Canadian Occupational Safety

28 Canadian Occupational Safety | www.cos-mag.com s a safety consultant, Kent McNeill is seeing more of his clients make the shift to elec- tronic safety management technology — some have even put together their own electronic management software. He sees the advantages of the new software in the way it saves contractors time and effort. But he warns compa- nies have to do their homework. "I've done audits with companies who have the electronic tracking. When they have done it well, it has made the audit fantastic and super easy. But if they haven't implemented it well, it makes it a challenge," says McNeill, owner of Winnipeg-based Serenity Safety Consulting. The way companies manage safety is changing rapidly. Many are turning to new and sophisticated software systems to help them with all aspects of their safety program, from docu- mentation to incident tracking to even improving the safety culture. Safety managers must consider a vari- ety of factors — including number of employees and site locations — when deciding which technology and fea- tures are best suited to their company. McNeill, who works with small- to medium-sized companies, most of them in construction, says safety management systems (SMS) put doc- umentation, including certifi cates, all in one place. Another advantage is they allow for automatic commu- nication — of hazard assessments, inspections and toolbox meetings, for example — between prime contrac- tors and their subcontractors. "A prime contractor managing a site, who's got eight subs, doesn't have to go around asking each one for their paperwork. It just fl ows," says McNeill. "For a site supervisor, half his day is spent running around getting his subs to comply with paperwork. Now, he can be doing his job. He can supervise the site." However, McNeill fi nds that suc- cess with SMS software largely depends on whether the company implements it properly. The key ele- ment here is making sure workers are suffi ciently trained. "In our industry, not everyone is tech- savvy. Not everybody is computer aware, especially in the construction industry. The guys like their tools. Even though the (SMS) technology is as simple as using a cellphone, a lot of guys are intimidated by it," he says. "You need to do that training aspect. You need to make sure the user understands how to enter the information properly. It is a fantastic database, but it's only as good as the information you put in." Safety managers, McNeill adds, must make sure they design electronic forms to suit their company's needs. They must capture all the necessary information, such as identifying when tasks have been completed. "On paper you can initial, sign and date that the defi ciency was corrected (for example). If the electronic form isn't designed right, you may forget to include that step. You need to be able to document that defi ciencies were corrected and when. And you need to have signatures. A big part of safety is due diligence." Sheri Mathieu, project safety man- ager at Lethbridge, Alta.-based Onsite Safety Management, says SMS tech- nology saves companies a lot of time. However, many people are reluctant to make the shift because they don't want to learn new technology. Cost is also a deterrent. These sys- tems are still expensive, she says, and may require the purchase of new equip- ment, such as iPads and smartphones. In addition to the initial cost, compa- nies are often charged monthly fees. "Every one of these digital programs has a monthly fee if you have an app. If you have 50 users, it's this much. If you have 100 users, it's a little bit less. The fees range; they can be $5 an app per person or it might be $30 a month per person. It depends on what pro- gram you decide to go with." SMS SYSTEMS IN COURT As evidence presented in court, infor- mation provided by electronic safety management systems is considered as legitimate as that acquired by paper and pen, says Jeremy Warning, part- ner at Mathews, Dinsdale and Clark in Toronto. However, he adds, whether the information is presented in an elec- tronic or hard-copy format, various rules of evidence may apply, and the person supplying the data will have to show it meets the required stipu- lations. In Ontario, the Evidence Act contains provisions that deal with electronic records and how a person can prove their integrity; for example, the person may show the storage system used to keep the records pre- vented them from being altered. "Electronic records could have been manipulated, so there's often a burden on the party using electronic docu- ments to establish that these are in fact accurate records and they are what they purport to be," Warning says. Jamie Alyce Jurczak, partner with Taylor McCaffrey in Winnipeg, says documentary evidence may be chal- lenged in court by the opposing side on the basis of authenticity. With electronic documents, the court may look to other ways to prove accuracy, such as time stamps. Where electronic documents are challenged, it is also common for the court to call witnesses to testify about the challenged docu- ment, to say, "This is the test, the job hazard analysis or the training sheet I signed off on." Companies should also remem- ber, she adds, they will need to keep electronic documents and be able to access them several years after they are recorded, with the length of time depending on the limitation period of the jurisdiction. "Is the technology going to be pre- served? You fi nd that old fl oppy disc at the bottom of your desk and realize you have absolutely nothing to put it into on your new computer. And are you storing it on a good quality item that isn't going to deteriorate?" Jurczak says. "The trick sometimes with electronic documents is that the technology can change so fast. Paper, however, if it isn't damaged by fi re or water, stands the test of time." ASSESSING THE OPTIONS Morgan Douziech, director of Edmonton-based SET Safety, says his company's SMS covers most aspects of safety management, including compli- ance and technical training, certifi cate tracking, training matrix integration, digital paperwork, electronic policy sign-off, equipment tracking, driver management and digital proctor- ing (user ID is validated through a webcam). Users can also access a library of hundreds of training courses through the system. The features customers buy depend largely on the industry they're in, Douziech says. Many companies want training record management software. Typically, safety profession- als have used an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of employee training. With employee names on the left and train- ing courses along the top, the safety manager would click through to see what each worker needed. In con- trast, the training record management software determines what training is required based on roles (on the left) and topics (on the top). The matrix, or grid, can be layered based on location, job and other specifi cs. "That instantly gives you things like gap reporting analysis and expiry alerts and it's available from any mobile device. Anywhere with an Internet connection, you can see what a worker needs in training and see what they have," Douziech says. This training record software is par- ticularly useful for companies with fi eld workers, he adds. "They might be taking a course online from their cellphone out in the fi eld. Maybe they're doing a digi- tal policy sign-off on the new drug and alcohol policy. It is sent to them, they get an alert, open their phone and log in. When fi nished, they answer ques- tions and sign off." Safety First Training, based in Mississauga, Ont., has developed Companies switching to digital safety management for improved compliance, training tracking By Linda Johnson

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