As the workplace and society in general become more dependent on sharing information electronically, apps are being utilized more frequently for risk assessment, recording incidents or injuries, productivity and seemingly unlimited functions.
Discussing a wide variety of digital tools available to health and safety professionals, Dr. Scott Patlovich, director of environmental health and safety at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, noted that following the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 and subsequently the Apple App Store in 2008, thousands of apps became available and were downloaded millions of times by professionals and general consumers.
Shortly thereafter, in 2010, the word "app" was declared the American Dialect Society's "Word of the Year," precipitating what Patlovich calls "the digital divide."
"Do not assume all EHS professionals know about these apps or how to access or use them," Patlovich told attendees of the Houston Area Safety Council's Safety Day.
While younger EHS professionals may be privy to these technologies, the "more senior" generation may not have considered or embraced them.
In order to bridge the divide, Patlovich recommends open dialogue among organizations' long-term staff members and younger health and safety professionals.
"They have a different take on this," Patlovich said. "These apps are their lives. They know all the cell phones' functions. Get together with the people who are really tech savvy, the younger crowd, to see how we can learn from each other."
He also encouraged health and safety managers to workshop with employees to engage in sharing information about preferred apps.
"Would it be helpful to sit in a room with your staff and have 30 minutes dedicated to loading everybody's phone with the Top 10 apps, the ones you choose for your own organization you think are important to have in the tool kit?" he asked.
Practical applications
Weather apps are helpful for planning common daily activities and can be used to guide emergency planning decisions.
"In case of severe weather, these apps also inform users about how to protect themselves and minimize damage," Patlovich said.
Based on National Weather Service and The Associated Press reports, approximately 140 deaths have been attributed to flooding in 2016. Texas has had the highest number of flood deaths with at least 77 related fatalities between 2015 and 2016, eight of those which occurred in Houston in April 2016.
Patlovich cited Accuweather, Weatherbug, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Radar U.S., and the American Red Cross tornado app as viable weather apps.
Additionally, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH's) Ladder Safety app promotes safety in the workplace by providing basic but important ladder information like placement and angle of the ladder to identify support points and maintain optimum balance.
More than 400,000 people are injured from ladder-related injuries each year in the U.S., with more than 300 fatalities occurring. In addition to the human equation, the estimated annual cost of ladder injuries in the U.S. is $24 billion, including lost work time, and medical, legal, and "pain and suffering" expenses.
Apps can also determine what ladder rating is appropriate by calculating the weight of the user, including tools and materials.
Possibly the most advantageous aspect of utilizing apps to promote safety in the workplace is most are free.
Though most information provided by apps can also be obtained by performing a simple Google or similar database search, downloading apps directly to one's iPhone or Android device supersedes the need to have a data connection to access a website. This is particularly crucial for working in remote areas where data connection may be limited.
"Spend some time populating your device," Patlovich said, "but you cannot just download them and go out into the field. You have to learn how to use these apps; spend a few minutes playing around with them to get the feel of how they're used. Make sure they do everything for you that you want, but also be aware of some of their limitations.
"And, as with everything, when you come across a good app, make sure you share it.
"There are so many apps out there, but the real question is: W hat apps don't already exist that we can all collectively benefit from?"
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