What is Incident Prevention?

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An incident is described as an occurrence, a condition, or any event that occurs in due course, which can result in injuries or environmental damage. 

In the field of occupational safety, an incident is a safety-related event that occurs, which may cause harm. Incidents can be classified into two categories: near misses or accidents. 

Incident prevention, then, refers to the set of activities, plans, or practices designed to reduce the risks of a safety event occurring. The overarching aim of incident prevention is to make the workplace safer and mitigate the risks of work-related injuries.

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Why Is Incident Prevention Important?

 Workplace safety incidents can lead to serious harm, including injuries or illnesses, and property damage. In many cases, accidents in the workplace are often preceded by several near misses or incidents. 

If employers don’t investigate incidents and take steps to prevent safety-related events, it could eventually result in serious injuries. 

Many businesses use traditional methods, including the use of signage, mirrors, or safety barriers to prevent incidents. Human supervision is another effective method that many companies use, though it’s not as effective for on-site surveillance. 

It’s simply not practical for larger organizations to monitor and supervise a specific worksite all the time. For instance, using CCTV monitoring isn’t enough, as they only help companies identify lagging indicators. 

CCTV footage can’t prevent incidents from occurring; they just help safety professionals understand what happened. They are only suitable for conducting investigations after the event transpires. 

Incident prevention is all about taking proactive steps to improve safety in the workplace. By identifying different hazards in the workplace, companies can gain a better understanding of risk. 

For instance, if the risk of slips, trips, or falls is greater in a specific area, the company may recommend that employees wear appropriate footwear or post signage to alert employees. This is just one way to prevent a safety-related incident.

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The Main Steps for Incident Prevention

There are several steps that companies can take to prevent the occurrence of safety-related incidents in the workplace. 

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Educate and Train Employees About Safety Hazards

Incident prevention begins by educating employees about workplace safety hazards, and how to mitigate the risks that they pose. The company must train employees about behavioral safety and explain the importance of following safety protocols.

Incident prevention is only possible through close collaboration between management and frontline employees. All stakeholders must know about safety hazards, as well as how to respond in case of an incident. 

Employers can run test scenarios to identify potential consequences and then determine best practices to reduce occupational risks.

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Using Technology to Identify Hazards

Workplace hazards are constantly changing, making it important for companies to conduct a safety analysis after regular intervals. Traditionally, companies would employ safety staff to observe safety practices and identify hazards.

However, in larger facilities or fast-paced environments like a construction site, this is often not a viable solution. As a result, companies often rely on technological solutions, including AI video surveillance tools.

AI safety solutions can be plugged into CCTV camera networks, allowing companies to analyze employee behavior and compliance with safety protocols. In case an unsafe incident occurs, the AI automatically captures it and tags it. 

The software can also be configured to send updates and alerts to relevant individuals too. For instance, if the AI detects that an employee isn’t wearing proper safety gear, it can immediately alert them. 

Analyzing the footage can make it easier for companies to identify any unknown threats and prepare safety plans or standards. 

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Conduct Regular Safety Inspections 

Regular safety inspections can also help with incident prevention. Inspections can bring new information to light about workplace safety standards, allowing companies to take proactive action and introduce new SOPs for employees to follow. 

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Use Protex AI for Incident Prevention

Protex AI is an AI-powered workplace safety solution that lets you track safety performance by connecting to your company’s CCTV infrastructure. 

It offers actionable insights and records video evidence of safety events that occur. Safety teams can be notified in real time of any incidents, allowing them to act immediately.

Protex AI can auto-generate reports that reflect the company’s safety performance and help safety teams identify any problem areas that need to be addressed urgently.

Using artificial intelligence, Protex AI can help companies gain critical insights into overall safety performance, empowering safety teams with important information that they can use during safety planning.