Safety is of the utmost importance when working on any job site. Manuals and training are the first steps to prioritizing safety, but smartphone apps can act as refreshers and help workers avoid potentially dangerous situations.
Every day, an average of 143 objects fall and strike workers in the United States, according to OSHA. These six safety apps can help reduce these and other accidents.
1. Hazmat Emergency Response Guide
The Hazmat Emergency Response Guide is a handy electronic version of the Department of Transportation’s Emergency Response Guide. Available on both iOS and Android devices, this app provides a searchable resource.
Users can find what they need by searching keywords or terms on the fly, rather than having to flip through indexes.
2. DarkSky
If weather affects your job or job site, having a weather app on hand can be helpful. The app DarkSky (available for Android and iOS) is different from the default weather app on your smartphone. It provides a predictive forecast that tells you what the weather will be like in your immediate location within the hour.
DarkSky can be a helpful app for those who work in construction, landscaping and other outdoor jobs.
3. Chemical Safety Data Sheets
Available for the iPhone, the Chemical Safety Data Sheets app offers the International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC) put by the United Nations Environment Program, the World Health Organization and the International Labour Office.
These safety cards are similar to Material Safety Data Sheets, but they are formatted to be simple, concise and condensed to a 1-2-page document.
4. Job Safety Analysis
The Job Safety Analysis (JSA) app incorporates health and safety principles and practices into a task or job.
For each JSA, every step of the job is outlined to identify potential hazards. The app will make recommendations on the safest way to complete the job.
The app, which is free and available for Android and iOS, can also be used on the job site to create a customized JSA that can be sent to all employees on the site.
Pre-filled options are also available to save time. Users can include photos of risks and hazards on the job site.
5. DocuSign
The DocuSign app eliminates the need to carry around stacks of forms and papers. Available for Android and iOS phones, DocuSign allows others – and yourself – to sign off on documents using a stylus or their fingers. This eliminates the need to find paper and scan and send documents electronically.
6. Dropbox
For managers, the Dropbox app is an invaluable tool. This free app can be downloaded to Androids and iPhones, and it offers cloud storage to users.
Dropbox is one of the leading cloud storage providers, and it provides a central location to store all of your safety policies and documents. Forget having a mountain of paperwork on your desk. The app makes all of these documents available electronically – right at your fingertips.
Job safety is of the utmost importance, and these six apps can help make job sites and the workplace a safer place.
