August 15, 2023 How to Digitize Your Maintenance & Inspection Processes

Frontline workers in the manufacturing industry are here to stay, and it is up to managers to step up and support them better.

By Cris Grossmann, CEO and co-founder at Beekeeper

Where many industries face layoffs, it is clear frontline workers in the manufacturing industry are not going anywhere. In fact, frontline workers make up 80% of the global workforce. So instead of discussing ways to replace these frontline employees, smart manufacturers are looking for ways to use technology to enhance the experience of these frontliners, subsequently increasing productivity and their bottom lines.

Digitizing Manufacturing Maintenance Processes

It is estimated that unplanned downtime costs manufacturers an estimated $50 billion each year, and human error is found to be the cause of 23% of those cases. By digitizing forms and checklists around maintenance and inspections with a frontline success system, companies can eliminate almost all of the potential errors and inconsistencies that can occur with manual data entry.

Studies show that manufacturers face up to 800 hours of downtime per year, and 82% of companies have experienced at least one unplanned downtime outage over the past three years. By automating maintenance processes, you are minimizing the chances for equipment outages, meaning less downtime and higher productivity. In shortening the time between detecting and fixing potential hazards, companies can keep their business running and deliver products/services on time.

Taking this concept even further, optimizing your maintenance management process reduces the need for costly repairs. While the US is pursuing more in-depth research on the cost of machine maintenance, it has been found that companies who invest in better maintenance processes can reduce their maintenance costs ranging from 15% to 98%.

And while digitizing these processes eliminates paper, it does not eliminate the paper trail. In fact, digitizing these processes can help create a comprehensive repository of records.

These records can generate valuable data for teams who can then examine previous incidents to create a more informed response plan and efficient methods of team management.

The Safety of Your Workers Is At Stake

A workplace that has not been properly maintained and inspected is a dangerous one. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US saw an 8.9% increase in fatal workplace injuries from 2020 to 2021, meaning that in 2021 there were 5,190 fatal work injuries recorded in the US.

By automating maintenance and inspection processes, your company can embrace a routine schedule that meets compliance needs when it comes to updating maintenance records and tasks. By ensuring that equipment is properly maintained, it will help reduce the frequency of accidents. Even if a breakdown of a machine does occur, employees will be able to input the breakdown into a digital form that all employees have access to, making everyone aware of the issue almost instantly and shortening the time between detection and fixing the potential hazard so employees can make smart, safe choices.

At the end of the day, frontline workers are the backbone of the manufacturing industry. But workers cannot do their jobs properly and efficiently if they aren’t able to connect with their team and management. Creating a space where employees can both receive and report equipment breakdowns not only helps to support worker safety but also enables equipment to be repaired in a more timely manner. For example, when reporting via paper trail, it can take weeks for a request to make its way down the chain and reach the appropriate contact. By leveraging a system that automatically assigns repair tasks, companies can save valuable time throughout the repair process.

About Cris Grossmann, CEO Beekeeper
Cristian Grossmann is the CEO and co-founder of Beekeeper, which solves the disconnect between frontline workers and their managers in the construction, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing industries. Cris started his career in frontline work, and understands

first-hand the technology that is required to make the frontline workforce more effective. Prior to founding Beekeeper, he worked for Accenture on high profile international projects in the field of IT Strategy for the financial and public sectors. Cristian studied Chemical Engineering and got his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, both at ETH Zurich. Before moving to beautiful Zurich, he was born and raised in an entrepreneurial Swiss-Mexican family in Mexico City

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