4 Benefits Digital Tools Bring to Remote Video Inspections

By Kyle Spencer, Director of NFPA LiNK

The pandemic taught us a lot about resilience and the ability to adapt. From it, we learned new lessons about how organizations can modify their workflow to maintain or increase productivity. One of the largest lessons the pandemic brought to light is that digital tools are essential to the ever-changing construction industry, serving as a vehicle for digital transformation when the ability to collaborate in-office and on-site was challenging or impossible.

Digital tools proved to be helpful in conducting inspections during the pandemic. Remote video inspections (RVIs) provide a great example of the industry’s ability to evolve from traditional information sharing practices and into the digital world. RVIs allowed for organizations to continue working in some capacity when code officials, enforcers and inspectors were unable to remain in facilities for long periods of time. Plus, layering in additional digital tools into the process brought further benefits. Below are four ways digital tools help bring greater efficiencies to remote inspections.

Collaboration and Information Sharing

The pandemic forced industries to think on their feet and create on-the-fly remedies for remote access and communication. RVIs, and the ability to conduct building inspections from anywhere, are just one example.

Digital tools add additional capabilities to RVIs by enabling collaboration and information sharing through the ability to access, share and download notes right from a digital code book. During an RVI, team members can point to bookmarked collections and reference notes left by one or more teammates. When it comes to specific code anomalies, professionals across the design and build process can make note of them within the application for current and future contractors to reference.

Enhanced Knowledge Transfer

Baby Boomers are retiring at rapid rates, and it is imperative that organizations ensure trade knowledge does not retire with them. As technology integrates into standard construction processes and RVIs become more widely adopted, professionals will still need the veteran knowledge and skillsets from in-person inspections. Maintaining a digital record of reference points is critical for newer generations of workers in the field, and tools like digital code books will allow inspectors and contractors alike to reference years of knowledge and insightful notes in the palm of their hand.

Dissolving Disputes

Because inspectors and contractors are not in the same room during an RVI, they can’t sit over a code book to solve disagreements. Rather, they need to find their own code books, open to the same page, find the code or standard, then relay that information to each other—which can be time consuming.

With digital tools, addressing potential code disputes is simple. Both parties can pull up the digital codes and standards on their device, search for the code or standard, and then easily send the relevant section of code via email so their counterpart can reference the same material.

Preventing Delays

The above both speak to one major benefit of digital tools in the construction landscape: preventing delays. Digital codes and standards are a simple remedy for when disputes occur between contractors and inspectors. One or both parties can search for the code right from their smartphone or desktop, preventing the need to make a call into the office or search their vehicle for their physical codebook.

The ability to conduct inspections via video call means that building teams can get facilities up and running without increased delays. They can schedule an inspection at any time, from anywhere. Oftentimes, RVIs don’t require a commute that can result in tardiness from one or more parties. All team members can join the RVI right at the scheduled time.

It’s Just the Beginning

These benefits stretch beyond a single method of digital transformation—they impact the way we engage with coworkers, clients and employees every day, signifying a shift away from traditional methods of work.

The rise of digitalization was accelerated by the pandemic, with the emergence of new tools that resulted in updated ways of communicating, collaborating and working day to day. Remote video inspections, digitized code books and additional assistive technologies reflect a system that has been improved using digital tools.

For over 3 years, Kyle Spencer has been working alongside his peers at NFPA to develop NFPA LiNK®, providing digital access to codes and standards. Now serving as the Director and Product Owner of NFPA LiNK®, he oversees the strategic direction for the application and helps support ongoing development and content creation efforts. Kyle has spent over a decade working in the electrical products industry, learning from engineers and installers on how to make the products they use more efficient.