Safety for people, the environment and operations
How digital checklists support the loading of dangerous goods
The transportation of hazardous goods is subject to strict regulations in Germany, regardless of which route is used. To ensure that nothing happens en route, the utmost care must be taken during loading. Digital checklists provide optimum support for shippers in this process. They are workflow-driven, ensure completeness, accuracy and plausibility of the data and make reporting and documentation transparent and (audit-)secure.
How checklists support the loading of dangerous goods
Meticulous preparation is the be-all and end-all when transporting dangerous goods – and this begins with the loading of the dangerous goods. Using checklists, shippers check in detail and carefully whether all regulations relating to the filling systems, transport units, drivers and vehicles are complied with. Unfortunately, paper-based work increases the risk of incorrect information, omissions or illegibility, which can have serious consequences. If a malfunction or accident occurs during transportation, this can be fatal. Digital checklists, which the shipper fills out on their tablet or smartphone, consistently counteract possible sources of error, as the use case of a refinery shows.
The right checklist for the hazardous substance to be loaded
Every year, the company carries out thousands of shipments of hazardous materials, many of them by rail. It uses its own digital checklist for each individual hazardous substance. This is maintained centrally and distributed to the shippers via an email link or app. It is therefore always up to date with the latest legal requirements. In this way, the shipper always has the correct checklist in the currently valid version to hand on site. And therefore does not run the risk of carrying out his inspection on an outdated version. This also saves him time and walking if he does not have a particular checklist with him and would otherwise have to walk back to get it or request it by phone.
Is the freight wagon number correct?
In the past, the hectic daily routine sometimes led to incorrect entries or individual points being forgotten, so plausibility checks were linked to individual fields in the digital checklist. For example, when entering the 12-digit UIC freight wagon number, the self-check digit is automatically calculated according to the Luhn algorithm. If this is incorrect, the shipper is notified of the error.
Mandatory fields and automatically pre-filled fields such as date, time and name of the shipper prevent gaps and save time when completing the form. They also limit the scope for manipulation. A digital checklist can only be completed when all items have been filled in or ticked off. The document must also be signed. If the shipper notices something that they would like to document, they can take a photo with their smartphone and integrate it into the checklist.
Fill in online and offline
The digital checklists not only ensure maximum accuracy during the loading process, they also support and optimize upstream and downstream processes. For example, they eliminate the need for printers, ink and paper and minimize travel times and maintenance costs. And since many employees today have a smartphone or tablet anyway, no major investment is required on the hardware side.
The digital checklists can be completed both online and offline, and synchronization takes place automatically as soon as (mobile) internet is available again. Once completed, they are automatically forwarded so that the entire scanning process is no longer necessary, for example. The completed checklists are stored centrally and the information is transparent for all authorized employees. They can be found quickly using the search function. All data is stored in an audit-proof manner, providing clear evidence of who documented what and when.
Avoid fines through legal certainty
Overall, digital checklists therefore improve the safety of people and the environment in the company, resulting in fewer claims and fines from the authorities and fewer internal problems, as documents are filled out correctly more often.
Your added value
- More security when entering data. Plausibility checks, e.g. for tank wagon numbers, fewer incorrect entries, documentation with pictures on site, check for completeness
- Greater legal certainty. Clear proof of who documented what and when, less scope for manipulation, also saves time for employees
- More time for value-adding activities. Automatic mail forwarding or filing in the document management system, so that the entire scanning process is no longer necessary and saving is also automated.
- More efficiency. Eliminate printer ink and paper waste, minimize travel times, minimize printer maintenance, find information quickly using the search function and soon also very easily using the KWG number
- More flexibility. Access the solution via browser and link, view a wide range of information from any location or make adjustments to checklists.
Get in touch!
Would you like to know more about our solutions? Then please write us using the contact form. My colleagues and I look forward to exchanging ideas with you.
Dominik Weggler
Head of Sales Germanedge