Shipping containers underpin vast economic systems and globalisation, yet when it comes to container inspection, they are often forgotten. How can an object with such scope and reach be afforded outdated and insufficient inspection methods?
Today many organisations and businesses who utilise, manufacture or transport shipping containers across the world are taking their container inspection methods paperless. With digital users are seeing a host of features for inspection that are collectively improving both the speeds and quality of data capture. Whether you are sending hundreds and thousands of containers through a harbour, or whether you want to make extra sure that the container meets your standards, there are definitive benefits from taking container inspection digital.
From a user perspective, digital container inspection means that you can run the check or audit off a paperless device such as a smartphone or tablet. This can be a device very similar to the one your inspector likely uses in their personal life, or an intrinsically safe/rugged version, depending on your environment needs. The device can be loaded with a solution to carry out all necessary inspections or checks, be that an ISO container inspection checklist, a check of the container fastening systems, or container crane inspection. With all the checks being loaded onto the application, an inspector can easily see the necessary inspections that are needed to pass the total inspection process. The checklists themselves benefit from device features such as the camera which gives the option to take pictures during an inspection. These can be attached to the report to demonstrate clear compliance and can over time show a historical record of the wear and condition of the containers. With the data being pooled, it is also possible to integrate these pictures as future reference material for future checklists. This means that when the inspector next comes to check a container’s condition, the checklist can contain reference pictures of what constitutes a pass or failed condition. Other benefits of the digital solution include speech-to-text services for faster data entry; automatic GPS timestamps to record location and time; and further reference material attachment such as other instruction or manuals of operation of certain equipment/procedures.
