Risk and safety mobile apps are effective in contributing to a safer work environment for all. The use of mobile technology has become widespread due to its many benefits, including real-time reporting, high-quality data, better employee engagement, and increased efficiency across the organization. According to Verdantix’s Global Corporate Survey 2022: EHS Budgets, Priorities And Tech Preferences, approximately 68% of EHS organizations are utilizing some kind of mobile software. 

If you’re one of the 32% without a mobile technology solution, you are likely requiring risk and safety professionals and other employees to return to a desktop computer to log incidents, without the ability to gather data on potential problems in real time – data that could ultimately inform crucial decisions that keep employees safe.

In your search for the right mobile technology, the first mountain to scale is: What should I be looking for in a mobile application? Surely not all are created equal. 

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR IN A RISK & SAFETY MOBILE PLATFORM? 

A mobile platform must perform effectively across the range of your organization’s use cases. To ensure you are accounting for all use cases, you can involve risk and safety professionals within your organization in the process by asking them which metrics they find the most useful and if they are succeeding or struggling to gain employee buy-in with current reporting processes. This dialogue will likely deliver insights into the unique needs of teams and users across your organization. Keeping their input and ideas top of mind as you seek out the ideal mobile solution for your organization will contribute to both selecting and driving successful, widespread adoption.  

ESSENTIAL MOBILE FEATURES CHECKLIST 

Not all risk and safety mobile technology is created equal. The mobile solution you ultimately select should, at a minimum, include the following features. 

1. User-friendliness helps ensure successful adoption by employees across all levels and roles. Business mobile apps are often more complicated than the consumer apps many workers use in their daily lives; your mobile solution must simplify the user experience as much as possible. Look for apps that offer a structured user interface with clear directions and dropdown menus that display only the essential options for the type of worker using it.   

2. Provides the ability to add supporting files such as photos and videos. This allows employees to communicate issues quicker and better illustrates deficiencies and potential risks and hazards, allowing safety teams to respond more efficiently and effectively.  

3. Includes a voice to text option for ease of use. Whether an employee lacks confidence in their use of technology or writing abilities, cannot easily work on the jobsite hands free, or is short on time, this feature promotes involvement in the reporting process by those who otherwise may struggle to participate. It’s also a great value-add for all employees who would prefer this option to typing on their phones.  

4. Has offline functionality that enables those working in areas with limited or no internet service to complete reporting requirements on-site. This feature saves information captured while an employee is offline so they can easily upload it once they are back within range of Wi-Fi.  

5. Allows for anonymous reporting so employees can log on with a numerical code tied to their department or job function. This promotes employee participation in two ways: It eliminates the need to remember a unique username and password, and eases fear of backlash for reporting an incident. 

6. Optimizes workflows and notifications to promote better communication and ensure pertinent data is not overlooked. Pay special attention to mobile software that gives you the ability to assign corrective actions directly through the app. For example, an automated email that sends relevant information to the appropriate team when a specified type of incident report is submitted.   

7. Includes configurability options that allow for organizations to tailor the mobile software to their unique needs. Be wary of mobile apps that only offer standard forms without options for field modification. Apps that require custom coding to add new fields can result in lengthy delays and additional costs. More optimal solutions allow an administrator from within the organization to easily modify form fields whenever the need arises.  

8. Brings together data in a way that provides clear data insights that allow safety teams to make the right decisions about where to focus resources to prevent the most severe, costly, and highest volume of incidents. Some apps integrate with a web platform that use business intelligence tools like dashboards to clearly present data and trends for easy analysis. It can also be helpful to consider an integrated risk management approach that provides your organization with a clear view of the financial impact of your safety program initiatives.  

9. Incorporates emerging technologies, producing a powerful solution for both today and tomorrow. Make sure your mobile app partner updates regularly and is committed to evolving its products with cutting edge technologies that will drive further efficiency and ease of use, such as geolocation services that will automatically prepopulate forms to avoid manual input and save time. 

Above all, when selecting risk and safety mobile technology, make sure you choose a mobile app solution that is easy to use and provides real-time insights that will empower your risk and safety teams to implement successful preventative measures.  

THE RIGHT RISK & SAFETY MOBILE PLATFORM 

The right mobile platform can help your organization save time and money, improve safety culture, offer more in-depth insights into risks, and lead to reductions in incidents, injuries, and claims. Organizations will see successful adoption of mobile technology if their employees see real, productive outcomes in response to their reports, their supervisors provide timely and supportive feedback, and buy-in is obtained from all areas of the organization, including the executive level.  

To learn more about what to look for in a risk and safety mobile app for your organization visit https://www.origamirisk.com/mobile or contact us for additional information.