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How safe is the workplace these days? We don’t really know, since given the nature of the federal government’s data-crunching capabilities, it’ll take another year for us to get the statistics on workplace incidents in 2022. But we do finally know how safe the workplace was at U.S.-based employers in 2021, but there’s not much good news in the following numbers:

  • Nonfatal injuries and illnesses were down in 2021 by 1.8% over 2020.
  • Fatal work injuries were up by 8.9% year-over-year.
  • The impact of COVID-19 on the workplace in 2020-2021 was significant but exactly how significant is not yet known.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 5,190 people died on the job in 2021, compared to 4,764 in 2020. Also, while total workplace injuries and illnesses dropped somewhat year-over-year, the number of injuries actually increased by 6.3% (2.2 million injury cases in 2021 vs. 2.1 million in 2020). Offsetting the increase in injuries is that illnesses—in particular, respiratory illnesses—dropped by 32.9%.

Of course, the most obvious reason for all of this is COVID-19. In 2020, people stopped going into the office or the factory or schools or stores or anywhere else for many months, but in 2021 “work from home” protocols shifted to “return to work,” which meant there were more people back at the factories, facilities and offices where they could potentially be injured. And by 2021, vaccinations, masks and social distancing had greatly reduced COVID’s impact, resulting in far fewer infections and respiratory illnesses on the job.

As COVID became less of a workplace issue, the old familiar lack of workplace safety unfortunately came back to haunt workers. Truck and delivery drivers had the most fatal accidents in 2021, as fatalities increased by 16.3% over 2020. In fact, transportation incidents were the most frequent type of fatal event, according to the BLS, accounting for nearly four out of 10 (38.2%) work-related deaths, or 1,982. Construction and extraction occupations were the second-most deadly occupation in terms of numbers of fatalities. Falls, slips and trips accounted for 850 workplace deaths.

However, the BLS also measures something it calls the fatal occupational injury rate, which is the number of fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. On that basis, the most dangerous occupation in the U.S. actually isn’t truck drivers (which had a rate of 28.8), but rather logging workers (with a rate of 82.2). Fishing and hunting workers were the second-most dangerous occupation, based on a fatality rate of 75.2.

In any event, the nearly 9% increase in workplace fatalities “serves as a call to action for OSHA, employers and other stakeholders to redouble our collective efforts to make our nation’s workplaces safer,” said Doug Parker, the U.S. Labor Department’s assistant secretary for occupational safety and health. Parker in particular pointed to a disproportionately higher number of fatalities among Black and Latino workers as “deeply troubling facts”. While the overall fatal occupational injury rate of 3.6 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers is the highest since 2016, the rate for Latino workers is 4.5 and for Black workers it’s 12.6—an all-time high.

“It’s so important to understand how societal issues such as racism and systemic inequities can undermine workplace safety and disenfranchise workers,” noted Christine Sullivan, president of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). “Organizational improvement occurs when diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded components of a business strategy.”

“The [BLS] data indicate workplaces have become less safe, and it is heartbreaking,” added Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council (NSC). Both Martin and Sullivan noted that with the availability of new safety technologies and various health-focused initiatives, employers have numerous ways to keep their workers out of harm’s way. But the evidence doesn’t indicate things are getting any better; if anything, they seem to be getting worse. And the real question is: why? We’ll be devoting the next years’ worth of articles and commentaries on trying to answer that question.

In 2020, according to the BLS, a worker died every 111 minutes from a work-related injury. In 2021, the frequency increased by an alarming 10 minutes, with a worker dying every 101 minutes from an occupational injury. Workplace safety has become a necessity. The clock is most assuredly ticking on making the workplace safer, and time is not on our side.

Original Article: Is Time Running Out on Workplace Safety? | EHS Today

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Fire Extinguisher Barcode Inspection Software system can be used to manage monthly fire extinguisher inspections, annual inspections and 6 year and 12 year inspections and also general fire safety inspections. Allowing Managers to record safety observations while performing facility tours which can improve overall fire safety. A Fire Extinguisher Inspection Software system that can create corrective actions as a result of inspection failures and allocate these corrective active actions to the appropriate persons, with deadlines for resolution will greatly reduce the time, effort and cost of managing NFPA inspections. Implementing a Fire Extinguisher Barcode System, where users scan each fire extinguisher using a Mobile Fire Extinguisher Inspection Software App aids with compliance with NFPA and The joint Commission and other Authorities having Jurisdiction(AHJ’s)  within Universities, Colleges, Hospitals, Medical Centers, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas and many other sectors.

Easy to Use – Fire Extinguisher Barcode System

IMEC Inspection Software is an easy to use fire extinguisher barcode system which will schedule, manage, track and report on any type of inspection, including Facility, Equipment, People etc. Use Cases include fire extinguisher barcode system, eyewash stations, emergency showers, equipment or asset inspection system or facilities inspection software. When used as a fire extinguisher barcode system Inspections are performed via the Mobile app which is available on iOS, Android and Windows devices. The user identifies the inspection point by scanning a barcode, or picking from a list based on location. The Mobile App which is part of the fire extinguisher barcode system will then display the list of custom Forms or Checklists.  The fire extinguisher barcode system inspections can be performed offline if no internet connection is available.

The IMEC Mobile Safety App can also be used as a Fire Door Inspection App and with the Web based flexible Forms Manager the solution can be used as a Fire Door Inspection Software Solution also. Fire Door Inspection Software is used is large facilities with large quantities of Fire Doors like Hospitals, Universities and also Cruise Ships.

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IMEC Inspection Software can be deployed as a full Fire Life Safety Inspection Software solution that can be used to manage an organization’s full range of fire and life safety inspections.  The IMEC Fire Life Safety Inspection Software can manage any type of inspection, use cases include Fire Doors, Fire Pumps, Eyewash Stations, Emergency Lights, Emergency Showers, Grease Traps, AED’s and many more.  The IMEC Fire Life Safety Inspection Software can manage any type safety equipment or asset inspection. The user identifies the inspection point by scanning a barcode, or picking from a list based on location. The Mobile App will then display the list of custom Forms or Checklists. The solution can be used within Hospitals as a Hospital Inspection Software solution to manage all hospital inspections and Environment of Care Rounds. Hospital Inspection Software makes Daily, Weekly and Monthly Inspections more efficient and accurate. IMEC’s Hospital Inspection Software allows health care and facility managers to monitor the inspections across their entire organization to aid compliance and increase efficiency.

EH&S Inspection Software

IMEC’s EH&S Inspection Software can be used to manage any type of EHS Inspection and allows manager to record safety observations while performing facility tours which can improve overall workplace safety. This EH&S Inspection Software solution that can create corrective actions as a result of inspection failures for inspections performed using the Safety Inspection Software Mobile App. Corrective actions are allocated to the appropriate persons, with deadlines for resolution which will greatly reduce the time, effort and cost of managing compliance inspections. Implementing an EH&S Inspection software solution, where users using the Safety Inspection Software Mobile App can easily perform inspections in the field aids compliance, reduces risk and standardizes the inspection process within your organization.

Lock Out Tag Out Software Solutions

IMEC’s Lock Out Tag Out Software Solutions allow a LOTO procedure to be defined for each piece of equipment that requires LOTO to be managed within the system. Equipment can be managed from both Mobile and Web App. Isolation points for the each piece of equipment are managed, images associated with both the piece of equipment and isolation points can be annotated to include energy source icon, arrows, sequence etc. Lock Out Tag Out Procedures can be authored using the Mobile App with version control and with an approval workflow. Lock Out Tag Out Procedures are executed using the Mobile App on any Smart Phone or Tablet. Lockout Tagout procedures are initiated by the user identifying the piece of equipment by either scanning QR Code or selecting the piece of equipment from a list. A complete history of completed Lockout Tagout Procedures is recorded. The status for the piece of equipment can be updated after LOTO is complete – Locked / Unlocked. An Audit option on the Mobile App allows a procedure to be reviewed without performing LOTO on the piece of equipment. Corrective Actions can be created for any Non-conformances or changes required recorded during the Procedure Review. Data Analytics within the IMEC Lock Out Tag Out Software Solutions provide machine downtime analysis to aid in operational efficiency and investment decisions.

Hazardous Waste Management Software

HazMat T&T is a hazardous waste management software solution designed for Environmental Service Companies and companies who generate a large quantity of hazardous waste. The solution tracks hazardous waste from cradle to grave aiding compliance, providing accurate waste inventory, increasing waste handling efficiency, reducing risk and also helps manage waste costs. HazMat T&T Hazardous Waste Management Software can be deployed in a number of deployment scenarios, from Large Hazardous Waste Generators, tracking their hazardous waste at their site to Environmental Service and Waste Management Companies using it track and manage hazardous waste at transfer and disposal sites.

IMEC Technologies provides Safety Management Software to increase worker safety and aid compliance. IMEC’s Safety Management Software will manage inspections and audits, provides hazard identificationincident reporting, management of corrective and preventative actions from generation to closure. IMEC provides lock out tag out software solutions that will allow users to create lockout tagout procedures using an intuitive Mobile App and Manage Lockout Tagout Procedures, also the Review and Execution of those Lockout Tagout Procedures using the Mobile App. Annual Lockout Tagout Procedures audits are conducted using a Mobile App. The Mobile Inspection App allow users to perform inspections and audits, for example the system can be used as a Fire Extinguisher Barcode Inspection Software system to manage monthly fire extinguisher inspections and general fire safety inspections and also to record safety observations and manage corrective actions, anywhere and anytime. The solution can be used as a fire extinguisher barcode inspection software system or life safety inspection system to aid compliance in Higher Education, Healthcare, Industrial and Commercial Organizations. Benefits from a Fire Extinguisher Barcode System include the elimination of paperwork and reducing the burden of compliance with regulations such as NFPA, The Joint Commission. The Mobile App can also be used as a Fire Door Inspection App and with the flexible Forms Manager the solution can be used as a Fire Door Inspection Software Solution also. Fire Door Inspection Software is used is large facilities with large quantities of Fire Doors like Hospitals, Universities and also Cruise Ships. The Incident Reporting App allows users to easily and quickly report incidents, hazards and near-misses, these are then sent to the appropriate people for action and are managed to closure.  Web Apps provide features such as, setup, management, scheduling tools, analysis, reporting and dashboards etc with the ability to report incidents to government bodies such as OSHA and RIDDORHazMat T&T is a hazardous waste management software solution designed for Environmental Service Companies and companies who generate a large quantity of hazardous waste. The solution tracks hazardous waste from cradle to grave aiding compliance, providing accurate waste inventory, increasing waste handling efficiency, reducing risk and also helps manage waste costs. HazMat T&T Hazardous Waste Management Software can be deployed in a number of deployment scenarios, from Large Hazardous Waste Generators, tracking their hazardous waste at their site to Environmental Service and Waste Management Companies using it track and manage hazardous waste at transfer and disposal sites. For more information visit our website www.imectechnologies.com