminate, environmental and personnel exposure to these harmful chemicals.

How to Go Paperless

So it is clear that a paperless office has benefits to business owners, employees, the environment, and the bottom line, but going paperless can seem like a challenging undertaking. The effort required to become a paperless office can vary between businesses depending on many circumstances, including the volume of existing physical paper documents, record-keeping requirements, existing filing systems, and business processes, among other factors.

Records and Archives

Suppose a business has extensive records and archives that need to be digitized. In that case, there are plenty of third-party service providers available that can quickly and cost-effectively digitize records. Modern digitization firms can scan up to tens of thousands of pages per scanner, per day. These records can run through OCR software to make them indexable and searchable through a capable document management system.

Handling Forms

Companies that currently rely on paper forms may want to explore shifting to digital forms as a part of going paperless. GoCanvas has pre-developed form templates available in its application store for deployment quickly and dynamically to fill this need for nearly any business. If the form your company needs is not available, it is not difficult to easily and quickly design that form have it ready to use. Companies can integrate these forms within their existing systems, such as financial backends, CRMs, and more. 

Document Management

The key to having an effective paperless office is a modern document management system. These software platforms enable businesses to organize, secure, capture, digitize, and tag files. Additionally, these systems incorporate process automation features to improve business workflows. Document management systems can track who has access to files, when files are accessed, changes made to files (version tracking), and more. 

Transitioning Gradually

It is not typically realistic to decide to become paperless and then immediately become paperless. Businesses that accomplish becoming paperless offices do so gradually, involving personnel in the digitization process to understand how the process works and are not overwhelmed. Small businesses may benefit from using storage solutions such as Dropbox or Google Drive at first, while eventually transitioning to more dedicated document management systems.

Be Flexible

A paperless office is not necessarily an office without any paper – it just means a business has worked to minimize paper use, focusing instead on digital documents. Offices will still have file cabinets, and employees will need to print things from time to time – it is a reality that is unlikely to change any time soon. But by being flexible in defining paperless offices, businesses can begin to benefit from digital files and paperless practices. 

Handling Existing Paper

Some businesses may have sensitive information on paper that requires specific handling during digitization. These documents can often be shredded after scanning of them has taken place. In cases with high-security requirements (such as medical records, bank statements, or tax forms), a shredder company may offer certification and verification of the secure destruction of the documents.

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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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