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Safety Innovation

Risk Management Strategies You Should Take Advantage of in 2022

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Shannon M Farley @sfarley
Safety & Compliance
7 min read
January 8, 2022

Every industry comes with an inherent degree of risk. The construction industry, however, combines the physical threat of injury with financial and contractual risks. Without effective risk management strategies in place, your latest project could be plagued by extended deadlines and budget overruns.

Project managers can mitigate these risks by implementing digital construction safety software to keep real-time track of safety protocols, progress, and necessary safety forms, all from the convenience of a smartphone.

In the wake of Covid-19, on-site health and safety protocols are more important than ever. And as we roll into 2022, more and more project managers are turning to digital safety software to save time and money. Furthermore, advancements in blockchain technology make invoice tracking, job progression, and subcontracting easier than ever to manage. To get the most out of your job sites in the coming year, here are some risk management strategies to take advantage of in 2022.

The Move to Smart Safety Software

The construction industry is slowly adopting technological advancements, especially when it comes to safety, record keeping, and invoicing. An AGC survey found that 29% of small to mid-sized firms have embraced technology to supplement specific duties. Workforce shortages have prompted firms to implement digital risk management strategies to maximize profits due to rising labor costs. The idea is simple: if technology can lead to more predictable outcomes, hazards, mistakes, and errors can be avoided, thus saving time and money.

The idea is simple: if technology can lead to more predictable outcomes, hazards, mistakes, and errors can be avoided, thus saving time and money.

From beginning to end, project management software oversees every stage. With precise attention to detail, such software helps control costs, timetables, and quality. However, one of the biggest benefits of digital software is the attention to job site safety. Ensuring the health and safety of your direct employees and on-site subcontractors has a positive result on the job overall. Salus, for example, uses digital forms to keep track of all job site safety measures. You’ll immediately know who needs to submit their safety compliance forms and which areas of the site need special attention.

A survey among contractors and construction workers found that 92% of them use their smartphones daily while on the job site. Furthermore, 22% reported using upwards of six or more construction apps. Mobile apps can save you valuable time while improving efficiency on the construction site and is miles ahead of toiling with manual paperwork processes.

Allowing workers to use their own devices makes it easier to access critical information whenever they need it. Instead of running across the job site to relay a safety-related message, workers can communicate with each other immediately when they need to. Mobile apps also make data sharing instantaneous. You’ll never have to wait days or even weeks for new data, as you’ll be getting it in real-time.

Manual data entry will bog down even your best employees, especially after a long day on the job. Thankfully, mobile apps cut the monotony out of data entry and make it easier for younger generations (who grew up using smartphones) to record the necessary information.

The construction industry has undergone a “transformation” thanks to the benefits of digital safety software. The question is how to make the most efficient use of such technology. Every construction firm is different, and each of the projects they take on has its own unique safety challenges. Keeping employees and visitors safe requires the right tools, as well as the proper know-how to use them efficiently. On-site safety software takes the heavy safety burden off a manager’s shoulders.

Post-COVID Risk Management

The physical safety of on-site employees is two-pronged. On the one hand, you have physical injuries resulting from accidents. On the other, you have the health risks triggered by Covid-19. Project managers should operate their job sites under CDC guidance while following state-by-state rules and regulations.

Construction workers can’t work from home, so on-site safety measures are imperative to keeping your project on track and under budget. An outbreak, even among a fully vaccinated team, can shut down a job site for days at a time.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to combatting Covid on construction sites. Project managers must implement safety protocols in accordance with the directives of their jurisdiction. Safety software makes it easy to implement and track such information and keeps tabs on any employees who’ve recently reported Covid-19-like symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has. Furthermore, managers can take steps to mitigate the spread among on-site and in-office employees.

To start, if a portion of your team can work from home, you may consider staggering who comes on-site on a day-to-day basis. As for those workers whose presence is necessary, there are still some covid-related risk management strategies you can employ, such as:

  • Water bottles instead of communal drinking fountains
  • Virtual meetings whenever you can
  • Staggered break time
  • Face masks when indoors or when in close proximity

You may also consult the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) for more information about preventing the spread of Covid-19 on the job site.

Many see using blockchain as a single source of truth in the construction industry.

Blockchain Implementations

Data gathering and analysis have led to increased safety measures across the industry. One of the more recent breakthroughs in data collection and analysis is blockchain technology – a private or public shared database that stores data in blocks linked together and secured via cryptography. This process creates a decentralized, chronological database that nobody can alter.

How does blockchain technology work among risk management strategies in 2022?

If you’re used to running your business with spreadsheets, you’re in luck. Blockchain’s distributed ledger works like the methods you’re used to. Furthermore, everyone associated with the project can update the ledger. Then, that ledger copies itself thousands of times and stores itself on thousands of secure computers, or nodes, worldwide. Every time someone updates the ledger, it makes more copies. However, if someone tries to change one of the copies, it triggers an alarm.

Think of blockchain as an automated bookkeeping system for the construction industry. The blockchain knows what’s been agreed upon by two parties and immediately transfers funds when the hired party completes the job. Gone are the days of sending and waiting on invoices, as blockchain cuts out the middle man.

Many see using blockchain as a single source of truth in the construction industry. Mistakes cement themselves in time for all to see. Since nobody can alter the chain, nobody can dispute the issue. As a result, all parties involved can figure out how to rectify that mistake instead of arguing over what led to the error.

Implement Innovative Safety Strategies With The Right Tool

With so much opportunity for risk on the job site, adopting digital safety software is one of the best ways to mitigate against this. Among the many risk management strategies you can employ, safety software is one of the best.

Construction managers looking to integrate technology into their site management to improve safety should turn to a comprehensive safety software solution. Salus provides a one-stop-shop for across-the-board safety solutions, customizable for your specific needs and flexible enough to handle anything you might require.

With a fully digitized system, anyone can access and share information at any time. Our compliance and certificate management features ensure all relevant paperwork is readily accessible, as well as unified organizational tools for schedules and checklists. Salus even offers a dedicated sub-contractor portal for you and your sub-contractors to access forms, filings, and work status reports. Couple all these with Salus’ asset management and corrective actions interface, and you could be looking at the safest year on record for your employees.

Salus is an all-in-one safety software platform to help streamline and optimize your on-site operations. If you’re looking for a better way to manage your safety program, reach out today and try a demo to see what Salus has to offer!

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