Paper-based lists and locally stored documents can quickly become confusing, particularly when there are multiple sites or when work equipment is deployed in decentralised locations. KRAUSE has therefore joined forces with the software provider wosatec to implement a digital inspection process. This partnership combines KRAUSE’s expertise in access technology and occupational safety with a web-based solution for recording, inspecting, documenting and managing work equipment.
Systematically organising inspection requirements
The Industrial Safety Regulation forms an essential basis for the safe provision and use of work equipment. Such equipment must be inspected at regular intervals, as determined on the basis of the risk assessment, if it is exposed to factors that could cause damage and thereby endanger employees. The inspection results must be recorded and retained at least until the next inspection. This may also be done electronically.
TRBS 1201 sets out these requirements in detail. The nature, scope and frequency of inspections must be tailored to the specific piece of work equipment and its operating conditions. DGUV Information 208-016 stipulates that ladders and folding steps must undergo regular visual and functional inspections and recommends that a clear record be kept of the work equipment in use.
It is precisely at this organisational interface that digital work equipment inspection provides support. Whilst it does not replace the technical assessment carried out by a suitably qualified person, it does facilitate identification, the inspection process, documentation and deadline monitoring.
From work equipment to digital file
The system is based on the unique identification of each item of work equipment using individual wosatec QR code labels. When a piece of work equipment is created in the system and linked to such a label, a permanently assignable digital file is generated.
By scanning the QR code with a smartphone or tablet, the stored information can be accessed directly. This eliminates the need to search for inventory numbers in separate lists or inspection reports in different filing systems.
KRAUSE offers QR code labels in various sizes, designed for long-term use in a business environment. As well as newly purchased products, these can also be used to retroactively integrate existing work equipment into the digital management system. The QR code labels, software licences and inspection stickers are available directly from KRAUSE.
Centralised management of work equipment
In the wosatec web app, work equipment can be recorded centrally and assigned, for example, to sites, branches, workstations or types of work equipment. For larger existing datasets, bulk import is also possible, for instance from existing Excel spreadsheets.
This provides a centralised overview of the entire inventory. Those responsible can filter specifically for work equipment at particular locations or identify which inspections are due within a defined period.
Particularly in decentralised structures, this eliminates the need to maintain different lists and filing systems in parallel. Information and inspection documents remain clearly assigned to the relevant piece of work equipment.
Scan, inspect and document immediately
When an inspection is due, the QR code takes you directly to the relevant piece of work equipment. The inspection can then be started in the wosatec web app. The user is then guided step-by-step through the required inspection points.
Once the inspection is complete, a customised inspection report is automatically generated, digitally saved and linked to the piece of equipment. Inspection reports and analyses can also be exported as PDFs and supplemented with photographic documentation.
This significantly reduces the administrative workload following the inspection, as the results do not first need to be recorded by hand, then transcribed and filed separately. Inspection and documentation form a single, integrated process.
Inspections can also be recorded offline, for example in production areas, cellars or technical facilities without a stable internet connection. External inspectors can also be integrated into the process without having to re-enter work equipment that has already been recorded.
Organising inspection dates in advance
Where there are large stocks of work equipment, it is often not so much the individual inspection as the multitude of different inspection dates that presents the greatest organisational challenge.
The wosatec web app therefore supports schedule management and sends reminders for upcoming inspections. Those responsible are provided with a centralised overview of which work equipment is due for inspection.
However, setting the inspection intervals remains a technical and operational task. The specific intervals are determined in particular by the risk assessment and the conditions of use. The software then helps to reliably track these requirements.
More than just ladders and folding steps
The collaboration between KRAUSE and wosatec goes beyond traditional ladder inspections. Specific category licences are available for various types of work equipment.
In addition to ladders and folding steps, this enables, for example, fixed ladders to be inspected and managed digitally. The software takes into account various applications, ranging from shaft ladders and escape ladders to fixed ladders on machinery and structural installations. KRAUSE also offers licences for other categories of work equipment.
In this way, a solution that initially focused on access technology can gradually evolve into a centralised inspection management system for various items of work equipment. This is particularly beneficial for those responsible for maintenance, facility management, health and safety, or technical services.
Traceability throughout the entire life cycle
With every documented inspection, the digital history of a piece of work equipment grows. This ensures that it is always possible to trace when the equipment was inspected, what the results were and what measures, if any, were required.
This structured database facilitates internal analysis. Recurring damage, groups of work equipment showing particular issues, or differences between sites can thus be identified more easily than when managed using individual paper forms. Digital inspection management therefore not only supports documentation but can also provide a better basis for more targeted maintenance decisions.
Providing up-to-date inspection documents centrally
Inspection processes are closely linked to statutory requirements, technical regulations, DGUV guidance and standards. If the requirements change, traditional inspection forms may need to be updated and redistributed.
According to KRAUSE, the wosatec solution automatically provides up-to-date inspection documents when such changes occur. This reduces the effort involved in manually managing different versions of checklists and forms. Particularly where there are multiple inspectors and sites, all those involved work on a standardised basis.
Responsibility for the proper conduct and technical assessment of inspections remains unaffected. Digital checklists support the inspector but do not replace their necessary qualifications or the assessment of the specific on-site conditions.
KRAUSE and wosatec combine access technology with digital inspection management
Through this partnership, KRAUSE is expanding its occupational safety solutions to include the digital management of inspection processes. Furthermore, digital labelling is already an integral part of the product design for numerous KRAUSE products.
The key added value here does not lie simply in digitising a paper form. By linking the individual process steps, relevant information is available both on the piece of work equipment itself and within the central inspection planning system.
Digital inspection provides clarity and reduces administrative burden
The larger the fleet of work equipment, the more important it becomes to organise recurring inspections in a structured manner. With the help of QR code-based identification, digital inspection workflows, centralised documentation and schedule overviews, the organisational burden can be significantly reduced.
The collaboration between KRAUSE and wosatec links the physical working environment with digital inspection management, thereby laying the foundations for clearer and more traceable processes. Technical responsibility for the inspection remains with the qualified person, whilst digitalisation ensures that information, inspection steps and evidence are systematically collated.