Asset tagging · QR
Scan any asset with a phone, no extra hardware.
The simplest, lowest-cost way to bring any asset online: print a durable label, fix it to the asset, and scan it with a phone camera.
QR codes are the simplest way to link an asset to its CertFlow record. Print a durable label, fix it to the asset, and anyone with a smartphone camera can scan it to see inspection history, the next due date and the current certificate.
There is no reader to buy and the cost per tag is low, so it is straightforward to roll out across thousands of assets.
How it works
QR codes on CertFlow.
A QR code is a printed two-dimensional barcode. CertFlow generates a unique code for every asset; you print it onto a durable label, fix it to the asset, and any smartphone camera reads it. There is no chip, no battery and no reader, which is why it is the lowest-cost option by a wide margin and the quickest to roll out across thousands of assets.
Because the code is read by camera, it needs a reasonably clean, legible surface and a clear line of sight. In sheltered indoor conditions a good label lasts for years; in wet, abrasive or dirty environments a printed label wears faster, which is where a more rugged tag earns its place.
A scan opens the asset straight in CertFlow: its full inspection history, current status, next-due date and latest certificate. Engineers log the new inspection from the same screen, and clients or building users can be given scan-only access to verify an asset without seeing anything else.
Where it fits
Use cases.
Large asset volumes on a budget
Where cost per tag matters, printed QR labels make it affordable to bring thousands of assets online at once.
Field inspections
An engineer scans the code to open the record and log the examination on the spot, with no separate device to carry.
Client self-service
Your customers scan to confirm an asset is in date and view its current certificate, without calling you.
Public verification
On visible assets like fire extinguishers, lifting accessories and access equipment, anyone can scan to check it is in date.
Where a printed label fits
Ideal for assets where a printed label is acceptable and conditions are not too harsh.
Attachment types
How QR tags are fixed to the asset.
Printed durable labels
Weather and abrasion-resistant labels for indoor and sheltered assets.
Engraved or etched plates
A QR carried on a metal plate, for assets where a printed label would not last.
Asset stickers and rolls
Low-cost label rolls for tagging large volumes of assets quickly.
Across every discipline
QR codes for the assets you inspect.
A printed QR label is the cheapest way to bring any asset online, from a single distribution board to thousands of fire extinguishers. Fix a label and your team, or your client, scans it with a phone to reach the record across every discipline you cover.
Electrical
Distribution boards, consumer units, fixed wiring and portable appliances
Print a QR label for every board and portable appliance, and a scan opens its EICR or PAT history, current status and next-due date, and lets the engineer log the new test on the spot. It is the standard, low-cost way to run test-and-tag across hundreds or thousands of appliances, and the record stops untested equipment slipping back into service.
Lifting Equipment
Cranes, hoists, chains, slings, shackles and lifting accessories
Give every sling, shackle and accessory a QR label carrying its ID, so a scan opens its thorough-examination history and safe working load. LOLER requires legible identification, and an accessory must be withdrawn if its marking becomes illegible, so a clear, scannable label keeps below-the-hook items traceable and in service.
Work Equipment
Machinery, power tools, ladders, MEWPs and access equipment
Label machinery, ladders, MEWPs and access equipment so anyone can scan to confirm the pre-use and statutory inspections are current before the item is used. A faded or missing label is obvious, and the scan turns any defect into a job in a tap.
Pressure Systems
Air receivers, pressure vessels, boilers and pressure pipework
Label each receiver, vessel and run of pressure pipework so a scan opens its written scheme of examination and last examination date. Engineers confirm the system is examined in line with the scheme without carrying paperwork to the plant room.
Fire Safety
Extinguishers, alarm panels, emergency lighting and fire doors
A QR label on every extinguisher, alarm point, emergency light and fire door lets an engineer scan to log the inspection, and lets a responsible person or building user scan to confirm the item is in date. It is the lowest-cost way to bring thousands of fire assets across a portfolio online, and the record flags an item for replacement before it lapses.
Gas Safety
Boilers, gas appliances, pipework and flues
Label each gas appliance, boiler and flue so a Gas Safe engineer scans to open the appliance record and last safety check, then logs the new check on site. The record keeps the landlord gas safety history complete and easy to issue.
HVAC & Refrigeration
Air-conditioning units, refrigeration and heat pumps
Label each AC unit, chiller and heat pump so a scan opens its refrigerant log, leak-check history and TM44 due date. Engineers record leak checks against the right unit, so the F-Gas paperwork reconciles cleanly.
Water & Legionella
Sentinel outlets, TMVs, tanks and calorifiers
Label sentinel outlets, TMVs, tanks and calorifiers so a scan opens the asset and its temperature record, and the engineer logs the monthly reading against the written control scheme. The history builds against each outlet for the years the records must be kept.
Waste Management
Skips, hazardous-waste containers and storage points
Label waste storage points and containers so a scan links the duty-of-care paperwork, the waste classification and the transfer or consignment notes. The chain from production to disposal stays documented and to hand.
Hazardous Substances
Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) and extraction equipment
Label each LEV unit and extraction point so a scan opens its thorough-examination record and the fourteen-monthly due date. Engineers confirm the controls are tested and working at the point of inspection.
RAMS
The plant and equipment your method statements cover
Label the plant and equipment your method statements cover so the team can scan to confirm an item is inspected and safe to use before the task. The asset ties straight to the RAMS and records behind the job.
General Health & Safety
The assets your inspections and audits cover
Label the assets your inspections and audits cover so any of them can be produced in minutes when an auditor asks, scanned straight to a full, dated history. It turns a scramble through folders into a single scan.
Competency & Training
Equipment that requires a competent, qualified operator
Label equipment that needs a competent, qualified operator so a scan confirms the asset and surfaces who is authorised and in date to work on it. Competence and equipment are checked together, before work starts.
HR & People Compliance
Issued equipment and PPE assigned to people
Label issued equipment and PPE so a scan shows what has been issued, to whom, and when it is due for replacement or re-issue. Accountability for kit becomes a quick check rather than a spreadsheet hunt.
One record, any tag
Part of CertFlow’s tagging options.
QR, NFC and RFID all open the same CertFlow record, and many firms use more than one across a site. See the full spectrum and how to choose, or read about the other options.