We often have customers ask about tracking Safety related events within L2L (near misses as well as OSHA Recordables and Reportables). The most common question in utilizing L2L for Safety incidents is,  "How do you hide the person's name?" This article will outline a method of tracking safety within L2L, without using names, that will suit everyone's needs.

First, you'll want to set up a few Work Order Categories to use specifically for Safety Events. Below are some examples: 

• Near Miss events 
• Contractor on-site Safety Orientation
• HAZMAT - Hazardous Material (handling, containing, disposing) 
• New Employee Safety Orientation 
• Work Area Safety Assessment (performed daily/weekly/monthly by associates in their immediate work space) 
• Reportable Safety Events / Incidents per OSHA 
• Recordable Safety Incidents / Events per OSHA 
• Safety Training Logs / Safety Meeting Logs
• Accident / Injury prevention suggestions 
• RMI tracking (Repetitive Motion Injury) 
• Job Hazard Analysis
• Lock Out / Tag Out 
• SDS (Safety Data Sheets) 
  • Previously referred to as MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) 
• Safety Training Documents and Procedures 
• PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) requirements
• BBS - Behavioral Based Safety 
• Environmental Spill 
• Hazardous Waste 
• Zero Emissions - environmental waste streams - EPA 
• Electric Discharge (EDS) 

You'll also want to set up a Trade for the Work Orders. In this case, we'll call it 'Safety'.

Now you're ready to start adding Safety Events to L2L as Work Orders.

• To begin, you'll add a New Work Order. Select the Area and Line of the Machine where the incident occurred.
• You'll want to come up with a nomenclature for the description. This can and should be used for this incident everywhere it needs to be recorded (attachments, child work orders).
• Select your 'Safety' trade and choose the Requested by and Owner of the Work Order. This can be the same person, and likely the person responsible for filling out the paperwork needed for the incident.
• Now save.

Next, you'll create Child Work Orders to launch dispatches for the work or actions to be performed. The Child Work Orders will use the Category 'Near Miss Actions'. These Child Work Orders will be in direct relation to the Parent you just created. The Dispatches launched from the Child Work Orders will notify whoever you've assigned as the resource for that event. The resource will be an EHS personnel member. That person now has an actionable item to complete and close out.

Important Information regarding confidentiality:

• You can attach links to Investigation Reports, pictures, etc. that are located on your local server and password protected to the Parent Work Order.
• Avoid using the individual's name in Work Orders and Dispatches, as well as Documents that are not password protected on your local server.

Here's a great insider tip: If you need to maintain confidentiality, consider including links to sensitive documents which you house internally in your own database. Just ensure that those documents are accessible only via password. 

Congratulations! You're using L2L as part of the Safety Program in your facility. That's terrific! 

Let's take it a step further. You're familiar with Checklists in L2L, how to create them, how to attach them to Dispatches and Work Orders, making sure Checklists are Completed before Work Orders and Dispatches can be Closed. 

You can also utilize Checklists with an eye on Safety:

• When performing machine and equipment inspections
• To document Safety Training: meetings, attendance, required learning, etc. 
• Vehicle inspections (forklifts, trucks, etc.) 
• Cleaning and 5S 
• Daily work area inspections 
• Crane inspections - both mobile and overhead 
• First Aid Kit readiness 
• Required PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) 
• Safety Event / Incident records 
• Fire containment equipment 

Here's a great insider tip: If you need to maintain confidentiality, consider including links to sensitive documents which you house internally in your own database. Just ensure that those documents are accessible only via password. 

As you can see, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Play it safe, folks! L2L to the rescue!