The case for OSH data management – A business perspective
GLOBALLY, FOUR per cent of corporate income loss is due to occupational illness and injury, a fact that is leading several organisations to introduce occupational safety and health (OSH) data-collection systems in a bid to develop and implement policies that minimise losses.
Industry players in Jamaica have recognised the global trend and note that the creation of an effective OSH data collection system relies heavily on all industry players to share information with regulators. The regulator must, in turn, share data with academia and policymakers.
The focus on safety is already commonplace with entities that subscribe to corporate sustainability reporting. Typically, these entities are multinationals and companies operating in high-risk industries. J. Wray & Nephew Limited (JWN), one of the largest spirits manufacturers and distributors in the region, is one such company. The company has a mature reporting system and has ingrained a culture of reporting that is reinforced by management through employee engagement and various procedures.
The system at JWN, and those implemented by other organisations, usually call for immediate reporting of even suspected occupational injuries and illnesses to line management and the company nurse or doctor. A standard set of procedures then follows – health-care professionals will immediately notify the safety and HR functions so that the system for managing the sick or injured worker can be activated in tandem with the incident investigation protocols. The data about the incident and the findings from these investigations are then submitted to various stakeholders within a stipulated timeframe.
SURVEILLANCE OF WORKERS
OSH data is also comprised of information gleaned from the surveillance of workers and their environment, such as pre-employment and periodic medical evaluations; workplace inspections by regulators, OSH functions, safety monitors and members of the safety committee; and, where applicable, written employee reports of hazards, etc.
Over time, OSH data presents a reliable source that companies can use to identify trends through analysis of frequency and severity of injury and illness. The information gleaned can then be used to shape policy and develop targeted intervention strategies that protect both the employee and the organisation.
To aid with data management, JWN uses ENABLON software, which is used in over 160 countries as a software solution for sustainability, environment health and safety (EHS), and operational risk management. This platform has various modules grouped into drivers of which ‘Business Efficiency’ is one. Within this group is the metrics module which, among other things, allows OSH data to be manipulated to generate automatic reports and trends, in order to assess programme effectiveness and generate new objectives.
Whatever the ultimate use of the data, its collection and storage must be managed appropriately if it is to be useful at the time when required. Currently global best practice is that data is kept for a minimum of 10 years; this far exceeds the statute of limitations in Jamaica, and said data can be used to establish whether the entity and the worker performed due diligence in a bid ‘to provide a safe system and place of work’ – the goal of OSH programmes.