Observational Safety Reporting Effectiveness

I would like to start this blog by explaining 'why' I have chosen this subject matter. In essence, and based upon a career of walking the walk and applying to Observational Safety Systems throughout the last 21 years, and around the globe, I have recognised a number of common, dare I say it, 'disadvantages' during the process and therefore sought for a long time to steer or seek improvements for the betterment of the system and its users. These systems are after all consuming for some in order to draw valuable information from the submissions and then return to the collective in a snappy, presentable and engaging manner which is importantly designed to encourage a further and continued participation. I can assure anyone reading this that I have extensively canvassed my work colleagues across many companies and sought their impressions, thoughts and suggestions also and these have collectively contributed to this entry...thank you one and all.

Where relevant, I would like to applaud the brave management decisions taken to NOT expect a '1 card per person per day participation'...thank you, thank you, thank you for those that embraced what was a necessary and much needed progress. I myself, like many others had to wade through the daily trawl of pointless, needless and fabricated submissions and all for the sake of what is sold as an important statistic and often awkwardly presented to management as an indicator of operational engagement and success of the system...the truth is, the old days of 100+ cards a day was in my opinion an endorsed negative and detrimental to the true value of the system and I therefore am thankful to those that have moved onwards and upwards. Within my predominant role as a Client HSE representative more so over the last 16 years, I have not necessarily been directly involved in the style and management of the system or the end results as it remained the preserve of the Contracting company. However, I have held responsibility within my capacity for further analysis and forward reporting to my superiors where necessary. This said, I have been, and remain a very strong advocate for the correct application of the system and the honest improvements and recognition's it brings 'if used correctly'!

We do after all assign a great deal of time to engaging and administering the systems, providing training (trust me, it is still needed), gathering and collating the information provided by the workforce and then promulgating it, in the belief that the allocated time is both beneficial and carrying specific purpose.

Working on my experience, yet again, and looking basically at a daily application of only 1.5 hours processing the daily card submissions this adds up to approximately 1 shift (10.5 hrs) across a week needing to be allocated, normally undertaken by the HSE focal point and then further time by the various disciplines as they cascade both specific and general significant learnings etc. I realise for some that read this who are the HSE Focal Points that my allocation of 1.5 hrs is in many cases far less than actually required. Furthermore, this time breakdown does not include an estimate of the time being allocated by the various workforce team/s who have observed an activity, conversed with work parties, verified any associated procedures, instructions and checklists and then populated the cards prior to handing in to the post boxes stationed around the operation work areas...this process, if used correctly is absolutely effective and requires a massive commitment from all parties. As I indicated earlier, for these reasons it should be used correctly and fully which is unfortunately, not always the case, and, as an example I have personally come across a very prominent and well known Service Provider company that was (and possibly still is) utilising an Excel Spread Sheet with a years supply of pre-populated observational content which has been shared across multiple locations!...what a shame that these important systems have been misused to this level of practice.

With experience of a multitude of different named and designed systems used around the globe I feel I am well placed to comment on their effectiveness, and have estimated the number of applied hours that the systems are interrogated, scrutinised and detailed but not in order to justify the allocation of time and resources but to reflect any outcome/s and improvements. I also stated earlier that I value the systems very strongly and I do, however, like all systems, they deserve a continuous review and an update to keep them fresh, pertinent and on point to their purposes. For some time now (several years in fact), I have been considering the universally used systems and frustratingly desired to make several improvements wherever possible, importantly to affect improvements and failures with some. As a Client HSE Rep I have not been in a position to influence the changes that I believed was both required and needed of the Contractors owned systems and processes...the Observation systems being the subject of this submission.

I have now however achieved my ambition and developed the ACE Card e-Observational Reporting System

Continually considering our environmental responsibility was a very simple fix to move away from hand written paper cards and I have therefore embraced technology applications within a purposeful designed electronic system. Everyone these days has, (whether they wished to or not) found themselves with access to an electronic tablet or smart phone and the methods needed to use them...this makes the ACE Card System immediately transferable and relatable. Submissions can be achieved either on specifically located tablets, via desktop pc's or via an APP loaded to personal phones (if required).

Accessibility - To overcome a general fear of using the system which we have seen for many years, the system has been designed to guide the user through the reporting process from initial commencement to completion and submission into the active system. The design of the ACE Card sequence, complete with pictograms also supports a commonly observed shortfall which is that each submission will now have a 'start, middle and an end'.

Entry Analysis - Each progressive stage of the users information input is measured and transferred immediately to a graph in order to support later KPI analysis card review opportunities, the positive or constructive findings and possible learning opportunities. Once the Submit button is used, an automatically generated 'collective'* graph is transferred to the 'authorised email address list' to allow department supervisory review and cascade of pertinent details during for example shift changes, Tool Box Talks or Work Site Reviews etc. The system has been designed including use by large numbers of simultaneous submissions and therefore does not 'crash' at peak times i.e. (shift changes) which is commonly seen.

*Collective Graph - Updates with each card input detail across a defined time-frame assigned in agreed with the management team.

Efficiency - The associated administrative process time required by the resident HSE Focal Point is now greatly reduced through use of the ACE Card System and allows an allocation of their attention to other key activities under their roles and responsibilities.