Startup Idea: Digital Solution for Tracking Maintenance Approval Forms

Startup idea to create a software solution to digitize and streamline the process of maintenance approval forms in the chemical manufacturing industry. The idea involves moving away from paper forms to digital ones, which can then be signed electronically, and searched easily by different criteria.

I work in the chemical manufacturing industry. Currently, there is no electronic way to track the approval forms for maintenance work. There is a lot of maintenance going on constantly with miles of private road, railroads, railcars, offices, and machinery. Because of the nature of the industry, every maintenance request needs to be approved by the site safety manager, as well as the area owner, and any other applicable managers. There is a specific procedure written on the form as to how the work will be completed, as well as a list of potential hazards, safety equipment required, etc. (too much to list) Currently, these forms are paper. It would be nice if there was a digital solution to be able to create and fill out the form, and then have each necessary person electronically sign (via a touchscreen or pad). We currently do not have touchscreen computers. The form should not be editable after it is submitted. The forms could then be searched by different criteria such as date or keywords. I don't think scanning the forms would be a good solution because you would not be able to search for them (handwritten is hard to run through OCR as well).

I would pay for software to solve this issue, as it would generate a return by saving time and increasing maintenance productivity, especially if that form needed to be found.

The software would make it easy to store and find maintenance forms, and they could not be lost.