News

Hazard Reporting Tool to help improve workplace health, safety

  • Published
  • By Kendahl Johnson
  • Robins Public Affairs
In an effort to improve working conditions and the overall safety and health of the workforce, a new online Hazard Reporting Tool is being implemented.

The tool will allow employees and management to see the real-time status of major safety and health concerns throughout Robins and give employees anonymous reporting capability.

Lt. Col. Timothy Tart, installation chief of safety, said developing streamlined metrics to assist in pinpointing immediate problems and providing speedy resolutions will help "win over the hearts and minds of the employees" by developing a trusting, sincere rapport with employees, management, AFGE, OSHA and the overall Robins community.

"We expect to significantly improve the means of addressing employee concerns to ensure that our people are going home safe and healthy each day," Tart said.

An icon linking to the HRT will be deployed to desktops by Oct. 9. Anyone with server access will be able to access the tool and submit a hazard via this desktop icon. Once a hazard report has been submitted, it is sent electronically to a supervisor. If the supervisor can't resolve the concern within 24 hours, it is forwarded to the safety office, where an investigator is assigned to review the submission and provide recommendations for corrective action. (Anonymous submissions will be sent directly to the safety office, bypassing the supervisor.)

Before the submission can be closed, a high-level team will review any corrective actions taken, and all team members must approve a resolution. If an agreement cannot be reached, the concern is elevated to the Occupational Safety and Health Working groups. In addition, if the submitter feels the actions taken were not effective, he or she can follow an appeal process for the concern or hazard.

"The Hazard Reporting Tool is going to be very successful," said David Decker, 78th Air Base Wing chief of ground safety. "It's an awesome application, providing an additional avenue for employees to report hazards in the workplace."

All current forms of reporting hazards are still available, such as manually submitting an AF Form 457, but the Hazard Reporting Tool will allow the customer to track their concerns real-time as they are processed through the system.

For more information about the HRT process, contact the 78th Air Base Wing Safety Office at 468-6271.