1. TABLET-EX-GEAR CHEST PACK
Mike Trumbature
I recently received my new TABLET-EX-GEAR CHEST PACK and started shoving it full of different
gadgets to check out its potential.
Doing inspections on fire pump controllers requires a minimum of a camera, a screwdriver to access
equipment and a volt /ammeter to take readings or troubleshoot problems. Most of these rooms are
poorly lit and sometimes require a flashlight to look for damage or up inside an electric motor. There is
frequently pipe to have to crawl through, water on the floor and no place to safely lay a tablet or
computer. Most annual inspections these days are done on computer forms of some type.
The cell phone is standard everywhere and smart phones can be used as a miniature tablet PC within
limits - until the battery runs down. A lot of older equipment requires Windows-based software to
download historical data so typical tablet PCs are out. Newer equipment has USB download files,
allowing data to be downloaded into a flash drive in text or .csv file formats that can be read on tablets.
The Toshiba Thrive is equipped with a full-size USB 2 port and SD card slot that will accept a full size
camera SD card for better photo viewing on the job.
In order to make sure the cell phone stays up, there is a USB portable charger. This unit uses individual
AA batteries which can be used in other devices also, like penlight flashlights. Smaller units are
available with less charge time and special batteries. It can also recharge tablet PCs with the same
battery voltage.
Last Update, 10-21-2013, 12:45 PM

2. 10” TOSHIBA THRIVE
The 10” Toshiba Thrive tablet PC was one of
the first fully-ported tablet PCs to offer a full
size SD card slot, USB port and HDMI out as
as well as an interchangeable battery.
The Thrive is also one of the bulkiest tablets
in the industry. In its picture frame portfolio
case (shown), it is larger than a 10” notebook
computer. In spite of its mammoth size, it
easily fits in the pack vertically with room for
the zipper to close.

3. 10 INCH ASUS NOTEBOOK
AND TARGUS CASE
Even with the Targus padded carrying case
thickness, it fits comfortably in the pack. With the
pack’s heavy construction, the case is not required.
The front and rear chest pack panels are protected
with full-size sheets of removable ABS plastic, each
in their own pouches.
This offers additional
protection for tablets with thinner protective cases
or no case at all. The Toshiba Thrive comfortably
fits the rear pouch without its case with the screen
covered with a light cloth and facing the rear panel
for extra protection, leaving room in the front for
anything, including the notebook computer. With
all the stuff I frequently use loaded in the chest
pack, my backpack fits comfortably over the chest
pack’s shoulder and back straps.

4. RIGHT SIDE AND
FRONT POUCHES
The right side straps
provide a place to clip the
camera and cell phone
cases to with their belt
clips. This allows easy
access and removal for
relocating on my belt with
the pack removed. The
displays face inward for
protection.
There is plenty of room for
a notepad and access to
pens and pencils in front.
The portable USB charger
charges from a 120 volt
outlet or 12 volt cord and
will fit any of the three
pouches. This is handy to
have when your cell
phone, GPS or similar
USB
charged
device
batteries get low.
This
larger unit uses regular
individual AA batteries.
Smaller units use their
own fixed batteries.

5. LEFT SIDE STRAPS
The larger belt clip flashlight shown is extremely bright and
waterproof. Smaller penlight “AA” battery flashlights will fit the
side pouches and can use rechargeable batteries from the
USB charger. Getting caught out in the dark with no flashlight
or one with dead batteries can't be fun. Penlight flashlights
can make a great backup to a larger one if it fails.
The pack’s rear belt is also capable of carrying the flashlight,
reserving side space for more gadgets. A small first aid pouch
kit will also fit the rear belt, reserving side strap space for more
gadgets. The phone and camera easily fit in the front pouches,
freeing up the right side for larger gadget pouches like below.
The HOME PAGE link on slide #9 shows optional pouches and
ideas available for their use.
See the HOMEPAGE, last slide,
for more accessory pouches.

6. POWER DISTRIBUTION SWITCHGEAR ROOMS
An example of a lineup switchgear room where building engineers may visit routinely to get
readings or download data if there is a problem. Information for Arc Flash Analysis is
gathered from the front or inside nameplates. Much of this gear is 8’ tall. There is no place to
lay a tablet PC to free up your hands for operating controls except on the floor.

7. FIRE PUMP CONTROLLER INSPECTIONS
Tablet PCs and clamp on VOM ammeters are common on many electrical equipment inspections and service like below. The
top of an open electrical enclosure is no place for a tablet or computer, especially with limited room with conduit. It could
easily get knocked off into the controller and set off an explosion like the one the right.
Many of these controllers, like the one below, use various forms of data-logging for historical activity. The notebook
computer is a must for me. These controllers used everything over the years from 1.44 floppies, USB and serial port cables
with Windows download manager software, to current flash drives and SD cards to retrieve data from. The chest pack has
plenty of room for the 10" notebook computer (without case), external USB floppy drive and 7" tablet PC for controller
schematics, IOMs, inspection forms etc. The front pouches have room for the USB and serial cables.

8. FIRE PUMP SIMULATED FLOW TEST REPORT
Example of a two-page NFPA 25 mobile app fire pump inspection report showing a speed
corrected pump performance curve.

9. TAKE A BREAK
One or two 3’ - 4’ Bungee cords or nylon
strap with good metal hooks can be used
to wrap round a tree or pipe and fasten to
the pack’s metal “D” rings on the side.
This photo shows a single 3/8” X 40’’
Bungee cord with the straps X-crossed in
rear (not shown) to keep the cord secure
around the tree with the weight of the
pack pulling it tight. Longer cords can be
wrapped to take up slack on smaller trees.
Shorter cords can be doubled to increase
the reach.
It can likewise be used to clip around a
conduit on top of an electrical cabinet like
the one on slide #8 on the right side,
allowing the pack to be suspended on the
right side of the cabinet, out of harm’s
way yet still within easy reach.
Although this cord was used on an empty
pack, knowing the weight of your pack
and cord or strap limits may be required
to prevent a cord or strap failure for this
use. Never use either strap over a sharp
or lightly supported object or with a
heavily loaded pack with unknown
variables.

10. Examples of fire pump control panels to access for inspections and service. Crawling over and through these
pipe mazes is dangerous enough with both hands free, much less having to carry a computer or tablet PC and
tools. Often times there is no place to lay a tablet or computer while working. Standing water on the floor is
quite common in these rooms. Dropping an expensive tablet PC on a dry floor is bad enough. Dropping one
in water is worse. Tripping and falling while juggling a computer or briefcase is a disaster!

11. OSHA - STRUCK BY FALLING/FLYING OBJECTS
Every year people are injured by material and tools dropped or knocked off of elevated work surfaces. While
the benefits of something like the chest pack offer obvious protection for your tablet, camera and other
gadgets and tools, it can also offer protection for people working below you from your gadgets or tools if you
drop them. It provides a proper place to store everything not in use along with places for similar add-on
pouches. The chest pack is included with one lanyard line in the main pouch for a tablet PC and one on the
upper left front pouch. Each of the front pouches is equipped with loop holes for additional lanyard lines for
other gadgets that you may need quick access to like phones, cameras, etc. The pack also frees up both
hands for climbing ladders and scaffolds as well as having both hands free for ladder tie off. Below is a clip
from OSHA’s FALLING/FLYING OBJECT safety advisory website. It doesn’t matter if you’re using a tablet PC,
notebook computer or notepad in a portfolio. If you drop it, or one of your other gadgets or tools on someone’s
head, you’re in trouble.

12. ADDITIONAL WEBSITE LINKS
Tablet-EX-Gear Chest Packs Home Page
Personal Testimony
PHOTO ALBUM - Collection of presentation photo originals
Fire Pump Inspection Forms - NFPA 25 fire pump inspection app for desktop or mobile devices
SPREADSHEET ENGINEERING FORMULAS - Examples of mechanical and electrical engineering formulas for tablet PCs
SAFETY
OSHA - STRUCK BY FALLING/FLYING OBJECTS
OSHA - SLIPS TRIPS AND FALLS
ENDURE, Inc. - Examples of tablet PC safety software