The Department of the Navy (DON) will no longer use the Web Enabled Safety System (WESS) to report safety mishaps when the Naval Safety Center (NAVSAFECEN) sundowns the system Aug. 28. Risk Management Information (RMI) Streamlined Incident Reporting (SIR) will become the official reporting system, slated to launch Aug. 31.
NAVSAFECEN is currently following a comprehensive plan to move data from WESS to RMI. All closed investigations will migrate, and efforts are underway to ensure active investigations are migrated from WESS for users to complete in RMI SIR.
Other than alerting users to close out all open reports in WESS before the RMI SIR deployment, WESS users will not experience any business process changes in how they enter safety data and incident reports into WESS. Active WESS accounts will migrate to RMI. Inactive WESS users should plan accordingly by establishing an RMI account.
A web-based system only accessible via Common Access Card (CAC), RMI SIR is a government off the shelf (GOTS) software solution that enables the capture, analysis and reporting of critical safety issues, mitigations and actions. The RMI site, built for the Navy and Marine Corps, expands and adds new capabilities onto the already proven Air Force Safety Automated System (AFSAS). The DON completed testing on a portion of RMI in 2019, the Dive Jump Reporting System (DJRS).
WESS is the first of five safety reporting systems that RMI will replace or consolidate. The other four systems are Enterprise Safety Application Management System (ESAMS), ESAMS’ Injury/Illness Tracker (INJTRACK), Medical, Mishap and Compensation (MMAC) and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard’s Occupational Accident and Injury Report Systems (POAIRS).
Replacing WESS and other legacy systems with RMI enables the DON enterprise to overcome several safety challenges that directly impact force readiness.
Currently, the enterprise cannot fully assess its effectiveness in reducing injuries and incidents, and neither can it fully determine with complete accuracy the total cost and impact of safety-related incidents. Inconsistent and duplicate reporting of mishaps and hazards has occurred – data inputters manually enter reports and observations numerous times, while many mishaps often go unreported. Lack of connectivity between training personnel, scheduling and safety systems inhibits safety and risk data collection. Finally, WESS has aging software and hardware.
In contrast, the RMI reporting and data collection system provides a single point of entry for Navy and Marine Corps safety professionals. It allows the DON enterprise to make data-driven, risk-based decisions across the enterprise, according to NAVSAFECEN Commander, Rear Adm. “Lucky” Luchtman.
“We have never had full visibility before in one system,” Luchtman said. “As your safety advocate, NAVSAFECEN has a mandate to preserve combat readiness and save lives. The RMI tool will significantly help us manage safety.”
Besides providing a single point of entry, users will find easier and quicker data input and a reduced chance for errors. The RMI SIR capability will capture all required safety data for consolidation, management and compliance with higher directives. Users with full permissions will also be able to conduct enterprise-wide ad hoc queries and analysis of safety data.
In preparation for the Aug. 31 launch, NAVSAFECEN has provided virtual SIR familiarization since May that will continue through Aug. 27. Instructional training will include account access, accounts management, entering mishaps and recommendations, memorandum of final evaluation (MOFE) endorsements, basic analytics and running reports.
The eight-hour live sessions scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will start promptly within each respective time zone (sessions will be recorded for later viewing). All safety professionals, safety specialists and collateral duty safety officers are strongly encouraged to attend. To view the schedule, visit https://go.usa.gov/xfPDJ.
To access the simulation site where fictitious data is used for training purposes only, navigate to https://sim.afsas.af.mil. To access the production site where live data is processed on the effective date of Aug. 31, navigate to https://afsas.safety.af.mil. The production and simulated sites are not linked and operate independently.