Page 60 - OHS, September 2024

ELECTRICAL SAFETY
When [electrical workers] have access to a mobile-first safety strategy...they’re empowered to take safety matters into their own hands. Literally.
matters into their own hands. Literally.
Field leaders are usually responsible for their teams’ energized
electrical permits. These important pieces of documentation en- sure due diligence before work on energized equipment begins.
With the power to complete and organize energized electri- cal permits on their mobile devices, electrical workers can ensure smart documentation without sacrificing efficiency.
Another example is when near misses often go unreported. A facility worker almost trips over a cable but manages to avoid it at the last second. If the near-miss reporting process requires them to track down a binder with a paper form, fill out the form and submit it to a mailbox, there’s a good chance they won’t pause whatever urgent task they’re completing to submit the form.
There’s an even better chance that they’ll forget to do it at all by the time they have a spare minute. The result is that this particular worker goes about their day unharmed, but the cable remains in a place that might trip the next worker to pass by.
When safety reports are just a few taps away in a device, howev- er, it’s much easier to document such incidents and therefore much likelier that they’ll be remediated. Again, the outcome is improved safety for workers, which means more time at full capacity for an organization as a whole.
3. Individualized Support for Every Worker
Mobile-first safety systems aren’t only about documenting when things go wrong, of course. They can also be part of education and prevention efforts. Some mobile safety systems include training functionality as well. Because the training is delivered via mobile device, it can be customized to individual workers’ needs.
This is great when a team consists of workers with varied expe- rience levels. Mobile-first training means everyone can complete the site-specific modules, then each worker can complete a tailored training or refresher course that meets their current needs.
Another popular use case is if a site manager notices unsafe practices during the work day, they can pause work and pull up the relevant safety module for everyone to review before proceeding.
Many mobile-first training platforms also include certification tracking and reminders. So workers and managers can get remind- ers when someone needs to renew a certification or complete a new credential to work a specific job.
This lowers the mental load on everyone and prevents unpleas- ant surprises at worksites.
4. Safer Inspections
In addition to training and tracking functionality, a mobile-first safety strategy can benefit electrical workers during equipment inspection. Internet-connected sensors can track not only the equipment itself but also the environmental conditions in the sur- rounding facility. When anything goes out of range — tempera- ture, humidity, rotation speed, etc. — connected software can send alerts to workers’ devices.
This allows for more proactive and targeted maintenance that lets workers address small-scale problems before they become big- ger and/or more dangerous.
Set up correctly, such monitors can also feed data to a unified dashboard that lets leadership monitor the safety and performance of the organization as a whole.
A mobile-first safety strategy also makes it easier to manage lockout/tagout (LOTO) risks and audit or inspect LOTO proce- dures. This ensures the right processes are in place to prevent the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activi- ties.
For example, a field leader uses a mobile device to document when a capacitor is properly disconnected for repairs in the field. From the palm of their hand, they can verify that all LOTO proce- dures were followed in the correct order.
A mobile-first safety strategy helps electrical workers keep track of both their equipment and their environmental factors, which leads to a better understanding of an organization’s safety goals.
5. A Uniform Culture of Safety
When everyone at an organization is expected — and able — to contribute to safety and compliance, they tend to be more invested in the organization’s overall safety outcomes.
For example, a worker who notices that the supply of PPE is low at a particular workstation can pull out their phone and submit a report on the spot, even if PPE tracking isn’t part of their core job duties.4 At scale, this kind of behavior translates to a culture of safety throughout the organization.
When it emerges, a culture of safety is one of the most pow- erful ways to maintain compliance and promote worker safety. When safe practices are the default, the overall risk of incidents goes down.
Going Mobile to Boost Electrical Worker Safety and Facilitate Compliance
A mobile-first safety program can help organizations inspire ground-up safety behaviors while also giving top-down visibility into safety and compliance.
While considering a move to a mobile-first safety strategy, be sure to ask providers about their ability to customize their product (e.g., by creating new forms as needed) and their user-friendliness. For workers like many in electrical fields, ease of use is paramount. If they’re too complicated or cumbersome, adoption won’t happen, let alone the benefits that a mobile-first
approach to safety can offer.
58 Occupational Health & Safety | SEPTEMBER 2024
www.ohsonline.com
Taylor Thorn is Sr. Director of Product at KPA,, a leading provider of EHS compli- ance software and services.
1. tinyurl.com/2s45knnx 2. tinyurl.com/3z6837u5 3. tinyurl.com/axpj2czs 4. tinyurl.com/3rk67k5k
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