OHS Invention finalist in the WorkSafe Awards

The first eight finalists nominated in the WorkSafe Awards - Victoria have been announced. One of the finalists included in this year’s ‘OHS Invention of the Year’ category is a solution that has been designed to address the literacy barriers and communication challenges associated with understanding written procedures in the workplace.

The CodeSafe digital platform is designed to reduce the risk of injury by providing key information to employees through visual support to existing procedures using QR code technology. This approach is said to reduce the risk of misinterpretation of the written word and overcomes language and literacy barriers by allowing the employee to scan a CodeSafe QR code to view safety, environment and quality communication messages in an interactive way.

The product was originally developed with the support of both Melbourne Water and the Water Resource Alliance partners for applications in the water industry. In adopting the CodeSafe system, the Water Resources Alliance was awarded the Australian Water Association ‘Water Industry Safety Excellence’ award for 2013.

RMIT University announced in June that it is partnering with CodeSafe in a bid for research funding. The research will evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the CodeSafe system in promoting WHS in the construction industry.

The CodeSafe system combines a systematic process for:

1. eliciting the tacit knowledge of construction workers relating to the WHS aspects of the work tasks they perform,
2. engaging construction workers in scripting, acting and recording films to visually represent this tacit WHS knowledge, and
3. using Quick Response (QR) code technology to make this knowledge quickly and easily available to other workers who need to access it.

The CodeSafe system enables important WHS information, such as documents, pictures, text and even video, for a specific piece of equipment, location or procedure delivered direct to a smartphone instantly and on demand.

Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips has congratulated the first of eight finalists who have been nominated as leaders in workplace health and safety and will contest the WorkSafe Awards for Victoria in October this year.

The complete list of finalists will be announced in September.

Victorian businesses and individuals have until 12 July to enter one or more of the 12 categories, which range from employees who stand out at putting safety first to return to work success stories and innovative ideas for wellbeing programs.

To find out more visit www.worksafeawards.com.au.