Business Safety Predictions For 2016

Every business needs to try to stay ahead of the game. That means investigating the products and services offered by rivals and exploring fresh avenues for their own operation. But staying ahead of the game isn’t just about the physical operation of an individual business – it’s also about making sure the way in which work is carried out is as efficient and, crucially, as safe as possible.

The safer you are the surer you can be of operating on a sound and successful footing and avoiding costly hazards or compensation claims.

So, for businesses looking to stay ahead of the game in terms of safety, what should they be looking at? Here’s some predictions for what’s to come in 2016…

Biometrics

The days of struggling to remember dozens of different combinations of numbers and letters to get access to computer systems could be coming to an end. The latest developments from the likes of Apple and Microsoft have put biometrics at the heart of security. With fingerprints and iris scans allowing access in place of those all-too-easily-forgotten passwords, businesses should be more confident of running a safer operation – especially in a world in which increasing numbers of employees are working from home or on the go.

Tech

Technological innovations continue to push new boundaries and alter the way we live our lives – and that is set to continue into 2016. The impact on safety for businesses is clear. Camera systems for large vehicles are helping to eliminate the blind spot and avoid wrongly apportioned blame after accidents, while Wi-Fi ensure that workers should have access to communications even in remote parts of an office complex.

Developments in holographic technology could be truly transformative. Imagine the instructional opportunities offered by Microsoft’s Hololens, for example? With people able to call up an expert in a Skype style call, get them to see what they’re seeing – and draw directly onto the world before them – businesses should be able to complete complex tasks in an even safer way, with expert help far more readily available.

Serious

Across the world there has been a drive to take the issue of business safety more seriously than ever. Whether it is workers demanding better conditions, businesses looking to cut costly compensation payouts or Governments looking to avoid accidents – safety is now at the heart of the business world.

The UK hosted its second Safety and Health Expo in 2015, with a third to come in 2016. Key issues explored at the show included CDM (construction design and management), COMAH (Control of major accident hazard regulations) and PPE (personal protective equipment). These key issues continue to be debated – with highly respected experts sharing their wisdom in a way previously reserved for other aspects of the business world.

Catch-up

It shouldn’t be forgotten that not all developments are instantly adopted. Businesses should take time to assess which new products from recent years they have been slow to capitalize on and keep a close eye on others that they may have been skeptical about previously. That applies equally to the world of safety.

Take hazardous chemicals, for example (another top talking point at the expo this year). Substances such as asbestos and formaldehyde have disappeared from use and over time regulations have developed on other hazardous substances such as paints that contain solvents.

Surface preparation is another good example of an industry that has significantly improved its safety record and many processes, like Plastic media blasting from Airblast AFC for example, are much safer than the blasting methods of the past.