Safety Observations

Safety observations are workplace reports concerning deficiencies or commendable practices related to safety. Why is documenting even minor observations essential, and how does systematically utilizing these observations enhance workplace safety?

What are Safety Observations?

Safety observations refer to reports made at the workplace regarding safety-related issues. These observations can include hazardous situations, "near-miss" incidents, deficiencies in safety measures, or even commendable practices deserving recognition. Examples of safety observations could be a loose electrical cable on the floor posing a tripping hazard, an improperly secured scaffold, a chemical barrel without proper labeling, or a new ergonomic practice developed by an employee. Crucially, the observer must forward the observation according to the organization's established procedures, allowing the situation to be addressed before an accident occurs.

Safety observations are often divided into negative (deficiencies, risks, hazards) and positive observations. A positive safety observation highlights good safety practices or actions exceeding everyday expectations. For instance, an employee regularly cleaning their workstation and thus removing slipping hazards deserves a positive observation. Such positive observations encourage employees to recognize effective practices, preventing safety concerns from becoming mere fault-finding exercises.

Why Should Safety Observations be Reported?

Every safety observation is an opportunity to proactively prevent accidents. A well-known model in occupational safety, Heinrich's triangle (or accident ratio), illustrates that one serious accident typically occurs for every tens of minor accidents and hundreds of near-miss situations. The idea is that even small deviations or mistakes, if not corrected, can eventually lead to severe accidents. When employees report safety observations, such as identified hazardous situations, these incidents can be corrected, and lessons learned before serious harm occurs.

Reporting safety observations is also a statutory obligation. According to the Finnish Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), Section 19, an employee must immediately inform their supervisor, and if necessary, other representatives of the employer, of any observed fault or deficiency that could cause danger or harm. Thus, the law requires every employee to participate in maintaining workplace safety by reporting observations. Even if the deficiency has already been corrected, the report must still be made to allow management and occupational safety personnel to verify and learn from the incident.

Key benefits summarized:

• Proactivity: Observations allow for proactive intervention, reducing the likelihood of accidents. Companies with a high volume of observations typically experience fewer serious accidents because hazards are identified in advance.

• Improved safety culture: When employees see their reports lead to tangible actions (corrective measures or praise for good observations), they view safety as a collective responsibility, increasing commitment to zero-accident thinking.

• Legal and ethical responsibility: Documenting and addressing observations demonstrates the employer’s serious approach to safety responsibilities, fulfilling statutory obligations and providing documented evidence that risks have been recognized and addressed. This is crucial in audits or accident investigations, demonstrating proactive safety management.

• Learning and continuous improvement: Systematic collection of hazard observations and good practices enables analysis, helping organizations determine where to focus their safety efforts. For instance, recurrent near-miss situations can trigger targeted training or updates to safety guidelines in specific areas.

Effective Handling of Safety Observations

Merely reporting observations is insufficient; effective handling is crucial. Organizations typically have a defined process:

1. Reporting: The employee submits the safety observation immediately upon noticing an issue. Traditionally, this involved completing a paper form or verbally informing a supervisor, but nowadays, electronic systems or mobile apps are increasingly used to send real-time notifications to relevant personnel.

2. Receiving and documenting: A responsible safety officer (e.g., safety representative or safety manager) receives the report, documenting it into the system (if not automatically logged), and classifies it based on severity and type.

3. Corrective actions: Depending on the observation, actions are initiated. Immediate hazards (e.g., an uncovered floor opening) are addressed instantly. Long-term solutions are subsequently considered (e.g., installing permanent railings). Even minor observations are logged, assigned to a responsible person, and given a correction deadline.

4. Follow-up: Ensuring agreed actions are implemented is essential. Safety observation systems often include features reminding responsible individuals and alerting management about delayed or neglected actions.

5. Feedback to the reporter: To maintain motivation for reporting, feedback is provided to the individual who made the observation. They are thanked and informed about subsequent actions. Positive observations, in particular, are beneficially recognized or even rewarded within the company intranet or similar channels, encouraging others to report both positive and negative observations.

Modern HSEQ systems (Health, Safety, Environment, Quality) and other safety applications facilitate the above process. Observations can be logged via mobile apps directly from the field, attached with photos, and automatically routed to the appropriate personnel. Processing steps can be marked within the system, keeping everyone informed about progress.

Digital Tools for Observations Collection

Many organizations have discovered that the culture of safety observations strengthens when employees have easy-to-use reporting tools. If an observation can be quickly logged using a smartphone with just a few clicks, reporting thresholds decrease, resulting in more frequent observations and consequently addressing numerous small issues. The saying goes, "Double the number of safety observations, and you'll halve the number of accidents." This is precisely because every minor reported flaw is an opportunity to prevent a major accident.

Benefits of a safety observation app or system:

• Ease of use in the field: Observations can be reported directly from the job site using mobile phones without additional forms.

• Photos and location data: Reports can include images and location information, helping clarify the severity of situations.

• Real-time information: Responsible parties receive immediate notifications, enabling rapid responses.

• Statistics and reporting: Systems compile statistics, revealing trends (e.g., most frequently observed risks), aiding targeted improvements.

• Integration into operations: Observations are not isolated; they become part of the company's continuous improvement processes. Repeated observations can trigger broader risk assessments or updates to work instructions.

Summary: Small Observations – Big Impacts

Safety observations are among the most effective methods for continuously improving workplace safety. When all employees participate in risk identification and confidently report observed deficiencies (and positives), valuable data is collected, enabling proactive responses before accidents occur. A safety culture, where safety is everyone's responsibility, emerges precisely from openness and initiative.

Management's role is to facilitate easy reporting and demonstrate leadership by constructively responding to every observation. Numerous tools support this process; for example, Gate Apps' HSEQ application is designed for quick and engaging logging of safety observations in the field, providing clear reports for management.

Has your workplace fully leveraged safety observations? If you're aiming to elevate your safety standards to the next level, ensure observations are captured and actions tracked. This is easiest with a digital system—book a demo of Gate Apps' solution and see how it can enhance your organization's safety observation management.