Incident Prevention
An incident is described as an occurrence, a condition, or any event that occurs in due course, which can result in injuries or environmental damage.
In the field of occupational safety, an incident is a safety-related event that occurs which may cause harm. Incidents can be classified into two categories: near misses or accidents.
Incident prevention, then, refers to the set of activities, plans, or practices designed to reduce the risks of a safety event occurring. These activities are often part of an incident prevention program that aims to make the workplace safer while mitigating the risks of work-related injuries.
Workplace safety incidents can lead to serious harm, including injuries or illnesses and property damage. In many cases, accidents in the workplace are often preceded by several near misses or incidents.
If employers don’t investigate incidents and take steps to prevent safety-related events, it could eventually result in serious injuries.
Many businesses use traditional methods, including the use of signage, mirrors, or safety barriers to prevent safety incidents. Human supervision is another effective method that many companies use, though it’s not as effective for on-site surveillance.
It’s simply not practical for larger organizations to monitor and supervise a specific worksite all the time. For instance, using CCTV monitoring isn’t enough, as it only helps companies identify lagging indicators.
CCTV footage can’t prevent incidents from occurring; it just helps safety professionals understand what happened. They are only suitable for conducting investigations after the event transpires.
In contrast, using artificial intelligence in incident investigation offers a proactive approach that analyzes real-time data to identify potential risks before they evolve into accidents.
Incident prevention is all about taking proactive steps to improve safety in the workplace. Identifying near misses and hazards in the workplace enables companies to gain a better understanding of risk.
For instance, if the risk of slips, trips, or falls is greater in a specific area, the company may recommend that employees wear appropriate footwear or post signage to alert employees.
There are several steps that companies can take to prevent the occurrence of safety-related incidents in the workplace.
Incident prevention begins by educating employees about workplace safety hazards and how to mitigate the risks that they pose. The company must train employees about behavioral safety and explain the importance of following safety protocols.
To effectively implement these safety measures, close collaboration between management and frontline employees is vital. All stakeholders must know about potential hazards, as well as how to respond in case of workplace accidents.
Employers can run test scenarios to identify potential consequences and then determine best practices to reduce occupational risks.
Workplace hazards are constantly changing, making it important for companies to conduct a safety analysis after regular intervals. Traditionally, companies would employ safety staff to observe safety practices and identify hazards.
However, in larger facilities or fast-paced environments like a construction site, this is often not a viable solution. As a result, companies often rely on technological solutions, including AI for video surveillance tools.
AI safety technologies can be plugged into CCTV camera networks, allowing companies to analyze employee behavior and compliance with safety protocols. In case an unsafe incident occurs, the AI automatically captures it and tags it, streamlining the incident management process.
The incident prevention software can also be configured to send updates and alerts to relevant individuals too. For instance, if the AI detects that an employee isn’t wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), it can immediately alert them.
Analyzing the footage can make it easier for companies to identify any unknown threats and prepare safety plans or standards.
Regular safety inspections can also help with incident prevention. Inspections can bring new information to light about workplace safety standards, allowing companies to take proactive action and introduce new SOPs and safety policies for employees to follow.
Protex AI is an AI-powered workplace safety solution that lets you track safety performance by connecting to your company’s CCTV infrastructure.
It offers actionable insights and records video evidence of safety events that occur. Safety teams can be notified in real-time of any incidents, allowing them to act immediately and improve real-time safety reporting.
Protex AI can auto-generate reports that reflect the company’s safety performance and help safety teams identify any problem areas that need to be addressed urgently.
Using artificial intelligence, Protex AI can help companies gain critical insights into overall safety performance, empowering safety teams with important information that they can use during safety planning.
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