The Role of Knowledge Management for Industrial Safety Compliance

Abstract

The paper investigates the role of knowledge management in safety compliance in the industrial sector. The article reveals that problems with safety compliance have a negative impact on the enterprises’ activity. It is emphasized that knowledge management, which has recently become a novel tendency in business, has a strong influence on the managerial activities of the enterprise. Different approaches to defining the concept of knowledge management are identified. The creation of knowledge management was supported by many political, social, economic, and technological factors, including a broader spread of information technologies systems in companies, communication opportunities in computer networks, the segmentation and specialization of skills, the mobility of the workforce, and intellectual assets as well as competitive problems in the business environment. The article represents and analyzes the most common and popular definitions of this concept. Safety compliance has a positive impact on the economic and non-economic activities of the enterprise. A systemic management approach to workplace safety and health in industries has been implemented for many years already. It was figured out that there is close relations between knowledge management and safety compliance. To be more specific the problems with safety compliance have a negative impact on the enterprises’ activity, so safety compliance should become the priority of the enterprises’ management. The article demonstrates what actions are needed for safety compliance applications and how they are connected with knowledge management steps. It was revealed that the positive impact of security measures (renewable employment, stable development of the enterprise, better ecological performance) are connected with enhanced financial and non-financial results of the enterprises’ activity and, as a result, with knowledge management. Keywords: knowledge management, safety compliance, sustainable development, safety, knowledge application, industry, safety training.