Track and Document the Incidents that Help Promote a Safe Work Environment

Problem and Background

Dedication to employee safety is a mainstay for our manufacturing client. No matter how much work is on the schedule, no job is worth compromising anyone’s well-being. However, our client’s manual processes of recording potential hazards or instructing plant workers on the safest methods of performing tasks had become cumbersome and time-consuming. Reporting was slow and inefficient. To help ensure a safe environment, leadership wanted to streamline safety incident documentation and share ways to improve safety processes and procedures.

The Vertex Solution

Vertex developed the SafetyFirst Tracker to help plant users report, monitor, and improve safety. The SafetyFirst Tracker not only empowered workers to address immediate safety concerns but also provided insights to help prevent today’s near-miss from becoming tomorrow’s major accident. Built in SharePoint, the digital form allows anyone in the plant to quickly document safety and security events, triggering an email to everyone in the building. Because employees are instantly alerted, hazard areas can be avoided and steps to prevent related incidents can be taken immediately.

The application allows leadership to assess situations, look for patterns, identify root causes, and take actions to create a safer environment for everyone.

The application allows the capture of detailed incident information as well as treatment information, follow-up actions, and responsible parties.

Key Benefits and Results

Because the application was easy to use, allowing employees to quickly capture and report safety issues, there were fewer repeated incidents, and the potential for safety increased for the entire facility.

In addition to the immediate efficiency of an online safety reporting system, plant efficiency went up across the board as the system reduced redundant entries and paperwork, employees were immediately aware of issues (via smart bulletin boards and mobile apps), and recurring issues could be addressed by management, eliminating issues going forward.

Why Vertex?

Vertex Computer Systems brought extensive experience in Microsoft Sharepoint technology, as well as integration with mobile platforms, to create the SafetyFirst application.

Who Else Could This Application Help?

Any manufacturing company that is focused on safety, quality, and productivity would benefit from the SafetyTracker application.

A dangerous work environment can lead to lost time, injured employees, and a loss of morale. A safe workplace will experience less employee turnover, directly influencing product quality and employee productivity. While many organizations fear that additional safety processes can take time and money, it’s better to spend a small amount for preventative care than a large amount for an emergency.

Safety management software like SafetyFirst improves upon incident reporting and provides better real-time visibility, making it easier for companies to ensure that their employees are following enhanced safety protocols, and that any safety issues are being properly and expediently addressed.