Running a safe and healthy workplace takes good project planning, based on measurable inputs/outputs in terms of risk while maintaining the health and safety of each and every employee. This is no easy feat, but in the age of technology, companies now have a variety of software to choose from to aid in this process. The biggest challenge now is simply choosing the solutions that best correspond to your company’s needs.
Three occupational health trends have arisen in the last few years that are of particular interest, and definitely require OH software if they are to be implemented effectively. The first is making use of digital analytics. The second is worker participation, and the third is big data.
Using Digital Analytics
Digital analytics are incredibly popular these days when it comes to online shopping, but they also have valuable applications in the field of occupational health. In order for risk management to be performed as effectively as possible within an organization, a company needs to access all of the records associated with past incidents. This includes incident reports, and statistics surrounding how many of each incident occurred throughout the course of the company, and in which unit it happened. Having all of this information compiled in one place, within OH software, is the first step in the creation of a comprehensive health and safety protocol.
Digital analytics allow companies to quickly input all incidents that have occurred and tabulate any findings into concise reports to help prevent future incidents through the aid of statistics for incidence occurrence. This allows a safety manager to quickly recognize which areas have a high prevalence and need to have their safety protocols updated to decrease risk and increase productivity. OH software can be used in conjunction with workplace safety software so that a comprehensive action plan can be shared across both platforms, and compliance can be met as well through the input regulatory guide – which is also conveniently updated as state or provincial regulations change.
Facilitating Employee Participation
People are more connected than ever, via tablets, smartphones, and computers, so it is no wonder that occupational health workers themselves are more connected than ever. While it was traditional for a doctor or safety worker to spend time in an office until their services were needed, there is now a focus on health and safety workers actively monitoring job sites via visual observations. However, one worker cannot be everywhere at once which is where OH software comes in.
Ergonomics in both the office and industrial environments are of utmost importance when it comes to establishing safe working practices. But an occupational health worker cannot necessarily know what needs to change unless they actively participate in all fields to see where certain stresses are, assess common ailments such as hearing loss or back problems, and then input their findings into ergonomic software to accurately assess where incidents may occur, and where past incidents have occurred in order to prevent future risk. It’s time for safety workers to get involved and use the appropriate tech to minimize risk.
Harnessing Big Data
So, how can big data assist in the overall process of keeping a workplace safe and healthy? This is perhaps the most important trend in occupation health. Big data, in conjunction with occupational health software, now has the ability to quickly sift through all related material pertaining to a certain incident or incidents within a company and quickly provide reports and statistics surrounding it. This can come in the form of risk reports for the future, and what needs to be addressed in order to minimize risk in this area again. The statistics tabulated can also be measured against industry stats to see if your company is within a reasonable level, or if they are in the high-risk zone and a major issue with company safety protocols needs to be addressed and amended.
Technology, with an emphasis on safety software, is the way of the future within the occupational health world, so make use of every tool at your disposal!
