Software alone isn’t the answer. You need a system where technology helps you create a safety culture, and where site-specific solutions and domain expertise are built-in.
Risk is everywhere, whether you like it or not. It’s bad business to have bad things happen, and the risks you don’t manage can injure people, damage your reputation, and negatively affect your bottom line. Property losses, insurance increases, and hazardous material cleanups all come with a cost. Whether it’s lawsuits, higher workers’ compensation rates, or fines and penalties, the risks you fail to manage can make you pay.
What’s the best way to manage risk? Maybe you have a system or are looking at software. How can you know if what you have or plan to buy will work? You’ll need training, inspection, and audits, but don’t stop there. Unless your company builds a safety culture, your employees won’t make the most of whatever system you have. It’s like the difference between having safety glasses and wearing them.
Culture is about how a group of people behave. Reducing risk requires a safety culture, and building that culture starts with senior leaders like you. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. Technology can help you to build a culture that reflects your specific safety process. You’ll need the right technology to make it happen, but you’ll also need domain experts who can develop custom solutions.
A generic software system doesn’t address your risk. So what do you need instead?
“A proactive risk management system must account for how your business operates. With today’s technology and domain expertise, you can get a complete safety management solution.” – Jim Testo.
From Technology and Culture to a Complete Solution
Seat belts and cell phones show how technology can shape culture. Years ago, many people felt that seatbelts were optional. Today, getting in the car and putting on one is routine. Drivers and passengers feel that they need them, and automotive technology reminds them. If seatbelts are unused, alarms chime and lights flash. Cell phones let you leave home without them, but you probably wouldn’t want to.
When technology affects individual behaviors like this, it shapes the larger culture. The next time you’re out, look around and see how many people are on their cell phones. These devices are a big part of our way of life. Within your own organization, technology can influence culture by elevating safety.
The right safety management system shapes your culture but it’s also customizable to your specific organization. Thanks to cloud-based technology, employees can take this ideal system anywhere – even on their cell phones. There are also leading indicators so you can recognize a potential problem before it happens. It’s like the alarm in your smart car that chimes or the seat that vibrates when you cross lanes without using a directional signal.
Site-Specific Solutions and Domain Expertise
There might be generic safety software for your industry, but it wasn’t built with your specific business in mind. After all, the equipment you own isn’t the same as everyone else’s. Your workforce is different, too. There may also be aspects to the specific hazards in your operation. If a solution isn’t site-specific, it isn’t the right one for your organization.
Domain expertise is also critical because you need it to develop a sound safety program and detailed process documentation. Even if you have a safety manager on-staff, you might not have the in-depth experience that you need for implementation. With the right system, however, you can get the expertise that you need when you need it, and then have your own personnel manage the program.
Four Ingredients and the Right Solution
People, policy, process, and technology. They are the four ingredients that make up the right product, EHS Manager – a safety management system that helps you to reduce risks and control costs. The people are your employees working with our knowledgeable consultants, the policy is your safety culture, and the focus on process coupled with cloud-based technology allows for the right amount of collaboration.
EHS Risk Management knows that software alone won’t reduce risks to your business. Our cloud-based process, EHS Portal, leverages the power of today’s technology and lets you collaborate in real-time time. It is backed by EHS domain expertise and is fully customizable to meet your company’s needs. Your employees can take the safety management system anywhere, and the knowledge that’s at their fingertips is what they need to do their jobs safely.
The EHS Portal provides a real-time process for managing and implementing your company’s policies and procedures. The EHS Risk Manager is a business value proposition that reduces costs and supports your company’s performance. To learn more, email Jim Testo at [email protected].
James M. Testo, President
EHS Risk Management, LLC
