Remember the old Verizon commercials with the guy walking around asking “Can you hear me now?” Twenty years ago good reception was a luxury that cost a little more. Today, good reception is nearly guaranteed on even the cheapest monthly plan, regardless of whether or not the carrier can truly deliver. Looking at you, AT&T.

With smart phones now a common place staple and an increasingly integral part of most jobs (especially after so many were required to work from home this spring) the ability to connect to a network or sync to some freely provided WIFI is absolutely necessary for most.

Except SPOT.

SPOT has the unique ability to literally keep working for you  regardless of if a signal is immediately available. Which means, when you’re in some remote location or stuck in an elevator or in route at 35,000 feet in the air, SPOT is still capturing data, storing it chronologically, and able to tell you if something is missing.

What’s more— when SPOT does connect to a signal, everything you have input is automatically uploaded into the cloud, where it is safely housed in a secure, secondary location that can be accessed by your boss back at the office. Put plainly, you have don’t have to remind SPOT that it captured data while it was offline. It knows and uploads it for you, allowing you to move on to the next thing.

It’s simple. SPOT doesn’t need a babysitter. SPOT is the babysitter.

 

Oil and gas work is, by nature, dangerous, and while efforts are constantly being made to reduce risks, fires and explosions still present a significant hazard.

Why FR Clothing Matters

When burn injuries do occur, the consequences can be severe. In addition to the tragedy of serious injury or death, burn injuries can cost a company millions of dollars in OSHA fines, hospital fees, legal costs, increased insurance premiums, reputation damage, and lost productivity. According to the American Burn Association, a survivor with 40-60% body burn has an average hospital stay of 54 days, with costs averaging $780,000. With more severe injuries, the costs can be even higher.

And that’s just the hospital fees. In May 2016, a 38-year-old pipefitter working at a South Dakota refinery suffered fatal burn injuries when ethanol spilled from a process pipe he was working on and was ignited by flames from nearby welding operations. Both the refinery and the pipefitter’s employer were fined by OSHA. Failure to provide the proper protective clothing was among the citations, and the combined OSHA fines amounted to nearly $100,000.

Preventing fires and explosions from occurring is always better than trying to mitigate the damage afterward, and the first step toward avoiding burn injuries should always be to follow safe work practices. However, even when the proper precautions are taken, it is still important to be prepared in the event that an accident does happen. That means always wearing the proper flame-resistant (FR) clothing on the job.

Identifying the Proper FR Protection 

The first consideration when selecting FR clothing should always be safety. OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to identify risks and protect employees from hazards in the workplace. This includes ensuring each employee has the proper personal protective equipment (PPE). On more than one occasion, OSHA has used this regulation as a basis for citations when employees have suffered burn injuries and the employer did not require FR protective apparel. To comply with OSHA regulations and help keep employees from harm, it is important to identify the types of hazards workers might encounter on the job and ensure that the FR clothing you choose is designed to address those hazards.

For the greatest possible comfort, it is important to provide correctly sized garments for each worker. This may mean ordering non-stock sizes or seeking garments designed specifically for women. Additionally, you’ll want to choose garments that allow for the greatest possible ease of movements—such as coveralls that feature action backs—to enhance comfort and support job performance. It is also helpful to select products that are appropriate for temperature and weather conditions. This means identifying fabric types that balance proper protection with comfort considerations such as weight, warmth, breathability, and moisture-wicking.

It is also important to keep in mind that FR clothing comfort is often subjective, and it may be beneficial to work with an FR clothing manufacturer that can help you conduct a wear trial prior to making your final purchase. Through a wear trial, employees are able to sample various workwear options firsthand and provide feedback. By selecting FR clothing that fits correctly, provides full mobility, prevents workers from becoming too hot or too cold, and meets employees’ subjective preferences, you can increase the chances that it will be worn consistently and properly.

Finally, beyond protection and comfort, you’ll also want to consider the durability and long-term value of FR clothing. While certain lower-quality options may be less expensive initially, they may need to be replaced more frequently due to excess shrinkage or poor durability, resulting in higher overall costs in the long run. Also, keep in mind that FR clothing that has holes, rips or worn-out areas may not offer adequate protection, compromising the wearer’s safety. To maximize protection while achieving the best possible value, select FR clothing that is made from high-quality fabrics and built with durability in mind. Choose products that are made by trusted manufacturers, and look for features such as reinforced snaps, multiple bartacks in high-stress areas, reinforced pockets, double- and triple-stitched seams, and high stitch counts for added durability.

In the oil and gas industry, burn injuries can have devastating consequences. But by following safe work practices and implementing an effective FR clothing program, you can significantly reduce the likelihood that a serious injury will occur.

The above article was originally written by Mark Saner and published by EHS Today on April 4, 2018.

PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Customer: Summit Midstream
Location: West Texas
Year: 2020-2021
Assets Tracked: 135 miles of 42” and 30” pipeline, including fittings for the pipeline

PROJECT SCOPE

OPERATIONAL PROGRESS

CUSTOM WORKFLOWS

DASHBOARD REPORTING

SPOT worked with Summit Midstream on the 135 mile Double E project in West Texas. The SPOT team was tasked with tracking pipe, fittings, and all materials on above ground structures from the mill to the ROW, including interconnect meter locations. The SPOT platform was used to implement custom Workflows, capture Operational Progress, & forecast Completion Date(s) through Dashboard Reporting.

The SPOT and Summit Midstream teams spent many hours customizing a system that would meet Summit’s goals. SPOT techs were onsite for the duration of the project to support inspection staff and material management staff, ensuring all data was captured correctly. The result was a complete deliverable using 3-D Modeling with overlaid Materials information referencing back to the SPOT database.

Digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation, OH MY!

They may sound very similar, but these words have very different meanings while also working together. An article from ECM Solutions goes into a deeper breakdown of these terms, but we think it is important to know the difference and wanted to shout it from…well, behind our desk.

Simply put by ECM Solutions, digitization is concerned with events that have already occurred, digitalization is concerned with current events and digital transformation refers to events that will occur in the future.

Here at SPOT, it is crucial to understand this as what we do is more than just making existing data digital; digitalization embraces the ability of digital technology to collect data, establish trends and make better business decisions, launching a complete digital transformation for your business. And that is just what we do to help make your projects run smoothly from start to finish!

SPOT is excited to announce we will be continuing a 5+ year relationship with Consumers Energy on their upcoming project. This project will consist of 57 miles of 36″ double-jointed pipe and will be constructed in Michigan.

SPOT will be providing personnel on-site to apply jeepable labels for identification, this will allow users in the field to access the asset data using the SPOT application.

Once all assets are labeled, they will be shipped to the laydown site in Michigan where SPOT will provide on-site training to field users. Some of the key features they will be trained on include, but are not limited to:

Regardless of your industry, if you’re running a business you probably have a laundry list of assets. Some physical, some intangible, some digital, still others may be entirely liquid. But the point is that no matter what form your assets take, what makes them assets at all is that they hold value, and when executed, they generate income, profit, or positive economic gain.

Basically, assets are important. And tracing what assets you have, where they are, and when they create economic value is something that any business owner wants and needs to know.

So SPOT thought, “Let’s make the most seamless tool that does all the things to make asset management easier, more efficient, and lets make it work even when it’s offline.” And that’s just what we did.

SPOT makes it possible to custom-fit your data and asset management needs into our tool’s portfolio of possibilities.

You want real-time notifications of when an asset has been updated. Done.

You need to know when an asset is in transit from one location to another? No problem.

You need to update data in real-time but you are offline in some ridiculous location? SPOT captures data and uploads it automatically when it picks up a signal.

Managing your assets is a critical component to ensuring that your business is not only functional but running in the black too. Asset management is too important to trust anyone but SPOT.

SPOT helps manage your assets for you so you can focus on staying a step ahead of the competition.

Fostering a healthy corporate culture is critical at SPOT. Making sure that every employee feels seen, heard, considered, and included in our ultimate goal is something that we take very seriously. Why? Because we believe that teamwork determines our success or failure as a company. 

Regardless of position, every SPOT employee plays an important part in enabling us to deliver a superior product that we are proud to stand behind. From executive assistants, accounting, to tech support, every role at SPOT helps to create an experience for our customers that sets us apart. Foundational to our culture are our core values: integrity, passion, unity, sustainability, and humility. These values represent not only the building blocks for SPOT’s corporate culture, but they are also the underlying characteristics we strive to reflect in ourselves as individual people.

Earning and maintaining our customer’s trust and loyalty is paramount too. That is why our emphasis on teamwork in the office bleeds into our approach to building relationships with our clients. We’re honored when clients choose to partner with us and entrust to us the performance and success of their projects. We always strive to make sure our clients know that we believe their projects are important and deserving of our best ideas and honest feedback. 

At SPOT, teamwork really is the dream work. Collaboration is what makes SPOT the most unique and effective project management tool out there. What you want is what we aim to deliver.

SPOT is proud to announce one of 2022’s early awards with Enterprise Products. This new pipeline will take place in Texas, with the use of our very own patent-pending jeepable barcodes. These barcodes are both rain and rustproof and have a durability of at least seven years when exposed to direct sunlight and jeep as low as 100 volts per mil. SPOT will be training the on-site inspection and survey groups to use the iOS app for data entry while building a piece of the digital project book for project hand-off.

We’re grateful to have earned the partnership of another client and look forward to exceeding their exceptions.

The idea of integrating is a simple one. Put plainly, it means “to combine (one thing) with another so that they become a whole.”  But an idea and its practical application are two different things. Knowing what it means to integrate is easy. Creating seamless integration capabilities through the creative use of technology in both hardware and software forms is where SPOT has set itself apart as an industry leader.

SPOT believes that robust and flexible use of hardware in the field combined with the latest upgrades in adaptable software is paramount to delivering leading-edge traceability to clients, regardless of their preferred hardware or software tools. We know that companies have reasons for liking some brands or styles of technology over others. That’s why SPOT has gone above and beyond to establish programming that can be translated and accepted by several different kinds of platforms without compromising data, speed, or accuracy.

So how do we do it?

API

To ensure the highest quality software performance, SPOT uses a Postgres SQL relational database setup, with a nodeJS backend running on Amazon EC2 Cloud (CentOS), with an AngularJS frontend.

Integration with SPOT has been designed to be as easy as possible for developers to write code against. Our thoroughly documented API is an industry-standard REST web service delivered over the secure HTTPS protocol. All of the data going into or out of the web service is encoded using a human-readable, tried and tested highly ubiquitous, and nearly 20-year old Javascript Object Notation (JSON) language.

The database utilizes Amazon RDS and is replicated across two separate physical data centers. The database is backed up hourly. We keep 35 days of backups before overwriting the oldest one. 

We also keep a live copy of the database server in a separate physical data center that is ready for immediate failover in the event of any database problems. The Web and API servers in the other data center are offline and can be brought online within one hour if an entire physical data center goes offline.

The Web and API Servers are backed up nightly in the event of any failure and can be rebuilt in less than an hour. Lastly, our Mobile App data is cached on the device so if the device loses service or there is a server-side problem, no time or data is lost. The device will sync when it regains connectivity.

SOFTWARE

SPOT is proud to offer a product that is compatible out of the box with all the following software providers: Google Maps, Google Drive, Excel, PDF, CSV, SHP, KML, KMZ, Esri, and iOS. Regardless of which provider you prefer, SPOT can export your data without interruption to make it available on whatever platform you choose.

HARDWARE

Similarly, for hardware, SPOT has incorporated into its arsenal only the most advanced, sought after, & reputable brand name tools that we know our clients are already relying on. Barcode scanners, RFID readers, automatic identification and data capture solutions, mobile computers, and geospatial mapping systems are all pieces of equipment that we know make the job possible. More than that, we know that there are many providers of excellent equipment which is why we didn’t choose just one with which to be compatible. SPOT is capable of supporting all the following brand-name hardware suppliers: Leica, Trimble, EOS, Elcometer, Zebra, CipherLab, Symbol, and Apple.

At SPOT, we take your data very seriously because in the energy services industry, data is digital gold and we want every client to feel confident that we are protecting their assets better than anyone else can. Our goal is not only to eliminate errors through the collection of data but to help every client rest knowing full well that what has been collected, can’t be lost or stolen. What is rightfully yours is secure and safe, readily available whenever or wherever you may need it.

Did you know the first official day of winter was December 21, 2021? Did you also know that the first day of Spring isn’t until March 20, 2022? That means we have a solid three months of potentially frigid temperatures ahead of us and a job that just won’t quit.

Thankfully your boss is generous enough to spring for a space heater that he’ll allow you to plug in while taking breaks in some make-shift trailer when you’re on site. But little does he know that those efficient and inexpensive solutions can sometimes cause tremendous damage.

According to Energy.gov, “The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 25,000 residential fires every year are associated with the use of space heaters, resulting in more than 300 deaths. In addition, an estimated 6,000 people receive hospital emergency room care for burn injuries associated with contacting the hot surfaces of room heaters, mostly in non-fire situations.”

“Safety should always be a top consideration when using space heaters,” say the Electrical Safety Foundation.  Here are some tips for keeping your space safe and warm when it’s cold outside:

These tips seem simple enough, but don’t downplay the seriousness of space heater safety. When you’re cold or tired or distracted by the job at hand, don’t forget that the safety of your workplace should be paramount.

We’re gonna take a moment to brag about some of the people who work at SPOT because… well, because this is our blog and we do what we want.

About a month ago a gentleman by the name of Tyson, a SPOT customer service representative, was on a trip to check on a project SPOT was awarded. After landing, he went to pick up his rental car but there were none to be had. And this presented an obvious problem: how would he get to the project site?

Options:

  1. Call the client and ask for a ride. Not a good look.
  2. Hitchhike. Still not a good look.
  3. Call Mom. Why though…?
  4. Rent a Uhaul…

“A Uhaul?” you ask. Yes. A Uhaul. Because Tyson needed the extra cargo space to tow his genius. Who rents a Uhaul from an airport to show up at an appointment on time when everyone else from his flight is staring at their phones unsure how to think outside the box? The winners at SPOT, that’s who.

It doesn’t matter what kind of absurd curve ball is lobbed at us, at SPOT our goal is simple: show up. Whatever it takes. Show  up and get the job done.

Better data starts here.

It’s important to take cold weather seriously, especially when getting the job done means being outside, exposed to the elements. Here a are a few important tips to keep in mind when working in icy conditions:

*Safety tips provided by All One Health: https://allonehealth.com/7-tips-working-extreme-cold-6

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “power lines?”

Perhaps “DANGER! High Voltage.” “CAUTION.” Or maybe even “Look up!” Most of us associate power lines with imminent danger and the need to maintain a safe distance. But did you know that power lines represent more than just electricity?

Power lines represent data. A lot of it.

Similar to pipe lines, power lines represent a high stakes investment of numerous parts, pieces, and people that all need to be traced, managed, and thoroughly detailed. With construction taking place over long periods of time and huge swaths of land, often in remote areas, the need to capture accurate data is paramount.

But thanks to SPOT, it really don’t matter what kind of data you’re after or where you’re trying to capture it. We believe that better data starts at the source, which is why SPOT’s mobile application is a perfect fit for any project. And because SPOT integrates the use of barcodes, QR codes, RFID, NFC, and bluetooth to read any tag your manufacture may create, there’s never a chance you’re unable to capture the specific data you’re looking for wherever you are.

At SPOT, we believe knowledge is power. And the best knowledge comes from better data.

Better data starts here.

From all of us at SPOT, we want to thank YOU, our clients. You have made our year of growth and success possible because you have continued to trust us with your projects. We are grateful for your confidence and faith in the services that SPOT has provided and we are eager to continue delivering excellence in the future.

Happy Thanksgiving, from our family to yours.

Using cellphones or other devices while driving has proven to be deadly. Cellphone use during driving is very prevalent on our roads today. In fact, at any given time throughout the day, approximately 660,000 drivers are attempting to use their phones while behind the wheel of an automobile.

Smartphones have made it easy for us to stay connected at all times. But that can pose serious safety risks if someone decides to check his or her text messages, emails, phone calls, or any other mobile applications while driving.

Some Statistics about Cellphone Use and Driving

Mitigation Actions for Distracted Driving:

*This article was originally produced and published by SafetyTalkIdeas.com

“Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on November 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and November 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or dead—but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.”

There ought to be a certain solemnity today. A unique, unspeakable sobriety to the freedom that many of us have always had the privilege of experiencing in our ordinary, everyday lives. There should be a reverence to each conversation enjoyed in peace and freedom within the hallowed boarders of our homeland.

That is because this peace, this freedom, this great experiment has been bought and continually paid for through the selfless sacrifice of so many that have come before us. The vast majority of whom will never be individually commemorated or remembered. Countless lives have been laid down to protect and preserve this great nation and what it is that she represents.

She is more than her warts and blunders. She is more than her darkest days. Indeed, America is more about what she has the freedom and ability to become rather than the places she has mistakenly traversed. And it is this very potential, this unfailing hope that men and women both fought and died to see realized.

May we never take their sacrifices for granted. May we never forget the price that has been paid for our security. And above all, may we not waiver in “holding these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal– that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

To our Veterans, both past and present, we are truly grateful.

SPOT is proud to announce that we have earned the trust and partnership of two new clients: Summit Midstream and Energy Transfer. Both industry leaders in their own right, Summit Midstream and Energy Transfer have chosen to employ SPOT as not only their expert data capture technology tool, but as something altogether more. 

SPOT will be partnering with these companies on an annually reoccurring basis, to be utilized for any project, regardless of scale or location. In other words, SPOT is now available on retainer. 

Because SPOT’s subject matter expertise brings a holistic nature to project management, more and more companies are seeing the benefit and positive results of inviting SPOT to be a part of as many projects from start to finish as possible. Not only is SPOT capturing myriads of data in a more efficient and accurate way, but thanks to the adaptability and capability of our technology, SPOT is also helping companies like Summit Midstream and Energy Transfer to manage projects more broadly, including but not limited to construction, pipeline, facilities, yard, and materials management. 

When it comes to data collection and organization, no one captures as much information as completely, easily or clearly as SPOT. Creating customizable forms that enable you to choose the data you capture and the format in which you want to view it means your data is working harder for you than ever before. Minimizing the need for multiple users results in fewer errors and real-time data that is available more quickly. 

The power and influence of data and information in today’s device-driven, technology saturated environment means one thing: You need the best. And if one tool can adapt to your needs and offer you compatibility across any sector, industry, or project, why wouldn’t you invest in making sure you always had it when you needed it? 

Like a great lawyer or the best insurance coverage, you don’t necessarily know when you’ll need it. All you know is, you don’t want to be without it when the time comes. 

They’re detailed to the letter

Their data the standard setter

They’re all together better

The SPOT Tracker Family

They’ll help you capture data

Even if it’s only beta

They help you make it fancy

The SPOT Tracker Family

Neat *snap snap*

Clean *snap snap*

Complete *snap snap*

So grab your best device

IOS would be nice

Any platform will suffice

The SPOT Tracker Family 

They’re funny and they’re smart

They’ll help you hit the mark

They really do their part

The SPOT Tracker Family

*snap snap*

Renewable energy– if there’s a more relevant or timely cultural and political topic of heated conversation (pun intended) we don’t know what it is. Actually, that’s not true. We have some guesses but let’s stay on point.  Regardless of what side of the aisle you find yourself, technology is generating greater varieties of cleaner, more efficient forms of energy than ever before. And as it begins to be collected in new and different ways, energy companies are left with the ever-present dilemma of how to evolve their standards of data collection quickly enough to keep up.

And this is exactly where SPOT shines brightest. Because of our dynamic asset tracking and customizable forms, it doesn’t matter what kind of energy you’re tracking or how you’re capturing it, SPOT allows you to measure any form of data, regardless of how much or how little it may be. Coupled with SPOT’s ability to trace various assets with geolocating technology, you can always have an eye on where your product is, how long it’s been there, who has managed it, and if it’s inputs are true.

SPOT’s incredible ability to recognize errors in real-time enables decisions makers both on the ground and at the office to course-correct as soon as a mistake has been detected, saving immeasurable time and incalculable cost. These real-time notifications bring data collection to life, turning what would be ordinary numbers in an excel sheet into charts, graphs, and pictorial representations of the effectiveness and efficiency of any project. SPOT allows you to overlay the data it captures onto satellite images of the field so you can better understand what the data means and the best way to proceed forward.

Whether you’re looking to harness the power of the wind or the energy of the sun, SPOT is ready and able to collect, organize, and trace data anytime, anywhere, from any source.

Better data starts here.

The most distinguishing deliverable that keeps SPOT a step ahead and a cut above is our Automated Compliance Engine or A.C.E.

Formally referred to as our project data management tool, the newly revised A.C.E. feature provides an unparalleled real-time data integrity score that not only holds your data accountable to the highest standards but also helps you maintain total compliance in whatever industry you work from start to finish.

The A.C.E. has been designed with 75 questions that continually measure your data inputs to ensure compliance as well as data accuracy. In addition to the parameters that SPOT has determined are necessary for total compliance and optimal quality, this feature is also customizable, enabling you to create additional questions that you deem important or integral to project management and data collection.

Because SPOT is able to capture data and store it anytime, anywhere, the A.C.E. is always working for you by tracking trends in the quality of the data that is captured and continually assessing it for accuracy. If the A.C.E. finds a discrepancy, notifications are sent and decision makers are alerted to a potential error that needs an immediate response. This real-time, continual data evaluation saves incalculable costs.

Because SPOT’s Automated Compliance Engine is continually questioning the data to safeguard ensure accuracy, errors can be identified the same day they are made. This means that crews or resources needed to rectify a problem are often still present and able to correct an issue the same day. Not only is it cheaper to fix a problem this way, but it helps keep your project on schedule.

SPOT’s A.C.E. is the perfect compliment to the precision and holistic data management tool that we have created. Not only does it deliver more information, more quickly and more easily than ever before, it is able to actively gauge the validity of the data that is captured, fortifying the integrity of your project.

Better data starts here.

What happens when you combine two of the leading providers of data and merge their expertise into a high-definition visual? We’ll tell you. You capture more data, more accurately. Behold the power of integration. 

Simply put, integration is the uniting of different things in order to create a cohesive and symbiotic whole. To create harmony. 

SPOT’s expertise in capturing data coupled with the state of the art Location intelligence technology of Esri, makes SPOT more precise than ever before. “What is Location intelligence” you ask? 

“Location intelligence (LI) is achieved via visualization and analysis of geospatial data. Geospatial data analysis enhances understanding, insight, decision-making, and prediction. By adding layers of geographic data—such as demographics, traffic, and weather—to a smart map or dashboard, organizations can use intelligence tools to identify where an event has taken place, understand why it is happening, and gain insight into what caused it.”

Whether SPOT is capturing data through the scanning of barcodes or simple manual inputs into our custom forms, the information that is collected can be analyzed and digitally illustrated, in real-time, to give you an exact snapshot of the progress of any project, anywhere. 

The benefit of a digital overlay of the data SPOT captures is a more accurate, time-sensitive, and pinpoint picture of the effectiveness, efficiency, or potential errors to be prevented during the lifetime of a project. 

The power of exceptional data capture technology and geospatial analysis is the perfect balance between operation and data. Different functions brought together in a symbiotic relationship to achieve the best results.

Better data starts here.

You are the most important safeguard in protecting yourself and others while at work. When you are not able to fully focus and perform your duties correctly, you could be leaving yourself at risk for injury. Being tired on the job is a major problem in the United States for workers. Fatigue leaves workers performing at lower levels and this exposes them to higher chances of an injury or an incident occurring. It is important to prevent fatigue while on the job to keep yourself and those around you safe.

Fatigue in the Workplace Statistics

Fatigue Causes

Safe Work Practices to Prevent or Improve Fatigue Issues

*Article originally published by Safety Talk Ideas

All we do is win, win, win no matter what! Got data on our mind we can never get enough!

And now Atwell Group will have all the data they could want and more thanks to their partnership with SPOT. Beginning this fall, Atwell will be equipped to capture, organize, and trace the data they collect in a totally customized format for each stage of their ongoing project through La Grange, Texas.

In addition to capturing invaluable data, Atwell will also be capitalizing on the versatility of SPOT’s offerings to track and manage every asset involved in the project, no matter its type. Integral to SPOT’s data capture technology, is the ability to input a limitless number of asset types that you can manage and track all while continuing to capture data on the progress of your project. That’s a little something we like to call a “two-for.” SPOT’s complete customization goes even further, allowing its users to create dashboards and forms that send notifications and alerts to decisions makers in real time.

Perhaps most important is the autonomy that SPOT’s tool will grant to Atwell. Instead of hiring SPOT specific personnel to be on the ground for the duration of their project, Atwell’s own people will be thoroughly trained in how to use SPOT’s technology, learning how to customize the forms for their specific needs. Because SPOT is both simple and intuitive, training is quick yet effective, enabling personnel to feel confident and have total ownership of their projects from the ground up.

We’re proud that Atwell Group chose SPOT. Better data starts here.

Picture this: you’re beginning a new project. You know that the most effective way to measure how well you will perform is reflected in the data that you are able to collect. The problem is that historically, data collection has taken too much time. The more time it takes, the less manpower and resources can be dedicated to actually completing the project. You’re at a cross-roads. Resign yourself to writing off your projected timeframe in the hopes of capturing compelling data or invest that same time-lost in trying to learn a new way of doing things that may or may not work?

In walks SPOT, with a knowing swagger, radiant with effortless style, and dripping in data you didn’t even know you could capture. You think to yourself, “It’s too good to be true. I couldn’t possibly have what it takes to work with such prowess.”

Oh contraire.

With SPOT’s intuitive interface, fully customizable forms, and simple yet sophisticated platform, capturing more data in less time has never been easier. But it’s not just the tool that makes the seemingly impossible, possible. Perhaps you’re intimidated by the idea of learning a new device or a new form of technology. Fear not.

SPOT makes it our personal mission to equip, train, and provide around-the-clock customized support so that you are confident, capable, and capturing data from day one. Not only is SPOT enabling you to capture the data you need— we’re making that data immediately available, presenting it in a way that is quick to read, easy to understand, and organized the way you want it.

Better data is waiting. Go get it with SPOT.

The men and women who lay the foundation for every form of infrastructure needed to power industries around the globe don’t have time to wait out the rain. It’s a demanding job and not for the faint of heart. Like our customers, SPOT works tirelessly, regardless of the weather, to help capture, analyze and deliver quality data that equips decision makers to keep a project on time and on budget.

You may have heard about a little hussy named “Ida” who blew through town recently, bringing with her ample rain. Hurricane or no, wet weather doesn’t make for ideal working conditions. But just because it’s not ideal, doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get the job done. According to Safety & Health magazine, “wet surfaces can increase the chances of potential accidents and injuries.” Here are some helpful tips to remember while working in the rain.

Resources for this article provided by Safety and Health online magazine. 

Another week, another win for SPOT. Through a strategic partnership with ARS Global and Jones Power, SPOT is proud to announce that we will be providing our tool to Enable Midstream for the Gulf Run project.

We will be training inspectors from Intertek on the use of Data Association, Barcoding, and Stencil (DABS) capture procedure, combining SPOT’s tracking expertise with Intertek’s quality assurance proficiency. We will also be equipping inspectors with a detailed understanding of how to create Bill of Landing (BOL’s) using the SPOT tool to ensure precise, real-time tracking of integral steps throughout the project’s lifetime.

Tracking 733,011 feet of pipe is no small endeavor but thanks to SPOT’s state of the art tracking technology, it’s simpler than ever. That’s because, with a quick scan of any barcode, SPOT can upload and organize data points, managing both the tangible assets as they move from point of origin to completion, as well as identifying possible errors, missing information, and notifying stakeholders when parts of a project are behind schedule.

We are excited to support Enable Midstream in this venture and we are confident we will deliver better data that produces excellent results.

We’ve all heard the adage “less is more.” Well, we respectfully disagree. We think more is more. Actually, we think more is better, at least when it comes to data. The more data you have, the more equipped you are to make better decisions. And better decisions can translate into a multitude of positive outcomes, such as greater productivity, error reduction, efficiency, cost savings, and a deeper, more holistic understanding of your project writ large. The more information you have about something, the better you understand it. So what are we getting at? Digital representation. In other words— visual aids.
You remember them from your high school science fair, right? The print-outs you had to glue onto your tri-fold poster board. Imagine that on steroids and you’ve got SPOT. It’s one thing to be the leader in data capture technology, but it’s another entirely to be able to present that data in a way that is easy to see and simple to understand. You may be asking yourself why being able to see data in a picture is really a big deal. We’ll tell you: science.
According to studies, visual aids contribute to information retention and comprehension in three key ways:
The point is that visual representation of your data is simply better, more effective, and easier to understand. More data means better information. More information means better measurables. More measurables mean better management.  Better management means better results.

SPOT is excited to announce that we have been chosen by Wood PLC to provide our data capture technology for a unique solar project in Southeast Texas. Coupling SPOT’s data gathering capabilities with Wood’s project management expertise will guarantee both quality assurance and control. While not our first foray in the renewable industry sector, we will be tracking civil, mechanical, and electrical components simultaneously to help ensure both accurate data as well as real-time progress tracking.

Thanks to SPOT’s robust platform, Wood will be able to monitor every component of the project from beginning to end. SPOT’s software has holistically modernized field data collection by capturing it digitally, making it easy to collect and quick to review. This not only aids in keeping projects on schedule, but often it enables errors to be identified in real time so that corrections can be made before excess time and money is lost.

We are proud to be partnering with Wood PLC in this opportunity to not only streamline their project but to bring simplicity and accuracy to their data collection. SPOT’s industry leading tool will make this and future projects cleaner, safer, and more efficient.

Better data starts here.

We have a simple yet poignant ethos at SPOT: Safety is no accident.

It’s not just that we take safety seriously and that we maintain the industry’s highest standards of safety practices. The fact is we are constantly asking the question: what more could we do? What else can we incorporate that helps ensure our personnel and the personnel of our clients are as protected and productive as possible?

We know better than to simply rely on our own ideas or ingenuity (even though we think we’re pretty brilliant). That’s why we’re not afraid to ask our own clients and industry peers if we can learn from their safety standards and participate in their corporate training to make sure we’ve considered all vantage points and potential experiences.

So when some current clients mentioned that they were incorporating virtual reality simulators into their training regiment, we raised our hands and asked, “Can we give it a go?”

They were kind enough to make room at the table for SPOT employees to give virtual reality training a shot and as it turned out, we crushed it. And that’s a big deal for one very important reason.

It further demonstrates that regardless of training style, mechanism, or environment, SPOT’s safety standards are second to none. Whether we are setting the standard or responding to it, the bottom line is we are consistently showing up prepared, both physically and mentally with the right tools to get the job done safely, no matter where it is.

To say that last week’s winter weather was extreme would be an understatement. Uncharacteristically frigid temperatures and precipitation brought a once in a lifetime snowglobe-scene to much of the South, primarily in Texas. But like the old adage says, if you don’t like the weather now, wait about five minutes and it’ll change. While warmer air is on the way, the consequences of such harsh conditions can have long lasting effects.

One of the most obvious and talked about consequences was the loss of power. As much as power restoration was needed, at SPOT we prioritized the safety of our clients as well as our own staff. While we are busy on various projects in affected regions, ensuring the safety of those we work with was paramount as we assessed how and when we could proceed to worksites.

One of our newest partners, XTO Energy, recently acknowledged how diligently SPOT has worked to continuously ensure and sustain safety measures on site. Through SPOT’s partnership and combined safety initiatives, XTO has not had any work related injuries on site so far this year. A major milestone for any company is this industry given the natural inherent dangers. We are grateful for their partnership and their trust in us to help keep their personnel safe and their projects productive.

Perhaps the biggest advantages to SPOT’s tools and resources is the very way in which they are incorporated— with as few people as necessary, quickly, and with the most innovative technology available. Most notably, the data that SPOT captures can be translated into visual representation, allowing for a clear understanding of real-time context on the ground. These visuals make it possible for decision-makers to make new or different choices should they feel the need to course-correct.

What continues to set SPOT apart from the competition is how well we have been able to create efficiencies while capturing data, reducing errors and mitigating risks. Historical weather events and other natural anomalies will continue to showcase just how versatile and adaptable SPOT can be to meet the needs of our clients, both on the job site and in the office.

Calling all mega-nerds, er no wait…. ACCOUNTANTS. Are you a financial savant? Do you love filing your own taxes? Do you think Sudoko is fun? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, we want you to come and work with us!

If you read our last post, then you already know we’re awesome. We want you to come and be awesome with us by counting all of our “Benjamins.” Come join a dynamic workplace filled with mostly socially-normal people as we seek to make this year even more exciting than the last. As the energy sector continues to grow and diversify, we’re looking for the right person to help us navigate and adapt to new and exciting challenges.

So what’s it take to be SPOT’s accountant?

Education / Experience:

Skills:

Hardware/Software:

Typical Mental Demands:

If you think you have what it takes, we want to hear from you! Please email your resume to work@spottracker.com.

So… 2020 was bananas.

While it would be easy to chalk it up to one big dumpster-fire, here at SPOT, we choose to look at things through the lenses of optimism and possibility. When circumstances beyond our control spring up, we take it upon ourselves to create solutions we need now instead of waiting for things to go back to “normal.”

So despite shutdowns, we found ourselves rather busy because as it turns out, you didn’t stop working just because you were asked to stay at home either. So we forged ahead and found new ways to meet new needs, together.

So what does that look like by the numbers? We’re so glad you asked.

In 2020, we had the privilege of welcoming 14 new clients to the SPOT family. Fourteen new companies decided partnership with us made sense and we hit the ground running on capturing data in industries where we have historically served as well as in new arenas where we are currently thriving.

In diversifying our client base, we have been able to adapt SPOT to capture new data that not only allows new partners to flourish during these unprecedented times, but our expertise as a data collection service can now serve the greater good in creating safe and healthy working environments through our creation of “Safe Access.”

Our strategic alliance with Remote Medical International has helped secure nearly 30 different working locations in a variety of industries through the inclusion of a simple and accurate questionnaire that safeguards the health of working environments across the country. What has made SPOT even more unique in our ability to collect the health information of countless participants was being awarded a HIPPA compliance certification.

If you want to look at how SPOT fared based solely on our revenue, then buckle up. In 2020, SPOT saw a 19% increase in revenue over 2019. Translation: We crushed it. By a lot.

We look forward to whatever 2021 decides to throw at us. Except spiders. We don’t do spiders.

Mike Rowe, television and podcast host and founder of the Mike Rowe WORKS Foundation is often credited with the adage “safety third.” The premise is effectively this: safety is critically important. However, there are jobs that remain perilous regardless of all the precautions you may take. Getting the job done means accepting unavoidable risks.

Here at SPOT, we agree that safety should be a top priority. But we also know that there will be jobs we are asked to do that will be dangerous regardless of how careful we are. That’s why we seek to make the idea of “safety” as much of a tangible practice as it is a mindset. Being careful, establishing safeguards, and mitigating risks as much as possible is fundamental to every relationship and project that we serve.

SPOT partners with a wide variety of companies across a broad spectrum of industries and central to our approach with each and every customer is asking ourselves the following: Do they feel comfortable trusting us with their people? Will our work ethic and transparency give them confidence? Will we help them see that we want what’s best for their end audience too?

Securing the trust of those with whom we work is paramount to us at SPOT. We care about your success as a company, absolutely. But we also care about the quality of your life at work and the experience that you have when you collaborate with us.

The safety and personal success of our own employees models how we see those in our care as well. Recently, SPOT introduced a new safety program called “Bonusly.” The premise is simple: Look out for each other. Pay attention to the effort your colleagues make to do their job safely. When you see someone excelling while still maintaining a standard of safety both physically as well as mentally, you can reward them with points. The more points are accrued, the more rewards each employee can “buy.”

The idea that colleagues can recognize, encourage, and reward each other for a job well done is just another way we seek to set SPOT apart. Yes, incentives can come from the top down, but how much more meaningful is it when your own peers who really know and see what you do can directly acknowledge and applaud your effort. We firmly believe this simple act can foster a better, more collaborative and team-oriented work culture. After all, safety is a team effort.

Good news: today’s safety post is not about COVID! It’s actually about the beginning of flu season. Yay!

Look, we know the idea of flu season doesn’t sound hopeful or all that funny, but the truth is we think there’s a good reason to look on the bright side. Influenza has been around a lot longer than COVID which means two very important things: (1) We know a lot more about it, and (2) there’s a vaccine that usually proves effective already available.

We won’t dip our toes in the “is the flu or COVID more deadly” debate, but we will say this— we don’t want anyone to take either illness lightly as both can prove deadly in their most severe form. That being said, the prevention plan is simple: Wash your hands, cough or sneeze into your elbow, avoid close contact with those who are exhibiting symptoms, and get your flu shot.

And because 2020 couldn’t possibly get any worse, it is worth noting that, according to Johns Hopkins, you actually can get the flu and COVID simultaneously. Given that the majority of their symptoms are nearly identical, it would be almost impossible to discern one from the other without a test provided by your local doctor.

There is one hypothesis floating around that theorizes the flu season could be less viral this year if people continue to wear masks and social distance as we have all been encouraged to do for the foreseeable future. While that may make the holiday season sound a bit dull and less festive, for those of us with seriously bizarre family members, it may actually make for a merry Christmas after all!

SPOT’s been winning a lot lately and we wanted to introduce the partner that has helped open doors and create opportunities we may not have access to otherwise: Remote Medical International (RMI).

RMI is a “Seattle-based company with an international footprint. Remote Medical International® helps clients manage and improve the health and well-being of their global workforce. By creating an ecosystem of medical screenings, on-site medical staff, and injury management, RMI improves the quality of on-site medical care while reducing costs.” Put simply, RMI finds quality medical personnel who are willing to serve in some of the harshest environments so that companies can better guard and preserve their employees’s health and safety.

When SPOT developed Safe Access, RMI saw it as the perfect fit for their robust tool belt of medical expertise. RMI has now incorporated Safe Access into their rapidly growing COVID-19 screening services, allowing their clients to safely and effectively screen people everyday, all over the world, before they step onto their worksite.

SPOT’s adaptable technology and HIPPA compliance made Safe Access the right tool at the right time for RMI and we are grateful that they partnered with us to expedite health and safety to more people in more places.

Another week, another win for SPOT!

As more and more companies experience the efficiency and effectiveness of Safe Access by SPOT, more opportunities are surfacing to expand’s SPOT’s footprint in various industries for a singular purpose: creating safe and healthy working environments.

That’s why we’re excited to announce that we will be partnering with Netflix to provide essential health screening on multiple film sets and production sites across the United States.

Safe Access by SPOT will now be available in New York City where the Netflix original “Tick Tock… Boom” is currently being filmed. Tick Tock… Boom will star Spiderman’s Andrew Garfield and will be directed by Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Safe Access by SPOT will also be incorporated into one of the country’s premier production studios: EUE Screen Gems Ltd located in Atlanta, Georgia. EUE Screen Gems is the production home to blockbusters such as Black Panther, Hunger Games, and Netflix’s own Stranger Things.

SPOT is excited to be showcasing just how adaptable and applicable our tool can be. From oil and gas to movie sets and anything in between, SPOT is proving to be the best in class as a one-stop-shop for data collection and traceability needs everywhere.

We know you’ve got places to be and things to get done. Let SPOT take you there with Safe Access.

We are grateful to announce that SPOT is partnering with XTO Energy, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, to spearhead a new long-term project: yard management.

Strategically located in Carlsbad, New Mexico, in the heart of the Permian Basin, XTO has asked SPOT to give their 79 acre asset site a total overhaul. In a first ever “inventory blitz,” SPOT will be responsible for:

SPOT is proud to be stretching the legs of our data management tool into this new sphere of stewardship. Not only are we confident that we can streamline, simplify, and bring synergy to the yard and everything it contains, but we look forward to capturing data that will be comprehensive and yet easy to track.

The best step for your project is taking the next step with SPOT.

American cinema is iconic and many of the most legendary films have been produced and/or distributed by MIRAMAX. A subsidiary of Viacom, MIRAMAX is responsible for such classics as Good Will Hunting, Bridget Jones’s Diary, The English Patient, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill along with countless others.

SPOT is honored to be partnering with this cinematic heavy weight in providing Safe Access to production sites so that actors, directors, and crew can safely bring more incredible stories to life on the big screen.

With Safe Access, MIRAMAX will be able to quickly screen all staff prior to their entry on set, giving the cast and crew confidence that their working environment is not only safe, but healthy too.

Lights! Camera! SPOT.

Look, we’re all hoping that being socially distanced is not the new, long-term normal for America. But so long as it proves effective in mitigating the spread of covid-19, SPOT is ready and willing to do our part in protecting employees and customers alike. The truth is, we were social distancing before it was cool.

SPOT is the “OG” when it comes to data collection and project management from a safe distance. The beauty of SPOT is that with little to no contact with people or machinery, you can collect, trace, control and direct any level of operation on one or multiple projects from the worksite, your truck, the office, or your seat in the back of the plane next to the lavatory door. flush suck whoosh

Because SPOT is accessible from your mobile device with a simple and safe point-and-click, you can work more efficiently than the guy in the haz-mat suit next to you with his paper and pen. And good news, all the data you capture when you scan SPOT’s patent-pending barcodes ensures that you are collecting all the information you need the first time. No circling back to the field because you missed something.

The silver lining of this covid-19 nightmare is that necessity really is the mother of invention and people are finding new and exciting ways to create work, businesses, and solutions to unique momentary problems. SPOT is ready to help people grow, lead, and excel in creating innovative ways to rise above the “sharknado” that has been 2020.

Regardless of your industry, if you’re running a business you probably have a laundry list of assets. Some physical, some intangible, some digital, still others may be entirely liquid. But the point is that no matter what form your assets take, what makes them assets at all is that they hold value and when executed, they generate income, profit or positive economic gain.

Basically, assets are important. And tracing what assets you have, where they are, and when they create economic value is something that any business owner wants and needs to know.

So SPOT thought, “Let’s make the most seamless tool that does all the things to make asset management easier, more efficient, and lets make it work even when it’s offline.” And that’s just what we did.

SPOT makes it possible to custom-fit your data and asset management needs into our tool’s portfolio of possibilities.

You want real-time notifications of when an asset has been updated. Done.

You need to know when an asset is in transit from one location to another? No problem.

You need to update data in realtime but your offline in some ridiculous location? SPOT captures data and uploads it automatically when it picks up a signal.

Managing your assets is a critical component to ensuring that your business is not only functional but running in the black too. Asset management is too important to trust to anyone but SPOT.

SPOT helps manage your assets for you so you can focus on staying a step ahead of the competition.

COVID has singlehandedly upended every sector of our economy and drastically impeded the ability to return to work without any obvious safety protocols that are either palatable or efficient.

SPOT saw a problem and said, “We can fix that.”

Introducing Safe Access by SPOT. A unique singular key that unlocks any door, anywhere.

Answer a short list of questions. Based on your answers, you are either approved for entry or recommended to return home. When approved, you receive a personalized QR code that it sent to your mobile device. Scan that code like you would scan a boarding pass. That’s it. You’re in!

Safe Access by SPOT can be completely customized to meet the specific needs or standards of your office, school, church, or small business. This simple tool comes with SPOT’s unmatched customer service and tech support. Set-up, installation, and maintenance are managed by SPOT so you can get back to normal as quickly as possible.

Safe Access by SPOT is quick to install, easy to use, and ensures the safe access of any user. Similar to SPOT’s other product offerings, Safe Access by SPOT can seamlessly handle thousands of screenings per hour for maximum efficiency while maintaining comprehensive data collection capabilities.

And because the questions are medical in nature, Safe Access by SPOT is HIPPA compliant, which means every response you submit is safe and secure.

At SPOT, we believe that complicated problems deserve simple, effective solutions. Access any workplace or shared public space knowing you’ve take a responsible step in preventing the spread and protecting fellow citizens with Safe Access by SPOT.

SPOT is excited to announce that it has been handpicked by WhiteWater Midstream to be a part of the Whistler Pipeline project.

“The Whistler Pipeline LLC is an approximately 450-mile, 42-inch intrastate pipeline that will transport natural gas from West Texas to the Gulf Coast. An approximately 50-mile 36-inch lateral will provide connectivity for gas processors in the Midland Basin. The pipeline is a joint venture between MPLX LP, WhiteWater Midstream, Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners and West Texas Gas.”

The pipeline will have transportation capacity of 2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d).”

WhiteWater has trusted SPOT with the collection, analysis, and inventory management of this project.

It’s no secret that the reopening of America has been a little touch and go. While so many were anxious to get back to work and rekindle what has been culturally normal about summers here in the States, COVID has kept us all asking the questions: “Is it really safe anymore? Can we go there? Can we do that?” With a strong resurgence of cases nationwide, it’s difficult to know whether or not we reopened too soon or if perhaps the hype and hysteria is a strategic political tool.

But there is a contingent of people that are considered “essential workers” that never sat on the sidelines. They’ve been showing up to work, putting in long hours with no real opportunity to slow down because everyone still needs them to do their job. Calling them “essential” is almost an understatement.

SPOT has been standing with essential workers on the front lines since the beginning. With our data collection expertise, we mobilized our tool to capture and track employees symptoms everyday that they showed up on site. But collecting health data, we not only helped to mitigate and prevent potential exposures, we also expedited the process of contact-tracing should the need arise.

By retrofitting our tool to include monitoring the health of its’ users, we are equipping our clients with the confidence and peace of mind they need to do their job well without fear of infection.

The tool is efficient and effective. Answer a short list of questions. When your answers have been processed, you are either approved for entry or recommended to return home. When approved, you receive a personalized QR code that it sent to your mobile device. Scan that code like you would scan a boarding pass. That’s it. You’re in.

At SPOT, our goal is as much to create workplace efficiencies as it is to increase the wellbeing, productivity and safety of our customers. Yes, we care about your business. But more importantly, we care about your safety as individual people. SPOT’s holistic approach to equipping our customers not only ensures that their businesses succeed but they thrive personally as well.

Webster defines success as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. At SPOT, we believe that success is as much an objective standard of measure as it is a feel-good experience. Measuring success ought to be demonstrated by data: facts and figures that illustrate successes, gains, and yes, even losses. By default then, if data is the best indicator of achievement, wouldn’t you want as much as you can get?

Spoiler alert— the answer is a resounding “heck yes.”

That’s why SPOT has built the most customizable, holistic data collection tool out there. There’s really no limit to how much information you can collect, house, or sort. If you think it’s important, we make sure you can find it whenever you need it. With an array of standard forms as well as custom-build forms that allow you to order and prioritize your data needs so you always have an answer to that lingering question of, “Yes, but how much?

SPOT makes it possible to identify how well your project is preforming at any stage in its lifetime. Want to know if you’re off to a good start? SPOT’s data capture technology updates in realtime so you know on day one if it even got off the ground.

Need to provide your boss with a quarterly snapshot that proves you’re on time and under budget? SPOT can populate data in an easy to read form or graph of your choosing that visually proves progress.

Want to prove that your project is still succeeding in light of a brief setback or time delay? Keep your team encouraged and on mission with SPOT’s audit system that identifies missing information or inaccurate inputs in realtime so you can course correct the same day an error is recognized.

All of these inherent features that keep accurate data readily retrievable gives you the power to decide if you are succeeding or not. At SPOT, we believe every project and every customer should have the tools and information that equips them to accomplish their goals. At any point, parameters or filters can be modified to better reflect reality. Should circumstances dictate that the end goal is different than it was at the project’s inception, modify your information requirements to show how your project adapted.

SPOT’s flexibility means you have the data to carry you across the finish line, wherever it may be, no matter how long the race.

SPOT sees your data. SPOT sees you succeed.

Time for a test drive?

Get in touch to schedule a demo at your convenience.