Safety starts with information

Dear Readers!

The phrase “He who controls information controls the world” is attributed to the banker Nathan Rothschild, who made his fortune by being the first to learn of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815 through a network of carrier pigeons and agents. This saying emphasizes that timely and accurate information is the primary strategic resource for decision-making and achieving success.

In the modern occupational safety system, information is no longer viewed as a secondary element. Today, it is valued on par with money and time. It has become the foundation of risk management. Without reliable information, neither effective decisions nor real prevention of workplace injuries are possible.

Information support in occupational safety is not merely about collection and transmission of data. It is a systematic process of obtaining, processing, analyzing, and using information to prevent hazards and minimize risks. This approach reflects a shift from formal reporting to knowledge-based management. Most accidents are caused not by an action, but because of a lack of information. It is important to realize that information is not what is written, but what influences decisions, particularly in the split second before an event occurs. An effective information system helps people identify hazards, understand risks, and act correctly and safely. The key question is not simply whether a danger exists, but whether we recognize it before it materializes — in other words, whether we possess the necessary information in time.

Ukrainian legislation clearly establishes the importance of information in occupational safety. Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine “On Occupational Safety and Health” guarantees employees the right to proper, safe, and healthy working conditions and to accurate information about hazardous and harmful factors present in the workplace; Article 13 obliges employers to ensure the functioning of an occupational safety management system, which includes, among other things, informing employees about risks and safety measures; Article 18 regulates the conduct of training, briefings, and knowledge assessments, which are key methods for communicating safety information to employees; Article 29 of the Labor Code of Ukraine further requires the employer to inform the employee, prior to the start of work, about working conditions, the presence of hazardous and harmful factors, and the possible consequences of their impact.

Thus, providing information is a legally defined obligation, failure to fulfill this obligation creates both operational and legal risks.

In today’s environment, the scope of this obligation is expanding significantly. This goes beyond mere instruction or signing off on acknowledgments; it involves creating an effective information system that include: regulatory and legal acts; internal documentation and procedures; results of inspections, audits, and investigations; data on the monitoring of production processes; and feedback from employees. If information is complex, scattered, or outdated, it does not help but creates risks. The managers who succeed are those whose information is structured, accessible, understandable, and available exactly when decisions need to be made.

Corporate knowledge bases and digital solutions are becoming particularly important, as they enable the collection and analysis of information to generate practical recommendations for risk management. There should be a single point of access instead of chaos—a corporate portal, an internal website, or cloud storage; simple structuring—for example, not by documents but by roles: for employees, for managers, for occupational safety specialists. Unorganized information is a hidden risk.

Today, artificial intelligence has rapidly entered our lives, opening up new possibilities: from predicting hazardous situations to analyzing behavioral factors. At the same time, the use of AI requires caution—due to dependence on data quality, the risk of inaccurate conclusions, and the need to maintain human accountability. AI amplifies either human intelligence or human errors.

A robust information management system is a combination of legal requirements, modern technologies, and management culture. It ensures not only compliance with regulations but also a real reduction in risks.

Today, workplace safety is not just about rules. It is about information that directly influences employee behavior and management decisions. The well-known saying remains highly relevant: informed means armed.