My mind is well and truly boggled. Is this forum seriously discussing a proposal which woul require all personnel to have a mobile phone immediately to hand preloaded with yet another time wasting "app"?
- You could consider it "on the spot" or "dynamic" risk assesment. If anything, it would save reduce wasted time having to track down the reporting structure. My current workplace has close to 500 employees. We have whatsapp groups for each facility to handle this very issue. It can be a headache sometimes, but it does get everyone involved and it did stop us from having 2 fires involving faulty diesel pumps (fire supression system).
In an environment where it is explicitly acknowledged there are going to be some "hazards".??? Maybe I need to give my head a wobble but my immediate response is simple. No mobile phone use on site except by supervisors in a serious or urgent dilemma. - There will always be hazards, this seems like a legitimate way to help identify the ones we/you might have missed. It's not all residual risks, some are unforseeable. Instance: scorpions and hard to identify snakes. I only mention these 2 as they were sent to me by workers. Poisonous bites/stings are not exactly what I would call acceptable levels of risk.
Most staff (and contractors) should have their phones turned off whilst at work to avoid distraction and preferably in a personal effects locker to avoid temptation. The idea of encouraging use of mobiles at work for the vast majority of occupational groups should surely be anathema! - Better yet, have their anckles chained to a post with a 10 m radius to stretch their legs. If we're talking assembly lines, biosecurity, etc sure, there's a reason for it. But please tell me this practice of "avoiding temptation" is not done on contracting works? How on earth is this not a lawsuit waiting to happen? People have personal lives and emergencies. They are also grown-ups, I would imagine.
As for 'hazard reporting"... I always told the guys (and our contractor to SOD it. See it (keep your eyes and ears and nose open. Stay alert and aware of your surroundings). - Because this approach has been so succesful over the years? I'm all for one on one, but it can't be the only option. We're all fallible, we forget, we make mistakes. If an app helps, I can't see why that would be such a horrible thing, correct me if I'm wrong. I thought we have moved past the "I told you to be careful" speech.
Own it (take responsibility, don't leave it for someone else, don't just whinge to your mates or to the foreman). Do something about it! Take personal action to remove or mitigate the problem get help if necessary (get workmates or the foreman/manager/director...) - Seeing how you already have a no phones policy, I'm sure you also have one for communication, including the level of responsibility for each employee. Most might be reluctant to take matters into their own hands. This "man-up" attitude has got to stop. People lose their lives due to excessive pressure and tough love (look at the suicide rates in the UK within the construction sector). How long until we start changing our mindsets? I'm 1.9m and 110 Kg and still, surprisingly, I experience emotions. If I report something to a foreman and he or anyone else calls it whingeing, I might react in the moment or repress it and stop caring. Both options, I think you would agree, are not what we're after.
See it through until you're happy. Then come to the weekly staff meets and boast about what you did to keep everyone safe.... - Oh wow...So not only should they make sure they stay in line, obedient and with their eyes on their work, but, should they dare raise an issue and help improve the practice, they can expect to be scoffed at during a meeting, belittled and humiliated in public. Are you still accepting applications?