“Use it or Lose it”: Making the Most of Your 2019 EHS Budget

2019 is winding down, and if you’ve been cost-conscious about your EHS budget throughout the year, you might be fortunate enough to find yourself with some funding still available. Unfortunately, many businesses take a “use it or lose it” approach when it comes to their annual budgeting processes, and unused funding this year often translates to a smaller budget next year. After all, if you didn’t spend it you didn’t need it, right?

Not so fast!

The “use it or lose it” approach often means EHS managers are rushed to spend their remaining funds before the year-end, and wind up making purchases that fail to achieve the greatest possible value for your EHS dollar. So, before you make any hasty purchases, take some time to thoughtfully review your current EHS programs, prioritize your needs and identify any opportunities for improvement.

EHS Software…Always a Good Decision

Of all the various equipment, training tools, PPE, wearables, drones and other EHS technologies available on the market today, EHS software is perhaps the best investment you can make if you’re looking to get the most from your year-end budget.

Why is EHS software such a good value? It’s because the fundamental purpose of EHS software is to simplify and automate EHS management tasks and processes, and reduce the time and cost required to manage your workplace EHS programs. In other words, the value of EHS software extends across each of your EHS management systems, and throughout the organization.

Another key benefit of EHS software is access to purpose-built reporting and dashboard features that make workplace EHS performance metrics more visible to stakeholders throughout your organization. This visibility is essential in today’s highly competitive, high risk business environment where managers increasingly rely on data to drive decision-making processes and pursue continuous improvement of EHS programs.

EHS software can also help you boost employee participation in your EHS programs by making it easier for them to perform critical EHS management tasks. Not only does this help distribute your EHS management workload and free up your time to focus on your EHS management goals, but this increased worker participation is the very definition of employee engagement. When you can get workers more actively involved with your EHS programs, you’re making a significant contribution to the strength of your workplace EHS culture.

But Wait…There’s More!

These are just a few of the advantages businesses can achieve through the use of EHS software. In addition to simplifying complex EHS management tasks, driving EHS performance and strengthening your workplace EHS culture, EHS software also helps you to synchronize and coordinate your different EHS management systems, and break down the silos that can prevent your EHS programs from operating at peak efficiency.

Cloud-based EHS software allows for seamless information sharing across departments and locations, as well as across your various EHS functions, ultimately helping you save time and further reduce risk across your enterprise. How does it do this? Well, we can’t speak for other EHS software providers, but let’s take a look at how VelocityEHS does it.

Case Study: Incident Management

A great example of how VelocityEHS helps integrate your various EHS management systems is our approach to incident management. For instance, the VelocityEHS Incident Management solution is ideal for tracking all types of workplace incidents, and simplifying injury and illness reporting to help streamline recordkeeping compliance. But how can employers prevent future incidents and illnesses from occurring, and ensure that their employees are getting the information they need to avoid hazards in the first place?

That’s where the VelocityEHS Risk Analysis solution comes in. Users can quickly and easily perform detailed Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) to determine what hazards exist in the workplace, and which tasks and processes present the greatest risk across the organization. With easier access to information about task and process hazards, the VelocityEHS Risk Analysis solution helps users better anticipate and eliminate those hazards, and ultimately work safer.

Of course, when task and process hazards are identified, you need to implement the appropriate controls to reduce or eliminate them. That’s where the VelocityEHS Corrective Actions solution truly shines. It allows users to quickly and easily schedule, assign, track and follow-up on action items right from their mobile device, whether they’re on-site or in the field.

Let’s Talk Turkey

At this point you might be thinking, “Well, this all sounds great but how much does it cost, and how long is it going to take?” After all, we’re talking about scoring a quick win with your year-end budget, not undertaking a lengthy capital expense project, right?

We’ve got you covered, because VelocityEHS solutions are built around a flexible, modular design that lets you choose one of our off-the-shelf solutions, let’s say Incident Management, and have your system up and running in as little as four weeks, all for a competitive price.

Once you’ve got your 2020 budget all sorted out, you can then easily add-on modules to build the EHS software solution that meets the unique needs of your business. At VelocityEHS we’re all about simplicity, and that includes providing a faster implementation process so you can minimize the time-to-value of your purchase.

Want to Learn More?

Visit the VelocityEHS Solutions page to learn more about our comprehensive suite of EHS software products and how we can help you reach your EHS goals faster. Ready to take a test drive? Request a Demo or Contact Us today!