A handheld, portable device (20, 140, or 140') is used to store data that
indicate an operator was sufficiently close to each of a plurality of
components during a safety inspection to actually inspect the components.
The portable device includes a sensor (46) that detects tokens (12, 16,
24), such as radio frequency identification tags, which are affixed
adjacent to the components. Messages (58) appearing on a display (40, 152)
of the portable device prompt the operator to proceed to each checkpoint,
determine a state of the component disposed there, and if the component is
not operating properly, indicate a plurality of predefined conditions from
which the operator can choose to identify the observed condition of the
component. The state and condition of each component entered during the
safety inspection are stored as data that are subsequently transferred to
a remote data storage site over a wire or wireless link.
