Manufacturing is a diverse industry sector. The work environment and employee experience look different for discrete manufacturers, process manufacturers, or custom job shops. One thing that is common across all manufacturers, however, is the importance of workplace safety.
Every production process has a unique set of safety concerns. Routine safety audits and corrective action reviews ensure that plant managers understand areas that need attention. To keep safety top of mind over time, it’s important to monitor and manage safety-related key performance indicators like total recordable incident rate, lost time injury rate, and near miss reports submitted. In addition, employee safety training forms the foundation of a safe manufacturing environment.Â
When it comes to managing all the aspects of safety, paper-based systems are better than no systems at all. But leading manufacturers have found that digital safety management platforms are a more efficient and effective approach. Here’s why:
·      Paper safety reporting creates dangerous compliance gaps. This is particularly problematic for OSHA and PSM requirements related to hazardous materials and chemical handling. A digital system like SiteDocs centralizes safety documentation and makes it easy for operators, supervisors, and EHS teams to complete, track, and access safety records in real time.
·      Expired worker certifications and equipment inspections put employees at risk. Many manufacturing firms use spreadsheets or binders to track equipment inspections and worker certifications for forklifts, cranes, or operating in confined spaces. If teams don’t proactively track certification expirations, it jeopardizes worker safety, production schedules, and organizational compliance. SiteDocs automates certification and inspection tracking and proactively alerts plant managers about expirations. This guarantees that every worker is qualified and every machine is safe to operate.
·      The importance of contractor safety compliance verification is often overlooked. When outside contractors work at manufacturing sites for installations or maintenance, it’s imperative to verify their safety compliance. With SiteDocs, contractors can be verified instantly using a QR code. This gives plant managers complete visibility into subcontractor safety records and supports faster, standardized onboarding.
Building a safety culture based on proactive measures and a unified, online system just makes sense. The human and financial costs of an unsafe manufacturing environment range from worker injuries to regulatory fines, increased insurance premiums, reputational damage, potential lawsuits, and more. Studies have found that for every $1 invested in a workplace safety program, organizations save between $4 and $6.
Is it time for your organization to simplify and centralize safety programs with a digital platform? To learn more about how SiteDocs can benefit your organization, please reach out and contact us.
