fill

Read below the background to WorkSafe International's development of mobile safety solutions, as told by Neil Bartholomaeus, Director of WorkSafe International.

While the Internet has been a boost for safety, access to computing support during the course of a working day has been essentially limited to people working at a desk. Once people leave their desks and move into the high hazard work environments of construction, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, transport and elsewhere they leave their safety information support behind. This reality was the stimulus for formation of WorkSafe International, a private company, to provide mobile safety information and computing support.
 

WorkSafe International and CreativityCorp were established simultaneously, CreativityCorp as a mobile computing software development company to support the work safety applications and outlet through WorkSafe International. Michael Stokes, a creative programmer, is co-director of CreativityCorp, and with Pocket PC Creations, the mobile computing applications extend beyond the initial safety objective to virtually all industry sectors in over 50 countries. 

Our development focus has been on software for Pocket PCs with the Microsoft Pocket PC operating system, rather than the sometimes cheaper devices that have less memory and are really 'organizers' and diaries rather than serious computers. Pocket PC Creations provides a system where people at the workplace can easily 'create' their own safety applications, or modify projects purchased from WorkSafe International and other developers. This approach is appropriate given the diversity of workplaces, especially worldwide. We also provide sophisticated mobile applications for safety and other areas written in the programming language C++, but these applications can't be changed by end-users to meet specific workplace requirements. 

'WorkSafe Check' is the term used to describe WorkSafe International's safety checklists. WorkSafe Check is an aid to the safety processes within the workplace. WorkSafe Check generally relies on the judgment of the person using the software as to what is either 'safe', 'unsafe' or 'not applicable' within the workplace under assessment, supported by guidance notes in the WorkSafe Check project. WorkSafe Check programs will be further supported by online 'WorkSafe Skills' programs, an example of which is the Office Workstation package.

Work safety laws vary considerably internationally depending on a wide range of political, economic and cultural factors. WorkSafe Check promotes reasonable and practical safety behaviour, it does not attempt to anticipate legal compliance requirements.  Similarly, following the WorkSafe Check systems alone may not achieve compliance with regional work safety laws.

A strength of the Pocket PC Creations WorkSafe Check approach is that users can readily modify the applications purchased from WorkSafe International to meet their specific requirements. WorkSafe International Pty Ltd supplies WorkSafe Check projects in good faith, but accepts no responsibility for safety outcomes either directly or indirectly because the applications can readily be changed in the workplace, beyond our control. This is a practical compromise.

Exciting wireless communications systems are now available for continuous connection between mobile computers and the office. WorkSafe International and CreativityCorp work together to bring the latest in mobile computing developments to businesses, and work safety and health service providers.

Please contact WorkSafe International if you would like to be advised of new developments in mobile computing for safety as they unfold.