SAFETY
in a digital format allowing for informed decisions on all
aspects of training, compliance, hazard and risk assessment
and program development. What we are trying to do with
our software is create an engaging platform for the end users:
for the frontline workforce who are in the field, giving them
an understanding that everything they do, the hazards they
report, the training they take, help them go home safe, help
their coworkers go home safe.”
Since 2010, in response to a tragic workplace accident that
claimed the lives of two young people on Canada’s East Coast,
eCompliance has been on a mission: eliminate one million
workplace incidents by the end of 2020, through the development
of an enhanced safety software solution and a safety
app, which increases safety participation on the frontlines
and gives a real-time, 360-degree view of safety performance.
The eCompliance mobile app connects workers with the
office enabling faster, fact-based decisions, giving executives
a clear view of safety risks across the company. This mobile
app is being used by the frontline workforce in the field, on
construction sites, on factory floors as well as by administrators,
directors and managers leading their safety programs.
However, the work of the eCompliance safety nerds is not
finished. In August, furthering its commitment to strengthening
the safety culture in North America, the company
launched the enhanced 7.0 version of its mobile app.
Getting everyone involved
“Most safety program activities are driven by compliance
requirements and employers mandating employees to do
them as tasks/paperwork rather than looking at the true
impact to safety,” said Pandian. “We saw that we needed to
look at ways to help make employees safe by increasing the
use of the app, making it easier and more meaningful.”
Research showed the No. 1 value for people to input something
was the time it takes. So the first question was: how to
make the app easier and faster to use? The answer was to
simplify the search for templates and sites, deliver seamless
navigation among sections, thus enabling the ability to find
and complete forms in seconds rather than minutes.
“Back in 2018/19 we looked at companies that had the
most success with safety learning and had fewer incidents.
We compared data of organizations who sat at the bottom
quartile versus the top and noticed a significant difference
between the two. We questioned, ‘What were they doing differently
from the rest?’ We did some deep learning and found
that the primary difference was participation; they had all
their employees make at least one use of the app every day.
Secondly, they encouraged users with recognized positive
behaviour, acknowledging all the good practices, however
small, that were happening. This was taking a more positive
approach to safety – how to do things right, not only wrong.
“Also, we looked at how a company could download a
business application app and not necessarily have to train
a workforce of a thousand people on how to use it. That’s
another value, especially for the frontline workforce: training.
So we focused on intuitive, natural gestures that you would
normally use on other familiar apps. Ease of use is a huge
component of this update.”
Online safety courses on the company website can be
uploaded to those in the field, a convenience that is being
widely used with COVID-19 and no classroom sessions.
“There are 300 courses that can be taken on a mobile device,
recorded that the course has been completed and added to
the worker’s profile,” said Pandian. “The app will keep track
of who has taken necessary courses, who needs to and then
record completion.”
To further increase accessibility for everyone, the 7.0
update supports standard French, Canadian-French and
Spanish to support training users in their native language.
Staying connected and staying safe
The eCompliance 7.0 update also allows employees to work
uninterrupted in offline mode in the most remote or low coverage
locations. The cutting-edge technology can detect when
an internet connection is lost or gained. Specific notification
feedback notifies users when they lose connection, allowing
them to complete tasks even while offline. Notifications are
enabled when any action items created offline have been submitted
successfully, providing reassurance that all items are
in the system.
In 2021, the plan is to focus on getting the most productive
data to management, more complexity in terms of
dashboards and records. “We want to take the safety culture
to the next level as a social concept. This means recognizing
individuals making positive contributions to the safety of the
team, showing their value in helping others and helping the
team. That is the direction in which we’re heading – software
that will help create a strong and effective safety culture.
“Industry has come to the point where we need to evolve
beyond doing the bare minimum of safety compliance. What
we are trying to do with our software is create an engaging
platform for the end users – the frontline workers who are in
the field – giving them an understanding that everything they
do, the hazards they report, helps them go home safe, helps
their coworkers go home safe.”
ECOMPLIANCE
eCompliance 7.0 mobile interface
42 Q4 2020 www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.pilingcanada.ca
