How to Choose the Best Tablet Computer for Heavy Industry Workplaces

01 December 2016

Unsurprisingly we’re seeing tablets being introduced into the workplace at a faster pace than ever before. They are smaller and more mobile, they don’t require a firm surface to work from, therefore making them a much more practical alternative to use in construction, oil, gas, utilities and manufacturing sites. However, an ordinary tablet is less likely to withstand some of the extreme conditions that are involved every day in heavy industry. It is likely that a tablet would need to be replaced each time one was accidentally dropped in an outdoor environment or onto a concrete floor. It is, therefore, necessary to find the best tablet for construction and other similar heavy industries. More hard-wearing tablets are now available, that are approved by certain standards:

Choosing the Best Tablet For Construction: How to ensure your tablet computer is durable

Referred to as a rugged tablet, specific benefits for more durable models include reinforced frames and glass, seals protecting against water and debris, as well as anti-glare layers suitable in bright sunlight. There are certain standards that tablet computers should be certified by, to guarantee their durability. They include:

  1. IP65 standards – prevents damage from water spillage, falling from heights as well as entry of the smallest dust and dirt particles.
  2. Military Standard 810G (MIL-STD-810G) – known as the gold standard, contains a set of properties which are used by the U.S. Department of Defense to verify the sturdiness of computers, including protection against:
  • 48-inch. drops onto concrete
  • humidity, altitude, and vibration (gunfire & random vibration).
  • high and low temperatures plus sudden temperature shock
  • fungus, leakage and rain (including wind-blown and freezing rain)
  • sand and dust exposure
  • explosion
  • acceleration
  • shock and transport shock

These international standards should be verified, to confirm that a tablet computer is suitable to use in heavy industry. It may be concluded that some and not all of these standards are required when purchasing the best tablet for construction and other similar hard hat industries.

Best Tablet for Construction: Maintaining Control of Workplace Tablets

When considering a tablet for a workplace two major components to consider are security and data protection. If tablets are being passed around by workers it’s important to keep a log of who has responsibility at a particular time. You may even use a tracking system to be able to instantly identify where a tablet is.

There is lots of software which can be installed to maintain control over the apps which can be downloaded and the content which can be accessed. Workers can request certain apps to be available to them and you can give permission. If apps contain sensitive data it’s important that anyone with access to the tablet has different login criteria.

GoContractor

GoContractor is an online contractor management platform. This means that your contractors manage their own documents and orientation through your custom online site, and arrive ready to hit the ground running. If you have a mobile device or tablet on site, you can scan their QR code and view all of their training records, documentation and orientation data. Request a demo here.

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Jenny Snook

Jenny Snook is content executive at GoContractor with the job of researching the latest health and safety trends in the heavy industry. Her past-experience includes the research of large museum collections such as the Louth County Museum, many from the industrial age.

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