How Incident Reporting Software Can Help Prevent Future Incidents

Every incident in the workplace has far-reaching implications for the business. Impacting not only the individual worker affected, but the morale of the whole team and their confidence in the processes. There’s also the impact on productivity and the firm’s reputation. With these all trickling down to the bottom line, it’s easy to see how every incident has the potential to wreak serious damage. 

The best companies do whatever they can to minimize the number and severity of incidents. One of the key weapons in their arsenal is comprehensive incident reporting software. Giving organizations the ability to view the full lifecycle of every single incident that occurs, it gives them the insight they would otherwise lack. This enables them to better target preventative measures, rather than simply reacting to events that have already occurred. 

How does incident management software help? 

When we think of incident management, we naturally think of reporting and managing an incident as it occurs. This is a very short-sighted approach that could soon see a repeat of the same incident again. Effective incident management requires a broader perspective with a more holistic outlook.   

This is where incident management software can really add value – helping at every stage of incident management. Let’s explore this in more detail: 

Reporting an incident 

• Mobile solutions that can be accessed anytime, anywhere mean that incidents can be recorded in real time and include any relevant details (such as photos of the event, documentation, etc.)

• Standard reporting forms mean that details can be captured quickly and in line with reporting requirements. 

• Instant alerts mean that the right people can be contacted as soon as an incident occurs. 

Follow-up

• Root cause analysis of every incident using techniques like Bowtie help identify any failings that triggered the incident. 

• Comprehensive data that is easily organized in line with authority compliance requirements allows you to generate compliant reports quickly.  

• Follow-up tasks can be easily scheduled, along with automatic alerts and claims management applications that can be easily accessed, ensure incidents are not viewed in isolation.

Learning 

• Data is collated and clearly represented in graphs and charts, meaning that trends can be easily identified, and issues are targeted at the earliest opportunity. 

• Every incident can be viewed and assessed as a whole, helping you to see all the contributing factors and any issues that may have gone unnoticed.

• By enhancing understanding of each individual incident, you are better positioned to identify potential issues and put in place the right measures to mitigate the risks before they develop.  

Unlocking the preventative potential of incident reporting software 

By tapping into the potential for incident reporting software to help predict and prevent future incidents, you are moving toward a more proactive approach to incident management. So many organizations take a reactive stance to managing incidents. They look at what has gone wrong and deal with it, rather than using the insights they’ve gleaned to look forward.  

Incident reporting software makes this so much easier, helping with: 

• Prevention – Proactive reporting of incidents or near misses means that the right measures can be put in place to prevent these issues materializing. 

• Understanding – By encouraging a culture of regular incident reporting, the workforce develops a better understanding of the diversity of risks across the business and are increasingly vigilant to prevent future incidents. 

• Engagement – By proactively reporting incidents, the workforce is likely to feel more secure at work, sharing best practices and learning from one another. This increased level of engagement will lead to a better understanding of incidents and how to prevent them.

What features should I look for in incident reporting software? 

When it comes to choosing the right incident reporting software for your business, it is worth weighing up how well it can put you on that proactive footing – can it, in short, help you predict future incidents and therefore mitigate them in advance? 

The following features are worth looking out for in any decent safety incident software: 

• Simple reporting tools that allow you to record and file reports anywhere and in real time. 

• Configured forms that can be tailored to your business or sector and the specific incident details you are required to submit. 

• Pre-configured dashboards that offer clear visual evaluations of data, allowing easy interpretation and learning, including the identification of key risks and trends. 

• The ability to keep key metrics (e.g. DART rate and LTIR) up to date using real-time data. 

• Root cause analysis (RCA) tools to help fully investigate any incidents. 

• Automated alerts that make sure the right person can be reached fast. 

Incident reporting software is a key tool to deliver efficiencies in the recording and reporting of incidents. It has, however, the potential to be so much more, helping organizations identify and tackle issues before they arrive. Making sure the right information reaches the right people at the right time, the best software offers learning opportunities, allowing you to draw valuable insights and shape a proactive and preventative strategy moving forward. 

To find out how Evotix solutions can help future-proof your safety strategy, check out: https://www.evotix.com/solutions/safety/incident-and-injury-management-software