Audit trails play a core role in a wide range of workplace safety contexts, for two key reasons. First, they increase accountability, which tends to have a positive impact on incident reduction.
Second, they also provide insights into issues that are common enough to result in clear trends, which, when analysed, can allow business owners to implement system changes to reduce those safety issues.
Below, we explore some practical pointers to increase workplace safety with complete audit trails, from the importance of zero-trust architecture to carrying out regular reviews.
Zero-trust architecture
One of the simplest and most effective ways of ensuring that audit trails always work as intended is by integrating them into an overarching zero-trust architecture.
After all, audit trails only function properly if they can be verifiably linked to specific individuals. If people can cut corners, such as by using non-personalised passwords or not bothering to log into their own accounts, then the audit trail can show what has been done, but not by who.
Integration with physical systems
Audit trails are quite easy to implement with digital systems, but it’s equally important that you integrate them with your digital systems as well.
For example, if you need to take care of a number of physical keys, then you will need to implement a key management solution that also facilitates access log creation.
Solutions such as asset management lockers from providers like Traka facilitate this interface between physical and digital systems, allowing for reliable audit trail creation.
Regular reviews
With audit trails, you want to make sure that you regularly review both the data contained in these trails, and the efficacy of your audit trail system itself.
It’s very possible that you will need to tweak and change the system slightly, or fix problems that emerge, and the only way that you’ll discover these necessary changes is through review processes.
Implement them at regular intervals, in addition to having automated warning systems that can detect when some critical part of the system fails.
Engage your employees
Lastly, the design and implementation of these systems should be directed at least in part by the people who regularly use them. Make sure that you directly engage your employees, asking them for insights into their daily working processes and how these kinds of systems can most effectively and efficiently be integrated into their workflows.
Frustrating, inefficient systems will only frustrate your employees, and make it increasingly likely that they try to identify shortcuts and workarounds. Engaging them in a consultation process from the very beginning will reduce friction and likely result in a more effective approach overall.
Audit trails fulfil a core safety and regulatory function, and it’s important that you identify the right system for your business’s needs. By integrating your physical and digital safety systems, regularly reviewing their efficacy and involving the people who will actually be using these systems, you should be able to implement a set of solutions that positively impact workplace safety.