Frequently Asked Questions – O-VRAT

FAQ – Off-Vessel Risk Assessment Tool (O-VRAT)

O-VRAT User Guide

O-VRAT Help Text

Can anyone use the app?

The O-VRAT app is freely available for download for iOS and Android in the iTunes App store and Google Play. However, in order to access the functionalities of the app, a username and password is required. The app is only available to field staff and other staff working for AECO member companies.

Can my old phone/tablet run the app?

IOS does not have any identified issues in this regard.

Android version 7.1 or newer is required to run the app.

I have a phone running Android ver. 11 but still cannot log on. What is going on?

We are working on solving an issue which is apparently connected to Android ver. 11. Please stand by.

How do I get access to the app?

If you work for an operator who is a member of AECO, please contact them and ask them to request a username and password for you.

Will the O-VRAT app be mandatory?

The O-VRAT app has been created as a tool help field staff carry out risk assessment in the field. Use of the app is not mandatory. It will be up to each member to decide if and how they wish that their field staff should use the app.

Can the app be used without internet connection?

Yes, the app is designed to be used in remote areas without internet connection. The user must download the app and regions, which contain maps and guidelines, when they have internet connection. After that, the user can carry out and save risk assessments. The user can also post comments and photos from the sites that they visit. Once the user has internet access again, they can click “Sync data with cloud” to upload their risk assessments, comments and photos.

Who can see the comments that I post from a site?

When visiting a site, users have the options of adding notes. All app users will be able to see this information once their app is synchronized with the server. The purpose of this is to let field staff leave (near) real-time notes about the conditions of a site to help other field staff carry out safe landings.

How is my personal information handled?

In order to create a user account for app users, AECO needs to register data about the user. This includes full name, e-mail address and the name of the AECO member(s) that they work for. This information is provided to AECO by the AECO member(s) that the user in question works for. Your information will be stored securely and will never be sold or disclosed for other purposes. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

AECO uses third parties for storage and processing of data, including IT suppliers. They only process data on our behalf and may not use it for their own purposes, as outlined in the Data Processing Agreement that they have signed with AECO.

AECO is an international organization registered in Tromsø, Norway, and is subject to EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Norway’s Personal Data Act. The Norwegian Data Protection Authority (DPA) is the supervisory authority for protection of personal data in Norway.

Who can see the risk assessments that I make?

Every completed risk assessment is accessible to the user who created the risk assessment. In addition, the completed risk assessment is uploaded to a central database once the user synchronizes their app. AECO has access to all risk assessments that have been synched with the central database. AECO reserves the right to share risk assessments with the operator that the staff member is working for at the time that the risk assessment was logged.

AECO also reserved the right to collect and analyze anonymized data derived from usage of the app and risk assessments, which may be used for statistical and analytical purposes.

What happens if I work for more than one operator?

Each user can be registered as working for more than one operator. When making a risk assessment, the user chooses which operator they are currently working for from a scroll down menu.

I have forgotten my username and/or password, what should I do?

Please send an email to aeco@aeco.no.

I am experiencing technical difficulties with the app, what should I do?

Refer to the O-VRAT user manual. If problems persist, please send an email to aeco@aeco.no for technical support.

When will the app be launched?

The app was launched in spring 2020 and is fully operational.

Has the app been tested by field staff?

Yes, a beta version of the app has been tested by field staff and other staff working for AECO members prior to the launch of the app.

Will the app function as field operations manual?

AECO currently does not have a field operations manual. However, the intention is to create a function in the O-VRAT app where field staff can access all of AECO’s guidelines in PFD format, accessible offline.

What is the background for the O-VRAT app?

AECO was granted funding from the Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund to develop an Off-Vessel Risk Assessment Tool (O-VRAT). The tool will combine risk analysis with site vulnerability assessment and will help field staff assess and mitigate risks associated with off-vessel activities.

The O-VRAT project was presented to field staff in October 2017 during the AECO/IAATO Polar Field Staff Conference in Iceland. Following the presentation, AECO organized group discussions where polar field staff discussed potential inclusions in the O-VRAT tool. The feedback from field staff was taken into account when the project working group met in November 2017.

In April 2018, AECO was granted additional funding from the Svalbard Environmental Protection Fund to develop an O-VRAT mobile application. In June 2018, AECO signed a contract with Ramm-Schmidt Consulting Ltd for the development of the mobile app. The first trial is scheduled for launch before the 2019 Arctic cruise season.

 

Updated: 23.02.21

Learn more about the O-VRAT app here.