How Document Control Software Helps You Meet the Requirements for ISO 9001:2015

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ISO 9001:2015 eliminates the distinction between records, processes, and manuals. Intelex Document Control Software helps you meet ISO 9001:2015 requirements
ISO 9001:2015 eliminates the distinction between records, processes, and manuals by using the category documented information to describe all of them. Intelex Document Control Software can help you meet the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

Unlike previous iterations of ISO 9001, ISO 9001:2015 does not prescribe specific approaches to document governance. Instead, it is up to each organization to determine its approach to the maintenance, retention, and disposition of documentation.

ISO 9001:2015 eliminates the distinction between records, processes and manuals by using the category “documented information” to describe all of them. The phrase maintain documented information describes working documentation that requires regular updates, such as procedures and work instructions. The phrase retain documented information refers to document types such as records that provide evidence of past conformity with requirements.

ISO 9001:2015 has requirements for documented information throughout the standard. The table below collects all the references to required documented information.

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Close Calls and Near Misses Target a Safety Improvement Bullseye

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By tracking and analyzing safety close calls and near misses today, organizations are better able to reduce tomorrow’s incidents that might cause injuries as a result of workplace hazards.

American industrial safety pioneer Herbert Heinrich long ago did the math regarding the importance of reporting and tracking of near-miss and close-call incidents. By his calculation, every workplace injury is preceded by up to 29 other minor injuries that may have required first aid and perhaps as many as 300 near-miss incidents where someone narrowly missed injury.   

Reporting, tracking and learning from close calls and near misses – those instances when someone was almost injured, machinery was nearly damaged, productivity could have been lost or a financial loss might have happened – is key to minimizing potentially catastrophic incidents. Near misses should never be ignored and safety professionals must continually track and analyze them, according to Intelex Vice President and … Read more...

The War on ESG Greenwashing

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Many organizations brag about their green credentials, but how many of their claims are true? Whether by accident or through deception, greenwashing as part of ESG management is on the rise.
Many organizations brag about their green credentials, but how many of their claims are true? Whether by accident or through deception, greenwashing as part of ESG management is on the rise.

It’s not unusual for companies to be too enthusiastic when it comes to promoting the benefits of their products. Chewing gum doesn’t make life more fun, the latest technology gadget won’t guarantee your popularity and limited-edition running shoes won’t get you promoted to the NBA any time soon. Everyone knows this, but allowing this mixture of fantasy and reality to play out has been a fundamental tenet of corporate marketing for decades without causing any significant problems.

In the world of environment, social and governance (ESG), however, reality can hit extremely hard. When companies make promises to meet environmental commitments, such as reducing emissions, customers and regulators expect companies to keep those promises. When those promises fall short, the … Read more...

Astronaut Chris Cassidy: Leadership Under Pressure (and its Value to Risk Management)

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Capt. Chris Cassidy, a Navy SEAL, led a number of diverse teams as NASA’s Chief Astronaut and Commander of the International Space Station. He’ll share his views on risk management and leadership under pressure.

I think most of us look up at the stars and wonder what it would be like to travel in space. One of my earliest memories is of being allowed to stay up past my bedtime to see Neil Armstrong take that historic step following the moon landing of Apollo 11.

I didn’t really understand what was happening, but I remember my parents were excited and anxious, and my father told me, “We’re seeing history.” And I will ever forget Armstrong’s famous quote: “One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.”

Armstrong’s small step/giant leap was the result of years of training, thousands of hours spent researching and documenting risk management protocols and billions … Read more...

A Thanksgiving Wish for Greater Employee Wellness and Engagement in EHS

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Workers need to do their part and workplace safety needs to be “owned” by every employee.

We want to send out a big “thank you” on this Canadian Thanksgiving Day to EHS professionals who champion the cause of worker wellness and workplace safety. Every worker who returns home safely at the end of a shift likely have an EHS professional to thank for proper training, regulatory compliance, employee engagement, safety protocols and maintaining a safe workplace.

It’s a tough job, but most safety specialists embrace the challenge. According to the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals – which sets certification standards for safety professionals in that country – 91.6 percent of them report being “satisfied or very satisfied” with their career. They are a passionate and committed group.

What Matters to Safety Professionals?

Recent Intelex research in North America reveals 57 percent of survey respondents say they consider improving the … Read more...

Know the Warning Signs of Workplace Violence and Bullying

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Workplace bullying could be an alert to a potential problem and by acting on it you may avert a workplace violence incident.

Acts of violence in the workplace are the third-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) reported in 2019 a total of 5,333 workplace injuries, which included 761 cases of intentional injury by another person.

The key to controlling workplace violence, according to Mark Stromme – the EHS senior editor for consultants J.J. Keller & Associates – is identifying and dealing with potential problems before they get out of hand.

“Many threats don’t lead to violence,” he said, during a recent EHS Today webinar on the topic of workplace bullying and violence. “But in almost every incident that does take place, the violent employee did exhibit warning signs and, in some cases, even told … Read more...

ESG Reporting is a Critical Skillset for your EHS Teams 

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ESG reporting is gaining more attention from regulators and standards bodies. Once voluntary, there is an influx of mandatory regulations across many countries.
ESG reporting is gaining much more attention from regulators and standards bodies. Once mainly voluntary, now there is an influx of mandatory regulations across many countries.

Commitment to ESG issues is high across organizations. It is driven by various internal drivers such as the desire to create a positive impact for the planet and society, avoid negative publicity, attract customers and better talent, etc. ESG reporting acts as a tool to provide evidence of a company’s activities and performance on the issues it has committed to work on.  

ESG reporting has become more sophisticated and formal than it was a few years ago. The reporting landscape is evolving rapidly. While it once consisted primarily of voluntary and intent-driven disclosures, there has been a recent influx of mandatory disclosure requirements to increase transparency of ESG data for better decision making. 

ESG Reporting: From Early Days to Today 

Looking back at the … Read more...

Is Your Organization Prepared for an OSHA Inspection?

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OSHA expects to complete approximately 31,400 inspections in 2022, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels.

Will you be ready if an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspector comes calling?

In 2021, OSHA conducted 24,333 inspections, including 13,749 unprogrammed inspections, which were prompted by employee complaints, injuries, fatalities and referrals.

During two years of COVID-19, the U.S. regulatory agency performed fewer inspections and most of these were limited to onsite investigations of fatalities, catastrophic accidents and coronavirus issues. The tide turned and OSHA has significantly stepped-up efforts to hold employers accountable for failures to protect workers and keep them safe.

This year has seen more OSHA visits and greater fines imposed. It was recently reported that OSHA expects to complete approximately 31,400 inspections in 2022, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. OSHA has increased maximum penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations from $13,653 to $14,502 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated … Read more...

Five Things (You Need to Know About Incident Management and Reporting)

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Incident Reporting Software empowers you to capture, track, investigate, analyze and report on all incidents and near-misses, including injuries and illnesses, spills, property damage and vehicle incidents.

EHS incidents can be painful for injured employees, the environment and your organization’s bottom line, but incident management software and reporting systems don’t have to be a pain point for you.

Safety and environmental disasters rarely occur because of a single event or incident, which is why it’s critical to adopt incident management software or reporting system that identifies root causes and protects your business from future occurrences.

Ask a group of people what caused the Titanic to sink and most will say, “An iceberg.” If one person in that group is a risk or safety manager, he or she might respond that the Titanic tragedy was caused by a series of events—management failures, poor-quality construction, employee errors/lack of training, poor … Read more...

ehsAI Compliance Automation Software Offers International Support

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Does your business have locations around the world? Do you have global compliance documents in a variety of languages?

Compliance is important, regardless of the countries where you operate or the languages spoken. Staying ahead of new compliance regulations is challenging, especially when that information changes dynamically and can vary across regions and governments. It is critical to have a quick and accurate way to understand your company’s compliance profile.

Depending on where you have operations, English might not be the first language spoken for many of your workers, even workers in countries where English is the “official” language. By leveraging ehsAI’s patented, AI-driven Compliance Automation Software, you can increase your process efficiency and accuracy to manage compliance risk cost-effectively and in multiple languages.

Since many of our customers or prospective customers have operations around the world, we developed our products based on the need for multiple jurisdiction support … Read more...