Page 94 - Occupational Health & Safety, July 2017

EHS SOFTWARE
EHS software solutions can help companies stay organized and keep up with ever-changing regulations. For example, software solu- tions can streamline, standardize, and track processes essential to ISO 9001 compliance.
13 states with mandatory regulations for both injury and illness programs, or health and safety committee requirements, were effective in reducing injury and illness in- cidence rates. One of the many benefits of EHS software solutions is that they can help companies stay organized and keep up with ever-changing regulations. For ex- ample, software solutions can streamline, standardize, and track processes essential to ISO 9001 compliance. With reporting and alert features, the organization is held accountable and always audit-ready should an event occur.
While revamping your company’s workplace safety culture can boost cash flow, doing so without the help of EHS software can create more confusion than cohesion among employees. Employees must hear and see from management how significant a zero-incident culture is for them to be invested in it. By focusing re- sources on human capital, employees will be more productive with improved mo- rale, customers will benefit from increased response times, and the organization will bolster competitive standing while miti- gating risks.
When adopting EHS software solu- tions, utilize a platform that fulfills all orga- nizational needs and choose the right tech- nology partner that helps you go beyond ensuring regulatory compliance—giving you decision-ready intelligence to optimize performance and mitigate risks. By estab- lishing a sustainable, proactive safety cul- ture, any organization can realize the broad and proliferating impact on its bottom line.
As CTO of ProcessMAP (Sunrise, Fla., www.processmap.com), Jagan Garimella is responsible for setting the company’s tech- nology strategy and ensuring its execution to sustain ProcessMAP’s position as the provider of comprehensive EH&S software solutions. He has nearly 20 years of experi- ence in the Information Technology Services arena, developing IT strategies and systems and previously worked for Sapient, a global IT services company headquartered in Bos- ton. During his tenure at Sapient, he was involved in developing IT system for Gold- man Sachs, Merrill Lynch, DLJ, and Trans- america Insurance.
and safety program. Each injury prevented is estimated to save a company $37,000, and a fatality avoided puts nearly $1.4 mil- lion back in the financial coffers. This is a tremendous saving for any organization, especially one with hundreds of employees.
Safety as an Investment
Sometimes there is an archaic way of thinking across multiple industries, such as manufacturing, logistics management, and health care: that safety is just a line item, not an investment in the company. However, preventing injuries is only a piece of the savings puzzle when it comes to the benefits of a safety culture. Compa- nies also can reap indirect savings related to investing in safety. Specifically, accord- ing to the NSC, more than 60 percent of CFOs reported that each $1 invested in in- jury prevention returned $2 or more. The report also found that 40 percent of CEOs see increased productivity as the No. 1 asset gained from improving workplace safety. Fewer injuries mean not only lower costs, but also fewer distractions for work- ers on the job.
Furthermore, according to the ASSE, indirect costs from injuries, such as work- ers’ compensation, legal fees, and the inevi- table need to hire another employee, can be 20 times higher than direct expenses. The indirect costs of injuries on the job include:
■ Training new and old workers
■ Reduced employee morale
■ Fixing old equipment or buying a
replacement
■ Poor public relations and brand rep-
utation
■ The need to recoup lost productivity ■ Clerical administration for filing
form 300 and other paperwork
Costs like on-the-job training can av-
erage as much as $1,200 per employee, and employee turnover typically costs an organization $5,000 per turnover, accord- ing to the 2014 Training Industry Report. Publicly traded companies have an extra incentive to revamp their safety protocols
because investors are increasingly using workplace safety and health measures to screen out underperforming stocks. In- vestors typically see a higher return when incorporating this practice for identifying which stocks to buy into.
It’s important for top management to understand just how valuable safety prac- tices are for an organization. By viewing this “cost” as an investment in human capi- tal, companies can see a significant return.
Software as the Linchpin for Safety Success
Creating an effective EHS strategy can be daunting, but with the right solution and partner, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, not having a robust solution for employee safe- ty can be the one thing holding an organi- zation back from an improved bottom line. For example, when Alcoa’s former CEO, Paul O’Neill, began focusing on being a zero-harm company, sales grew an average of 15 percent per year.
When deploying a solution, it’s impor- tant to communicate with key stakehold- ers in the organization to understand the real pain points and what components of an EHS software solution are needed. Depending on the organization’s sector and types of on-the-job tasks, different forms, metrics, and dashboards will be required for supervisors and/or safety managers. A comprehensive EHS plat- form can also restructure once-manual safety procedures and contribute to the company’s digital transformation efforts. When an incident occurs, key safety in- formation can be easily inputted and re- ported to the right department heads in the organization.
What’s more, a solution that utilizes the cloud ensures that incident information is easily accessed and any issues are quickly addressed to prevent future employee inci- dents or injuries.
EHS software plays a critical role in maintaining a safety culture and compli- ance. NSC found that manufacturers in
90 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY 2017
www.ohsonline.com