Mobile Apps Help Make Workplaces Safe

app-for-thatHealth and Safety specialists in the U.S. and Canada are increasingly turning to new technologies to help them keep workplaces safe and in compliance with all OSHA regulations. Among the most widely used technologies now are mobile apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices.

Not so long ago, you would have to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars to purchase the meters or books required to make sure your business complies with all health and safety regulations. This expense was often diminished by renting the necessary equipment or hiring specialist consultants, but today, you can find literally thousands of mobile apps that get extremely close to professional measurement devices.

Many of the apps also serve as handy reference guides for all types of safety and compliance issues. Following is a brief list of some of the apps most helpful for the countertop fabrication industry:

LiftRight (Apple and Android) – This free mobile app from EMC Insurance Companies helps you calculate the NIOSH Lifting Equation for lifting tasks.

Respiratory Protection Resource (Apple and Android) – This free app from 3M Safety acts as a quick reference guide for the appropriate respiratory protection to use for difference chemicals and airborne substances.

Hearing Solutions Selector (Apple and Android) – Another free app from 3M Safety, the Hearing Solution Selector helps you find the right protection for your workers based on a few simple questions.

First Aid (Apple and Android) – Although there are dozens of first aid apps out there, this free one from the American Red Cross is the most comprehensive and easiest to use.

iAuditor (Apple and Android) – The iAuditor Safety Audit and Checklist app includes a library of more than 20,000 inspection forms and checklists used by a wide range of authorities, including government agencies, fire departments and trade associations.

Job Safety Analysis (Apple and Android) – Perform a better job safety analysis (JSA) with this app from Team Solutions Training. Use pre-filled options or create your JSAs with the simple menu selections.

Toolbox Meetings (Apple and Android) – The Toolbox Meetings app can help you document your required meetings that identify and clarify safety issues. The app is a full-featured software platform that takes all the assumptions and guesswork out of meetings and organizes factual evidence.

Incident Prevention Magazine (Apple and Android) – The final entry in our list of health and safety apps is Incident Prevention Magazine. It is written for the utility industry but provides a wealth of information for the construction and countertop fabrication industries. It is free of charge and all articles are written by authoritative safety experts.