A recent study, Complex Data. Increasing Regulations. Cutting-Edge Solutions, conducted by Intelex looking into the priorities and concerns of EHS professionals found that significant work needs to be done to improve incident prevention, with 90% of respondents reporting their organizations have experienced H&S incidents in the last 12 months and 85% reporting repeat injuries on job sites.
One particular challenge was the EHS professionals felt “overwhelmed and ill-equipped to manage huge amounts of data,” the study reported. According to the research, 42% state data reporting is their most significant challenge while only 7% have fully integrated systems in place. Poor integration, reported by 44% was a problem and lack of correct technology to collect and analyze the data they need in the first place, was reported by 32%.
“As EHS becomes more data intensive, organizations that use disparate technology systems, spreadsheets or even paper are being left behind by their competitors, said Trevor Bronson, director, Portfolio Strategy, in a statement. Moreover, the instances of repeat EHS incidents tell us that there are human consequences far more profound than reputational and operational problems."
Despite these challenges, the research revealed a number of positives, with one, in particular, showing that professionals have a lot of motivation to make necessary improvements to the way they are currently working. Figures suggest that 37% see incident prevention as a key priority while 75% want to see significant improvement in incident prevention rates.
***To comment on this article, please scroll down past story recommendations to "Voice Your Opinion."