The Critical Importance of Workplace Safety
Among the many responsibilities of Human Resources (HR) departments, managing workplace safety is crucial. While this responsibility is shared across all departments, HR plays a key role in organizing prevention, alert, monitoring, and training procedures.
Safety First
Workplace safety is a top priority. Accidents and occupational diseases can cause serious injuries or even death. They result in excessive costs, both psychological and financial, due to compensation, penalties, or legal actions. Even minor incidents can hurt performance and productivity, and they can damage a company's employer brand.
Worrying Statistics
Although workplace accident rates in the U.S. have improved over recent years, the numbers are still concerning. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported in 2019. In 2020, the U.S. recorded an average of 4,764 fatal workplace injuries, highlighting the ongoing need for robust safety measures, particularly in high-risk sectors like manufacturing.
Essential HR Procedures
In this context, HR departments are proactive in setting up alert and prevention procedures involving safety committees and accessible to all employees. Reporting systems, often through paper forms or verbal alerts via team leaders, are in place. Detailed incident logs include information about the incident's nature, circumstances, people involved, and corrective measures taken. These data are analyzed to improve working conditions and practices through training, awareness campaigns, and corrective actions.
Neocase Innovates for Workplace Safety
To optimize workplace safety management, Neocase offers two digital and pre-configured processes: Hazard Reporting and Incident Tracking.
Hazard Reporting
This process allows employees, regardless of their position or level of responsibility, to report potential hazards: dangerous substances, electrical problems, extreme temperatures, excessive noise levels, and more.
Incident Tracking
This process manages all steps following a workplace accident: accident reporting, data sharing and logging (date, time, location, material and immaterial damages, testimonies, investigation results, corrective actions, and, if necessary, work incapacity declaration).
👉Practical Example
In a factory, an operator injures herself while handling a heavy load. Using Incident Tracking, she, her team leader, or a colleague can report the accident in detail. If the manager confirms the situation, the information is immediately sent to the Health & Safety team for investigation. Results from similar incidents at other sites will also be available. The investigation's conclusions are shared with all stakeholders, and the operator’s medical follow-up is integrated into the Incident Tracking process. If work incapacity is declared, a second process is triggered.
Another example involves a kitchen assistant who notices a refrigerant leak in a cold storage room. Using his mobile app, he can report the issue instantly. The Health and Safety team is alerted in real-time and can take necessary actions before the situation worsens.
How Digitization Facilitates Risk Management
Digitizing HR procedures improves overall management of occupational health and safety risks. The Hazard Reporting and Incident Tracking processes help by:
- Reducing response times through immediate information flow.
- Implementing better corrective actions by sharing best practices across the organization.
- Raising employee awareness of occupational risks by empowering them to act on risk factors.
- Encouraging action plans by measuring safety issues organization-wide.
- Lowering accident risks by enabling field workers to quickly report hazards.
- Customizing processes based on employee profiles or work sites.
In Conclusion
The benefits of digitizing risk management processes are numerous. They allow your company to effectively enhance workplace health and safety while promoting a culture of trust and transparency. By adopting tools like those offered by Neocase, you can transform your practices and ensure a safer work environment for all employees.
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