How mobile technology boosts WHS outcomes

Although nearly 90% of Australians own a smartphone, they are not used enough when it comes to managing workplace health and safety.

This is according to Craig Bleakley, Safety and Risk Consultant at ecoPortal.

“While the adoption of mobile applications is considered a priority for OHS professionals, only a quarter of firms have rolled these out as part of their health and safety strategy. For remote, hybrid and/or dispersed workforces, a mobile OHS solution offers distinct advantages in the areas of accessibility and engagement. That said, mobile use is so ingrained in our society and way of living that it’s possible for almost every organisation to benefit from it,” Bleakley said.

Improving efficiency, productivity and performance

Mobile devices enable digitisation of paper-based or manual tasks and functions, delivering gains in efficiency and making resources more readily accessible.

“We have customers whose reports via our mobile app surpass reports on desktop and other device types, showing that removing barriers to accessibility can have a truly positive impact on engagement. Our customers have reported a lift in the timeliness and quality of the data they receive, as the mobile app allows them to submit the likes of incident reports and audits in the moment (rather than when they are next in front of a desktop computer),” Craig explained. “This is a game changer for health and safety leaders, giving them real-time data to take action and/or make informed decisions at pace.”

In addition, the ability to tap into features inherent to mobile (eg, the camera and the voice-to-text transcription) enable richer observation, data capture and reporting, faster.

“These tools allow the user to report in their own words without needing to type to provide all the details,” Bleakley said.

Not all mobile solutions are created equal

Careful selection of mobile solutions is critical — the user interface and different functionalities of the selected mobile app and systems should meet the user’s unique needs and workflow requirements. For example, having an offline function for use in fieldwork or hybrid workspaces, or an integrated QR-code function that streamlines the inspection process.

“Many of our transport, logistics and forestry customers’ frontline staff are often working in remote locations where an internet connection is not always a given,” Bleakley said.

Having access to a native app with advanced offline capabilities can assist in a situation like this, because it enables data to sync back to the system as soon as the user is back on the grid.

Removing barriers to adoption

While many organisations are open to exploring mobile as part of their health and safety initiatives, rollout is often hindered by internal tools and processes.

According to Bleakley, device management is a common barrier, as organisations try to weigh up a number of considerations — such as the pros and cons of bring your own device (BYOD) vs corporate-owned, personally enabled (COPE) policy.

“For high-risk hazardous environments, a barrier to adoption can be the cost of intrinsically safe devices. It’s important for organisations to consider this as part of their evaluation process,” he said.

Another common challenge is when software is designed primarily for desktop applications, which often doesn’t translate well on a mobile device.

“Poor user experience makes it difficult for users, which in turn impacts their willingness to participate and engage,” Bleakley said.

“To overcome this challenge, organisations should look for an OHS solution provider that has a native mobile app which is designed to optimise the user experience on mobile.”

Embracing mobile tech to achieve health and safety goals

To aid health and safety professionals in understanding the critical success factors that will ensure new solutions take off and drive the positive their businesses are counting on, ecoPortal CEO Manuel Seidel will be presenting at the Workplace Health and Safety Show (taking place at the Sydney Showground from 20–21 September 2023). His presentation, “The 5 keys to a successful WHS software implementation project”, is scheduled from 10:15 to 11 am on 20 September, in the Knowledge Centre.

In addition, ecoPortal Product Marketing Manager Jessica Medforth is scheduled to present on “The role of mobile solutions in driving better health and safety outcomes”, from 12:20 to 12:40 pm on Thursday, 21 September, on the Spotlight Stage.

“The guidelines set out in the 10-year Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) Strategy call for greater adoption of technology and tools that enable more reliable and timely health and safety data collection. Mobile solutions and software streamline health and safety processes and reduce the administrative burdens associated with safety management. The challenge is to help Australian OHS professionals better understand how to deploy these solutions effectively,” said Marie Kinsella, CEO of the IEC Group, organisers of the event.

“This is why our comprehensive seminar program covers not only the latest in regulatory amendments, but also the technology developments that promote more effective health and safety practices. Registration is free, making it a no-brainer for any professional seeking to achieve best practice.”

The Workplace Health and Safety Show will be held on Wednesday, 20 and Thursday, 21 September 2023, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.

Image credit: iStock.com/GoodLifeStudio