Remote operations
Marc Prempain
15 April 2024
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An inspection report is a record produced by either insurance or safety inspection companies who look for potential risks at a property or in the functioning of machines. The risks could be related to physical, environmental, or financial considerations.
Inspection reports are one of the most important maintenance documents. They indicate whether an item, a place, or material is in proper condition, whether it is safe, and whether any regulations are broken. There are different types of inspection reports depending on the subject inspected. What goes into obtaining an inspection certificate and why are inspections so important for long-term business growth? Let’s find out.
In general, inspection reports are designed to provide an evaluation of a body or an organization across the very broad spectrum of its activities. They define and emphasize the standards of every aspect of the business, the quality of its entourage (site, equipment used, products and services sold), the training and education provided to the staff, and the handling of its customers. Inspection reports also evaluate the quality assurance of the organization’s leadership, and how they contribute to its overall improvement.
Inspection reports can have different purposes depending on the kind of business you run. Here are the most common types of inspections that need to be conducted regularly:
An umbrella term for machinery, equipment, and appliances used by businesses, on-site, mechanical inspection and field service reports determine the overall safety and reliability of the structure. During an inspection, the technical expert looks for any apparent deficiencies, but doesn’t actually remove the items causing an obstruction. When a potential hazard is found, an inspector may analyze the issue to determine the cause and to suggest what measures the company should take to fix it.
Generally, the automotive industry has many specific reporting requirements since vehicles need to be safe for their passengers, ready to be on the road, and include a system that will ensure a low carbon footprint, so they are not harmful to the environment. Vehicles as such need to be therefore thoroughly checked to ensure they are in good working condition.
Vehicle inspection reports can identify defects or mechanical issues that may cause accidents or operational downtime. If the vehicle has been in use for a few years, relevant inspections have to be conducted regularly (usually once per year).
Conducted mainly pre and post-shipment in cases of import and export, both international and domestic, trade inspection reports indicate whether the goods in transit are the same as the specifications stated in the sales contract. Such inspections can reduce the trade of low-quality goods, prevent risks and potential fraud, and are beneficial when working both with small individual suppliers and big supply chains. Trade inspection reports should be done by a relevant third party, usually a reputable independent inspection company.
A property inspection is a non-invasive examination of a home or apartment’s physical conditions. Home inspection reports provide a thorough idea of the property, whether you are planning on buying, renting, or selling it. This inspection is necessary to determine the place’s value, quality of surroundings and appliances, and changes needed. For utmost satisfaction and security, the inspection procedure should be carried out carefully by a designated home inspector. These reports must be cross-checked by both the selling and buying parties. Home inspections are also very common for businesses – for example, when purchasing or renting office space.
The main reason for conducting an inspection is to identify any ongoing and potential risks. A risk identification inspection report outlines the organization’s methodology for defining any potential operational hazards, eliminating the risks that arrive, and assessing them when they occur. The main goal of an inspection report is to actively identify hazards that may exist within the scope of your business operations before they lead to accidents or incidents that hamper safety.
To ensure a high-quality risk identification inspection process, one must review the workplace by checking the whole work environment, as well as all equipment and machinery used. All findings should be recorded together with detailed commentary and a signature of the personnel conducting the inspection. Ensure the date, time frames, and inspection priorities are listed on the report as well.
If a risk or a non-conformance of any kind is identified, the management needs to implement relevant corrective action with an allocated time, place, and members of staff who will be responsible for it. Depending on the level of risk that could be caused by the hazard found, priorities of the action need to be set accordingly.
When creating an inspection report, organization and structure are key. Create a checklist of all tasks you need to tick off prior to and during the inspection to have a clear view of what still needs to get done. Break the report into sections (introduction, findings, and analysis). During the inspection, fill in your previously set sections clearly and concisely with information from the inspector. Make sure you leave space for notes for yourself and your team.
Due to the many travel restrictions in 2020, many companies have chosen to conduct their regular inspections remotely. Virtual inspections are delivered via audio and video technology and specialized digital tools, such as remotely operated cameras, that let you examine areas, materials, and objects. Remote video inspections deliver the same level of technical expertise as inspections conducted traditionally in-person – additionally, it is a much more flexible solution that allows for a more detailed real-time insight and quicker issue response.
There are special inspection solutions, such as ViiBE, dedicated to performing remote inspections for you. Whether you need to make a risk assessment of certain equipment or infrastructure, or you are due the regular health and safety checkup of your property, store, or outdoor area, such inspection apps allow you to perform any inspection-related tasks you might need to conduct at a given moment.
During remote, guided inspections with ViiBE, the remote inspector can guide the on-site workers through the inspection process on any device, without having to download an app. With ViiBE, the inspector can zoom in on the live-streamed video to get a detailed look at the inspected object, use advanced markup tools to make notes and point things out, and capture images and videos for documentation purposes. Remote inspections via video collaboration tools make it possible for inspectors to quickly, effectively, and efficiently complete inspections without having to travel on-site or worry about in-person restrictions.
What’s more, remote inspection reports are archived for full traceability, including the video recording, pictures taken, and documents sent during the inspection, as well as notes made following the procedure. An inspection solution as such can be used individually or together with the rest of your inspection team – you can even highlight an issue that you find during the inspection and assign it to the right person from the relevant department, to resolve said issue quickly and resolutely.
Ultimately, regularly conducting inspection reports and ensuring quality control promotes the highest possible standards of running businesses safely. Additionally, by putting a high value on your inspection reports, you can analyze important operational data and leverage it to create the perfect growth strategy. To get the most out of inspection reports, adapt to the rapidly changing, technologically-driven market, and start conducting your inspections remotely by using visual support technologies.
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