IT-assisted equipment safety checks system to improve compliance: A case study at a distribution center

• Workers operating motor vehicles perform a series of safety checks for forklifts and pallet jacks.
• The technology to record equipment safety checks was to place marks on a pre-printed paper form.
• This study implemented a computerized equipment check system to improve the safety check compliance.
• The computer system assigned work only after the equipment has passed all safety checks.
• Results showed improvement in compliance behavior, productivity and worker satisfaction.

It is a US regulatory requirement for workers to perform equipment checks such testing the horn, steering, brakes, etc. on motorized vehicles to ensure safety before using them. Such checks could reduce the yearly 20,000 injuries and 100 deaths due to motorized vehicle accidents. The objective was to develop a framework for a computerized equipment safety checks system to increase check compliance behavior of workers. The system leverages on the existing warehouse management system and its barcode readers. A case study was presented on the effectiveness of the system implemented in a distribution center. The research compared an eight-week baseline paper-based system with a five-week computerized system implemented in the same center. Results showed significant improvement in compliance behavior measured by the reduction of percentage of missing check forms from 2% to 0%. Video recordings, workers’ satisfaction interviews and survey data showed evidence of the effectiveness of the computerized system in providing immediate cognitive feedback on the correct behavior and preventing equipment use before completion of checks, thus leading to compliance. The workers found the system easy to use and ensured their safety. The framework can be replicated in other industrial settings to improve compliance and safety.