Managing locations effectively in the Safety Reports System ensures accurate reporting, efficient inspections, and streamlined compliance processes. This guide outlines best practices for location setup across different applications within the system.
General Considerations
Most accounts set up locations in the Safety Reports System based on static, physical locations (e.g., regional offices) rather than temporary projects. This approach is recommended to maintain consistency and accuracy. However, if managing temporary locations is necessary, they can be handled through inactivation.
Integrating Locations with Safety Inspection
Locations are typically set up as inspection sites under the Inspections Administration portal. By using Job Bank, you can manage locations through Job Bank Maintenance which must be done within the Inspections Administration portal. Once added there, those locations become an available option in the Observations App, allowing jobs and groups to appear as dropdown options for easier selection and faster data entry. Without Job Bank, the locations must be managed manually.
Locations vs. Inspection Companies
Organizations must determine whether to manage separate location lists for different applications or integrate them with Safety Inspection settings. The chosen approach impacts email distribution, notifications, and corrective actions.
When to Use Inspection Companies
If the system is set up to synchronize locations with Safety Inspection, corrective action notifications are sent to the designated contact within the Inspection App Company. This setup works well when responsibility distribution aligns with inspection company assignments.
When to Use Locations Separately
For cases requiring more specific distribution lists or additional reporting considerations, using standalone ‘Locations’ may be preferable. For example:
OSHA 300 Reporting: If OSHA incident reporting requires specific entities distinct from inspection companies, managing separate locations ensures compliance.
Incident vs. Inspection Responsibility: If different teams handle incidents versus safety inspections, separating locations prevents misalignment.
Customization for Reporting: Organizations needing granular control over reporting structures can create custom locations suited to their workflows.
Example Scenario
An internal test account may have 10 inspection companies but only 2 reporting entities for Safety Incidents, each maintaining a separate OSHA 300 log. In such cases, using distinct locations instead of inspection companies ensures proper data alignment.
Assigning Responsible Parties
Safety Observations: Each location can have multiple assigned responsible parties.
Safety Incidents & Safety Forms: Multiple responsible parties can be assigned per location.
Assignments can be managed via Responsible Party Maintenance or Location Maintenance within the Admin site by moving items between ‘Available’ and ‘Selected’ columns.
Unique Location Management in Safety Scan
Safety Scan offers more flexibility in location attributes compared to other Safety Reports applications. Unlike other modules, Safety Scan does not require assets to be tied to an inspection company. Administrators can choose from various location-related attributes, including:
Location
Building
Floor
Area
Division
Zone
These attributes help define asset placements based on specific needs. For example:
Fire extinguishers may utilize all location attributes if they are permanently installed near hazards.
Truck-mounted cranes may not require a fixed location.
Geo Tags for Fixed Assets
For permanently placed assets, Geo Tags can be assigned, linking the asset to specific longitude and latitude coordinates. Some accounts also use the Division field to represent business units that act as inspection companies for reporting.
Conclusion
Effective location management enhances the functionality of Safety Reports applications by improving data accuracy, responsibility assignment, and compliance tracking. Whether integrating with Safety Inspection settings or managing standalone locations, administrators should select the best approach based on their organization’s reporting and operational needs.
Download the Location Management Guide PDF here: