Are your EHS processes helping or hindering?
In my experience managing safety across manufacturing sites, one thing I’ve learnt the hard way is that an outdated Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) process is more than just an irritation—it can become an invisible chain holding us back. Don’t get me wrong, I know how tough it can be. You try your best to stay compliant, keep people safe, and manage a dozen other day-to-day priorities. Before we established clearer and smarter systems, our EHS procedures used to consume endless amounts of time through repetitive tasks like manually updating safety reports, paper-based inspections or chasing down checklists around the workshop. It felt like running on a hamster wheel—exhausting, inefficient, and demotivating for everyone involved.
We realised our processes were holding us back whenever we faced an audit or an incident. We constantly scrambled to provide documentation and evidence, leading to reactive firefighting rather than proactive prevention. Our shop floor teams were frustrated with checklists that didn’t fully reflect their tasks, hazard reporting that felt overly complex, and managers spent far too much time sifting through paperwork instead of identifying genuine areas needing attention. Most alarmingly, the sheer administrative burden distracted us from truly observing and acting on genuine safety risks, creating potential blind spots across operations.
The real-world impact is clearer than you think
Unfortunately, our experiences aren’t unique—it’s widespread and only getting more costly. According to a recent UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report, workplace injuries and illnesses cost UK businesses £18.8 billion each year. Equally concerning, in the USA, OSHA estimates businesses spend around $1 billion per week on workers’ compensation alone. Those numbers quickly added some much-needed context to our internal frustrations and provided a real impetus for change. It gave us both the awareness and urgency needed to seriously review our workflows.
Furthermore, research has shown repeatedly that workers find repetitive paperwork demoralising—76% of EHS and operations professionals in one US-based survey said managing paper-based safety records was among their biggest frustrations, reducing their overall workplace engagement and productivity. Clearly, inefficiencies aren’t just minor irritations. They impact employees’ morale, harm productivity, create compliance risks and strain any business’s bottom-line—the very definition of being held back by a broken process.
Automation: From reactive firefighting to proactive prevention
I understand if the very term “automation” may initially prompt raised eyebrows. When I first thought about automating our operations and safety workflows, I held concerns too—would this add more complexity, alienate frontline teams, or introduce new forms of failure? However, I’ve come to realise automation isn’t about removing the human element. Rather, it’s about removing repetitive manual tasks so teams can spend their energy more effectively on safety management, risk observations, and addressing true hazards.
Digitising safety reports, automating EHS checklists, and deploying streamlined tracking systems made compliance tracking and accurate reporting a genuinely straightforward process, freeing people up for tasks only humans can do best—like observation, decision-making, coaching, and communication. Technology isn’t about replacing dedicated safety staff or bypassing thoughtful oversight; instead, it enables EHS teams to spend their time proactively managing threats, educating employees and identifying risks earlier before critical incidents occur.
In short—automating parts of your EHS reporting isn’t “nice-to-have.” It quickly becomes mission-critical in reducing frustration, streamlining compliance and ultimately ensuring everyone remains safe on your shop floor.
Practical workflow examples that made a genuine difference for us
I understand that seeing evidence matters most, so here’s how automation has genuinely transformed workflows I’ve managed.
History taught me the importance of accuracy and speed when it comes to audits or inspections. We’ve all scrambled through filing cabinets or email attachments, searching for an updated inspection checklist for compliance checks, haven’t we? Automating and digitising our EHS checklists means inspectors and auditors now directly access accurate, up-to-date safety checks stored securely online, anytime and from anywhere. Sign-off verification now takes seconds, not hours. No more chasing down paper reports or wrestling photocopiers—just clear, verified documentation ready whenever needed.
One significant example I regularly share within our teams is around digitising hazard reporting. Frontline workers previously struggled documenting hazards as they occurred on paper forms, which inevitably led to under-reporting or delayed responses. Implementing dedicated digital platforms and apps streamlined this workflow dramatically. Workers on the shop floor now simply open the app, snap photos or select hazard details, and submit reports instantly. Automated alerts pinging responsible leaders keep response times incredibly quick—no hazards overlooked, no paperwork piling up or neglected.
We also automated corrective actions and close-out workflows following inspections or audits. Previously, following an audit involved cumbersome manual checks and routine follow-ups, potentially allowing important issues identified to persist. Automating corrective action follow-up meant clear accountability and faster resolution. With automatic reminders sent to the owners of these actions, management has visibility of bottlenecks or overdue issues in real-time.
Most importantly, automating incident reporting workflow allowed us to swiftly investigate underlying causes and roll-out preventive measures quicker. Investigations became fact-driven and systematic rather than dependent purely on memory or hurried handwritten statements. Stakeholders gain visibility sooner and respond accordingly, substantially reducing reoccurrence rates of incidents or near-misses. Outputs of automated processes provide invaluable trend data, allowing us to spot emerging issues and create targeted training quickly.
We’ve always held pride as manufacturing professionals in our ability to adapt and learn from our challenges, not only producing value for our companies but protecting our workers every day. Digitally transforming our EHS process hasn’t just helped us eliminate time-consuming inefficiencies—it has empowered teams to proactively improve safety culture, continually raising the bar on well-being standards.
If any of these signs sound all-too-familiar, perhaps it’s time to genuinely reconsider if your existing EHS processes are holding you back. Take it from someone who’s felt the sting: automating isn’t simply about keeping up with trends but about proactively empowering your teams and protecting your most valuable asset—your people.
