The study and discipline of EHS focuses on design, formulation, and implementation of standards that will help exercise environmental protection and safety in any workplace. To put it simply, the goal of any EHS standards is to ensure that any work related activities are carried out without causing harm to anyone including the employees themselves. Labor sectors of different countries have participated in pressuring their governments for an EHS-centered legislation to protect every worker’s life especially of those whose nature of job is more exposed to hazards and risks.
More often than not, large companies task a specific group to work on the promotion and implementation of EHS which stands for “Environmental, Health, and Safety”. One of the objectives of EHS is to ensure that every company is taking enough care of its employees so that they are continuously motivated to work on a longer term. On a legal standpoint, EHS is created to make sure that the safeguarding policies imposed by the government are not violated but are rather diligently followed by every company without hindering their business’s outlook
EHS Management can be a challenge. Depending on the company’s size, manual EHS management may require creating and maintaining piles of documents that contain employee data and statistics necessary for measuring the company’s EHS compliance. With this and the legal framework every company has to conform to, EHS compliance may mean loads of extra work have to be done; loads a small group can hardly handle.
What is EHS Software?
Considering the importance of safety for both customers and employees in doing business, for an easier EHS management, EHS Software was founded. EHS Software is a type of program designed with a focus of simplifying EHS for businesses and ultimately cutting down EHS management cost. It basically includes facilities that allow an easy recording of incidents, reports, and other information relevant to EHS metrics. Depending on the advancement of the EHS software, it can also feature automated risk analysis, forecast, and other reports that can support the company’s decision making.
Selecting the Best EHS Software
With the advancement in technology that facilitates continuous innovation, a lot of EHS Software are flooding the market of today. More often than not, you will be left with enough, if not many, options to choose from and they may vary depending on features and price points; more advanced systems tend to be relatively pricier. To make sure you get the best value of the company’s money when selecting an EHS software, here are some factors to consider:
1. Software Usability
Like in other software, every EHS software will often require days to weeks-long learnability. While all of them have the same basic functions and features, one of the important factors that should differentiate each of them is the required learning curve. Any EHS software can be learned in a few weeks’ time on an average. However, those with more advanced features are user-picky, i.e. the younger ones tend to adapt these features easier and quicker as it is them who are so up for new applications and innovations. Not only that, if you are planning to choose these high-end versions, the complexity of the features they offer will most likely require employee/user training which may mean additional expense for your business to bear.
Your company’s business requirements can also affect the users’ learning curve however usable the EHS software may seem. Hence, for instance, if your company is a power utility company which has more than half of employees working on the field, then it is best to go for an EHS software that features location tracking and on site reporting in case of accidents and emergency situations. There are a lot of software advancements you may be offered with but the catch is, you should know which of these advancements and features can be of use to your company.
2. Software Functionality
Most EHS software offer the same functionalities and features and the only way you can get an EHS software that is perfectly appropriate for your business is to have your own team of 3 to 5 software developers maybe. That means 3 to 5 more salaries to pay. In that sense, affordability may be questioned. Hence, it is no wonder that many companies settle for basic EHS software that is designed for general use.
At the very least, your selected EHS software should be able to provide most, if not all, functions that you need. Moreover, it should be easily modifiable just in case your business has specific needs that need to be catered to.
3. Security
Security is another thing you should be cautious about. Make sure the EHS software you purchase is open for security testing and certification that are usually carried out by special security companies. This not only secures the data of the employees but also paves the way for a more accurate, sensible EHS compliance.
4. Value
Like with other expenses, the cost of purchasing an EHS software has to be examined to be in line with the company’s direction. Making sure that you are getting the best value for the EHS software you are planning to purchase is a good move; something you know is positive if the product can help reduce the cost and investments made for EHS promotion.
As you will be automating EHS compliance processes with the help of your EHS software, it will help your EHS team function more efficiently. You would know if you got the right EHS software if your team has become more productive, efficient, and effective at making sure the company is complying with EHS standards at the present.
5. Price
Just because it has many advanced features, it does not mean these features can rightly justify your will to pay a fortune. If affordability can hardly be met, at least go for the software that can truly save and maintain your company’s welfare. And there are actually EHS software providers nowadays that offer promos and discounts. More often than not, monthly subscriptions are also cheaper. Lastly, if your company is a large one, buying in bundles with other software products the seller offers can entitle you to a huge discount.
