When thinking about security, field worker safety may be what comes to mind. However, adhering to strict work and compliance guidelines protects more than your employees. Proper work regulations also safeguard your business financially and legally. As an employer, you can actively ensure your field service workers follow the right protocols. Field management software makes this task easier and quicker than ever.
What Roles Do Safety and Compliance Play in the Field Service Industry?
Field worker safety and employee compliance give everyone peace of mind. With proper field service management, you’ll have happy employees, satisfied customers and a thriving business. Safety and compliance play three vital roles in the field service industry.
1. Providing Proof of Labor
A record of client requests and work completion is the best way to protect everyone. From small operations to large-scale projects, having a digital trail lets you meet your customers’ needs and safeguards your business and employees. You can establish proof of work through:
- Attaching visual evidence of completed work, such as inspection forms, videos or photos.
- Using GPS tracking to verify your technicians’ locations throughout the day.
- Providing an audit log that shows a work order’s entire history.
- Having your technicians complete an inspection report or checklist.
2. Preventing Safety Hazards
Wherever your workers are, staying safe is crucial. Field service management protects your technicians from falls, inclement weather and hazardous materials. It also ensures they get the job done correctly, meaning your customers receive the best results. Enforcing regulations keeps your clients safe from injury due to improper installations or repairs. To provide all parties with the utmost security, you can:
- Outline the correct procedures in a work order or form.
- Have your technicians use a timesheet or GPS tracking solution to document how much they work.
- Inform customers of potential risks in the work order.
- Create service schedules to ensure your equipment is functioning correctly.
3. Maintaining Legal Compliance
Regulatory bodies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have strict guidelines that specialized field service industries must follow, whether you work in commercial pest control or medical device repairs. Detailed documentation protects your clients’ well-being and your business’s operations from legal complications.
How Field Service Safety and Compliance Can Be Overlooked
Many businesses supply their employees with the training, tools and knowledge they need for a job well done. However, it’s easiest to overlook safety where it truly matters — in the field. Your employees are responsible for following the proper protocols and recording their compliance. There are numerous reasons why they may skip these measures, including:
- Confusing rules and procedures.
- Time-consuming work requests.
- Pressure to complete the job quickly.
As a business owner, you should make staying safe and compliant as straightforward as possible. By providing clear work instructions and an easy way to document employee compliance, you can help your workers complete a project and stay safe while doing it.
Consequences of Unenforced Safety and Compliance Measures
Unenforced safety and compliance measures are an administrative concern for any industry. For field service businesses, the stakes are usually much higher. The consequences of poor practices include:
- Injury: Failing to comply with safety measures can lead to both technician and client injury. Any accident may result in more serious legal, financial and social consequences.
- Penalties and fines: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) heavily penalizes violations, with willful or repeated occurrences sitting at over $136,000. Even one slip-up can quickly become a financial concern.
- Legal action: As a field service provider, you’re legally responsible for adhering to safety and compliance measures. Hiring counsel for a lawsuit can be costly, and legal liabilities may cause business closure or incarceration. If you work in public buildings or with medical services, legal action poses a more significant risk.
- Reduced productivity: An injured employee affects your overall operations, especially since skilled workers are hard to find. Interrupting your usual workflow impacts your customer and worker satisfaction and profits.
- A damaged reputation: Customer acquisition and retention are vital for a healthy business. If a client has an unsatisfactory experience, your business may stand out for the wrong reasons.
- Misunderstandings: If your procedures are complicated, your technicians may misunderstand or overlook them. Misunderstandings can lead to improper project completion or accidents.
Using Software to Ensure Worker Safety and Compliance
Safety and compliance should be both mandatory and easy. Technology helps technicians stay accountable, meaning all parties can enjoy a safe environment and exceptional results. With quality field management software, you can:
- Make detailed checklists: Outline the exact steps needed to complete work and adhere to safety protocols. By doing this, your staff can follow your instructions instead of guessing what to do next.
- Digitally track your work: Time is everything in the workplace. Paperwork takes time to file and deliver, and misplaced forms can impact your productivity. By going digital, your clients and employees can access inspection forms and work orders wherever they are. Electronic records make it easy to document and audit compliance.
- Stay connected: Whether you’re in the field or the office, mobile accessibility gives everyone the information they need at their fingertips. With remote capabilities, your technicians can easily view checklists and forms on the job. Mobile alerts and geo-tracking can also help you keep in touch with employees throughout the entire project.
- Automate procedures: Automating procedures benefits both you and your team. Your employees can focus more on completing their work knowing their software takes many necessary steps for them.
- Create a long-term solution: Management software is consistent and reliable, so you can enjoy a more streamlined process and a more positive experience every time. Your software makes long-term safety and compliance a breeze by seamlessly integrating them into the workflow.
Switching to management software does more than enhance your field workers’ safety. The best management programs provide an all-in-one solution that optimizes and secures your entire business. Modernizing your operations comes with numerous advantages, such as:
- Boosted customer satisfaction: Thanks to clear guidelines and instant communication, your technicians can better meet your customers’ expectations. Software allows staff to respond to requests more quickly and complete jobs accurately and efficiently.
- Better communication: Keeping in touch is crucial when you’re in the field. To ensure field service safety, you need a reliable way to contact workers and track your employees’ activities and locations. However, communication also keeps your workers happy — those who feel heard are 4.6 times more likely to perform at their personal best.
- Enhanced productivity: With a digital management solution, you’ll have the knowledge and tools you need in one convenient location. Software features like drag-and-drop scheduling, invoice management and daily job reports save you valuable time and money. Faster job completion helps you stay one step ahead in a competitive and dynamic industry.
Protect Your Workers and Business With Dataforma
Dataforma is your end-to-end management solution. Staying safe and productive is easier than ever with a mobile app, GPS tracking, real-time communication and more. Our field service management software will revolutionize your operations from start to finish. Ready to experience the difference? Request a free demo today!
