原文來源：EHSToday
摘錄翻譯：威煦軟體
在跨國經營中，保護員工安全已成為各國際企業的優先目標。要如何遵守規範嚴謹且不斷演化的環安法規是一項持續的挑戰。舉例而言，2015年一月，美國職業安全與健康管理局(Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA) 針對職場意外的回報，對美國企業進行了施壓。根據OSHA所訂立的新規定：任何與工作相關的致命性意外須於8小時內回報，此外，OSHA也將「嚴重的職災傷害」重新定義，並規定此類意外須於24小時內回報。
企業必須做好準備以因應新的規定，同時利用系統和訂定相關流程以確保守規。EHS資訊管理軟體除了可以協助企業守規並避免風險，也同時在強化EHS和員工管理中扮演重要角色。
攀上守規的險坡
2013年，美國發生4405起致命的職災意外。這個數值與十年前相比，減少了25個百分比。若我們想要讓數字趨近於零，顯然仍有一段路得走。根據OSHA於2014年的職場環境調查報告，對美國企業而言，針對意外通報、呼吸系統的保護、工業用車輛和機器防護等層面進行改善，能帶來最大的益處。
嚴重的違規事項須支付的罰鍰可能高達數百萬，目前的最高紀錄是2009年時，英國石油北美分公司(BP North America) 所支付的的八千一百萬美金。此外，嚴重的違規事項或不精確的數據報告，還可能會給公司負責人帶來牢獄之災。
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使用軟體以符合OSHA規範
EHS守規管理軟體可從以下層面來協助企業改善管理流程並符合政府機關規範：
簡化資料蒐集流程– 無論是什麼類型的管理系統，資料蒐集都是首要工作。軟體內預先建置的模組和直觀的線上/離線報表，可協助企業登錄各種與環安衛或品管相關的事件。事件登錄有助於蒐集資訊並找出相關法規。系統可以自動檢測意外事件，並由相關使用者決定事件層級。一個全面性的系統可以讓企業自由運動蒐集到的資料，協助企業迅速符合最新的標準和法規並回報。
確立究責，管理並分析事故– 一旦蒐集到資料，接下來重要的便是採取行動。軟體協助企業利用預先設定的流程以及自動email提醒來管理事件，直到順利結案。一個全面性的EHS守規軟體平台通常會建置一個核心管理區，讓使用者持續登錄意外事件、指派任務、分析事故的潛在變因、報告事故發生率。同時，文件管理功能可集中管理所有政策文件並記錄修訂、上傳或下載等完整歷程。
提升回報效率– 使用軟體讓追蹤EHS相關資訊變得更加容易，同時也能將所有訊息整合後儲存於系統核心，如此一來便能簡化回報流程。我們可以利用標籤功能讓資訊同時存於OSHA報告或者永續性報告中。為了提升效率，越來越多企業選擇將OSHA規範、EHS資訊和風險管理行動等資料一同儲存於單一系統內，這樣可以加強他們對外彙報或溝通的成效。
支援行動裝置，資訊即時登錄– 使用手機應用程式來強化EHS管理也是日益增長的趨勢，有許多企業已在使用專門的iOS apps進行事故管理，使員工得以隨走隨登錄資訊或回報意外事項。萬一使用者無法連線上網，應用程式也應提供離線操作功能。人員移動時可隨時添加、完成任務，資訊也會在上線時與核心資料庫同步。
卓越的守規績效
在過去十年間，許多主要機構皆投入環安衛領域的耕耘。企業在管理經營風險和提升績效時，環安衛方面的策略越來越受到重視，他們敦促供應商開發相關軟體來協助他們創造更好的守規績效以及追蹤管理紀錄（例如事故管理、成效分析、異動管理等）。
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在邁向守規成就、促進永續管理的路上，「學習」是一個重要的步驟。軟體現在已能在使用者關心的領域內找出重要關鍵並建立團隊空間，讓來自各部門的員工可以協作和分享資訊。這類的協作活動有助於避免同一問題在其他單位重覆發生。
未來會有更多企業持續地將系統資訊進行整合，透過視覺化報表、成效管理和溝通來創造卓越的守規績效。使用手機應用程式的趨勢也會持續擴展，企業將可以即時、準確的評估資料。為了能讓環安衛管理更有效率，企業也會利用軟體建立目標儀表板，藉此分析哪裡做得很好、哪部分仍待加強。
遵守環安衛規範是一個具持續性的過程，資料管理軟體可以提供穩定的基石來因應變動的需求，同時確保企業已經全副武裝，做好萬全的準備以迎接未來的挑戰。
How Can EHS Data Management Software Help You Move Beyond Compliance? Mar 5, 2015 By Robert Polito
More About: OSHA Enforcement
Looking to the future, we see more companies continuing to integrate information from their systems for purposes beyond OSHA recordkeeping compliance and into various reports, performance management and communications. The use of mobile EHS and recordkeeping applications will continue to expand and companies increasingly will value the availability of accurate and live data. Thinkstock
Protecting employees across global operations is a major priority for businesses worldwide. Complying with rigorous, ever-evolving EHS regulations presents an ongoing challenge. For example, as of January 2015 OSHA increased pressure on U.S.-based businesses regarding reporting of workplace incidents. The new OSHA requirements include reporting work-related fatalities within 8 hours and a newly defined set of severe work-related injuries within 24 hours.
Businesses must be ready to adapt to new regulations and have the systems and processes in place to ensure compliance. EHS information management software can play a significant role in helping companies comply with regulations and address risks as part of a broader program of strengthening EHS management and employee engagement.
Climbing the Steep Hill to Compliance
Some 4,405 fatal workplace injuries occurred in the United States in 2013. While this figure is down by 25 percent from a decade ago, there clearly is some way to go if we are to reach a near-zero level of workplace fatalities. According to OSHA’s 2014 review of its workplace inspections, U.S.-based companies could most benefit from improving hazard communication, respiratory protection, powered industrial trucks, machine guarding and electrical.
Fines for non-compliance can run into millions of dollars in severe cases, with the highest-ever penalty of $81 million issued to BP North America in 2009. Jail time also is a possible risk for a company’s signing authorities, in the event of serious non-compliance and/or inaccurate reporting data.
Demand Grows for EHS Management Software
As companies strive to comply with OSHA requirements and improve their EHS track records, many are opting for modern tools such as management software. Complying with regulations has been a major driver in the United States since the mid-1990s.
The rising prominence of sustainability reporting over the past five years also has driven significant growth in corporate investment in EHS management software platforms, according to the Verdantix 2014 Green Quadrant Environment Health & Safety (EHS) Report. The report reveals that investment in data management systems now is the fastest growing area of companies’ EHS spending.
There now are more software options available, with more providers developing cost-effective EHS-specific products and rapidly innovating in-line with business requirements. Some providers offer value propositions that go beyond compliance to help companies proactively address EHS issues.
There is an increasing interest in integrated software solutions for sustainability and EHS management. In addition to complying with key legislation, organizations typically are looking to improve transparency and accuracy of data. They also are keen to save time, reduce duplication and improve accountability by moving away from using Excel spreadsheets and common, in-house built systems.
To get the job done effectively, companies want a simple interface with powerful reporting capabilities, with a solution that is adaptable and configurable.
OSHA Compliance with Software
EHS and compliance management software helps companies improve their management and OSHA compliance by:
Streamlining data collection – Collecting data is the starting point of any reporting system. Software can help by enabling companies to log environment, health and safety, security and quality incidents against a predefined set of criteria, using intuitive online and offline forms. This helps collect information in a specific way that is aligned with relevant regulations. Incidents automatically can be picked up and escalated by relevant users. A comprehensive system allows companies to be flexible in the data they collect, helping them rapidly respond to new standards and regulations in reporting.
Boosting accountability, managing and analyzing incidents – Once data has been collected, acting on it is vital. Software enables companies to manage cases so that they are progressed through a predefined workflow to successful “close out,” with the option to trigger automatic email alerts. A comprehensive EHS and compliance software platform gives companies a central location to consistently log incidents, assign corrective actions, analyze underlying causes and report on incident rates. Meanwhile, document management functionality ensures that all policy documents are stored centrally with a full history of downloads and updates.
Improving reporting efficiency – Software streamlines reporting by making it easier to track and store all EHS information in an integrated and centralized system. Information easily can be tagged for inclusion in either an OSHA log or a sustainability report. To increase efficiency, more and more companies are opting to include OSHA compliance, EHS information and risk management activities in a single system that then powers all their external reporting and communications.
Logging data on the move – Using mobile applications to improve EHS management and reporting also is increasingly popular and useful, with many companies using dedicated and integrated iOS apps for incident management, allowing employees to log observations or incident reports on the go. Apps should provide offline support in case the user doesn’t have a data connection. Tasks and actions can be added and completed on the move, and the information is synced with the centralized database when next online.
Moving Beyond Compliance
In the last 10 years, major organizations have upped their game on EHS. By increasingly focusing their EHS strategies on operational risk and improving business performance, they are prompting software suppliers to develop functionality to help them go beyond compliance and track areas such as incident management, performance analysis and management of change.
Many companies are using risk management tools to maintain a central risk register, plan and manage mitigation measures. Visual reports, such as an integrated risk heat map can provide simplified, easy-to-understand overviews of risk areas across their organization. This complements existing incident management reports, providing a way to measure and determine levels of risk and decide which items to address first.
Learning is an important part of achieving compliance and improving ongoing management. Software now includes the ability to identify key areas of concern and then create team rooms, where staff from across the organization can collaborate and share information. This type of activity is instrumental in preventing the issue from reoccurring elsewhere in the business.
Looking to the future, we see more companies continuing to integrate information from their systems for purposes beyond compliance – into various reports, performance management and communications. The use of mobile applications will continue to expand and companies increasingly will value the availability of accurate and live data.
In order to optimize EHS management and performance, businesses will use software to create targeted dashboards that analyze what they are doing well and where they need to improve. Complying with EHS regulations is a continuous, ongoing process, and data management software provides the bedrock for meeting changing needs and ensuring organizations are well-equipped to meet future challenges.
Robert Polito is director of business development of credit360, a speciality sustainability software company with operations in United Kingdom, Americas, Hong Kong, Australia, Netherlands and South Africa.
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