2020 created challenges across industries and practice areas. These anticipated safety trends for 2021 run the gamut from artificial intelligence to professional development. What’s tops on your list for 2021?
For most of us, the end of each year has come to represent a time of reflection and reevaluation and a time to look forward. This year in particular, with its unique set of challenges, has forced us to reevaluate the way we’ve been doing business and propelled change in many areas, including safety management.
The Applicability and Value New Safety Trends
With 2021 around the corner, it’s exciting to see what the future will bring to the practice of occupational safety. A blog published by Pie Insurance, explores the top safety trends that are expected to make waves next year:
Mobile Applications:
- The application of new technologies and upgrades to mobile applications help workers stay connected to their teams, not only to drive workforce engagement, but also to facilitate data-driven decisions in real time.
Intelligent and Customizable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
- While existing intelligent PPE uses sensors to capture key user health-related data (e.g. heart rate), newer versions will be able to effectively gauge user’s alertness and fatigue levels. On top of that, some next generation products will have options to cater to the individual needs or preferences of users.
AI and Autonomous Vehicles:
- With the end-goal of reducing accidents and fatalities, industries such as transportation will be introducing Artificial Intelligence-powered autonomous vehicles in their day-to-day activities. As for organizations which leverage AI to power their product offerings, such as EHSQ software providers, this technology is used to automate workflows, which then allows compliance activities and thresholds to be tracked, monitored, and reported on, delivering completely automated compliance.
Bottom Up Approach to Strategic Leadership:
- The bottom-up approach to safety leadership has been proven to be much more effective than its reverse counterpart. By applying this model, leaders are able to: see things from every level of the organization, incorporate real-world observations and insights, and, most importantly, drive worker engagement.
Prevention-Focused Safety Management Approach:
- A safety management approach focused on prevention (as opposed to the detection-based model) leads to fewer incidents and reduced long-term costs. By applying this, leaders can work towards improving incident management, which was identified as being the number one concern, according to 51% of respondents to a survey conducted by Verdantix.
Continuing Education for Safety Professionals:
- Safety professionals must participate in continuing education courses in order to maintain certifications and stay on top of industry trends and best practices. An increased number of remote learning options are available now, which provide even greater opportunities to further knowledge and education without the added expense of travel or time away from the office.
Commitment to Addressing Mental Health Issues and Substance Abuse in the Workplace:
- With the heightened awareness of the impact of mental health and substance abuse issues on the number of injuries, fatalities and overall employee performance, organizations are putting a strong focus on providing self-assessment tools, offering coaching, hosting workshops and providing additional healthcare benefits.
It’s clear that the focus on adopting new technology, improving leadership styles and approaches and ramping up continuing education will all play a crucial role in enhancing safety management practices in 2021.
For more information on how to foster a culture of safety, please click here.
