EHSQ digitization: how to do it?

Digitizing Quality and EHS processes has become now essential to gain in reactivity, efficiency, to free yourself from office automation files, email exchanges and to save time in your work. For this, it is essential to do it step by step / Process by Process when digitizing. Here are some tips to get started.

EHSQ digitization: The preliminary steps

1) Make an inventory of your existing information system

The first step will be making an inventory of the existing situation. What solutions exist within your organization? Which ones are used? Do you have an ERP, HRIS software?

In this inventory, it is essential to understand what the key data for your business is and how to recover it. The chosen digitization solution will replace your existing tools and facilitate feedback from the field. However, some data will certainly have to be extracted from other software. So before you start, I recommend that you check the interfacing possibilities with your existing software. A key point to avoid unnecessary double entries in your digitization project.

2) Establish a list of EHSQ issues

Then, newt step will to establish a list of your EHSQ issues and an order of priority. What are the main difficulties in your daily life? What are the priority projects this year? Take the time to reflect about all these questions.

The role of a digital tool is above all to make your daily life easier.

It is also essential to ask your employees about their own field problems. You will be a main user of the solution. However, do not forget that EHSQ is everyone's business and that each employee has a potential interest in accessing the solution. If tablets/smartphones makes the entry of information easier when in the field, the tool must be as intuitive as possible so as not to waste time on software training! Indeed, the most difficult part will perhaps be the change management and the adoption of the solution by the most reluctant.

You have taken care of establishing an inventory of your system and addressing your issues as well as those of your employees.

But still here's the question: where do we start?

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Here is an example of a possible EHSQ digitization scenario.

1) The EDM

In order for your EHSQ system to be as efficient as possible, a structured EDM is a "Must-Have".

There is nothing worse than realizing in the middle of an audit that the version of a field procedure is obsolete!

With digitization, you will be able to follow the life cycle of your documents directly on the tool. You will have a comprehensive history of the changes made. Once the EDM has been digitized, it is time to associate all types of documents (procedure/recording/instruction) with your various applications on the tool.

2) The Global Action Plan

The action plan is the heart of your EHSQ system. It allows you to regularly monitor the actions to be taken and to continuously improve your system. Digitizing your action plan means offering a better sharing of data within your organization. Each employee follows the actions dedicated to them. It is mainly alerted when one of them expires.

Once the action plan has been digitized, the actions resulting from your future audits/visits (or the follow-up of your non-conformities/claims) are automatically incremented in the global action plan without having to re-enter each action.

3) Management of safety audits/visits

Paper is a problem when carrying out audits or visits. Indeed it implies many transcriptions (and therefore risks of loss of information!). Equipped with a tablet and/or a smartphone, you can use your digitized forms directly in the field, even without an internet connection ( "offline" mode). You have the possibility to have a look at your procedures already incremented in the tool (via the upstream integration of the EDM).

As soon as the audit is completed, the PDF report is automatically generated and forwarded to your various employees by email. You will find in your global action plan the different actions resulting from the audit/visit in question.

4) Follow-up of non-conformity/deviations

Apart from carrying out audits / visits, it is sometimes difficult as a EHSQ professional to keep an eye on everything. We might not be aware of what is taking place in the field. Here is a very simple example: Stopping one of the production lines, the non-conformity/deviation sheets are not made available in the workshop. Employees do not write the information on paper. The line is restarted without the EHSQ service being informed of the failure.

A digitized form would have allowed your field staff to enter information directly on the tablet in real time without having to print new non-conformity sheets or call the EHSQ department. With an email, you are alerted of the line failure that occurs in the field and the corrective measures that have been implemented by the workshop manager.

Recommended for you. Download the free graphic design: "EHSQ Digitization, Where to start? Download

As we go along or all of a sudden?

As mentioned above, some processes are certainly to be digitized as a priority. And today, the best way to achieve this digital transition is to go step by step. For example, start by digitizing the EDM and the action plan first, then the audits. The formulas offered by EHSQ editors are adapted to your request and your business (see article on the 3 essential criteria when choosing an EHSQ software).

Also, the more your structure grows, the greater the need for digitization will be: the solution must then adapt to these new demands. Digitization will make the management of your system easier to achieve, especially in multi-site contexts.

You now have all the cards in hand to carry out your digitization project. Be sure to define your priorities and make sure to go step by step so as not to risk getting lost in the process.