Selecting a QHSE Digitalisation Tool Partner: The Right Approach

With technological disruption amidst the construction industry, an era of change is updating regulations and demanding more from the sector. QHSE compliance is definitely a difficult task and finding the right software to assist you is the harder part. Looking for the right QHSE tool requires a structured and very thorough process. This article focuses on three major concepts to keep in mind if you are acquiring a tool for your QHSE digitalisation.

10 criteria for selecting the best HSE tool for you

1. User interface quality
2. Software implementation costs
3. Software license and subscription costs
4. Platform covers HSE workflows
5. Ability to configure the application without using outside consultants
6. Software hosting costs
7. Mobile app and works offline
8. Industry-specific content and workflow
9. Customer references from your industry
10. Potential to customise the software with consultants

This guideline is referenced from Verdantix’s EHS Software Purchasing Criteria. Verdantix is an independent research and consulting firm focused on innovative technologies that optimise business operations.
Related reading: How to go digital with your QHSE.

Don’t just look for a software, find a partner

Choosing a QHSE tool and building a QHSE system for your company is more than just the software tool itself. Your QHSE software provider will have a huge role in your QHSE processes. Finding an app that suits your needs also means finding a software provider who will be your company’s QHSE partner for the rest of the years you’re operating. You need to ask yourself the following questions:

Do I need my software to work on mobile devices?

Take note, when you implement a QHSE software solution, your chosen software toll will be central to your QHSE management program. This means your workers will interact using this QHSE software system, which will become a part of their work. As a construction business, most of your workers will be in the field. It would be very ideal to have a tool that can be accessed both from a computer and a mobile device.

How will a mobile app improve my processes?

Mobile apps can collect the same information in a fraction of the time that pen and paper, Excel, and email required. With a mobile app, customised drop-down checklists and templates can be standardised with required value fields to ensure that your field people collect the data you need. GPS features prove that a safety and compliance inspection takes place in the correct location. As cloud-based mobile solutions provide greater transparency and visibility of workforce activities, data collected can be automatically analysed to ensure accuracy, to know if anything needs to be fixed immediately or to study data for better decision making.

Is there a difference if I use a SaaS versus an On-Premise software?

Since SaaS software run on the cloud and powerful remote servers, they provide unlimited storage and processing capacity not offered by locally installed software and programs. Using a SaaS app simplifies your company’s IT budgets by calculating your cost based on your chosen monthly SaaS subscription. You don’t have to deal with unexpected expenses that come with hardware and software add-ons or failures.

Is my information secure when using cloud-based QHSE solutions?

The initial shift to SaaS can pose some integration challenges, but once your data is ported over to a cloud-based service, your data will be backed up and securely stored in a format that will be continuously compatible with other SaaS products and services. Cloud-based platforms, to stay relevant, make their software able to work seamlessly with the typical digital tools. They also make sure that your data remains compatible with the latest versions of the more popular programs. Your office IT department cannot make that same level of security guarantee for you.
Further reading: Digitise your QHSE processes for better construction quality and a safer construction site.

Find a tool that encourages user adoption

The ideal QHSE software should help you save time and costs by laying down the groundwork for adoption.

Can I integrate QHSE tool with my existing systems?

To have an attractive ROI on your QHSE system and to generate value from it, you should choose a tool that allows it to easily integrate with your already existing systems.

How do I roll out the implementation of the potential QHSE software successfully?

Adoption of new processes should consolidate your QHSE with your disparate systems, data management, reporting, and employee productivity. Successful implementation and roll out should allow you to generate value from your new system and give you an attractive ROI.

Find a tool that would support ongoing improvements of your business processes over the long-term

Remember, a QHSE software is not just a data management tool to help you capture data. It should be a software solution to help you improve your existing system. Your chosen QHSE software should be used to support your business processes better. It should not completely change them, but instead, be used to help your processes through better automation and to make your methods more effective and more efficient. Ultimately, it will be a solution that provides ongoing improvements to your business processes over the long term.