The National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) will launch a new app to make it easier for tower technicians to submit site safety audits in real time from the field via a smartphone or tablet.
The free app, called the NATE STAR Initiative, is currently being beta tested and will be available for both iOS and Android. It is expected to be available sometime in September, ahead of the Oct. 1 start of the next program year of the safety, training, accountability and reliability (STAR) initiative.
The STAR program, which runs from Oct. 1 until Sept. 30, 2016, is intended to foster safety by getting companies that employ tower climbers to commit to requisite levels of training, conduct site safety audits and implement site safety programs, while adhering to industry best practices.
Todd Shlekeway, executive director of NATE, told FierceInstaller that the new app will streamline the process for companies that participate in the site safety audits. Rather than filling out a form, taking it back to the office and entering the information via a computer, the site audit can be completed while the auditor is still at the tower site, Schlekeway said.
He told FierceInstaller that information about the app is being released now, in advance of the Aug. 31 enrollment deadline, as companies may be more likely to sign up for STAR if they know that the audit process will be faster.
The STAR initiative has 136 participants this year, Schekeway said. The program is in its fourth year and the number of participants has grown during each program year.
For more:
- see this NATE webpage
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