A leading innovator in the technology space, Gallagher has launched the United Kingdom’s first voice-operated risk assessment tool for businesses in partnership with a Perth-built tool.
The RiskTalk app aims to simplify the process of conducting risk assessments, allowing users to speak directly into their phone or tablet, dissolving the need for extensive paperwork and manual data entry.
The average UK-based business expends 36 days in a year conducting health and safety assessments, a statistic that Gallagher intends to reduce significantly with RiskTalk.
The app hopes to revolutionise the workplace risk assessment process, reducing costs and time commitments for UK firms and protecting the health, safety and welfare of all employees and visitors.
Streamlining risk assessment procedures
Despite their vital nature as a safety tool, an alarming half of businesses in the UK admit to having concerns their safety checks are not being completed thoroughly enough. Disconcertingly, a further two third of businesses describe the current manual risk assessment procedure as complicated, causing unease that their business is improperly equipped if an incident does occur.
Providing a fast and efficient alternative, the RiskTalk platform hopes to put minds at ease by increasing the reliability of risk reporting.
“We’re delighted to be bringing this innovative risk assessment tool to UK businesses,” said Gallagher’s Managing Director of Risk Management, Neil Hodgson.
The app guides users through a set of pre-formulated questions, which are answered by speaking directly into the device and uploading photographs, and will assist businesses in the steps to identifying and controlling hazards in the workplace.
It is easy to use, makes the process of undertaking risk assessments quicker and more reliable, and businesses will benefit from increased peace of mind that in the event of an incident they are more likely to have a robust defence.
Neil Hodgson,Gallagher Managing Director of Risk Assessment
The platform is built to operate offline, expanding its capabilities to businesses without reliable access to network coverage. Managers can also receive and sign off on complete risk assessments with ease using a voice-activated feature, with each assessment sent immediately to a cloud storage system.
In-built speech recognition technology enables users to convert assessments into a report format, with PDF file capabilities to create a hard copy if required. With over 220 languages recognised, the app has the potential for global implementation in the future.
Protecting against workplace incidents
Research commissioned by Gallagher in early February collected data from 200 UK firms, identifying costs and time commitments as the most significant barriers to conducting thorough risk assessments.
One in two businesses held concerns that current risk assessment procedures were not comprehensive enough to fully protect all persons in the workplace, leaving the business vulnerable to legal action, insurance claims and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforcement action.
“This is particularly important when you take into account that half of UK firms are unsure whether they are completing the risk assessment process correctly. Evidence of risk assessments carried out and the steps taken to mitigate any identified risks can be crucial in the defence of an insurance claim for personal injury or illness, or intervention by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or other regulatory authority,” explained Mr Hodgson.
45% of businesses involved also indicated cost factors as a frustration, claiming risk assessments cost their business an average of £1,500 per year. These expenses are likely derived from wages paid to employees and contractors who take the time to conduct assessments.
Adding further pressure for firms, failure to complete risk assessments thoroughly may only compound the costs shelled out, particularly in the event that an incident does occur on the premises.
“Penalties can be significant – with over £250 million worth of fines paid by businesses across all industries to the HSE over the last five years for non-compliance with regulations, with the average fine costing £135,000,” Mr Hodgson concluded.
