With the complexity of any construction project, the interaction between various contractors makes construction management software a necessity in completing work on schedule and on budget. Timelines and cost are not the only critical aspects to a successful project though.
The safety of your workforce is paramount on any site. Improper risk management is a threat to the well-being of employees and represents a major risk to a company's bottom line. In fact, research from Liberty Mutal found that non-fatal injuries cost companies more than $1 billion per week. For these factors alone, the most important action you can take to protect the health and safety of your project teams is adopting an EHS management software in your project management operations.
What is EHS Management Software?
In order to understand the role that EHS management software plays, let's start with what EHS means. EHS stands for “environment, health, and safety,” and it is managed by the codification and practice of procedures which ensure the safety of workers and their surroundings. Software solutions have transformed the way EHS is managed by allowing systems to become more programmatic and efficient.
EHS management software provides a repository for all risk management data, regulations, and standards. Software allows companies to rapidly identify challenges and risks, make informed decisions, and track trends and performance. Depending on the software, many systems give managers the ability to track EHS factors and compliance in real-time in order to create a safer jobsite for all project teams.
The Importance of EHS Management Software
Just like the threats to site safety are changing constantly, safety regulations are also often evolving. EHS management software simplifies the daunting task of staying on top of new standards and ensuring the safety of your workforce. Management software accomplishes this in a new of ways:
- Simplified data collection: While EHS used to (and sometimes still does) live on clipboards on at job sites, EHS software provides a single repository for data to live and become easily actionable.
- Mobile access: Projects exist in the field, so today's EHS software is optimized for mobile devices. Mobile data collection ensures that recording safety and compliance data can happen on-site, and additional documentation and photos can be attached.
- Reporting and decision-making efficiency: Reporting capability in EHS software is among the best emerging solutions in site safety. With an accurate and consistent source of safety data available, companies are responding more rapidly to risks and creating safer environments for their employees. Real-time data access and responsive fields are also proving to be effective at reducing workplace incidents.
- Easy compliance: Current OSHA and other regulatory standards can also be captured in EHS management software. Dynamic fields provide real-time reporting on site safety and also make auditing processes incredibly straightforward.
How Builders Benefit from EHS Management Software
The benefits that companies can realize from a flexible EHS management platform are evident, but how are builders making job sites safer and guaranteeing their bottom lines? They are overcoming a lack of visibility into legacy systems and moving beyond reactive incident management.
For Harvey Building Products, the need for EHS management software was clear due to a high volume of reported EHS incidents resulting in thousands of dollars in workman's compensation payouts. To address these issues, Harvey's EHS director built a comprehensive EHS application that manages recordable incidents, first aid safety observations, outside audits, property damage, motor vehicle accidents, job hazard assessments, and workers' compensation. He also built a compliance calendar to identify all required EHS tasks by location to meet all OSHA, city, state and federal environmental regulations.
What resulted was a 30% reduction in reportable safety incidents and a 70% reduction of lost time days. Beyond creating a safer workplace, hundreds of hours of manpower were saved through the usage of templated forms in their new EHS applications.
Safer Through Software
EHS management software has clearly benefits business by saving time, improving reporting, and equipping decision-makers with thorough and concise data. Most importantly, however, human beings working on your jobsites are safer because risks are managed more effectively. Taking care of your workforce and your business is as simple as adopting EHS management software in your organization.
Ready to make your company safer? Learn more about EHS management and the Quickbase construction management software.
