CN enhances safety culture, performance with employee reporting app

By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor 

A little over a year since CN finished rolling out a mobile application that enables employees to report potentially dangerous actions or near-miss incidents they witness, the railroad’s leaders are encouraged by the app’s positive impact on safety. 

The Class I implemented the app — called Enablon Go — throughout its network between November 2022 and April 2023. Employees can access Enablon Go on any mobile device at any work site to voluntarily, anonymously and quickly report near-miss incidents or actions/behaviors they believe pose a safety risk.  

They can upload a photo, video and audio files to augment a report, which captures GPS coordinates and logs all information in real time. Managers of all crafts in an area are notified when a report is issued. 

Enablon Go prompts supervisors to take action when something troubling arises to help prevent injuries or accidents, CN officials say. Escalation processes are in place to ensure identified issues are resolved quickly and the person who reported a near miss or hazard receives feedback on corrective actions. 

Enablon Go provides visibility across the network and results in solutions that can be implemented systemwide, CN officials say. In addition, employees are empowered to look out for each other in the workplace. 

Accessible on any mobile device, Enablon Go captures and processes a report in real time, including GPS coordinates and any uploaded photos, videos or audio files. CN

The app’s goal is to improve employee safety by creating a safer working environment, enhancing compliance with regulatory standards and generating more impactful safety solutions using systemic data, said Ashley Michnowski, CN’s senior manager of media relations, in an email. 

“Employees who have used the app find that it takes only two minutes to report an issue, and they see it addressed rapidly,” she said. “CN employees are encouraged to use the app to improve safety for them and their coworkers, and we are happy with the safety improvements we are seeing as a result.” 

CN used Wolters Kluwer’s Enablon platform as the base for the Enablon Go app.  

“We customized the app to respond to our needs, and we configured it so that it is simple for our employees to report hazards and near misses, and ensure they can report such incidents anonymously,” said Michnowski. 

As proof that a culture of collaboration and trust is evolving at the railroad, many employees are opting not to issue reports anonymously even though they have that option, CN officials say. 

“Only 20% to 25% choose to do so, which is a good indication of the positive impact our safety culture is having on our teams,” said Michnowski. “Our team of professionals want to be a part of the solution.” 

Employees issued about 1,700 reports in 2023. Through April, they had input more than 600 reports in 2024, so reporting continues at a good pace.  

“We are very encouraged by that,” said Michnowski. 

Enablon Go continues to help the company identify and adopt best safety practices. For example, when the app was launched, it was more difficult for unionized engineering employees — who don’t have company-provided mobile devices — to issue a report. They needed to report something to a supervisor, who then entered the information in the app.

Although they have the option to do so anonymously, some workers file a report on Enablon Go using their name. That shows a culture of collaboration and trust is evolving, CN officials believe. CN

“We recently changed this because we felt it removed the anonymity and may discourage reporting,” said Michnowski. “Unionized engineering employees now have accounts and can access the Enablon Go app from a computer in a rail terminal or on their personal devices. This is to ensure they feel comfortable reporting if they feel the need to do so anonymously.” 

CN’s efforts to develop, implement and promote the app netted a Safey and Environment Award from the Railway Association of Canada last year. The awards recognize excellence and innovation in those areas, and commitments to safer and cleaner communities. 

The safety-enhancing results garnered thus far from the app has made both management and field workers big believers in Enablon Go, CN officials say. Plus, the company’s constant promotion of the app is paying off. 

“Our employees are encouraged to use the app to improve safety for them and their coworkers, and we are happy with the safety improvements we are seeing as a result,” said Michnowski.