VolkerFitzpatrick – Ilford & Romford Stations

• Inductions cut from 5 hours to minutes
• 100% paper induction reduction
• GBP 2,600 saved, 57 hrs/month

VolkerFitzpatrick selected innDex to modernise site operations on the Ilford and Romford Stations project, replacing paper-based inductions and access control with a single digital platform. Working on a live rail environment for Network Rail and Crossrail meant the project team needed a system that could meet strict site access and competency-verification requirements while being quick to roll out to a changing workforce.

innDex was implemented alongside facial recognition access control, giving the site team a fast and reliable way to confirm who was on site at any time. Several further modules were rolled out on top of this, including digital onboarding for new starters, fatigue management, toolbox talks, daily diaries and safety inspections. Bringing these processes onto one platform let the commercial and site management teams review activity in real time instead of chasing paper records, which was central to why VolkerFitzpatrick chose innDex over continuing with manual processes.

Working on live stations for Network Rail and Crossrail meant VolkerFitzpatrick had to meet strict site access and competency-verification standards while keeping the programme moving across two locations at once. The project team needed a fast, reliable way to confirm who was on site at any time, without slowing down inductions for a workforce that changed regularly.

Moving from paper-based processes to a fully digital platform also meant introducing facial recognition access control and rolling out several new modules together, including digital onboarding, fatigue management, toolbox talks, daily diaries and safety inspections, without disrupting an active construction programme. Getting the workforce comfortable with facial recognition checks and digital record keeping in place of familiar paper forms was itself part of the challenge.

Prior to implementing innDex, VolkerFitzpatrick relied on paper-based processes for inductions, access control and day-to-day site administration on the Ilford and Romford Stations project. New starters completed their site inductions by hand, a process that took on average five hours per person. Toolbox talks, daily diaries and safety inspections were also recorded on paper, making it difficult for the project team to verify competency, track attendance, or get an accurate, real-time picture of who was on site across both stations.

Switching to innDex delivered clear, measurable results for VolkerFitzpatrick on the Ilford and Romford Stations project. Site inductions that previously took around five hours per person by hand were reduced to minutes, removing a significant bottleneck for new starters joining a live rail programme. By digitising inductions, access control and day-to-day records, the project team saved an average of £2,600 and 57 hours of health and safety admin time every month.

The platform also gave the project team automated competency verification, data collection for KPI measurement, and custom real-time dashboards and reports accessible to the entire project management team, creating a single, up-to-date source of truth. One of the most valuable features was the digitisation of the Close Call process, which improved the accuracy of record-keeping and increased transparency, both for the people reporting issues and for VolkerFitzpatrick management teams.

Eliminating paperwork and automating these processes also increased transparency around working hours for the commercial team, while real-time cloud access to site records let the team continue working efficiently from anywhere rather than relying on manual, location-bound paper files.