By Rebekah Veldhuizen, Raken

Every jobsite presents its own unique hazards and risks—hazards that construction crews are trained to recognize and handle. But with so much happening on a jobsite, checklists are invaluable.

Is the crew positive that signage has been posted to keep workers out of hazardous areas? Have all electrical hazards been addressed? Have ladders been inspected for safety? Is the entire crew up to date with safety training or any needed certifications?

These questions could go on and on. Which means it’s easy for one to be overlooked.

 But overlooking even one of these questions could have fatal consequences.

That’s where checklists come in—checklists are meant to be the safety nets that ensure every single question has been asked.

 The traditional way of using checklists

Traditionally, checklists have been sent from the office, to the field, where they are then printed out. After completing the checklist (hopefully the paper isn’t lost or forgotten when needed), it is then scanned and sent back to the office. The office then reviews and manually saves it for their records.

Sound confusing?

While printing, completing, scanning, and sending aren’t the worst things in the world—any extra steps are opportunities for lost or inaccurate documentation—and lost time. And, the more complicated the process is for those in the field, the less likely it is that these checklists will be used correctly. Which could mean a question is overlooked at some point, simply because paper checklists are an inconvenience.

How to improve checklist efficiency

Thankfully, plenty of construction software companies now offer checklists as a feature. This means checklists can be done digitally, which means less back and forth to and from the office, as well as improved overall communication and documentation (assuming the software is easy to use for those in the field).

If you’re ready to upgrade your checklist process, consider these features so you can find the most efficient and helpful checklist software for your project.

Customizable checklists

While it’s great to have some auto-created checklists, having the option to edit and create unique checklists means more complete documentation.

Digital checklists should give you the option to also choose the format of your questions, with some options for answers being:

• Multiple choice
• Open text
• Yes, no, or N/A

Customizable checklists mean more transparency in work projects as additional safety measures can seamlessly be communicated back to the office.

Mandatory questions

Have you ever received a checklist that’s only partially filled out? Maybe even the information you were most curious about was missing?

With digital checklists, you should be able to make questions mandatory. Certain questions may seem insignificant, but sometimes these ‘insignificant questions’ come back to bite you. With mandatory questions, you can be sure that you never let critical information go missing.

Photo attachments

While checklists say safety measures were being used, checklists can still be questioned because there’s no physical proof that safety protocol was being practiced.

Having the option to include photo attachments means there will never be any questions regarding the validity of completed checklists.

Photo attachments also make it easier to communicate exactly what is happening on the job site, and why specific safety measures are being used.

Photo attachments are solid proof of safety in practice, as well as one of the most transparent ways those in the field can communicate and provide context for those in the office.

Intuitive to use

Even the most insightful construction software can quickly cause problems if it’s not designed with the end-user in mind. If software takes months to incorporate into a company, involves lots of training (and plenty of grumbling from those being trained), you begin to wonder: is this software worth it?

And simply put, no. If software doesn’t have buy-in from the end-user, the chances that it will be used to its full capabilities is pretty slim.

Instead, look for software that’s simple to use.

If your field crews can easily learn how to use and incorporate this piece of construction technology into their daily job, while moving around a construction site, then you’ve found a winner.

What every digital checklist has to offer

Digital checklists make documenting safety quicker and easier for those in the field. And those in the office receive more context with photos, as well as more complete information with features like mandatory questions and customizable checklists.

Digital checklists mean as soon as those in the field sign-off, completed checklists are automatically sent to the office. So those in the office have real-time updates. This type of transparency in communication only builds trust and a better understanding of project progress.

And since all those checklists are saved and organized for you in one convenient location, checklists are incredibly easy to find if your company’s safety compliance is ever questioned.

Where to start

If you’re ready to improve communication between the field and office, increase safety on the construction site, and make checklists a seamless process for those in the field, start by trialing a few different options.

The number one rule to follow is to find software that makes life easier for those in the field. This means if the technology isn’t easily incorporated within a couple weeks, it’s not the right fit. Once you find that technology that’s easy for those in the field to pick up within a couple weeks (or even a number of days), you’ve found the perfect fit.

About the Author

Rebekah Veldhuizen is a content writer for Raken, the cloud-based software that was built to connect the field to the office. Raken helps boost productivity and safety by streamlining workflow processes such as daily reporting, time cards, production tracking, toolbox talks, and digital checklists. Learn more about Raken