The phrase “no harm, no foul” might be appropriate in some situations, but not when it comes to workplace safety.
For some companies, the reporting of incidents related to employee health and safety is not the priority that it should be. This is a common mistake that businesses tend to make when it comes to protecting employees while on the job. Ideally, all safety incidents or mishaps, both big and small, and even close calls should always be reported. Let’s take some time to explore why it’s critical to report every safety mishap.
Minor Accidents Predict Major Accidents
Even if minor workplace accidents or close calls cause any harm, they often predict future accidents. Tracking all minor accidents can signal potential safety flaws that could result in more serious accidents at a later date. This gives companies the information and warning they need to address these small issues in hopes of preventing something more serious from happening. In other words, think of minor accidents as a warning shot that should prompt action.
Collect Safety Data
When it comes to workplace safety, collecting data and information is key. The more information that’s available about safety, the easier it is to make good decisions as it relates to workplace safety. By having every accident reported, companies will have as much information as possible when it’s time to make important decisions. The more incidents that get reported, the easier it is to spot trends that can indicate various flaws and priorities in occupational safety.
Keep Employee Focused on Safety
If a company encourages employees to report all safety mishaps, it helps to keep employees focused on safety procedures. They will know that if something goes wrong, it will need to be reported, encouraging them to keep an eye out for little details that could lead to an accident. Therefore, they will be more focused on the little details that help to contribute to a safe workplace.
Saving Money
Believe it or not, reporting all safety mishaps can help the bottom line. Major safety accidents tend to cost a lot of money. They require work to shut down in order to clean up and conduct an investigation. There are also insurance and other costs in addition to lost productivity. If reporting minor accidents helps to prevent more serious accidents, it’s in a company’s best interest financially to make sure that every incident is reported.
Building Safe Culture
Creating a safe workplace is all about building the right culture, and reporting all safety mishaps plays a role in developing that culture. Telling employees to report every safety mishap sends the message that workplace safety is being closely monitored. This makes it clear that the company takes workplace safety seriously and wants to protect workers. Employees will respond positively to this and make sure they are doing their due diligence when it comes to occupational health and safety. In the long run, reporting every little accident and mishap will actually reduce the number of minor accidents because the right culture will have been built and employees will pay close attention to all of the little details that help create a safe work environment.
Use Software to Track Safety Incidents
Tracking safety incidents becomes a lot easier with the safety management software created by EHS Insight. Our system was created to help monitor safety hazards, track safety incidents, communicate with employees, maintain regulatory compliance, and complete every other task that contributes to workplace safety. With all of these elements on the same platform, companies are in a much better position to create the safest workplace possible.
If you need a little help creating and maintaining a safe workplace for your employees, you can start by giving us a call and letting us help.
