Using RiskMach to Support your Compliance Service Delivery: Procter Machine Safety
RiskMach is the ultimate software solution for all your risk management and compliance activities. The app is designed to support both businesses that do their risk inspections internally, as well as agents who provide an inspections service to their clients.
Today, we are talking to Steve Allen, the National Sales Manager at Procter Machine Safety about his experience with using RiskMach to conduct PUWER inspections for his customers.
Procter Machine Safety is one of the UK’s leading machine guarding experts. The company offers a variety of safety services, from risk assessments and site surveys to design, manufacturing and installation of safety devices with control systems to businesses nationwide.
Let’s start with something easy. Tell me a bit more about yourself. What does your business do?
I work for a company called Procter Machine Safety, a very long-established company which started doing business in 1740, believe it or not! I am their National Sales Manager. I‘ve been with Procter for over 32 years. The company designs, manufactures and installs safety products; not just mechanical (as in guards) but also the electrical controls as well. Everyone has had a tough year with COVID but things are now picking up and we are looking for ways to do things better.
When you first came across RiskMach, what were you looking for? What was the problem you were trying to solve?
As part of our business, we get involved with the design concepts for the safety and we do all the manufacturing in-house but the one part we were missing was a friend in PUWER inspections, hence I got involved with Spiers who do a lot of PUWER inspections on industrial machines. Spiers put us on to RiskMach as the tool they used. So the intention was that we would start doing PUWER inspections upfront using the RiskMach software.
How did you think RiskMach could help you and improve the process?
The technology we were using previously was Word-based where you insert pictures and text into the document – very long-winded, very hard to do and very easy to make mistakes. Whereas RiskMach does it all very easy.
How did it actually work out in the end?
It took me a while to get my head around it and use it because it was so different from what I had used previously but I did the PUWER inspections on a local site earlier this week and it was great!
You mentioned that you were struggling a bit in the beginning. Did you receive good support from the RiskMach team?
Yes, they definitely met all my expectations through that one! From Steve and Eliott, it’s all been brilliant.
If we look into the details, were you able to record guarding defects accurately using the system?
Yes, absolutely and that’s exactly what we are doing it for. On the job I was doing this week, I used it [RiskMach] for observation mainly, rather than inspection. Probably 95% of what they [the client] got was O.K. but I was able to do the risk assessments for certain defects that they needed the inspection for.
Did the sketch tool help you in any way?
Yes, absolutely and that’s another major benefit of the RiskMach software, especially in dark factories where it is difficult to identify vital pictures and the hazard. So, yeah, the sketch tool is absolutely brilliant!
Which risk estimation method did you use – the Preliminary Hazard Analysis or Risk Matrix?
The PHA with HRN [Preliminary Hazard Analysis with Hazard Rating Number], always. We’ve used this on a similar basis before but I find it much, much easier to do. I think it makes it easier to record what the number of people at risk is, the frequency of exposure, the likelihood of occurrence. It’s an easier format overall.
Did you use the risk pools to speed things up?
No, that’s something I need a little bit more training on [laughs]. I’ve got quite a big library of inspections now but I don’t think I’m yet making the most of what I’ve got with the Core, the risk pools and the rest.
You mentioned the Core module. Did you get to use it to support the client in organising their data?
No, not yet.
Is this something you would be interested in doing in the future?
Yes, it’s one of those things I need to get a little bit more guidance and training on to make sure I’m using it correctly.
When you did your inspections, did you complete the full inspection on the app or did you edit them on the cloud too before reporting to the client?
Ah, that’s a very good question! When I first started doing it, the inspections were so vague that I found that all I had the time to do was take a photograph, put in the details about the machine, the area, the problem and I’d upload it on the Cloud and edit it on my laptop. Now, I will do it on the app on-site.
Would you say that makes it easier?
Yes because that way it’s done and you are not relying on doing it at a later date and forgetting what it was all about. You do it there and then and you do it correctly.
Did you deliver your report to the client through RiskMach? How did that go?
Yes, I did and it was very good.
Compared to the methods you’ve used previously, would you say that reporting through the RiskMatch app was better in any way?
Yes, by a long mile! Once you’ve uploaded everything and you’ve created the report, the job is done. I don’t need to convert documents to PDFs. It’s also very easy to go back and change or edit things.
Would you say that this creates less margin for error?
Not just less margin for error; it saves so much time. Previously, I’d spend time on-site and then probably more time in front of my laptop generating the report, whereas now it’s more or less done straight away.
RiskMach supports maintenance planning and recording where agents provide the service to the client. Is this something that would add value to your business?
Yes, probably. I think we’ll start using RiskMach within our business, as well, for PUWER inspections and maintenance and everything else. I’m currently talking to our internal Health and Safety people and I’m trying to train them a little bit but I still need a little bit more experience with the software myself, I think.
Would you say that using RiskMach helped increase the productivity within your team and give you a competitive edge?
Currently, it’s only me doing local inspections for our customers but certainly, it’s a huge advantage to be able to do it so quickly and provide them with a nice, accurate report.
Have you had any feedback from your clients on the reports?
Yes, I have two clients so far who have tested what they can do with the report and what they have to do but both of them have been impressed with how it’s been presented and the format.
Do you think that the RiskMach software can help with the ongoing support you provide for your clients, as well as your ongoing relationship?
Under the regime of undertaking further inspections – definitely.
What sort of people would benefit from using RiskMach based on your experiences?
Anybody involved with manufacturing, to be truthful. You know, everybody has to do PUWER inspections whether Spiers do it, or Procters do it, or they do it internally.
Would you recommend RiskMach to others? (perhaps you already did)
Certainly! And I have certainly already done that.
Any words/comments for the RiskMach team?
Yes, just thank you for the support and the ongoing relationship with Procters and hopefully, the future is going to be good. I’d like to think I’ll gain the experience to be better at inspections but ultimately I think Spiers is the company we would point our customers to.
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