Software is changing the way EH&S is conducted, improving ease of compliance, and making it more data-driven and user-friendly.

Creating and maintaining a healthy and safe work environment is an essential part of doing business. Thanks to more powerful software tools this has become easier than ever before—a win for businesses and employees alike. For example, in the past, any incidents that might arise would likely be met with stacks of paperwork that would take a significant amount of time to process. In this new era of EH&S, the same incident might be reported on software like SafetyStratus’ Incident Management Module, analyzed alongside all other existing data, and end up preventing further similar incidents. The ability to quickly record and analyze critical safety information provides new ways of ensuring workplace safety.

What is EH&S management software?

Environmental, health, and safety management is a term that encompasses the measures and processes taken by a company to ensure a safe work environment. In keeping with OSHA’s recommended practices for safety and health programs, an effective plan includes practices that aid in preventing workplace injuries and illness, help with legal and regulatory compliance measures, lower the cost of worker’s compensation premiums, address social responsibility goals of the company, improve business operations, and keeps workers engaged.[i]

EH&S management software allows businesses to streamline these systems by enabling easier data collection, powerful analysis of the information, and the prescription of consistent follow-up actions. When fully integrated into a company’s safety program, EH&S management software can lead to better immediate outcomes and fewer mistakes in the future by highlighting pertinent data to inform procedures.

How does EH&S management software benefit organizations?

Maintaining a healthy and safe work environment is an important part of any company’s risk management plan. Continually improving upon EH&S processes can lower this risk even further. Technology that can be integrated seamlessly between processes and allow employees easier access to information will be of particular importance as this burgeoning space continues to adapt to advances in workplace safety. A few of the most prominent ways that EH&S software makes a difference are:

• Streamlined Reporting – once an incident occurs, data can be reported through a mobile device and immediately uploaded into the system. All necessary checks can be thoroughly completed using this standardized process.
• Uniform Compliance – when you simplify the process of reporting incidents, you increase the probability of accuracy and company-wide participation, making it easier to provide the relevant information to regulatory authorities.
• Integrated Systems – monitoring controls, gathering pertinent data, and administering prescriptive actions can all be handled and communicated from one central source. Having access to these systems all in one place and on a mobile device can help EH&S professionals make quicker and more knowledgeable decisions.

Protecting the welfare and safety of employees is not only the right thing to do, but it makes tremendous sense. Injuries and unsafe work environments can negatively impact company efficiency and, in turn, have an impact on the bottom line. While every incident cannot be prevented, EH&S management software helps make it easier to stay on top of the practices that provide safeguards against injury or illness.

[1] Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs. (n.d.). United States Department of Labor. Retrieved May 22, 2022, from https://www.osha.gov/safety-management

Author Bio

The SafetyStratus Research Advisory Group (RAG) brings together thought leaders from the global environmental, health, and safety community to promote best practices and provide key insights in the profession and the industries they serve. The Research Advisory Group also advocates, where practical, the intersection of and advances with the use of technology, such as the SafetyStratus enterprise EHS software platform. Group membership consists of representatives from across varied disciplines and market sectors as well as select members of the SafetyStratus team.
The primary objectives of the SafetyStratus RAG partnership are to:

• Build a strategic partnership between EHS practitioners and the SafetyStratus team.
• Provide engaging and practical content to the global EHS community.
• Provide discipline and market feedback specific to SafetyStratus products and services.

While the objectives of the RAG are varied, the primary public-facing outcome will be available through engaging and practical content found on the SafetyStratus resource pages. Various articles, papers, and other valuable resources will be produced and shared as part of an ongoing effort to cultivate a robust community. Ultimately, the SafetyStratus RAG will expand to have a broader reach and provide opportunities for more inclusion by all interested EHS professionals in a collaborative community environment.