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When is the Time to Buy New EHS Software?
All software has an expiration date.
Well-designed systems have a useful life of about six to eight years, while more poorly designed systems may last only three years.
The important question is at what point does maintaining your existing system become more expensive than investing in new environment, health and safety (EHS) software?
1. You need software that integrates more readily with your other IT systems.
Many companies have other business software systems for non-EHS applications; modern EHS software can often be integrated with these systems in ways that draw EHS out of its silo and demonstrate its value to the organization.
Today’s EHS software has the potential to work with your:
- Manufacturing execution systems (MESs): These systems track and document the process of transforming raw materials into finished products.
- Enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs): These systems provide unified information to different departments within the organization that might otherwise be working from separate sets of data.
- Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS): Some businesses may already participate in this voluntary European Union environmental management system, which is itself designed to integrate with ISO 14001. If your company is EMAS registered, you may want EHS software that integrates readily with its requirements.
- Business intelligence tools and business analytics tools: These basic data management tools offer business-related aggregation and analysis to identify business trends and opportunities. Some EHS software can export information into these tools.
2. You need a comprehensive global program management system.
As businesses expand into the global marketplace, there’s an increasing need for systems that can operate across countries and continents. Even if all you need is basic bilingual or trilingual functionality to accommodate your North American operations, it may be time for an EHS software upgrade.
3. You need to replace an internally built system.
Perhaps your initial EHS software was created by an in-house IT department – and at the time, it did what you needed. But as EHS software becomes more highly specialized and broadly functional, many companies find it difficult or impossible to continually upgrade proprietary legacy systems. A third-party provider may offer things that in-house IT staff simply don’t have the time or resources to create.
4. You need greater external transparency.
Your company’s EHS performance is increasingly a matter of public interest. Customers and clients may decide where to spend their money based not just on price and quality, but also on factors like corporate environmental and safety performance. Modern EHS software can easily generate reports that show your company to best advantage in these areas.
5. You need better tools for tracking your EHS return on investment.
Outdated or rudimentary EHS software may not have robust systems for evaluating return on investment (ROI) for your EHS activities. ROI is one of the more important categories of analytics that can be vastly improved by upgrading your software.
Read our report Determining the ROI of Safety: Why Data Matters to learn more.
6. Your current vendor isn’t getting the job done.
It could be that what you need isn’t new software as much as a new software vendor. If you’re noticing that updates aren’t promptly available and don’t meet your expectations or if your current software is becoming too expensive to maintain and lacks adequate technical support, it may be time for a change.
7. Your culture has changed.
Perhaps your current software was deployed when you simply needed to improve your company’s reaction to near-misses, or to track EHS-related disciplinary actions more closely. But now that everyone is on board with your EHS goals you may need software to help you adopt a more proactive focus.
Watch our on-demand session The Five Elements of a Successful Data-Driven Safety Culture for more insights.
8. You’re going paperless.
Older systems may still rely on paper-based processes – for example, printed inspection checklists. Newer software can help you move along on the road to a paperless system.
Is it time for an upgrade
Explore our cloud-based EHS software. It gives you the necessary tools to protect workers, remain compliant and enhance workplace safety and sustainability—all in one centralized platform.
