Having access to the right information at the right time is the foundation of operating a successful business. The same principle applies to safety management. OHS managers who have systems in place that enable them to record and manage safety related information simply and comprehensively are in a stronger position to improve workplace safety.

Replacing traditional paper-based solutions for areas such as induction, training, incident reporting and risk management with software-based solutions, however, can require a considerable investment. For many companies, improving OHS systems, by necessity, becomes a matter of prioritizing and budgeting.

Where to start

In a recent article published by the Australasian Mine Safety Journal (Autumn 2010), Ian Birks, Australian Information Industry Association CEO, states, "Areas that stand to yield the strongest return on investment include e-learning, which provides systems to maintaining currency and consistency of the skills required for a safe environment across a large workforce".

E-learning, or online training, provides a consistent, company-wide method of delivery. Because training is delivered through the web, OHS Managers are able to control content and consistency from a single location. It also enables them to track important information such as success rates, course comprehension, training schedules and more. With this kind of information at their fingertips, it becomes easier to manage training and maintain a fully-educated workforce.

A good online workplace training system can also be used for your employee and contractor inductions – and will reap the same rewards. When you know an employee or contractor’s induction history, when they need to be re-inducted and how well they understand the course material, you can determine at a glance where the potential risks lie.

But isn’t training better when it’s face to face?

All OHS and HR Managers know that there are clear benefits to face to face training – and in most cases they shouldn’t be replaced with online training. However, a recent and extensive study done by the Federal US Department for Education* shows states "Classes with online learning (whether taught completely online or blended) on average produce.