Companies wanting to reduce corporate costs and provide employees a better working environment should aim at improving the safety management system.
According to the National Safety Council, the cost of work injuries amounted to $162 billion in 2017. That translates to a $1,100 cost per worker, including the value of goods or services that each should produce to offset work injury-related costs.
An essential part of managing workplace safety is an environment, health, and safety (EHS) management software that is useful in recording, organizing, and analyzing safety-related data. An effective system means that the management can precisely see where hazards and accidents are taking place to perform proactive measures to eradicate them.
Moreover, an effective system does not only set a standard for the safe operations of the company but also promotes accountability. It must seamlessly address compliance requirements and must be flexible to adapt to changes.
As technology evolves, companies are also changing the way they manage workplace safety. A lot are taking advantage of key features of EHS Software solutions to aid them with every aspect of safety management, from documenting to tracking an incident and to enhancing the safety culture.
Below are a few ways companies make the most out of safety management software.
1. Configure Email Notifications
Various safety management tools enable companies to configure email notification capabilities to promote accountability among staff members. It works in such a way that when an accident takes place, the medical team kicks off the investigation process through e-mail notification to the supervisor of injured staff.
The supervisor would then have to fill out a form detailing relevant information regarding the accident and submit it to the manager for review. The manager may accept or deny the report sent via email notification. An accepted case gets to the safety professional for final review and analysis, also through email notification.
A safety manager would then have to determine corrective actions, if necessary, and assign them accordingly. To avoid delay, some companies set periodic email triggers to remind staff members or their direct supervisors to accomplish their duties. Explore Safety Evolution's Investigation module that notifies and keeps everything in one place.
2. Develop Job Safety Analysis (JSA) Functions
Many companies are adopting EHS management solutions that feature functions enabling a safety management system to outline JSAs for a particular task or job. JSAs include the steps required to perform a task, the safety and health hazards accompanying every step, and proactive measures to reduce or eliminate potential and existing hazards. These functions not only help companies satisfy management system specification requirements, but they are also helpful for training staff.
3. Integrate Important Files And Documents
A systematic health and safety software for small businesses has the capability to place all files, including certificates, in one place. For a construction company, for instance, this functionality enables automatic communication between prime contractors and subcontractors with regard to toolbox meetings and hazard inspections and assessments.
A prime contractor will no longer have to go around the site they manage to ask each of his subcontractors for their paperwork. Getting subcontractors to comply with paperwork takes almost half of the day of a site supervisor. With a system management tool in place, he can focus on his primary responsibility.
4. Keep Track Of Employee Compliance Training
In the past, safety professionals used to track employee training through an Excel spreadsheet. For them to see what each staff member needs, they have to click through the names of employees on the left vis-à-vis their training programs along the top.
Today, safety system management incorporates training record management tools to identify the necessary training courses that each worker needs based on topics and their specific roles. Safety professionals can now layer the grid, or matrix depending on the job, location, and other specifications. It quickly offers benefits related to expiry alerts and gap reporting analysis that are accessible from any gadget with an internet connection.
This software solution is particularly relevant to firms employing field workers.
5. Gather Feedback
People regard safety culture as highly relevant, yet find it an elusive objective and challenging to gauge. Companies need data to determine whether measures aimed at improving safety are effectively executed. Software solutions can achieve this by encouraging staff to log in immediately and document an incident or record recommendations to improve workplace safety.
The data will then serve as valuable information on leading indicators and actions made to control or eliminate hazards. At the same time, it becomes a simple yet excellent means to promote proactive engagement among employees and drive safety culture.
Is A Safety Management Software A Worthy Investment?
As the need to improve workplace safety is growing, more companies are turning to electronic safety management systems. As presented above, various EHS management tools are saving companies time and effort. Nonetheless, companies must also do their homework. They need to ensure that they are properly implemented by making sure that every worker is sufficiently trained.
Watch our Demo on Demand now to learn how safety professionals have reduced corporate costs and provided employees with a better working environment with Safety Evolution SMS.
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