Read Fulcrum blog posts for the electrical utilities industry, covering field data collection, inspections, and operational workflows.
Utility poles are everywhere, so much a part of the landscape that we don’t even notice them. That is, unless something goes wrong. A power or cable outage due to a defective utility pole is bad, sure. But did you know that about 10% of California’s wildfires are caused by utility pole failures, including Camp Fire, the worst wildfire in California state history? Utility companies face high stakes, necessitating a strict inspection schedule to maintain their utility poles in optimal condition.
Are you considering the transition to digital field inspections but apprehensive about the challenges that lie ahead? Don’t let uncertainties hold you back from embracing the future. Our comprehensive infographic dives into the world of digitizing field inspections, addressing common obstacles and offering actionable strategies to ensure a seamless transition for your team.
Published February 2023
Check out our updates about Esri, our client TREKK, and more. Thanks for reading!
Watch a demonstration of Fulcrum’s integration with Esri’s ArcGIS Online!
Download this substation inspection checklist to ensure structural and functional integrity of electrical substations.
Regular substation inspections help electric utilities maintain and repair their facilities to keep costs down and power flowing to their customers.
Use data produced by digitization to improve safety for utility companies’ workers and customers.
Discover how electric utilities can enable their workers to be more productive, boost their resilience and reliability, and make better short- and long-term decisions.
Published December 2022.
Read below for some of our hot takes to keep you warm as the weather grows colder (or, in the case of our mates Down Under, getting hotter!). Happy holidays and a prosperous 2023 to all our Fulcrum friends!
Making the switch from pen and paper
Maybe you’ve been contemplating making the switch from pen and paper for your utility pole inspections. Or thought about moving from collecting data on optical loss on fiber optic cable using a spreadsheet typed on a laptop on the hood of your car in the middle of nowhere. However, you don’t get any further because this isn’t the right time to upgrade to data collection software for utility field operations.
Published October 2022.
It’s officially Spooky Season! If your safety, quality, field ops, or data collection processes give you nightmares, we’ve got the treats to help in the way of some informational resources. Happy Halloween, all!
Published September 2022
It’s September, and for millions of kids, school is back in session. In the spirit of the new school year, we have some fresh new thought leadership and learning resources to share. Happy Autumn!
Closing the loop for safety, quality, and maintenance inspections. Published August 2022.
How digital safety field inspections allow for constant learning, rethinking, and upgrading of the process in each iteration
Getting started with Fulcrum Academy online learning platform. Published May 25, 2022.
Fulcrum introduces Intelligent Team Automation. Published April 20, 2022.
You’ve got to keep track of your people, your equipment, and their statuses. The question is, how?
Introducing new capabilities to make field inspections a team sport. Published March 23, 2022.
In late 2021, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) encountered a severe problem. A former contract worker was accused of falsifying up to 3,000 electric system inspections over two years. The deception was revealed when a power pole, allegedly inspected and declared free of rot, collapsed into a residential backyard. It sent a live electrical wire into a swimming pool, fortunately without causing any injuries.
Combating burnout in the construction industry. Published December 8, 2021.
Using technology to make safety inspections less painful (and more powerful). Published January 18, 2022.
Move beyond the perception of safety inspections as OSHA busywork: how inspections keep your workers safe and protect your bottom line.
Learn how utility companies can optimize their vegetation management program to help prevent blackouts and wildfires.
Four approaches to creating location-aware apps. Published June 17, 2021.
Every year, thousands of workers are injured or killed by electrical hazards, a situation made more tragic because many of these incidents are preventable.
Turning everyday actions into actionable insights with location-based data. Published May 20, 2021.
esThe work your field technicians do at the front lines is core to your organization, and leveraging the information they collect in the process can help your company make better decisions at every level. That makes your field teams the perfect catalyst to drive your utility’s digital transformation.
h President Biden’s infrastructure bill, also known as the American Jobs Plan (AJP), aims to create millions of jobs and modernize the country’s crumbling infrastructure. The federal government touts this bill as the biggest public investment since the 1960s. It aims to kickstart the economy post-pandemic, akin to the era of interstate highways and the Space Race. Utility and telecom companies show keen interest in the $400 billion allocated for infrastructure in the $2 trillion plan.
Download this free vehicle maintenance log to track fleet service history to avoid vehicle downtime.
Preventing incidents, protecting workers, and preserving your bottom line. Published April 15, 2021.
Use this form to analyze and determine the exact cause of a problem or accident on the job site.
In a recent study conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 95% of executives across several industries in the United States, UK, Singapore and India said that mapping and GIS location intelligence are important to achieving desired business results.
Leveraging the lessons of 2020 for success in 2021, published Jan. 21, 2021.
Use this checklist to document the condition and maintenance records of your transformers.
Ensure your wash station is accessible and fully functional to prevent permanent eye damage to your employees.
Track the location and maintenance schedules of your portable restrooms with this free checklist.
Minimizing human error and maximizing productivity, published Nov. 24, 2020.
Download this free PDF checklist to conduct a thorough drone inspection before taking flight.
Download this checklist to document the condition of cars as they are dropped off at your business and document any prior damage.
Download this mileage tracker to ensure accurate record-keeping for your vehicles and tax purposes.
Download this form to keep transmission lines protected from hazardous trees and prevent power service interruptions.
Download this checklist to conduct thorough HVAC inspections to ensure proper function and good air quality.
Track the wherabouts and condition of your company’s assets with this equipment inventory form.
For engineering projects, field asset inventories are essential to maintain infrastructure, track assets, and reduce costs. This case study shows how SMEC, a major global engineering firm, achieved these goals. Using Fulcrum’s mobile data platform, SMEC transformed its approach to inventories across diverse projects.
