In Spain, there were over 700,000 occupational accidents involving sick leave in 2023 according to Ministry of Labour data. It is not a lack of regulations or awareness: it is a problem of reactive tools that act after the incident, not before.
A well-implemented occupational health and safety app changes that equation. In this article, we explain exactly what it is, which features are essential, and what separates a document management tool from a platform that truly prevents accidents.
What is an occupational health and safety app?
A well-implemented occupational health and safety app is a digital solution that helps companies manage, monitor, and reduce risks to worker health and safety. It can run on mobile devices, tablets, or as a web platform, covering everything from risk assessment documentation to real-time hazard detection.
The Ley 31/1995 on Occupational Risk Prevention requires companies to identify, evaluate, and control workplace risks. Digital tools are now the most efficient way to meet that obligation and, above all, go beyond formal compliance.
There are two generations of these tools with very different approaches:
Document management apps: digitize administrative OHS processes — risk assessments, emergency plans, training records, accident reports. They are useful for regulatory compliance, but do not actively prevent accidents.
Active prevention platforms with AI: use computer vision and real-time analytics to detect risky behaviors, improperly worn PPE, or hazardous situations before an incident occurs. This is the new industry standard.
Key features every OHS app must have
Not all tools are created equal. Here are the features that make the difference between an app that simply checks the box and one that measurably reduces accidents:
Digitized risk assessment and management: identification, recording, and tracking of risks by role, area, or task, with a traceable and auditable history.
Incident reporting and investigation: digital accident reporting, root-cause analysis, and tracking of corrective actions through to completion.
PPE management: tracking issuance, expiration, and verifying proper usage of personal protective equipment per worker.
Training and certifications: logging completed training, expiration dates, and automated renewal alerts.
Proactive real-time detection: continuous monitoring using cameras and AI to detect risk situations before an accident happens.
Automated alerts and notifications: immediate notifications to safety managers when a risk situation is detected, requiring no manual review.
Reports and analytics: incident dashboards, trends, and safety KPIs for data-driven decision-making.
The qualitative leap: from document management to active prevention
Most industrial companies already have some form of OHS document management system. The problem is that these systems do not prevent accidents: they only record them.
The new generation of platforms uses computer vision to analyze what happens on the shop floor in real time. Existing cameras become smart sensors that detect, for example, a worker without a helmet in a mandatory area, a person in a restricted zone, or a vehicle encroaching on a pedestrian area — and generate an alert before the incident occurs.
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has for years highlighted digitization and AI as key levers to reduce workplace accidents in Europe. Proactive AI-driven prevention is no longer an innovation: it is the new standard.
How an AI-driven OHS app reduces accidents in practice
The impact occurs across four levels:
Early detection: AI identifies risks the moment they occur. A worker entering a hazard zone without PPE is detected in seconds, sending an immediate alert to the manager.
Elimination of blind spots: supervisors cannot be everywhere in the plant at once. An automated system can. Total 24/7 coverage.
Sustained improvement of safety culture: when workers know that unsafe behaviors are systematically detected, adherence to safety protocols improves sustainably.
Data for continuous improvement: every incident is logged with visual and temporal context, allowing teams to identify patterns and redesign processes based on real evidence.
Checklist: what to evaluate before choosing your OHS app
Before committing to a platform, run it through this filter. If any answer is unclear, that is a red flag:
Does it integrate with the cameras you already have installed in your plant?
Does it operate in real time or only generate retrospective reports?
Does it send automated alerts or require constant manual review?
Does it feature separate dashboards for management and OHS technicians?
Does it comply with data protection regulations (GDPR)?
What technical support is provided during implementation?
Can you see measurable results within the first 90 days?
Safe: active prevention for industrial environments
Safe is Siali's computer vision platform designed to transform your existing cameras into an active prevention system. Detects risk situations in real time, generates immediate alerts, and provides the analytics needed to justify every safety decision to management.
No civil works, no infrastructure changes required. Just connect, configure, and start preventing.
👉 Try Safe commitment-free and see active prevention in action in your own plant