For improved efficiency, transparency, clarity and compliance in audits, Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) software is the solution that businesses rely on.
The streamlined data collection capability is the first point at which EHS software starts showing its value. Auditors are able to collect information using mobile devices making for an efficient and accurate data collection process.
With a lower risk for errors and all the information in a digital format, using an EHS system also reduces the need for paper-based audits making it more sustainable. In addition to making the audit process more environmentally friendly, real-time monitoring allows auditors to monitor ongoing audits and make changes to the process if required.
The up-to-date information also provides auditors with the opportunity to conduct their activities in line with any legal and regulatory requirements. EHS software also includes reporting tools that allow for instant reports to be created, these can be used to identify trends and any non-compliance issues.
The automated workflow notifications allow for incidents to be identified as they happen and then allows the business to identify any root causes and assists in ensuring that accountability is taken.
Increased efficiency
The reduction in errors reduces the risk profile of the business and also allows auditors across multiple sites to manage complex audits across business units as well as in other geographies.
All of these actions permit audit standardization ensuring that results across all departments within the business follow a consistent format. And the centralized record-keeping function ensures that the data is stored safely and can be accessed anywhere across the globe.
Making the most of EHS software
To ensure that auditors are able to benefit from all the positives associated with EHS software, there are steps and procedures that are recommended. These include setting up the audit templates and checklists, using automated reminders to schedule audits and assigning roles and responsibilities using role-based permissions to provide secure access.
All audit findings should be logged directly into the system and non-conformances or deviations from established procedures should be recorded. Any issues should also be classified based on severity and corrective actions are to be assigned to each relevant person.
The EHS software used should then be able to automatically generate reports to include the audit findings, non-conformance summaries, corrective actions as well as a trends analysis. The analytics tools can be used to review audit results over time and these can be represented using visuals such as charts, graphs and diagrams.
All of these reports as well as the record-keeping features can be used for external regulatory audits. The comprehensive bank of data that is hosted at a centralized point ensures that all compliance documentation as well as audit histories are readily available for inspectors or any third-party auditor.
