Page 70 - OHS, October 2020

COVID-19 MANAGEMENT
Contemporary Issues in HSE Management
Post-COVID-19, HSE management will confront new challenges and will have new tools and opportunities.
BY GC SHAH
In an important sense, we are at the cusp of a major transformation in HSE management. Although COVID-19 has accelerated changes, many other variables were at work which were necessitating
changes in corporate and HSE management. Based on my experience and observation of industry leaders, the following are some of the key change agents:
■ Fiscal prudence
■ Digitization
■ Data analytics
■ Workforce management
■ Mergers and acquisitions
Fiscal Prudence
As we all know, COVID-19 has had a debilitating effect on worker health as well as on the economy on global scale. Many companies, even including industry leaders, have registered unprecedented loss of revenue. Experts suggest that economic recovery will likely be slow.
In this environment, HSE budgets have been severely curtailed. Primary concern for an HSE manager is three-fold: worker safety, regulatory compliance, and cost-effectiveness. Some of the
avenues a manager could consider are:
Prioritize expenditures based on risk. High risk
items need to be resolved quickly; while low risk items can be deferred. Low risk items would need to be monitored, however, until they can be addressed.
Align HSE objectives corporate goals. This is not to say HSE managers do not align with corporate goals. However, the intent here is that a HSE manager should critically examine expense issues and ask: “How would this expenditure help improve safety, health, and environmental compliance?”
Pair down without sacrificing safety. Get contractors to align with corporate goals of fiscal prudence without sacrificing the rigor of worker safety, health, and environment.
Use “incremental” approach in buying new items. Try to avoid “nice-to-have,” items or the items with visual appeal but little effect on safety, health, and environment.
In many cases, the above list of avenues may be easier-said-than-done. However, following a systematic thought process geared toward fiscal prudence will help ensure cost effectiveness in the long run.
66 Occupational Health & Safety | OCTOBER 2020
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