Verdantix ranks Intelex as a leader in EHS

Posted on by
Reply

Independent research and consulting firm Verdantix has released the 2019 installment of its Green Quadrant: EHS Software 2019 report, the only third-party benchmark of EHS software available. What makes this report notable is that it provides an unbiased, detailed evaluation of 23 market-leading global EHS software providers, measuring not only product capabilities, but also the varying strengths of each vendor, as well as providing expert guidance for EHS leaders.  

UNDERSTANDING THE 2019 VERDANTIX EHS SOFTWARE GREEN QUADRANT 

The report is the culmination of a lengthy research process conducted by research directors and analysts at Verdantix. The benchmark assesses vendors and their applications on a broad range of criteria spanning mobile solutions, automated data input and hardware integrations, business intelligence and configurability, to name a few. In addition, the report assesses the full range of EHSQ processes, including safety, incident, audits and inspection management, quality management and management of change (MOC), sustainability management and more. It also dives into analysis of momentum criteria relating to vendor success, such as continuous innovation, new customer growth, installed customer base and partnerships. But … Read more...

Health & Safety is a Team Effort: Industry 4.0 and IIoT

Posted on by
Reply

 
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 are forcing companies to rethink their approach to health and safety. Digital transformation uses innovative IoT endpoints and their data to improve the company’s core business, but they make health and safety more complex than ever. When properly deployed and integrated, sensors, endpoints and devices improve the individual safety of workers and identify additional areas for process improvement. 

More connected workers, more devices, more data — this massive influx of information and capability requires an end-to-end solution that addresses new and evolving EHS challenges. A solution that can capture the data produced from edge devices, analyze it and organize it in meaningful ways to improve health and safety programs and processes. Intelex Technologies and Honeywell are working together to create an integrated EHS solution that solves the challenges posed by Industry 4.0 and IIoT.  

The Number of Connected “Things”  

The global IIoT market will grow to $310 billion USD by 2023, and some of that growth will be from the increase in the number of “Connected Workers.” This means that the average industrial worker is going to be wearing and carrying multiple devices to help them do their job. Deployment, management and training … Read more...

An Insider’s Guide to Buying Safety Management Software: Part II

Posted on by
Reply

Navigating the world of buying Safety Management Software (SMS) can be quite a daunting task. To help you understand the ins and outs as well as the potential benefits for your organization, we got the facts from an industry expert.

In the first part of this guide we explained how SMS can help your organization ensure employee safety, comply with regulatory and legislative standards, and finally demystified the software industry so you felt comfortable asking the necessary questions so you can make the right decision.

Now in Part II we’re going to walk you through the fee structures and benefits of using software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology, how to maximize your ROI by implementing an SMS solution, and finally how to develop an effective business proposal.

Using the information in this whitepaper, as an EHS professional you will be equipped with the tools and information you need to secure the best solution … Read more...

How to Drive Your Safety Engagement with Data

Posted on by
Reply

When a workforce buys into safety, good things happen. When everyone from the CEO to the rookie shipper/receiver comes to work each day recognizing how important safety is to them and their colleagues, the number of fatalities, injuries and near misses invariably starts to plummet.

As any safety manager will tell you, however, increasing engagement is easier said than done. Competing priorities, such as rigid product ship dates, unforgiving supply chain schedules and other factors tied directly to the bottom line, can have a negative impact on safety practices. 

Fortunately, robust new technologies and modern workplace health and safety approaches like Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) are providing companies with a greater ability than ever before to increase engagement levels across the enterprise. By leveraging data that is now available in today’s information-driven “Industry 4.0” era, organizations are able to see deep into their operations to recognize meaningful operational patterns … Read more...

Nonconformance vs. CAPA: Three Key Questions

Posted on by
Reply

Communicating the differences between nonconformances (NCRs) and corrective/preventive actions (CAPAs) to staff can be challenging. It’s extremely important, too, that everyone fully grasps the distinctions — because consistency in using your organization’s quality management system will directly contribute to the accuracy of your metrics. Furthermore, this will impact the quality of the insights that can be generated by studying them.

In ISO 9001:2015, there is a defined progression between nonconformity, correction, and corrective action:

  • A nonconformity occurs when a requirement is not fulfilled. The result of a nonconformity, according to Hoyle (2017), is a failure to meet product requirements, carry out a task as required, or meet customer or stakeholder requirements.
  • A correction is the step taken to remedy that single nonconformity. Removing the nonconformity does not prevent the issue from happening again. The result of a correct is to prevent the nonconformity from advancing further in the process.
  • A
… Read more...

Six Tips for Managing your Regulatory Content

Posted on by
Reply

Over the last century, globalization has driven a 4000% increase in international trade and prompted a rapid rise in the number of multinational (MNC) and transnational (TNC) corporations operating around the world. But companies operating in multiple countries must comply with rapidly changing local environment, health and safety (EHS) regulations such as OSHA in the U.S., the “Framework Directive” in the EU and JICOSH in Japan. In 2018, Enhesa covered 4,222 EHS regulatory developments from over 40 countries and 275 jurisdictions globally, an increase of 20% from 2017.

The short- and long-term costs (shut-downs, fines, litigation and tarnished brand) of non-compliance can be staggering. A recent Enhesa benchmarking survey of corporate EHS Executives found that:

  • 74 percent had incurred an enforcement action in the last five years
  • Two-thirds of the respondents had been issued regulatory fines up to $100k due to recent non-compliance. An additional 10 percent experienced fines in
… Read more...

Earth Day 2019: Protecting the Planet One Best Practice at a Time

Posted on by
Reply

An indicator species is one whose condition tells us about the state of the environment and the ecosystems in which it lives. Lichens, bees, frogs and butterflies are just a few examples. These indicator species can tell us whether not only their existence is in danger because of environmental damage, but perhaps ours as well.

The theme of Earth Day 2019 is protecting our planet’s species. As we take time to reflect today (and hopefully more so in the future) it’s important to understand the small yet incredibly vital elements of a healthy ecosystem. When one part of that ecosystem stops functioning correctly, when an external actor is introduced into this delicate balance of organisms, the effects can be far-reaching.

At Intelex one of our core tenets has been to do business in a way that minimizes potentially damaging impacts on the environment. While we may not have a direct … Read more...

Four Considerations to Achieve Health and Safety Compliance

Posted on by
Reply

Over a series of three blogs we are going to examine how to achieve health and safety process excellence. There are three main objectives that EHS professionals must fulfill to achieve their health and safety goals: maintain compliance, anticipate and manage hazards, and improve safety culture.

Safety Compliance

This first blog is going to focus on the building blocks that create the foundation for maintaining safety compliance and engaging in continuous improvement. Some keys to achieving this objective are automating reports and document control to ensure consistency between departments and locations, tracking employee training as well as audits and corrective actions and automating compliance with various federal, state or province or local regulations.

Creating the Right Solution

Technology can assist your organization in maintaining all those records and help you ensure that your facility complies with local regulations. In fact, technology has become an essential tool in achieving process excellence … Read more...

Statistical Process Control Turns Potential Problems into Valuable Opportunities

Posted on by
Reply

Imagine how nice it would be if you could predict the future, if you could make decisions with the confidence that you knew exactly what their consequences would be.

Unfortunately, we can’t predict the future. But we can get greater insight into the hidden patterns in processes and information that exist right now, and that can give us a much better idea of how to respond to potential problems before they become a reality. When we put what we learn from these insights to good use with an integrated EHSQ (environment, health, safety, and quality) management system, we can also unlock the potential for incredibly valuable financial opportunities.

Statistical process control (SPC) is a method traditionally associated with manufacturing. However, it can provide deep and valuable insight into any business or production process. SPC is a mathematical technique developed in the 1920s to monitor random processes and provide alerts when … Read more...

Close the Loop on CAPAs with Verification of Effectiveness

Posted on by
Reply

In addition to meeting compliance requirements for many ISO defined management systems, corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) serve another critical role: to be the backbone for your organization’s continuous improvement efforts. CAPAs help you keep track of problems that are observed, problem solving processes used to investigate them, and resolutions. Additionally, the CAPA process provides a way to trace exactly how a quality management system evolves and matures through business processes.

In ISO 9001:2015, the emphasis has shifted exclusively to corrective actions (CARs), since a risk-based approach (which includes continuous risk assessment, and regular dispatch of actions to mitigate or otherwise manage risks) should theoretically accomplish the same goals as preventive actions did in the past.

Despite the value that can be driven by a robust CAPA process, it can also quickly become overwhelming and unmanageable. Not every quality event has to be immortalized in a CAPA — some don’t … Read more...