Serra Drilling is a family-owned and operated company based in the Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland. Established in 1970, the business has provided specialist drilling services across Queensland and interstate for over five decades. Serra Drilling employs both highly experienced water wells and exploration drillers. With deep expertise and state-of-the-art equipment, the company consistently delivers some of the most technically challenging drilling programs safely and efficiently. The company takes pride in the quality of its work and offers clients safe and competitive drilling services.
Their service offering includes large diameter water production bores, dewatering bores, stock and domestic water bores, groundwater monitoring bores, piezometer installations, exploration drilling, and pump testing.
As a third-generation business operating across multiple sectors, including mining, agriculture, construction, and government, Serra Drilling required a streamlined, reliable, and cost-effective system to manage safety and compliance documentation across geographically dispersed and fast-moving projects.
Their previous systems were fragmented, with manual paper forms often getting lost in trucks or failing to return to the office. Digital tools they had previously considered or trialled were either too complex, too expensive, or poorly suited for small to mid-sized operators.
In March 2023, Serra Drilling turned to Mackay Safety and implemented the 4PS Software suite after a successful demonstration, comprising their:
• Safety management plan
• Membership and advisory support
• 4PS Software core system including 4P Forms
• 4PS mobile app
• Dropbox integration.
This integrated solution allowed the team to digitise safety forms, sync field data with the office, track asset maintenance, manage certificates, and easily share records with clients — all while keeping the system cost-effective and user-friendly for their team. The 4PS software installed from Mackay Safety was customised to Serra Drilling’s specific needs and is continually updated to ensure relevancy and apply the latest technological advancements.
Since partnering with Mackay Safety and implementing the 4PS Software system, Serra Drilling has transformed its approach to safety, compliance, and operations, achieving significant gains in efficiency, productivity, and peace of mind.
A standout achievement has been gaining ISO certification – a feat the company had never attempted before due to the complexity and manual nature of its previous systems. ISO certification formally recognises that a business meets internationally agreed standards for consistency, reliability, and quality, developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). It’s a strong trust signal for clients in sectors such as mining, construction, and government – and is often essential for winning contracts.
With the support of Mackay Safety, Serra Drilling successfully passed an independent audit and gained recognition for its compliance.
“We probably wouldn’t have applied for ISO accreditation if it weren’t for 4PS and Mackay Safety,” said Serra Drilling General Manager, Mark Serra. “With our previous systems, it would have taken five years to achieve the level of documentation needed – if it happened at all.”
The operational impact has been equally impressive. By digitising safety processes and automating reporting, Serra Drilling has avoided the need to hire extra administration or safety staff.
“We’d need another full-time safety person in the office to do what we’re doing now at minimum, and that’s easily one salary saved at around $150,000,” Mark said.
Productivity has soared. The team now handles four times the volume of safety, compliance, and reporting work, all achieved without expanding the workforce.
“We’re doing four times the amount of work with the same people.”
Real-time reporting has improved response times across projects, with incidents reported instantly via the app.
“I’ll get an incident report via email from the app before I even get a phone call.”
Asset maintenance has become more efficient, with automated links between field reports, asset registers, and certificate renewals.
“The system helps us manage both maintenance and safety – two critical aspects of our business.”
According to Mark, what truly sets 4PS Software apart is the hands-on service and customisation Mick and his team at Mackay Safety provide.
“We pay for what we need with Mackay Safety — and sometimes what has been developed to assist us helps other companies and vice versa. It works incredibly well,” Mark said.
This collaborative and tailored approach has been key to Serra Drilling’s long-term success with the platform.
“4PS Software and Mackay Safety’s support services have changed the way we do business. The system is user-friendly, has saved us time and money, and has helped us achieve ISO certification. Our productivity has quadrupled – and we didn’t need to hire anyone new to achieve this.”
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Thank you to Mark Serra for sharing his experience with Mackay Safety and 4PS software.
Contact Mackay Safety today on 07 4944 1272 or explore the website to learn more about how we can support your operations with services and technology that ensure you keep on top of your safety and compliance requirements.
