- Introducing Robust and Efficient Regulatory ChangesSo far, 2018 has already seen the introduction of a transformative global standard for occupational health and safety management systems. Five years in the making, the highly anticipated ISO 45001 is a significant development in the world of safety management, bringing safety and compliance professionals around the world the framework to help increase employee safety, reduce workplace risks, and drive continuous improvement.As the first global consensus standard for safety and compliance management, ISO 45001 has the potential to push safety and compliance management forward on a global level, and help all organizations effectively manage safety and compliance goals and efforts. These new standards will have a significant and positive impact for all organizations that operate in multiple countries globally. Designed to be consistent with previously existing standards, the widespread adoption of ISO 45001 should be relatively easy for organizations around the world. Companies that have already achieved OHSAS 18001 certification will be allowed a three year transition period to migrate over to the new ISO 45001.
ISO 45001 has the potential to push safety and compliance management forward on a global level.
Last year marked some big changes to the hazardous products act, requiring federal workplaces to be in compliance by the end of 2018. The new Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations are part of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). These new regulations will help protect workers who use, handle and store hazardous products in the workplace by ensuring QHSE standards and regulations are consistent globally. Companies that wish to meet compliance are now updating WHMIS training to incorporate the new aspects of the GHS.
The new GHS regulations will align the classification and labelling standards of workplace chemicals on a global scale, making hazard information consistent between trading partners such as the EU, Canada, Australia, China, Japan and South Korea. Consistent standards for workplace hazardous chemicals will reduce compliance costs, and allow smoother international trade. Widespread adoption of this international standard has taken some time, and most workplaces are expected to be compliant by the end of this year.
Last year also introduced the Singapore Accord, an international call-to-action encouraging safety organizations from around the world to affirm their commitment to upholding and standardizing a global framework of health and safety regulations.
These recent developments all hint at greater universal standardization for health and safety. As new workplace health and safety regulations are introduced and refined around the world, we are beginning to see a significant and positive transformation in workplace safety and compliance practices.
Going forward, we fully expect to see this trend of increasingly robust and effective regulations continue to grow exponentially.
- New Legislation to Ensure Workplace Health & Safety ComplianceIn addition to the recent trend of regulatory changes, there is no doubt that governments around the world will continue to introduce new legislation to ensure workplace health and safety compliance. The global health and safety landscape is constantly evolving, and 2018 is shaping up to be an exciting year, with many legislation changes already in effect and many more on the horizon.This growing trend of legislation updates speaks to a growing commitment to improving occupational health and safety at work-sites around the world.
As this trend continues to pick up momentum around the world, it will become increasingly critical for organizations to stay up to date on the latest in occupational health and safety legislation.
- Digital Transformation – Reliance on Predictive AnalyticsCompanies are constantly examining the increasing role that digital technologies play in becoming agile, faster, and better equipped to adapt to challenges and market conditions. As companies around the world move towards digital transformation, we are seeing an increasing number of companies leverage the power of big data and analytics to make data-driven safety and compliance decisions. Companies are looking to integrate solutions and technologies that will give them a competitive advantage, provide critical insight into core business practices and operations, and above all, improve employee safety.The adoption of predictive analytics and big data technologies has become a significant trend over the last year, with 53% of companies using big data, up from 17% in 2015 (Forbes, 2017). The ability to leverage predictive analytics to continuously refine and improve health and safety processes has already been transformative for many companies.
With the ability to visualize and analyze safety, compliance, and operational data, companies can boost operational efficiency, prevent injuries, and determine root causes of machinery failures, malfunctions, and defects in near-real time.
As companies realize the potential impact of big data and predictive analysis tools on workplace health and safety, productivity, and cost reduction, we expect that this trend will continue throughout 2018, and well into the future.
- Safety Personnel Hiring Requirements
The last few years have also seen a rising demand for well-trained and certified safety personnel. This trend is expected to only grow as companies realize the impact of competent safety professionals and a strong safety culture in reducing workplace injuries.In 2018, as safety regulations become increasingly stringent, we expect that safety personnel roles will continue to become more defined, as well as the specific hiring requirements. It is becoming absolutely essential that safety professionals possess the right education and experience to perform their jobs.For example, this year in the Canada the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (BCRSP) standards will be brought into alignment with global standards and the requirements for Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (CRSP) certifications will change. Currently, certified safety personnel will likely be required to take additional training programs to meet the newly implemented standards. Future applicants will require a degree, diploma, or certificate from an approved program.The International Network of Safety & Health Practitioner Organizations (INSHPO) has recently published a global framework, establishing a template for the competencies and knowledge required for safety personnel.As safety personnel hiring requirements become standardized on a global scale, organizations will need to continue to invest in employee competency training.
2018 looks to be another great year for advancements in the world of safety and compliance. No matter what industry you operate in, it is becoming increasingly challenging to manage the growing complexities of workplace health and safety. It has become essential for companies to find the right software solutions that can integrate with their existing technology. Equipped with the right technology, your organization will be able to build and maintain strong Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental measures.
ITRAK is the #1 QHSE solution for the Microsoft Cloud , it is certified for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and integrates with Power BI and Azure, allowing users to leverage the power and scalability that comes with the Microsoft stack. Our solution allows organizations of any size, to customize the software to their ever-changing workflows, enabling them to be more agile and responsive to operational risks. ITRAK can be implemented within any organization small or large, and through a wide variety of industries across the globe. ITRAK can easily scale to handle the demands of a small team or a team of thousands. For over a decade, ITRAK has been enabling businesses from various industries to become more proactive with their OH&S compliance & reporting processes. We support an established base of over 60 QHSE/EHS customers worldwide in Oil and Gas, Mining, Utilities, Forestry, Transportation and many more.
