Hoist & Crane Service Group, founded in 1976, is a leading provider of industrial services with 30 office locations across 17 states. Their corporate focus is on developing the most competent service team in the United States. They serve a number of industries, such as petrochemical, automotive, defense, and manufacturing, to name a few.
The Hoist & Crane Service Group is a trusted service partner of countless organizations, servicing cranes, elevators, and industrial doors and dock equipment. With over 100,000 units under inspection contracts, their dedication to safety is demonstrated through the development of a 5-Marks Culture Program and an award-winning behavior-based safety initiative.
Emergency response times were exponentially reduced. | Clear and concise real-time data drastically improved fleet management. | 100’s of pages of paper are saved every day. |
Challenges
Before using 1st Reporting, Hoist & Crane faced several challenges in documenting health and safety incidents. Their reliance on paper forms often led to inconsistent data collection, which made it difficult to compile and analyze safety reports across numerous locations and service regions.
Time constraints also posed a serious challenge, with field personnel rushing to complete reports in the field or sometimes submitting incomplete information.
Additionally, tracking forms across different locations, service regions, and multiple client sites became cumbersome, with slow submission times and too much manual data entry.
Solutions
Hoist & Crane Service Group took a proactive approach to streamlining field operations and tried the 1st Reporting app. They found that implementing 1st Reporting revolutionized the way their team documented health and safety incidents.
The application’s mobile capabilities allow field technicians to quickly and easily submit reports from remote locations. Thanks to the 1st Reporting application’s offline mode, team members were now empowered to complete reports from anywhere, even in areas with weak cell signals.
GPS integration, along with the ability to submit pictures, videos, and audio files, proved invaluable, particularly for vehicle accidents. The system’s offline mode ensured that reporting could continue uninterrupted in areas with limited connectivity.
“Being able to use the system offline has helped us successfully continue to utilize our safety forms while working in remote areas where cell signals are weaker than optimal.”
Sandi Copus MsOSH, MBAhr, Corporate Risk & HSE Director
The ease of use of the 1st Reporting app was a critical factor in its adoption. Technicians found it easy to access and submit forms directly from their mobile devices. This optimization of health and safety standard operations cut down on the hours previously spent on paper management.
The 1st Reporting app’s real-time reporting capabilities enabled faster response times, allowing the company to address incidents more efficiently and with greater informational oversight.
Furthermore, with features such as Assigned Tasks Management, the team at Hoist & Crane Service Group finds it easier than ever to keep track of deliverables, accountabilities, and reported equipment needs.
Implementation Process
Hoist & Crane implemented the 1st Reporting application in a phased approach. Initially, they added only a few safety forms to the app to manage vehicle incidents. This staged introduction allowed the team to become familiar with the system for a specific use case.
Over time, the team at Hoist & Crane added more forms, and technicians responded positively, even requesting additional forms to be added to streamline their processes further.
The app’s intuitive design made training easy, and field teams quickly adapted to the new system. The ability to track and record data by branch and region gave Hoist & Crane enhanced visibility into safety performance across different locations.
“It is intuitive and easy to maneuver through making it easy to learn and use for all employees.”
Sandi Copus MsOSH, MBAhr, Corporate Risk & HSE Director
Key Features and Impact
Sandi Copus, director of corporate risk, health, and safety, told us that three key features were game changers for their company’s health and safety document management:
- Real-Time Reporting: This feature allowed the company to receive immediate updates on incidents, enabling quicker responses and minimizing potential risks. Real-time reports enabled the company to make quick decisions easily backed by data collected in the field.
- Record-Keeping by Branch/Region: Organizing data by location facilitated easier audits and trend analysis, improving overall safety management. Workflows became more accessible to follow and easier to manage.
- Performance Metrics: The ability to track and compare safety performance metrics across branches and regions provided valuable insights into areas for improvement.
By integrating real-time reporting with field audits, the company bridged communication gaps between different locations, ensuring that health and safety data was always up-to-date and actionable.
Improved Safety Outcomes
One notable improvement was seen in how quickly Hoist & Crane could respond to vehicle accidents. By using 1st Reporting’s real-time incident reporting, the team could submit video footage and other relevant data to their insurance provider within hours or even minutes, drastically reducing the time needed to review and manage claims. This decrease in response time led to significant cost savings by minimizing the financial impact of incidents.
Tangible Improvements in Safety and Compliance
Since adopting 1st Reporting, Hoist & Crane Service Group has observed significant reductions in incident response times. The team’s ability to access and request additional details immediately has enhanced communication and allowed for more thorough reporting. This enhancement has contributed to unprecedented overall improvements in the company’s safety and compliance management efforts.
Looking Ahead: The Future of 1st Reporting in Hoist & Crane
Looking forward, Hoist & Crane Service Group sees 1st Reporting as a critical partner in their ongoing safety and compliance strategy. The company plans to leverage advanced data analytics to analyze trends and patterns in reported incidents, helping to identify root causes and implement more effective preventive measures.
They have found that by integrating 1st Reporting with their overall safety management system, they can effectively centralize all field data for more efficient analysis and decision-making.
The implementation of 1st Reporting has not only improved the efficiency of Hoist & Crane’s safety reporting processes but also fostered a more proactive safety culture. With its focus on accountability, real-time reporting, and streamlined data management, the 1st Reporting app continues to play a vital role in ensuring the safety of its personnel and compliance across all operations.
“Overall, 1st reporting will remain a foundational element of our safety and compliance strategy, driving continuous improvement and fostering a proactive safety culture within our organization.”
Sandi Copus MsOSH, MBAhr, Corporate Risk & HSE Director