The workplace should never be unsafe — and employees in particular have a right to safety in their particular workplace. Sometimes, however, this right to safety is endangered, and not always in the ways you might imagine. It can be all too easy for an employee to slip and fall at the workplace; we’ve all heard of such incidents, however unfair they may be. And often, employers are held responsible when their workplaces are unsafe in this way. But then there are less obvious manners in which workplaces can become unsafe for employees. Say, for example, that a business is violating environmental health and safety regulations — and an employee has become aware of this violations. Environmental regulatory compliance is supposed to keep not only employees physically safe, but the world at large — and there can be severe consequences for violations. Now, say this employee “blows the whistle” about such violations. They could face retaliation that is social — being treated harshly by coworkers, for example — or even more severe. Some whistleblowers have been known to be demoted or even lose their jobs. This creates an atmosphere in which people don’t feel safe about voicing their concerns. This is where inspection software, or EHS compliance software comes in. Inspection software ensures that people can report their concerns anonymously without fear of personal or professional consequences. Let’s look into why this software is necessary, and how employees and employers benefit from it.
EHS Compliance Systems: Why We Need To Follow Them
Sometimes, the consequences of an EHS violation is so minor that nobody notices. Sometimes, it ends up affecting dozens, or even thousands of people. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014 over three million nonfatal workplace illnesses and injuries were reported by private industry employers at a rate of 3.2 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers. It’s possible that some could have gone unreported, but nonetheless this is a large number. This is why environmental health and safety management systems are in use, but they cannot work without employees reporting what they are concerned with. Another issue is that of sustainability, something all businesses should consider. About 50% of executives consider sustainability either “very” or “extremely” important. This applies to a wide range of areas, including new product development, reputation building, and overall corporate strategy. But this too cannot work unless people are willing to report.
Inspection Software: Should I Report?
It’s undoubtable that at some point, employees see things they perhaps were not meant to — violations that could result in severe consequences for those committing them and even the company at large. Legally, they should be protected from being punished for reporting — yet these punishments occur anyway. It’s no wonder that 45% of employees don’t feel comfortable reporting potentially unsafe behaviors to their peers and supervisors. They often feel they could lose their jobs over it. At the same time, 75% of employees feel that being personally safe and secure in the workplace is important to them. Furthermore, almost 50% of employees are concerned about their company’s water and energy conservation efforts, access to recycling, and whether or not the company takes its impact on the environment seriously. Clearly, people care and are willing to report — they just want to know that they will be protected. Inspection software makes this possible.
Access To EHS Teams: Keeping Reporters Safe
Many employees aren’t even aware of EHS regulations, let alone how they can report violations. An estimated 77% of employees aren’t aware of their company’s EHS functions, but 43% want to give feedback to their EHS team when they are aware. The way EHS software works is that the concerned party can report anonymously. This way, their employer can get their information they need and make the proper motions to identify the problem — without the reporting employee’s job being at risk. This way, everyone benefits.