Business owners would probably do anything short of human sacrifices to reduce workplace accidents and the ensuing worker's comp payments. A new mHealth platform that focuses on the "near misses" might just be the answer.
WorkplaceAware launched its platform roughly one year ago, pairing a mobile app with the MessageQube, a mini cellular desktop printer that receives texts messages and photos from any cellular phone. The setup is designed to enable employees to quickly report any near-accidents and send photographs from the cellphones to supervisors, bypassing what might otherwise be a tedious reporting procedure and enabling management to respond quickly to any situation that could lead to a more serious accident or injury.
The messages are also posted online to an employer dashboard, enabling management to view and manage reports and document corrective actions.
The solution targets the growing ranks self-insured businesses but could also appeal to a payer market looking for solutions that can reduce workplace accidents.
“WorkplaceAware eliminates many of the reporting barriers companies must overcome to make workplaces safer,” company CEO Rob Sweeney said in a recent press release. “There are many reasons employees choose not to report a near miss incident, including fear of retribution (and) a desire to avoid red-tape or to avoid interrupting pace of work. By using WorkplaceAware, companies can allow employees to report incidents from the field, without having to fill out pages of paperwork or holding up the work day. And if employees choose, reports can be submitted anonymously. Our customers see an increase in near miss reporting days after engaging WorkplaceAware, and their businesses are safer and more productive as a result.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a little more than 3 million non-fatal workplace injuries in 2013, which led to millions of dollars in healthcare costs as well as lost time and productivity and increased insurance rates for employers. Some estimates have said that for every significant injury in the workplace, there are 29 minor injuries and some 300 near-misses.
