For a company that began in a yellow station wagon nicknamed “Old Yeller,” A-Core Concrete Specialists has come a long way. With 15 locations nationwide, A-Core leads the concrete services industry in everything from core drilling to demolition and GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) scanning.
But with that growth came a challenge: how do you manage safety, training and communication with a highly mobile workforce (400 workers and 400 fleet vehicles) spread across the country? The answer was to modernize…and that meant ditching paper by centralizing records and creating new reports powered by custom forms.
The goal wasn’t just compliance. A-Core wanted something more ambitious: to build a safer, happier and more productive workforce. With Tyfoom’s all-in-one, video-based microlearning platform, the company found the tools – and the results – to make that vision a reality.
The Problem with Paper
Before Tyfoom, record-keeping at A-Core was a headache. Training records were handwritten, stored in filing cabinets and difficult to track down – especially when contractors requested proof of certifications or compliance.
“We would have the employees who attended the safety meeting sign a piece of paper, and it would get filed in a folder. Going back and finding that record when you need it was a hassle at best,” said Cody Rodgers, Safety Manager.
Managing incidents was just as frustrating. From job hazard analyses to near-miss reports, every form was handwritten on paper and often hard to read.
“Our safety department was behind,” said Rodgers. “Doing paper JHA (Job Hazard Analysis) forms, paper incident reports and paper for near-misses just wasn’t working. Especially with how spread out we are now at 15 locations.
“We needed to digitize, modernize, streamline, and get faster data so we could make smarter pivots and adjustments in the moment, and not a year down the road after we plugged in all the numbers from the paper forms.”
Modernizing With Custom Forms That Fit the Work
Rodgers first heard about Tyfoom during a Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA) safety meeting. He was immediately intrigued by the platform’s ability to be tailored to the concrete cutting industry.
After a consultation with Tyfoom, A-Core decided to focus on digitizing records since paper forms proved difficult to share, challenging to locate quickly, and at times, almost impossible to read.
“The ability to create custom forms with Tyfoom was huge,” said Rodgers. “I was able to build digital JHA forms, equipment inspection forms, incident reports, and near-miss reports. I have a huge library of fillable forms now that our employees complete every day.”
With Tyfoom, A-Core now creates custom mobile forms in minutes using the simple drag-and-drop form builder. Employees access digital forms from their mobile devices, and submissions are instantly recorded and immediately accessible to managers.
“The second an employee submits a form, I have access to it. So if a contractor needs a JHA, for example, our employee fills it out and I can then immediately send it to the customer digitally.”
Forms also allow users to attach images – a MAJOR upgrade from paper forms.
“Previously, when our forms were all on paper, we had what we called ‘accident kits.’ If someone was involved in a fender bender, I would get their ‘chicken scratch’ on these paper forms, and I couldn’t read half of it because, you know, they’re mobile, they’re in a truck, their handwriting isn’t the best.
“Now our operators can use voice-to-text on the form in Tyfoom. When they submit it, I not only have that form, but I also get the pictures required for our incident reports,” said Rodgers. “It’s a game changer.”
Real-Time Safety Data = Smarter Pivots
Before Tyfoom, near-miss reports were rare. Now, with custom forms readily available on their devices, employees submit them daily.
“Before Tyfoom, I was lucky to get two or three near-miss reports a year,” said Rodgers. “Now employees have those forms right in their pocket on their phones. I’m able to pull data from the submissions in Tyfoom and create graphs on our highest exposures for the year.
“I found that our biggest exposure with near-misses last year was utilities strikes, from our bits and blades hitting unmarked utilities in the concrete. That’s given me direction for what to focus on [for training] this year.”
That data-driven decision-making is helping A-Core tackle real safety concerns more quickly and effectively than ever before.
Training Records That Don’t Slow You Down
Finding and sending proof of training used to be a massive drain on time and resources.
“We work for so many different contractors every day,” Rodgers explained. “Each of our operators does three or four jobs per day, so our people are visiting several different sites every day.”
Delays from missing training records or expired certifications could derail an entire project.
“Now with Tyfoom, we not only know that our employees are getting quality training, but we can also track that training with the reporting feature. I can instantly see who has been trained in what and when their training will expire.
“I can also quickly locate and submit proof of those trainings to contractors. No more wasted hours hunting around filing cabinets or sifting through folders on the computer.”
Staying Compliant with Certification Tracking
Tyfoom helps A-Core to stay ahead of certification renewals and avoid compliance gaps.
“Tyfoom allows us to track certifications and external trainings with their expiration dates. We get notifications when an employee’s certification is coming due, which helps us get ahead and stay compliant. It’s been very valuable,” said Rodgers.
Building a Badge System That Boosts Morale
A-Core took things even further by building a robust badge system using Tyfoom.
“I built 35 custom badges on different topics,” said Rodgers. “For example, one badge is specific to different pieces of equipment that we have at A-Core, and another is for OSHA training that is required annually.
“Now every employee can earn a badge. Our people get excited when they’ve earned each badge and want to do more. Badges have also been incredibly helpful because I can send them to contractors to show proof of training and certification.”
The combination of custom forms and badges has created a complete learning ecosystem – one that motivates employees while keeping compliance top of mind.
Looking to the Future
A-Core’s investment in digital training, compliance tracking and custom forms has paid off across the board.
“We’re saving so much time with Tyfoom,” said Rodgers. “It offers so many features and benefits that I use every day. We’ve modernized safety, and that’s been the biggest direct savings for us. I absolutely recommend Tyfoom to anyone looking for a comprehensive, cost-effective solution to safety.”
With modern tools, clear data, and a motivated team, A-Core is leading the way in job site safety, operational efficiency and workforce development.
Ready to ditch the paperwork and save hours in your day? Start building and tracking custom forms in minutes with Tyfoom. From inspections to incident reports to real-time certification data, it’s all in one place – and always at your fingertips.
Learn how by scheduling a meeting to speak with a Tyfoom training consultant.
Read the full case study on A-Core Concrete, Leveraging Digital Forms.