6 Must-Have Features in Bespoke Health and Safety Software

Automating processes has become a top priority for businesses across all industries in 2023, and health and safety management is no exception. For safety professionals, even the simplest tasks like incident reports and induction sessions can turn into time-consuming challenges when the process lacks proper planning.

Consider this: your H&S induction varies significantly depending on the person delivering it, paper-based forms tend to get misplaced, and you find yourself constantly switching between platforms for different tasks. It can be a stressful situation that’s surprisingly common among health and safety professionals.

Imagine having everything you need in one place. The demand for customised platforms has skyrocketed, with a remarkable 94% of corporate executives favouring unified systems that integrate apps and streamline processes.

Custom health and safety software offers the ideal opportunity to optimise your safety operations. In this blog post, we’ve handpicked 6 essential features you should consider for creating a seamless and highly effective online health and safety management system:

1. Health and Safety Induction Management

Health and safety inductions are a crucial requirement for many organisations, establishing a strong emphasis on safety from day one. Taking your inductions online offers several advantages:

• Convenience: New employees, contractors, and visitors can arrive onsite fully prepared, having already completed their inductions online, saving valuable time and resources.
• Personalisation: The online induction process maintains a personal touch with bespoke video production options, including onsite filming and a presenter-led format.
• Automation: Streamline the process further by setting automatic expiry dates and reminders for site inductions that require annual refreshes, ensuring everything stays up-to-date and compliant.
• Interactivity: There’s the option to create an engaging and interactive learning experience that caters to various learning styles and preferences, incorporate quizzes, written or visual Q&As, and more.
• Progress Monitoring: Keep track of user progress through a personalised dashboard, facilitating efficient management and oversight of the entire induction process.
• Increased Retention and Productivity: Research shows that organisations with a strong workplace health and safety induction training or induction and onboarding process improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.

2. Site Management with Access Control

Often overlooked by many H&S professionals, linking health and safety software with access control can be a game-changer. With QR codes, RFID cards, or digital passes, controlled entry becomes simple. For example, when a contractor arrives on-site without completing their induction, access control can notify and prompt them to complete it. This minimises the risk of unauthorised access and potential hazards, ensuring a safer and more compliant work environment.

Here are some further advantages of linking your H&S system to access control:

• Compliance Assurance: The software can keep a detailed log of personnel movements, aiding in compliance with safety regulations and providing a clear audit trail for regulatory authorities.
• Real-time Monitoring: Access control systems integrated with the software provide real-time insights into who is on-site, enabling swift action during emergencies and improving overall response times.
• Data-driven Decision Making: The software can generate comprehensive reports onsite activity, which can be utilised for data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement of safety protocols.
• Scalability: The system can adapt to the changing needs of the organisation, whether it’s a small business with a single site or a large corporation with multiple locations, ensuring consistent safety standards throughout.

3. E-Learning

 Continued learning and development is an essential element of health and safety. E-learning modules can also be incorporated into your health and safety software to efficiently deliver and track employee training, without taking too much time away from daily tasks. E-learning offers:

• Accessible and Flexible Learning: Anytime, anywhere, on any device.
• Consistent Training Modules: Ensuring every learner receives the same information, every time.
• Responsive to Regulatory Changes: Having modules online makes it easy to update information according to changes in regulations.
• Efficient Progress Monitoring: Track individual progress and address training gaps.

4. Certification Management

Ensure smooth on-site operations by managing employee certifications effectively. Introducing a convenient and easy-to-use certification upload feature centralises essential details, including certifications, for both employees and contractors.

The beauty of this feature lies in its easy accessibility, providing a centralised hub for hassle-free certification tracking. You can simplify your certification management process and stay on top of compliance effortlessly.

5. Incident Reporting and Management

Taking incident reporting online empowers employees to promptly report any safety concerns, ensuring that potential issues are addressed proactively before they escalate into major incidents.

Here’s why incident reporting and management is a must-have feature:

• Timely Reporting: Quick and easy incident reporting empowers employees to report safety concerns promptly.
• Centralised Database: All incident reports are stored centrally for easy access, tracking, and trend analysis.
• Real-time Notifications: Managers receive immediate notifications, enabling swift action.
• Root Cause Analysis: In-depth incident analysis facilitates corrective actions and prevention.
• Compliance and Documentation: Ensures regulatory compliance and robust documentation.
• Confidentiality and Anonymity: The systems can also offer anonymous reporting for a comfortable reporting environment.
• Customisation: Tailor the process to specific needs, capturing relevant data and aligning workflows with safety protocols.

6. Multisite Communication

Almost everyone has a device nowadays, so why not make use of this? Your custom H&S system can enhance communication significantly, and having an instant notification feature can provide:

• Specialised lone worker alerts, providing added protection for employees in remote or hazardous environments.
• Instant notifications to supervisors or designated emergency contacts for swift assistance in critical lone worker situations.
• Toolbox talk alerts, ensuring everyone can receive toolbox talks instantly, and sign off when they’ve viewed them.
• Streamlined coordination during emergencies, elevating the effectiveness of safety protocols.

Get in Touch

Thinking about implementing bespoke health and safety software? Have other features in mind? Resolution Digital can curate an integrated platform tailored to your workflow. Get in touch today.