New trends in HSE technology

We have a wide range of customers in different industries including steel, consumer goods, agro-industrial, agrochemical, telecommunications and energy. Our customers are located across Latin America in Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Mexico to mention a few countries. We work with professional risk managers, as well as independent professionals to help them certify to international standards.

We found that many organizations need to consolidate HSEQ information, including systems, incidents, non-conformities and corrective actions. We also realize that the data must be analyzed and processed in an agile way to make fast and accurate decisions. Spreadsheets and manual processes are becoming outdated as they are inefficient. Aware of this, we seek to partner with technology companies that allow us to offer our customers a comprehensive solution in Spanish to manage health, safety and environmental processes while driving improvements in operational performance, effectively reducing risks and minimizing costs.

IsoMetrix’s platform makes it simple to track and monitor all health, safety and environmental processes in a dynamic, flexible and systematic way – offering an integrated and comprehensive management solution for our customers. The software interfaces are intuitive, customizable, and facilitate rapid adoption of a safety culture by engaging everyone, from HSE Managers to end-users, with the purpose of achieving company goals.

We believe that merging IsoMetrix technology with the consulting provided by HSEQ Camero Consulting adds value by simplifying HSE processes for customers and saving them time.

IsoMetrix can help organizations comply with the guiding standards for the implementation and control of ISO management systems. IsoMetrix enables companies to automate the management of their health, safety and environmental processes to increase efficiency and reduce costs. The system makes it easy to standardize processes across different business units and comply with HSE best practices at every location. It automates notifications and reminders along with safety-based work process flows so the correct parties are informed when incidents occur, and immediate action is needed.

IsoMetrix facilitates performance monitoring, streamlines workflows, reduces risk, absenteeism and the duplication of work. Using a software rather than a paper trail or spreadsheets also translates to greater data and information security, and reduces administrative burdens. These are just some of the benefits that have led world-renowned companies to implement IsoMetrix software.

My top three recommendations for selecting HSE technology are as follows:

1. It is important that the solution chosen has a mobile offering, meaning, that it allows for the capturing of data especially offline. This is especially important for remote workers in the field who may not be able to access the internet when they need to record an event in real time, report an incident or submit a photograph to the system. Mobile solutions are critical and that must be considered when purchasing software
2. Choose a solution with management indicators, KPIs, and dashboards that adapt to individual worker needs, making them easy to use. Furthermore, make sure the solution offers this in real time and with a high level of accuracy
3. Finally, the solution needs to be in Spanish and offer support in Spanish, all while maintaining an intuitive, flexible and user-friendly interface

There are four key things you need to consider:

• The technology solution should be built and developed around the concept of integration. In this case, it should centralize the management of all health, safety, environmental, quality, social responsibility and other relevant data that the customer requires for their company to succeed
• The technology should allow for the easy adding, reorganizing, and modifying of modules as customer needs evolve and expand
• The solution should have visual dashboards that integrate raw data to provide a comprehensive overview of how the business is doing. This will facilitate risk and trend analysis so the company can make better business decisions
• The technology should have a support team that speaks Spanish, is available 24 hours a day and knows the technical aspects of HSEQ

Talking about regulatory changes in Colombia regarding HSEQ is interesting. In my opinion, Colombia is one of the most dynamic countries when it comes to developing these regulations. In 2015 the government released Decree 1072 which compiles all the HSEQ norms that regulate the workplace. This decree includes stringent regulations around occupational health and safety, forcing the implementation of a health and safety management system. It is no longer voluntary for Colombian companies to comply with ISO 45000. Now, by law, it’s compulsory for companies to have a management system regardless of their size.

The decree itself defines the documents that must be kept available and duly updated. These documents include the occupational health and safety training program, personal protective equipment delivery records, emergency plans, and more.

In 2019 the Ministry of Labor announced resolution 312 that defines the minimum standards for each type of organization, be it large, medium or small, and thus established different requirements for companies depending on the number of employees it has. All the demands set forth in these regulations require a clear and accurate HSEQ management system.

Companies must look for technological tools that allow them not only to comply with legal requirements, but also help them promote health and safety at work and increase operational efficiency. Companies should take advantage of the tools available to them. Ultimately, it will mean a reduction in accident rates and higher productivity for the country.

Yes, indeed these countries do take different approaches. Although they all manage occupational risks using ILO conventions, the level of maturity varies by country. By maturity, I’m referring to the quantity of legislation and the extent to which it is enforced.

Of course, this does not mean that there are not companies in the private sector that go beyond what the legislation asks of them, and voluntarily comply with standards such as ISO 45000. That’s why it’s more common for large companies and multinationals to adhere to ISO requirements.

I have seen five new trends in HSE since the pandemic hit:

• Companies are monitoring the health of their employees and their contractors more closely
• More field inspections are being carried out by occupational health and safety professionals
• Governments are developing and enforcing new regulations related to occupational health
• Remote work has increased as people continue to work from home. For HSE, this means companies are trending towards secure, centralized software solutions that are accessible from anywhere
• Companies have raised the levels of technical HSE knowledge they expect from employees and contractors. They are now looking for workers with higher levels of training, certifications and technical experience

HSEQ Camero Consulting provides consulting services for Occupational Health and Safety, Environment and Quality Management. Based in Colombia, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic; they serve clients across multiple sectors including oil and gas, mining, pharmaceutical and agriculture.

HSEQ Camero Consulting and IsoMetrix, a leading HSE technology company, have partnered in Latin America to help their clients proactively manage risk.