What safety management is important for an organization?
Answers
One of the biggest advantages is that it brings repeatability to safety operations. When processes are repeatable, they can be methodically improved.
By Todd A. Brehe
Jun 14, 2007
MANAGING workplace safety is an important goal that many corporations have recognized as a logical and effective way to provide a better working environment for employees and to cut corporate costs. A key component in safety management is the software system used to record, manage, and analyze safety-related data. With an effective system, the safety team can see exactly where accidents and unsafe situations are occurring and take proactive steps to eliminate them.
A safety system should not only standardize a company's safety operations, but also encourage accountability throughout the entire safety investigation process. In addition, it should seamlessly handle ever-expanding compliance requirements and be versatile enough to adapt as requirements change.
Different Approaches to Safety Management
Safety professionals use many systems and approaches to manage their day-to-day activities. Paper forms, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, and single-purpose software applications are some of the ways safety data is recorded, accidents are investigated, and follow-up is performed. In some cases, the number of safety issues that require attention is low, making these systems adequate, though not very informative. When the volume of safety occurrences rises, however, and interaction among multiple people and departments is needed, more sophisticated safety systems should be considered.
Take the case of a large organization with multiple locations and safety staff throughout. Each safety team is tracking and managing a high volume of cases, but each location has a unique process for managing its safety issues. This scenario creates some challenges. For example, challenges that result from not having a common set of processes (i.e., no standardization) are the inability to:
• ensure compliance at all locations
• assess what's working and what isn't
• share information and collaborate effectively, and
• implement a system of ongoing improvement.
From an organizational perspective, if each site operates uniquely, capturing a clear picture of safety performance is complicated. Extracting useful intelligence from the data that can be used to make decisions is problematic, time-intensive, and ultimately ineffective. Keeping people accountable for their respective tasks requires ongoing effort, and it's more likely that important details will be missed. One of the most advantageous reasons any organization should implement a safety management system is that it brings repeatability to safety operations. When processes are repeatable, they can be methodically improved.
