Taking photos while performing maintenance rounds can greatly improve communication within your team and with management. A few pictures can explain much more than notes or even a quick conversation can, especially when attached to a record in a digital logbook like LogCheck.
Adding photos to your routine inspections and maintenance process makes it easy for you and your team to:
- Share clear visual evidence of issues
It can be difficult to share details of an issue with others on your team or management. Photos clearly and quickly communicate a problem or condition.A note telling you “valve HV-023 is leaking” is useful, but an attached photo of the leak illustrates much more. This information can make the difference between calling the vendor or sending your engineer to tighten the valve body bolts.
When you need to request resources for unplanned events or issues, photos can convey the problem and stress urgency so you get the resources you need. If management can see what you see, important issues are hard to ignore. And attached to a record, they document the status at that given moment, in context.
- Gain confidence that procedures are performed correctly
Need reassurance that critical meter readings were captured or critical steps were performed during your team’s maintenance rounds?
- Have your team snap a photo of the gauge or use a series of images to document their work. LogCheck’s mobile app allows you to attach multiple images to any record, and you can easily indicate what you’d like photographed in any log’s explanation section. Capture proof of lock out tag out, critical component installation, or proper control settings.Have contractors onsite? Take a daily progress photo to supplement your contractor’s report. Is the contractor keeping an obstacle free workspace? Is the area secure and clean during non-working hours? Use photos during rounds to find out for sure!
- Back up documents collected in the field
Take a picture of receipts, bills of materials, equipment printouts, or any other documents you encounter out in the field. A digital backup won’t get dirty or damaged, and when it’s embedded in your logbook, anyone on your team can quickly access it, regardless of where the paper receipt went.Some of our clients have taken it a step further by adding a location to their LogCheck logbook specifically for collecting vendor documents. When they need a document, any engineer can find it right in their logbook. - Create a resource for all employees to reference
Taking photos as you complete maintenance rounds creates an invaluable resource for your team members. This allows your teammates to see what you see and learn from your experience.On top of that, they create a powerful training guide. A new employee can peruse old records and use photos to verify things like equipment configurations, instrument IDs, and valve or switch orientations. Reduce the potential for confusion and prevent failures or mistakes. - Get assurance that staff is not taking shortcuts that may compromise safety
It’s a harsh reality but some people will take shortcuts for one reason or another. It’s rarely malicious but can cause issues for liability and safety nonetheless.
Photos can prove that your team was actually at the equipment or area being checked. Every image in LogCheck is automatically timestamped which makes it very easy to spot fake records. Most engineers are honest and would never pencil whip their records, but it does happen sometimes. Photos instill an additional level of accountability so it won’t happen in your facility.
We’ve seen first-hand how photos help engineering and maintenance teams get the most out of their routine inspection rounds. Make photos a part of your maintenance rounds and start to see these benefits today.
LogCheck’s digital logbook makes it easy to integrate photos into your maintenance rounds routine. Click the button below to try it for free in your facility.
0 Comments