The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has initiated the deployment of a Mobile Inspection Application System (Mobile IAS) to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of mine inspections. It is expected to improve the quality of information by eliminating redundancy, and provide more timely information for inspectors, according to David G. Zatezalo, MSHA’s assistant secretary.
Mobile IAS is a single platform that removes the need for mine inspectors to carry large laptops, cameras, reference material and documentation for visits. It is also said to store and transfer data securely.
The device features a Windows-based tablet with a camera, video, voice recording, touch screen, digital pen, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability to facilitate data capture and streamline the inspection process. In addition, it has an application built on Microsoft’s Universal Windows platform with photo capture and fillable forms as well as a service orientated architecture for data transfer among devices and the MSHA Standardised Information System.
