Technology and innovation are an integral part of the workplace. Technology has always been used to make work faster, make more products, and earn more profit. It is only recently that technology is used more directly for the health and safety of employees. Promoting workplace health and safety results in long-term benefits for the business. So, this blog post will cover the ways you can use technology to provide safe and healthy working conditions.
Why Promote Health and Safety in the Workplace
But first, let’s look into the essential reasons companies should prioritize workplace health and safety:
To Comply with Regulations and Standards
Companies execute measures supporting the health and safety of their employees in compliance with existing state and federal regulations and standards. Non-compliance can result in regulatory agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) charging fines or filing for operations to stop.
To Improve Productivity
Health and safety in the workplace increases morale and motivates employees to perform better. In addition, a company that supports the welfare of its staff attracts a wider range of individuals and thus has a better chance of hiring more qualified and productive employees. Finally, safe and healthy working conditions help to retain more employees that they can train to become experts and valuable assets to the company.
To Reduce Costs
Prioritizing employee health and safety can save the company thousands of dollars caused by fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. Safe and healthy working conditions also reduce the risk of paying regulatory fines, legal expenses, and accident-induced downtime. Companies that have fewer accidents and lower employee turnover also save on the costs of hiring and training new employees.
Ways to Use Technology to Promote Health and Safety
Companies can incorporate technology into their health and safety programs in the following ways:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Wearables
Companies can invest in technologically advanced devices that employees use to protect themselves in the workplace. These devices can be simple innovations on classic hard hats, reflective jackets, or safety boots. They can also be as advanced as wearable sensors to monitor vital signs like heart rate, air quality, or the presence of other environmental hazards.
Robots and Human Substitutes
While robots were once reserved for futuristic movies, the technology is now reaching industrial business applications. Technology in the form of robots or machines equipped with artificial intelligence is a growing industry. These robots can take the place of humans under hazardous conditions. Unlike humans that are easily affected by their environment, robots can perform complex instructions even under unsafe conditions.
Software and Applications
Companies can now use software and applications to manage, monitor, and review their health and safety programs, including navigating the complications of the Covid-19 pandemic. These digital tools replace paper forms and Excel spreadsheets, allowing employees to comply with safety protocols with more ease and accuracy. For example, Redlist helps companies automatically complete their OSHA 300 series forms. These tools also facilitate communication within the company, reducing accidents caused by errors or overlooked permitting. For example, Redlist helped a regional crane company ensure they followed all the safety and permitting steps to work near high-voltage powerlines, including making the call to de-energize the lines.
Manage Health and Safety with Redlist
Redlist is a technologically advanced software that can help companies manage health and safety in the following ways:
- Create, distribute, and fill up safety forms – Redlist replaces paper-based forms with digitized forms that are easier to fill out, collect, and analyze.
- Generate accurate reports for decision-making – Redlist lets you generate reports quickly, allowing leadership to make faster decisions.
- Ensure compliance with regulations and standards – Redlist helps you track regulatory compliance, reducing costs and liabilities caused by non-compliance.
- Resolve safety hazards efficiently – Redlist allows you to keep track of safety and health hazards so you can plan and execute the necessary actions to resolve them before they result in accidents or fatalities.
- Improve communication and data transfer – Redlist lets users fill up forms and checklists in real time and from any location, so users have access to accurate and timely information wherever they are.
Click here to learn more about Redlist’s Health and Safety Management Software.
