Reliable utility poles are essential to a reliable grid, but they can fail for many reasons. Inspecting utility poles accurately and at the optimal intervals helps keep them in good operating condition. Yet, it’s challenging to conduct these inspections efficiently and effectively, especially across large service areas.
Leading utilities are discovering that a modern, mobile workforce management solution can streamline pole inspections, extend pole lifespan, prevent failures that cause unplanned outages, and support overall grid reliability.
The Importance of Accurate, Timely Pole Inspections
Wood utility poles are susceptible to a host of problems, including decay, insect damage, rot, and structural weakness. As their integrity diminishes, the likelihood of failure – and resulting outages – increases. A weakened pole is also less able to withstand extreme weather, which is occurring more frequently.
With an accurate assessment of a pole’s condition, utilities can determine whether to repair or replace the asset. Since replacing a single pole can cost thousands of dollars, having confidence in the inspection data helps organizations avoid unnecessary expenses and allocate resources wisely.
Determining the optimal inspection interval is equally critical to pole integrity and resource allocation. Utilities need to make inspection scheduling decisions based on accurate data, such as last inspection date, inspection outcome, pole age, and maintenance history. Poles in certain areas may require more frequent inspections due to environmental conditions.
How Mobile Workforce Management Improves Pole Inspections
The right technology can help utilities optimize their pole inspection approach for better outcomes. Today’s utilities are adopting map-centric workforce management platforms that enable operations teams to visualize every pole location using GIS data, access historical records, and efficiently dispatch field crews for inspections and maintenance.
Selecting a platform that integrates with industry-leading tools like ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise provides the geospatial information needed to inform inspection decisions and guide crews in the field.
Once the utility identifies which poles require inspection, the workforce management platform can serve as the system of record for managing the associated field work. The solution can determine optimal inspection routes, then automatically schedule and dispatch field workers based on real-time availability, even factoring in time off or other constraints.
Operations teams can use an intelligent workflow builder to automate and streamline the inspection workflow—from scheduling to crew notification—using configurable work order forms and paperless, event-driven processes that improve accuracy and efficiency. A modern solution will provide an easy-to-use interface and drag-and-drop functionality to speed and simplify workflow building and editing.
Once assigned, field crews can use a mobile workforce application to receive automated work orders, locate assets visually on a map, then complete digital inspection forms, capture photographic evidence, and upload images on the spot. In areas where Internet connectivity is unreliable, a modern platform that provides offline capabilities ensures inspection work continues uninterrupted.
Meanwhile, the operations team can view scheduled and completed work, use GPS-based workforce tracking to see where crews are at any time, and automatically create work orders for repairs or other remediation measures based on inspection results. A robust workforce management solution also improves field-to-office communication, ensuring everyone is fully informed at every step in the process.
Beyond the significant efficiency and productivity gains, using a mobile workforce management platform can reduce operational costs in three ways:
- Informing data-driven decisions about pole inspection and maintenance
- Providing early notification of potential issues before they cause costly failures
- Ensuring the utility allocates, schedules, and routes crews, equipment, and other resources optimally
In addition, real-time data about the location and condition of utility poles helps crews complete their work safely and simplifies compliance with inspection regulations.
Dominion Energy Streamlines Inspections with a Modern Platform
Dominion Energy is among the many utilities using a mobile workforce management platform to improve field asset inspection efficiency and safety. Serving an estimated 6 million customers in 15 states, the utility implemented the EpochField Workforce Management solution and mobile application to provide line workers with the real-time GIS data they need to facilitate asset inspections and maintenance.
Now the utility’s field crews have the situational awareness to guide their inspection and maintenance work, obtain accurate data about real-time conditions and asset maintenance history, identify access road locations, and even breadcrumb where they’ve completed work—all with a smartphone or tablet.
Transform Your Utility Pole Inspections with EpochField
To overcome the challenges of accurate and efficient pole inspections, utilities are turning to EpochField, from Epoch Solutions Group. EpochField digitally transforms, automates, and streamlines field service operations, including pole inspections. This map-first, digitized, data-driven platform becomes a single source for improving inspection and other field workflows.
By seamlessly integrating GIS data and connecting to the utility’s technology ecosystem—including third-party applications and legacy back-office systems—EpochField streamlines pole inspections, helps extend utility pole lifespan, reduces operational costs associated with field inspection and remediation, and enhances grid reliability.
Contact an Epoch sales consultant to learn how our mobile workforce management solution can improve your utility pole inspection initiatives. Or visit our Utility Operations Resource Center for valuable insights and resources from the utility experts at Epoch Solutions Group.
