Prevention service system

General Description

The project preventative service system (PSS) provides expert knowledge regarding the implementation of OSH to SMEs through the set-up of an information and consultation network - guided by a global safety and health culture. Such a network can be accessed by anyone who needs advise on OSH problems. It gathers general information, knowledge about specific national issues, good practices and lessons learned.

With a view of implementing OSH measures beyond the supply chain, all general and sector-specific recommendations of the enterprise visits are being collected and made available in a new prevention database.

This database is the heart of a prevention system. This system would be accessed by anyone who needs advice on occupational safety and health, including small and medium sized enterprises.

The Overall Project Steering Committee has initiated a pilot phase of the Prevention Service System in South Africa in cooperation with the South African Department of Labour in the second half of 2006. The concept for the Prevention Service System is based on KomNet, a consulting system from North Rhine-Westphalia, composed of front desks and back office knowledge management functions.

The Methodology

An initial inventory of major web-based information and communication systems providing support and advice on OSH was compiled. In spite of the different approaches used the comparison reveals some main features that are common to all web-based service systems: toll-free accessibility, use of different interfaces or channels, provision of individual answers, search facilities in databases and anonymous interaction.

For a systematic inventory of the policy, infrastructure and resources available for building up a PSS using Internet technology a questionnaire was developed and distributed and consultations with relevant stakeholders took place. The recommendations for building up a PSS were based on the situation analysis, the consultations with stakeholders and the profile on the users' needs that was developed by the Focus Group of Labour Inspectors.

The Concept in Practice

As an end result, any worker or employer can address the helpdesk by phone, fax or internet. The helpdesk officer will take note of the question; transfer it to a pool of experts (invisible for the user). The expert will then provide an answer to the question. All questions and answers will be collected in the database. In further steps these answers will be made available for everyone.