Excavation Safety: Mobile Automation of your Pre-Excavation Checklist

Mobile automation of your pre-excavation checklist helps reduce incident rates. Entering data into a pre-excavation checklist app, rather than a paper form, allows for real-time reporting and predictive analysis to identify risks and put mitigating actions in place before an incident happens.

Moving from a paper pre-excavation checklist to an automated checklist ensures your safety protocol is followed step-by-step, with no deviation. Automating the checklist allows you to customize a checklist based on the dig site and any other requirements unique to a particular job.

Mobile automation of your pre-excavation checklist is simple. There are numerous solutions available; you just need to choose the right one for you.

Option 1 is an off-the-shelf solution, meaning a pre-built app. This option can work great if you are able to change your process to work within the app’s parameters. The primary drawbacks are the inability to make changes in the app to accommodate your workflow and getting the data you need for reporting.

Option 2 is building a customized app with developers. A customized pre-excavation checklist app will get you everything you want and more, however, depending on what devices you’ll be using, this will most likely require more time and money.

Option 3 is a form builder. This option allows you to get your pre-excavation checklist app up and running quickly and easily. There are templates available that allow you to build a multitude of apps to replace checklists and paper forms. The biggest drawback is this option typically does not store data in a database, which means you cannot view trends and metrics. Form builders typically do not support more complex business logic or integration into backend systems.

Option 4 is a no- or low-cost mobile app development platform that allows anyone who knows how to use Excel to build or update apps such as a pre-excavation checklist. This type of platform will allow you to quickly and easily build and integrate any app you want, regardless of how complex your workflow or reporting requirements. With this option, you can automate additional processes such as safety incidents along with your pre-excavation checklist.

Selecting the right solution to automate your pre-excavation checklist is straightforward.

After determining potential solution providers, you will need to do six things:

1. Gather your pre-excavation checklists

Lonny Oswalt is Chief Executive Officer of Mobile- Frame and invites you to visit MobileFrame.com if you are looking for help on automating your excavation safety program.