What is Hazards Tracking?
EHS teams around the world understand the importance of identifying potential hazards that can harm employees, customers, and visitors.
To do this, they rely on a process called hazards tracking. Hazards tracking is an effective way to identify, assess, and mitigate any risks associated with employee safety.
It is a process for tracking hazards in the workplace, often through the use of a Hazard Tracking System (HTS).
This allows EHS teams to understand all existing safety hazards in the workplace and identify potential new ones that may impact employee safety. It also allows them to conduct more effective risk assessments.
The Importance of Hazard Tracking
Hazards tracking helps EHS managers proactively identify any potential risks in the workplace so they can be addressed before an incident happens.
This involves using data to identify trends that can lead to hazardous conditions or situations in the workplace, such as faulty machinery or inadequate safety gear. Once these trends are identified, EHS teams can create a plan to minimize or eliminate them altogether.
Hazard tracking allows EHS teams to stay ahead of potential problems instead of waiting for an accident or injury to occur before taking action.
By staying proactive in identifying hazards and mitigating risk, you can create a safer work environment for your employees and customers while also avoiding costly fines from OSHA or other regulatory agencies.
Establishing a structured system of tracking hazards makes it easier to identify new or emerging risks, as well as areas where existing safety protocols may require improvement or updating.
It also helps to create an accurate record of incidents, injuries, and illnesses that occur in the workplace, making it easier to analyze trends over time and determine where changes or improvements need to be made.
How to Track Hazards
Hazard tracking is a comprehensive process that requires EHS teams to devise a multi-step process. Here’s how companies can track hazards.
Establishing a Hazard Tracking System
The first step in establishing an effective hazard tracking system is creating a database of existing hazards. This should include information such as the type of hazard, its location within the facility, who is responsible for addressing it, whether or not it has been addressed yet, and any other relevant details.
The use of risk management software is an effective way for employers to keep track of their workplace safety hazards and take steps to mitigate them. Risk management software allows employers to easily identify potential hazards in the workplace and document them.
It also provides a means for creating workflows and assigning tasks related to risk mitigation activities. In addition, it helps employers develop plans for responding quickly and efficiently if a hazard does occur.
Define Processes for Identifying New Hazards
Next, you'll need to establish procedures for identifying new hazards as they arise, such as having employees report any potential safety concerns to their supervisor or completing regular inspections of the facility by qualified personnel.
Safety audits are another useful tool for tracking workplace hazards. Safety audits involve inspecting the workplace for potential safety areas that may need attention or correction as well as evaluating existing safety protocols to ensure they are up-to-date and relevant.
Safety audits can help employers identify areas where additional training may be required, such as safety protocols or best practices, or where additional equipment may be needed to reduce the likelihood of accidents or injuries occurring in the future.
Additionally, regular safety audits can help employers ensure that employees are following established safety policies and protocols at all times.
Monitor Hazards
Finally, you'll need to have a system in place for monitoring trends over time so that you can make informed decisions about how best to address current and future hazards. Using a system that tracks trends and patterns is generally quite helpful, and can provide more insights about overall safety performance.
Data analysis is another important tool for tracking workplace hazards. By analyzing data from past incidents, employers can gain insights into patterns that may indicate potential risks that could present themselves in the future.
This data can then be used to create strategies for reducing or eliminating those risks before they become serious issues in the workplace.
Data analysis also helps employers identify trends over time so they can determine which measures have been successful in improving workplace safety and which ones have not been as effective.
Use Protex AI for Tracking Workplace Hazards
Protex is an AI powered workplace safety solution that seamlessly plugs into your company’s existing CCTV network, allowing you to track hazards and observe employee behavior.
It uses artificial intelligence to identify safety events, building comprehensive audit reports that EHS teams can use to monitor hazards and take corrective action. Protex AI also allows organizations to build custom workflows, letting them create an acceptable definition of tolerable risk in the workplace.
