Automating hazardous operations can greatly improve workplace safety, but the relationship between automation and safety goes far beyond distancing employees from dangerous tasks. Combining physical safety solutions with document automation software helps streamline safety processes, track compliance, and respond to emergencies in real-time.
Automating Risky Tasks
Physically distancing employees from danger is one of the great advantages of automation. Robotic lifting devices reduce the risk of lifting and bending injuries. Automation also reduces repetitive strain injuries by taking over repetitive tasks. Robot welders, under the supervision of trained employees, distance workers from sparks, fumes, and other potential welding injuries.
Automation improves workplace safety in less obvious ways. Employees who work alongside automated equipment report less fatigue, which increases the risk of a wide range of workplace injuries.
Emergency Response
Automated systems monitor performance on an ongoing basis. This allows such systems to respond to emergency situations much faster than human reactions. By shutting down equipment or alerting employees to danger before a potentially dangerous situation escalates, automated systems prevent accidents and equipment damage from occurring.
Safety Planning
EHS management is most effective when safety planning is an ongoing process. Safety data is analyzed for areas of improvement, safety protocols are then adjusted, and the process begins anew.
Gathering needed data from paper documentation is an arduous and time-consuming process. With a form management system, all data is stored in the cloud in standardized forms. Document automation software makes collecting and analyzing EHS data more streamlined and efficient. Data can be called without disrupting normal operations, and areas for improvement easily seen using data visualization technology.
Tracking Incidents with Document Automation Software
Form management software can be accessed by your employees through smartphones and mobile devices. This allows your workforce opportunity to file incident report forms in real time. Reports can be documented immediately after incidents occur, triggering automated alerts and allowing for faster response times.
Digital file management systems have an additional advantage should incidents occur. As data can be entered from employee phones, workers can take photos and video to document the event, giving you a clearer view of what occured than relying on verbal reports made after the fact. Visual records can also support your arguments should a dispute over compliance issues arise due to the incident.
Automated Compliance and Inspections
EHS management systems can use automated schedules to improve workplace safety. Document automation software can alert you to upcoming safety inspections, compliance renewals, training recertification and other important document deadlines.
Preventing Incidents with Real-Time Tutorials
Employee safety often relies on access to the right knowledge at the right time. This is especially true for employees who work out in the field, where they may not have access to written tutorials or guidelines. EHS software makes it possible to create an online library of safety procedures, guidelines, and video tutorials employees can refer to as needed.
Automation has the potential to improve safety, ensure compliance, and perform real-time data analysis, making document automation software vital for any EHS management team.
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