Research Reveals Collection and Quality as Top EHS and ESG Data Challenges

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Organizations are challenged in their efforts to gather EHS and ESG data and poor data quality hinders their ability to improve EHS and ESG performance.

The ability to collect data and be assured it is of high-quality are essential to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) reporting and compliance success, according to speakers at a webinar outlining recent North American ESG and environment, health and safety (EHS) research.

Traditional and ad hoc ways of collecting ESG and EHS data are not enough, according to one speaker. Virginia Hoekenga, deputy director for the National Association for Environmental Managers (NAEM), says companies must move from Excel [spreadsheets] and paper approaches to systemic and holistic management of ESG and EHS using information technology and digital systems.  

Hoekenga was speaking during a presentation of 2022 research from Vance and Bourne conducted on behalf of Intelex that explores how EHS and ESG professionals are … Read more...

Skilled and Experienced or a Proven Leader – What Type of Safety Manager Would You Hire?

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Here’s one professional who says a true safety leader shows commitment to excellence, a strong work ethic and personal accountability. Skill and experience are things you can teach.

When he was hired 12 years ago, Bill D’Amico wasn’t what most might have considered the predictable and obvious choice as global director of safety and health for pipe-joint manufacturer Victaulic Company of Pennsylvania.

But a 2010 fatality at a Victaulic foundry became a defining event and may have prompted company executives to think differently. Never again, ownership vowed, and was determined to recruit a safety leader who could radically improve safety performance and safety culture. Enter D’Amico.   

“I had zero safety experience, so why in god’s name would a global company of 5,000 people that just had a fatality hire someone who didn’t know a damn thing about safety or foundries,” he said, during an October panel discussion at the … Read more...

Why Is Driving Risky Business for Workers in Oil and Gas Extraction?

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Recent survey results from researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health showed that long work hours and commutes, insufficient sleep and a lack of employer policies in these areas increased the likelihood of one or more risky driving events.
Recent survey results from researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health showed that long work hours and commutes, insufficient sleep and a lack of employer policies in these areas increased the likelihood of one or more risky driving events.

Long work hours, lengthy commutes and insufficient sleep contributed to risky driving among oil and gas extraction (OGE) workers, according to On the road again: a cross-sectional survey examining work schedules, commuting time, and driving-related outcomes among U.S. oil and gas extraction workers, a study recently published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. In addition, insufficient employer policies in these areas were associated with a greater likelihood of risky driving.

Compared to all U.S. workers, OGE workers were more likely to die on the job during 2003–2013, according to a previous CDC study. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related death in the industry, yet … Read more...

New Research Shows EHS, ESG Compliance and Reporting Key Differentiators for Today’s Businesses

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Research from Intelex Technologies shows that EHS and ESG oversight and reporting are critical for helping companies attract workers, preserve their reputation and meet regulatory requirements.

The vast majority of environmental, health and safety (EHS) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) professionals believe that a higher level of EHS and ESG maturity in their organizations can drive new business, attract the best workers, and overcome regulatory compliance hurdles, according to findings released today from Intelex Technologies’ “Big Ambitions. Complex Data. Limited Visibility.” report.

Intelex, a leading global provider of cloud-based environmental, health and safety (EHS) management software, commissioned an independent market research firm to survey more than 450 EHS and ESG professionals across industries in both the United States and Canada on critical factors impacting their businesses. The survey, conducted in June 2022, showed that both health and safety and environmental oversight and compliance remain key concerns for today’s professionals.… Read more...

Identifying and Tracking Hazards Using Job Safety Analysis Software

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One of the most effective ways to mitigate work-related injuries is to use job safety analysis, also known as job hazard analysis, to identify hazards.
Experts know that one of the most effective ways to identify, track and (hopefully) eliminate work-related injuries is by using job safety analysis, also known as job hazard analysis, to identify hazards.

Every seven seconds, a worker is injured on the job in the United States. Many of those injuries could be prevented through readily available tools, such as job safety analysis techniques and software.

Job safety analysis (JSA) is used to define and control hazards associated with certain processes, jobs or procedures. It is a systematic examination and documentation of every task within each job and is used to identify health and safety hazards and the steps required to control each task.

Experts know that one of the most effective ways to identify, track and (hopefully) eliminate work-related injuries is by using job safety analysis, also known as job hazard analysis, to identify hazards.

What’s the definition of a hazard? … Read more...

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.

Clause
… Read more...

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...

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...

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...