One World Trade Center's Connected Safety Program
Tackling Scale and Risk with Brady Safety Services
Standing as the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, One World Trade Center and its operations are a feat of precision and planning. With that size and scale come operations sizable operations challenges as well, including lockout tagout. With 3.1 million square feet, 70 floors and 168 air handling units, the building's maintenance team faced the challenge of ensuring every single unit's lockout tagout (LOTO) procedure was accurate, accessible and up-to-date.
The Durst Organization, the company that manages the building, knew they needed a solution that was accurate, efficient and, most importantly, connected. They turned to Brady in 2019 for a two-fold solution: the Brady Safety Services team for their expertise in procedure writing and LINK360® Safety Software for procedure management and sustainability.
This success story isn't unique to One World Trade Center. It highlights connected safety programs as the way forward for safer, compliant and more efficient operations.
Disconnected Safety Programs Put Everyone at a Disadvantage
A disconnected safety program relies on decentralized systems shared across different departments and facilities.
Documentation can be handwritten. These manual methods are slow and introduce significant risk. A single missed update or an outdated procedure that hasn't been physically replaced can expose workers to hazardous energy. It's a system without a single source of truth, making it nearly impossible to confirm that every procedure is accurate and accessible when it's needed most.
Compliance and Safety Risks Increase
According to OSHA, compliance with the OSHA LOTO standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year. With a disconnected program, it can be difficult to ensure every piece of equipment is compliant across a large facility, especially with multiple locations. Auditing becomes a major time drain, forcing safety professionals to travel distances just to validate paperwork. Without a single, centralized source of truth, it’s impossible to confirm that all procedures are up-to-date and consistently followed. And when incidents do happen, workers lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation.
Inefficiency is unavoidable
Lost or wasted time are hidden costs. Safety managers can spend hours manually updating procedures, getting signatures or inputting data into a spreadsheet. When a machine is modified, a disconnected safety program requires a safety professional to physically return to an office, print out a new procedure and then return to the jobsite. They also need to ensure changes are tracked and reflected in any other affected systems or related documents. It’s an inefficient process that takes valuable time away from other, more mission-critical tasks.
They're costly
A single safety incident can lead to thousands of dollars in fines, legal fees and medical costs. OSHA penalties add up fast — a single serious OSHA violation can cost up to $16,550, while a willful or repeated violation can cost up to $165,514. The long-term financial consequences of an incident are far greater than the upfront costs of implementing a modern, connected solution.The Advantages of a Connected Safety Program
Now, consider a software solution for a connected safety program like LINK360 at One World Trade Center. It offers a single source of truth for every procedure, centralizing the storage of safety documents and automatically tracking audit and change history. A cloud-based platform like it gives a complete view of the activities associated with creating, reviewing and updating visual procedures across multiple sites.
Compliance is trackable and documented
Connected systems provide real-time visibility into the status of procedures. Auditing and record-keeping are streamlined, with all documentation stored securely in one place. Compliance can be more easily verified versus a manual system. Plus, visual lockout procedure templates in LINK360 ensure compliance with OSHA's seven compliance requirements as well as widely accepted best practices.
Accessibility helps streamline productivity
One study showed that 83% of senior management and operations personnel at manufacturing facilities observed an increase in productivity over time due to the implementation of safety programs. With LINK360, workers can access procedures from a mobile device right at the point of need. They can even add images or notes directly from their device to suggest a modification, eliminating the need for a back-and-forth trip to the office. This streamlined workflow saves time, reduces frustration and allows teams to focus on the work, not paperwork.
Accuracy Leads to Reduced Risk
Companies with effective safety and health management systems have been shown to reduce injury and illness costs by 20% to 40%. By ensuring that every procedure is up to date and accessible, a connected program reduces the risk of human error. This proactive approach to safety can help decrease incidents, protect workers and prevent the financial fallout that comes with safety violations.How the Durst Organization Saw Results with LINK360
By implementing a connected safety program using LINK360, the Durst Organization was able to create visual lockout procedures that were readily available to every maintenance worker on a mobile device. This meant that no matter where a worker was — on any of the 70 floors — they could instantly access the correct procedure, view detailed images and complete their work efficiently.
The results were immediate. The team saw improved maintenance efficiency as well as a reduction in worker incidents and compensation claims. The connected approach to safety helped them set a sustainable standard for safety management that continues to this day.
A Connected Program Starts with LINK360 Safety Software
Implementing a connected safety program is an essential strategy for any organization serious about protecting its people and its bottom line. And it's an investment that's worth making. One study showed that every dollar invested in a safety program can return as much as $4.
LINK360 is the the leading software solution for managing lockout tagout and confined space programs. The cloud-based platform is a trusted, centralized hub for creating, updating and auditing procedures.
Plus, with the user-friendly mobile apps, teams can:
- Access the correct procedures at the point of work
- Add images
- Verify steps are completed
- Create reports
- And more
Contact a Brady Safety Expert
Ready to see how LINK360 can help you achieve the same level of safety and efficiency as the Durst Organization and One World Trade Center?Get LINK360