Who this article is for: Authority staff responsible for conducting and recording facility inspections.
Overview
Inspections are a core part of any pretreatment program. Authority staff visit Industrial User facilities to verify compliance with discharge permits, review sampling practices, and check pretreatment equipment.
SwiftComply Pretreatment is designed to complement your existing inspection workflow, not replace it. Inspectors conduct the inspection and write up the report using their existing process — whether that's a paper checklist, a Word document, or a PDF form. After the inspection is complete, the inspector enters the key data points into SwiftComply (dates, type, result, nonconformances) and attaches the completed inspection report. This gives your program a centralized, searchable record of all inspections while preserving the detailed documentation in the attached report.
Accessing the Inspections List
Click Inspections in the left sidebar. The inspections list displays all recorded inspections in a searchable, filterable table. The default visible columns are:
IU Name
Account Number
Inspection Start
Inspection End
Inspection Result
Inspection Type
Additional columns (Discharge POTW, SIC Code, NAICS Code, Regulatory Rationale) are available through the column menu but hidden by default. Click any row to open the full inspection detail.
Inspection Types
Each inspection is categorized as one of two types:
Type | Description |
Scheduled | A planned inspection conducted as part of the routine monitoring program. |
Unannounced | An unplanned inspection conducted without prior notice to the Industrial User. |
Inspection Reasons
The reason for an inspection indicates why it was conducted:
Reason | Description |
Annual | Routine annual inspection. |
Violation | Follow-up on a reported violation. |
Complaint | Response to a complaint about the facility. |
New Facility | Initial inspection of a new Industrial User. |
Other | Any reason not covered by the above categories. |
Inspection Results
Every inspection is recorded with one of the following results:
Result | Description |
Pass | The facility meets all compliance requirements. |
Fail | One or more compliance issues were found during the inspection. |
Recording an Inspection
After completing an inspection and writing up the report, enter the summary data into SwiftComply. Make sure the Industrial User already exists in the system. Navigate to Inspections in the left sidebar and click Add Inspection to open the inspection form.
Required Fields
Field | Type | Description |
Industrial User | Select | Select the facility being inspected from the dropdown. |
Inspection Start | Date/Time | Date and time the inspection began. Cannot be in the future. |
Inspection End | Date/Time | Date and time the inspection ended. Cannot be in the future, and must be after the start time. |
Inspection Type | Radio | Select Scheduled or Unannounced. |
Inspection Reason | Select | Select Annual, Violation, Complaint, New Facility, or Other. |
Inspection Result | Radio | Select Pass or Fail. |
Inspector Name(s) | Text | Name(s) of the authority inspector(s) conducting the inspection. |
Optional Fields
Field | Type | Description |
Authority follow up required | Checkbox | Check if the authority needs to take additional action. |
Authority Follow Up Description | Text area | Describe the follow-up actions needed. Shown when the checkbox is checked. |
IU corrective actions required | Checkbox | Check if the Industrial User must take corrective steps. |
IU Corrective Action Description | Text area | Describe what the IU needs to do. Shown when the checkbox is checked. |
Samples taken | Checkbox | Check if samples were collected during the inspection. |
IU Representative Name(s) | Text | Name(s) of the facility representative(s) present. |
Click Save Inspection to save the record. You will be redirected to the inspection detail page.
Inspection Detail Page
The detail page for an inspection includes two tabs:
Overview tab — Displays the inspection summary (IU Name, Account Number, dates, type, reason, result, follow-up fields, inspector names, and IU representative names) along with any attached files.
Nonconformances tab — Lists any nonconformances documented during the inspection. This tab only appears if nonconformances were recorded.
Nonconformances
Nonconformances are specific issues documented during an inspection. Click Add Nonconformance on the inspection form to document issues found. For each nonconformance, enter:
Type — Violation or Exception
Category — Permit Condition or General Control Condition
Date — When the nonconformance occurred
Description — Details about what was observed
Outfall — The relevant outfall, if applicable
Attachments — Supporting files specific to this nonconformance
You can add multiple nonconformances to a single inspection. If you change the Industrial User selection, any previously added nonconformances will be cleared since they are IU-specific.
💡 Tip: Record nonconformances with specific details about what was observed, the relevant permit condition or general control, and any immediate actions taken.
Follow-Up Tracking
Inspections can flag two types of follow-up:
Follow-Up Type | Description |
Authority follow up required | The authority needs to take additional action after the inspection. |
IU corrective actions required | The Industrial User must take corrective steps to address findings. |
Each follow-up type includes a description field where staff can record specific details about the required actions.
Attaching the Inspection Report and Supporting Files
The file upload area at the bottom of the inspection form is where you attach the completed inspection report along with any supporting documentation. This is a critical step — the form fields in SwiftComply capture the summary data, but the attached report is the full record of the inspection.
Typical attachments include:
The completed inspection report (PDF, Word, etc.)
Photos from the inspection
Inspection checklists
Field notes
Lab results
Drag and drop files or click to browse. Accepted file types: PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, CSV, JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, and SVG. Maximum file size is 32 MB per file.
⚠️ Note: The Save Inspection button is disabled while files are uploading. Wait for all uploads to finish before saving.
FAQ
Q: What is the difference between Scheduled and Unannounced inspections?
A: Scheduled inspections are planned in advance as part of the routine monitoring program. Unannounced inspections are conducted without prior notice to the Industrial User, often in response to complaints or violations.
Q: Can Industrial Users view their inspection records?
A: Yes. Industrial Users can view inspection details for their facility, including results and any required corrective actions.
Q: Can I create an inspection for a date in the future?
A: No. Both Inspection Start and Inspection End cannot be set in the future. Inspections are recorded after they occur.
Q: Can I edit an inspection after saving?
A: Yes. Open the inspection from the list to view and modify its details.
Q: Can I delete an inspection?
A: Yes. Open the inspection detail page and use the delete option. You will be asked to confirm.
Q: What happens to nonconformances if I change the Industrial User?
A: Nonconformances are cleared when you change the Industrial User selection, since they are tied to a specific IU's permits and general controls.
Q: What are nonconformances?
A: Nonconformances are specific issues documented during an inspection. They can be classified as either a Violation or an Exception, and linked to a Permit Condition or a General Control Condition. Each nonconformance is tracked separately and can include its own attachments.
Q: How often should inspections be conducted?
A: Inspection frequency depends on your regulatory requirements. Many programs require at least one annual inspection per Significant Industrial User.