NEHA September 2024 Journal of Environmental Health

TABLE 1

Overview of Field Inspection Device Categories and Attributes, 2024

Device Category a

Examples

Operating System

Internet b

Rugged

Camera

Signature Capture

Estimated Battery Life (hr) c

iPad

iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro

iOS 16 or later

Available Wi-Fi or optional cellular b Available Wi-Fi or optional cellular b Available Wi-Fi or optional cellular b

With protective case With protective case With protective case

Excellent

Android tablet Windows tablet

OnePlus Pad, Samsung Galaxy Tab Surface Pro, Lenovo ThinkPad X1

Android 14 or later Windows 11 or later

Excellent

a Recommend adding a keyboard taking into account that detachable keyboards work best on a flat, stable surface. b Although many agencies rely on phones for hotspots, native connectivity is recommended to avoid technical problems. In either case, provider coverage and geography are determining factors. c Battery life is dependent on usage patterns. For field inspectors, fully charged devices should last a full workday.

with its IT department to select, procure, and deploy the hardware (i.e., the devices that inspectors will take into the field).

edge; however, iOS and Android can run spe- cial versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, Pow- erPoint, and much more. An iPad with Word and cloud access can do a lot of routine word processing. Table 1 provides an overview of current devices and attributes. Before you place your order, verify with your software vendor and IT department (a matter of responsible governance) that your selected hardware is ideal for field inspec- tions. And do not be hesitant to be prescrip- tive about disconnected users. Conclusion The landscape of environmental health inspections has been transformed by advancements in mobile technology. Today’s hardware solutions oer a rich blend of connectivity, performance, battery life, and usability. With several options, agencies have the flexibility to choose devices that best fit their unique needs and preferences. The advanced mobile inspection devices will continue to enhance the capabilities of environmental health departments, enabling inspectors to be increasingly eective.

Corresponding Author: Darryl Booth, General Manager, Environmental Health, Accela, 2633 Camino Ramon #500, San Ramon, CA 94583. E-mail: dbooth@accela.com.

Field Inspection Hardware Requirements

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Interestingly, form factors of dierent devices (i.e., phone versus tablet versus laptop) do not appear among the prominent require- ments. Form factor has become a matter of personal preference. Certain inspection types work well with dierent form factors. Further, quantitative requirements such as CPU power, RAM, or onboard storage are not prominent requirements. This omission is because modern devices can run modern software without great concern for chipset or RAM. It is also interesting that none of the RFPs evaluated place a requirement on print- ing in the field. Printing inspections to paper in the field is a thing of the past. Often unstated is the expectation that the assigned hardware will be suitable for a vari- ety of oce tasks (e.g., managing email, writ- ing correspondence). For this reason, a dock- able Windows laptop or tablet often had the

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September 2024 • Journal of Environmental Health