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How to manage compliance and inspection reports in one place?

Published on
September 16, 2025
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Managing safety equipment compliance and inspections across multiple sites and teams can quickly become overwhelming. Spreadsheets, paper checklists, and manual filing systems are prone to errors - and worse, they put your organisation at risk of failing safety audits.

That’s why more high-risk industries are leaving spreadsheets for dedicated safety equipment and compliance management software. By moving inspection checklists and audit trails into one compliance management platform, you can stay organised, audit-ready, and safe.

Why managing cmpliance in one place matters

If inspection records are scattered across spreadsheets, paper files, and shared drives, it becomes difficult to:

  • Prove compliance during an audit
  • Track inspection and expiry dates
  • Manage large inventories of safety equipment
  • Avoid double-handling of inspection data

A centralised compliance tracking system solves these issues by linking inspection reports directly to equipment records, ensuring every inspection is logged, searchable, and audit-ready.

A dedicated system for safety equipment and compliance management solves these issues by logging inspections directly against equipment history, ensuring every inspection is retrievable and audit-ready.

Key features of a compliance management system

When choosing a platform for safety equipment compliance, look for features that streamline inspections and reporting:

  • Compliance Checklists: Standardise how inspections are carried out, ensuring LOLER, ASME, OSHA, or WHS requirements are met.
  • Compliance Workflows: Automate reminders, escalation paths, and approvals so no inspection is missed.
  • Audit Trails: Every inspection, allocation, and update is automatically logged, creating a secure, time-stamped record for auditors.
  • NFC Mobile Scanning: Replace manual data entry with instant scanning of safety equipment, reducing errors and speeding up compliance workflows.
  • Cloud-Based Access: Keep all compliance reports in one system, accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

Learn more in our blog "Compliance Tracking Software & Checklists: Everything You Need to Know".

Meeting global compliance standards

Different regions have strict regulations for inspection and record-keeping:

UK

LOLER requires:

  • Thorough examinations ("TEs") of lifting equipment before first use be kept until the employer ceases to use the lifting equipment, or in the case lifting accessories - two years.
  • TEs before first use where the safety of the equipment depends on the installation conditions, records should be kept until the equipment is no longer in use at the place where it was installed/assembled.
  • In-service TEs (6-monthly or 12-monthly or examination scheme) must be kept until the next report is made or two years, whichever is the later.
  • In-service inspections/tests must be kept until the next report is made

USA

OSHA and ASME require inspection records for PPE, lifting, and rigging equipment to be kept for varying defined periods:

  • As well as a thorough examination before first use, equipment must be inspected by an authorised person at the start of each eight-hour shift. OSHA and ASME regulations state that periodic rigging and lifting equipment inspection must be documented and performed at least once yearly, or more regularly if manufacturer guidelines state so, or working conditions require.
  • Companies require a tailored inspection strategy to guarantee the security of your rigging or lifting operations. In addition, you'll need to track how often a lift should be inspected or rigged to meet OSHA and ASME regulations.
  • ASME standards require that inspection records be maintained for the life of the equipment and also for the periods specified by the relevant jurisdiction or code, so it is best to keep records permanently.
  • OSHA retention periods can vary significantly depending on the specific record type. Typically they ask for records to be kept for one year, however It's essential to check the specific OSHA standard for each type of record you are maintaining to ensure compliance.   ‍

Australia

WHS regulations mandate inspection and maintenance records be kept for varying periods, such as until the next inspection, for the life of the equipment, or for several years, depending on the item and local legislation.

With Scannable you can ensure your team stays ahead of these requirements with automated record-keeping prompts and instant retrieval of inspection reports.

The problem with spreadsheets and legacy systems

Many teams still rely on spreadsheets or generic asset management tools to manage inspections. While workable at small scale, they quickly become bottlenecks:

  • Manual entry leads to mistakes and missing records
  • No automatic audit trails
  • Limited or no integration with compliance checklists
  • Time-consuming to prepare for audits

Legacy UHF RFID solutions can also be costly, requiring dedicated scanning devices that only work with certain brands. A flexible compliance management system like Scannable lets you scan any brand of safety equipment using just your phone, making compliance simpler and more cost-effective.

How Scannable brings everything together

Scannable is built specifically for high-risk industries where equipment compliance and inspections cannot be left to chance. With Scannable, you can:

  • Digitally build and maintain an inventory
  • Scan any brand of safety equipment with your mobile phone
  • Log inspections directly against equipment records
  • Use inspection checklists and workflows for consistency
  • Automatically produce audit trails for regulators
  • Store all inspection and compliance reports in one place, cloud-based and secure

With the world’s largest safety equipment database (over 60,000 items pre-loaded) and compatibility with Smart PPE™ from 50+ manufacturers, Scannable is the fastest and easiest way to stay compliant without relying on spreadsheets or expensive UHF RFID guns.

Final thoughts

Keeping compliance and inspection reports in one place isn’t just about efficiency - it’s about safety, accountability, and audit readiness. A purpose-built platform like Scannable helps your team manage their inspections, and comply with LOLER, OSHA, ASME or WHS requirements while reducing manual admin and costly mistakes.

Scannable is the easiest way to manage compliance and inspection reports in one place.