Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) digital transformation is an essential aspect of any modern organization’s growth. The world is rapidly evolving, and, with it, the need for business to adapt to changes in technology, regulation compliance and sustainability. EHS digitalization is an approach that can help organizations improve EHS performance, reduce cost and streamline processes. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of EHS digitalization and how organizations can implement it successfully. 

The Benefits of EHS Digitalization: 

1. Keeping Workers Safer: Digitalizing the EHS workflow processes will keep workers safer by ensuring there are available technology resources identifying and tracking safety threats in real time and facilitate communication in circumstances where threats can occur. This can reduce the risk of injuries and recordable incidents, which can have a significant impact on worker well-being and productivity. 
2. Improved Compliance: EHS regulations are complex and constantly evolving. By adopting a digital EHS system, organizations can stay up to date with regulatory requirements and avoid costly penalties. 
3. Increased Operational Efficiency: EHS digitalization can help organizations streamline their EHS processes, such as incident reporting, action management, safety audits, safe work permitting and risk assessment. Automating these processes reduces  administrative tasks with manual data entry, reduces errors and increases productivity thus freeing up time for EHS professionals to focus on more strategic activities. 
4. Enhanced Data Management: By using digital tools to collect and analyze EHS data, organizations can gain better insight into their EHS performance, identify trends,  make data-driven decisions and drive better outcomes. 
5. Improved Employee Engagement: EHS digital transformation can also help organizations engage their employees in safety initiatives. Digital tools such as safety training modules, safety reminders, and incident reporting platforms can improve employee awareness and involvement in EHS. 
6. Sustainability: EHS digitalization can help organizations to focus on improving their sustainability performance by reducing paper usage, emission events, transportation needs and optimizing energy consumption.  
7. Saving of Insurance Premiums: The insurance industry has devoted substantial resources to the analysis of past industry incidents  to identify which areas of focus are most likely to provide the greatest return on investment for their customers. In recent years, because of this research, insurers have recommended their customers invest in processes that have a high potential for reducing operational risk and increasing workplace EHS. 

Steps to Implement EHS Digitalization: 
 

1. Assess Current EHS Processes: Before implementing EHS digitalization, organizations should assess   their current EHS processes. This will help identify areas that need improvement and determine the best approach for implementing digital tools. 
2. Set Goals and Objectives: Organizations should set specific EHS goals and objectives that align with their overall business strategy. These goals should be measurable and tied to specific metrics to track progress. 
3. Select the Right Tools: There are many digital tools available for EHS, such as incident reporting software, EHS management systems, permit to work systems, shift excellence and safety training platforms. Organizations should select the tools that best meet their needs and budget. 
4. Train Employees: To ensure successful adoption of EHS digital tools, organizations should provide adequate training to their employees. This will help employees understand how to use the tools and the benefits they bring. 
5. Monitor and Evaluate: EHS digitalization is an ongoing process, and organizations should continually monitor and evaluate their EHS performance to identify areas for improvement. 

Conclusion: 

EHS digitalization is crucial for organizations looking to improve their EHS performance and achieve  sustainability goals. By leveraging digital tools and technologies, organizations can streamline their EHS processes, improve compliance and enhance data management. To ensure successful implementation, organizations should assess their current EHS processes, set clear goals and objectives, select the right tools, train their employees and monitor and evaluate their EHS performance continually. 
 
Read More: Why You Should Care About Your Facility’s Risk Profile 

"The insurance industry as a whole has devoted substantial resources to the analysis of past industry incidents and to identifying which areas of focus are most likely to provide the greatest return on investment for their customers. In recent years, as a result of this research, insurers have recommended their customers invest in processes that have a high potential for reducing operational risk and increasing workplace safety" 

Link to other blog: Why You Should Care About Your Facility’s Risk Profile (hexagon.com)