WE all know that Australian businesses have a duty of care to ensure that all employees work within a safe and healthy workplace.
However, for some Australian employers it is not the goal of creating a safe workplace that is the issue, but rather the day-to-day monitoring of safety incidents and tracking asset or equipment which unfortunately lets them down.
Reporting and storing accurate and consistent data related to any safety incidents offers numerous advantages.
Primarily the tracking and monitoring of such information will help a business to identify patterns, any problems within a workplace and support future workplace safety decision-making processes.
Accurate records can help Australian businesses and their employees prevent future workplace accidents and injuries.
Workplace safety records can be used to take a proactive approach — spotting trends early and resolving safety concerns quickly — actions that are essential to maintaining a safe workplace. Conversely, incorrect or incomplete records can allow for minor safety issues to increase in their incidence and severity, harming both the business and its employees.
Consistent and accurate data relating to workplace safety can also help protect a business should it face a lawsuit from an existing or former employee.
Complete safety records can demonstrate a businesses claim to running a safe workplace and that it has taken appropriate measures to obey relevant OHS laws.
It is vital that all data related to a business’s workplace safety record are kept in a central place, to ensure that this information is readily accessible for review and further analysis. Recent advances in electronic systems for collecting and storing such data can offer businesses faster, more complete analysis leading to quicker resolution of any problems than ever before.
In addition to monitoring workplace safety incidents, Australian businesses need to have proper tracking processes in place when it comes to the assets and equipment used within its operations.
It is almost impossible to effectively manage OHS issues without an accurate and comprehensive record of all fixed assets used in the workplace.