Author Archives: Lauren Charbon

Permit to Work Boosts Safety by Design Strategies

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Permit to work is a formal process that identifies, communicates and mitigates risk.
Permit to work is a formal process that identifies, communicates and mitigates risk for workers completing non-routine tasks in potentially hazardous work areas.

As companies pursue more proactive and preventive safety strategies such as Safety by Design, they are looking for new processes and methods such as Permit to Work software, to help make it happen.

Keeping workers healthy, happy and safe should be a strong governance focus within every company’s ESG strategy. In 2019, over 27% of the 5,333 worker fatalities in the U.S. were due to workplace hazards such as getting struck or caught in objects or equipment (14%), exposure to harmful substances or environments (12%) or injury from fire and explosion (2%). And for every hazard-related worker fatality, there were 20 to 60 times as many non-fatal incidents that created costly and disruptive downtime and absences from work. So, despite an increased emphasis on improving worker … Read more...

EHS 4.0: Connected Safety Is Smart Safety

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Networks and connectivity make technology better. Imagine how unproductive an office full of PCs would be without a LAN connection, or a modern military would struggle without a command, control and communications (C3) network.

Real-time connectivity expands the capabilities of devices and the people using them. This explains why experts project that there could be over 41 billion connected devices in use by 2025, with business and industry being areas of extremely high growth.

Industrial control systems (ICS) are nothing new to the manufacturing industry. SCADA (Supervisory control and data acquisition) has enabled real-time control of switches, pumps and valves since the 1960’s. The success of SCADA, the growth of cloud computing and the evolution of the Internet of Things has given rise to next generation of industrial intelligence: Industry 4.0.

Industry 4.0 Needs EHS 4.0

Industry 4.0 employs cyber-physical systems that connect people, machines and data to create smart … Read more...

Safety by Design Demonstrates Good Governance

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The objective of Safety by Design is to systematically identify, mitigate and eliminate as many workplace hazards as possible.

The objective of Safety by Design is to systematically identify, mitigate and eliminate as many workplace hazards as possible.

Workplace safety is a key piece of good corporate governance, especially considering recent global events. Smart companies are adopting a new approach, Safety by Design, a proactive and preventive method that makes good governance better.

Over the last few years, companies around the globe have increased their focus and investment into environment, social and governance strategies (ESG). They realize that ESG delivers improved financial performance and keeps workers, customers and investors happier. In the first post of our series on ESG trends, we discussed several factors that are accelerating the rise of sustainable business and how organizations can benefit. This article shows how and why workplace safety is a critical component of good corporate governance.

Good Governance Is Essential for Business Success

Governance describes a broad range of corporate … Read more...

Use Mobile If You Want to Get Your Safety Management Program Moving

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Do you know how to evaluate and implement EHS mobile applications? There are a number of mobile applications available on the market and deciding which ones will work for your team can be a daunting task.  

It doesn’t have to be daunting. Many companies successfully use mobile applications to enhance their EHS programs.   

To find the solutions that are right for you, first ask yourself these questions: Why do you want to implement mobile? Why would your stakeholders want to implement mobile? 

Are your goals to: 

  • Increase engagement among workers? 
  • Reduce time and barriers to report hazards or incidents? 
  • Improve operational visibility and reporting? 
  • Increase data accuracy? 
  • Include EHS in a company-wide digital strategy? 

If so, then going mobile should be a focus for your organization. Our new webinar “Get Your Safety Program Moving with Mobile” examines companies that have successfully implemented EHS mobile applications into their safety management systems.  

We will dive into real … Read more...

The Importance of Permit to Work Analytics

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Permit to Work processes are a necessary part of a company’s Safety management process, but they aren’t often recognized as a source of valuable insights. With the majority of companies using paper trails to manage their Permit to Work process, the ability to consolidate information, link that information to other areas of the business, and ultimately draw impactful insights is non-existent. Using software to manage your Permit to Work process can unlock those important hidden insights.

Linking Permit to Work data with EHS information can help Safety managers:

  1. Perform accurate audits to ensure Permit to Work procedures are properly followed

If it isn’t measured and tracked, then it likely isn’t happening. Auditing your Permit to Work process is essential to ensure that management, supervisors and workers alike are properly following your standardized process.

It will also allow you to objectively look at the process and identify areas for improvement, … Read more...

How to Handle Permits to Work the Modern, Efficient Way

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Most employers are legally required to post some form of Permit to Work – whether it is a construction site, hospital, manufacturing plant or even a brewery. A Permit to Work:

  • makes workers, supervisors and management aware of any hazards around them,
  • educates them on how to safely work with the hazards, and
  • in many cases, lays out an action plan to ensure everyone works safely with each other.

Employers must post a printed Permit to Work in a visible space for workers to see when they enter the work site. They must also inform workers entering the work site for the first time of any open permits. Workers must confirm, through a signature, that they acknowledge and are aware of the information provided to them. While this task sounds simple, companies with large worksites must often manage hundreds of workers coming on and off a site with multiple Permits … Read more...