How conversational artificial intelligence is ensuring compliance with OHS regulations
OHS incidents and breaches are a critical issue for any company. When workplace safety is compromised, workers are at a higher risk of injury, operations often contend with delays and reduced productivity, while company profitability bears the financial cost.
Of course, robust compliance framework and OHS regulations are in place to protect safety and minimise risk, but ensuring OHS compliance at every level of an operation comes with its own set of challenges.
Artificial intelligence promises to overcome these challenges using the power and simplicity of voice.
Voice AI and workplace safety
Voice AI empowers teams to action compliance processes without the need for manual input.
Traditional comms methods such as handwriting or typing are replaced by spoken voice commands. With just a few words, workers can create hazard / incident reports, messages, emails, completed forms, diary entries, risk assessments and more.
Contact Harald Chief Operations Officer, Kate Pullinger says voice-first AI systems like Ask Harry offer a simple and reliable way of communicating critical information.
“Voice AI utilises natural language and has the ability to interpret words, decode their true context and intent, and then take the necessary action required,” Kate said.
“The intuitive and responsive nature of voice AI means entire tasks can be completed faster, more accurately and compliantly than ever before. This is a win-win for workplace safety and compliance,” she said.
Compliance – easy and accessible for all
Teams in big operations are often diverse with different backgrounds, languages spoken, accents and abilities. Miscommunication is a common and costly issue that can lead to errors, oversights and in some cases, compliance breaches and site incidents.
Voice AI has the ability to connect with workers in multiple languages and translate when required. It also understands accents, slang and industry jargon meaning no matter workers and teams communicate the requirements, the information will be transcribed and processed in a clear and compliant way.
Removing human error
In busy, more rugged work environments, rushed reports scribbled on paper, covered with fingerprints and site dust have long been the norm. Even with the emergence of the tablet and the ability to type on-the-go, internal documentation and correspondence is often not up to a compliant standard.
Voice AI enables teams to complete their requirements from any environment with just their natural voice. AI systems such as Ask Harry then transcribe, lodge, share and submit these voice comms in a clear and compliant manner – making language and literacy barriers in OHS a thing of the past.
Connecting teams to critical information in real time
Another core function of voice AI is connecting teams to critical workplace health and safety information or internal documentation. Voice technology allows workers to ask questions, retrieve documents and fill in data blanks instantly.
“When it comes to compliance, time is crucial and voice systems such as Ask Harry provide a direct line to every bit of information needed to follow due processes and regulations,” Kate said.
Early risk detection
AI works autonomously 24/7 to monitor workplace activities and environment. This alleviates pressure from busy teams and allows the quick and automatic detection of anomalies, unsafe conditions, or deviations from safety protocols. This keeps operations one step ahead of risk and enables immediate intervention around any issues that may arise.
Voice AI also operates as an early detector. Its ability to learn as it goes, to identify patterns in risk means safety officers and workers get a heads up for potential hazards. This keeps operations one step ahead of compliance.
Compliance cost without AI – too high to ignore
The incentives for companies to integrate compliance-focussed AI voice systems and practices are too high to ignore.
“Besides the fact that compliance breaches cost businesses millions of dollars each and every year, AI is likely to be core in creating a new standard of workplace health and safety in the future,” Kate said.
“As higher levels of technology become available, standards rise and it’s only those who adopt AI early that will transition smoothly and compliantly into the next generation of workplace health and safety,” she said.
