Companies increase efficiency of health and safety compliance audits
19-AUG-09
Companies can now avoid penalties for non-compliance to health and safety regulations by going mobile and increasing efficiency of audits by as much as 400%.
This is the view of LexisNexis CEO, Billy Last, who wants to point out that safety, health, environmental and quality (SHEQ) compliance is aggressively and actively policed by government and unions in South Africa.
CEOs are personally held responsible for compliance and listed corporations could face de-listing for non-compliance.
To prove compliance to the authorities, businesses currently have to conduct complex paper-based legal compliance audits that are time-consuming and costly.
According to LexisNexis - leading global provider of content-enabled workflow solutions – companies using the new mobile technology solution, MobiEasy, will drastically improve accuracy and productivity as well as save costs.
“MobiEasy allows companies to use this handheld device on site at their offices to accurately capture whether health and safety requirements are being met such as whether the floors and lifts are in a satisfactory condition and whether there are fire extinguishers and first aid kits on site,” says Johan Louw, a health and safety consultant for LexisNexis.
“The auditors also check whether businesses have appointed a health and safety team and whether there are proper systems in place such as an adequate emergency evacuation plan.”
Using MobiEasy from LexisNexis, information is compiled into a detailed feedback report and action plan that verifies compliance in the form of a total compliance percentage. Businesses then need to submit the document to Department of Labour inspectors or government to prove compliance.
The audits fulfil the important role of measuring the degree of compliance with documented procedures. The audit confirms if the minimum legal requirements are met and maintained and also ascertains if the moral commitment by employers and employees exists.
“A crucial element of the audit process is the site audit as the highest risks and injuries occur on-site,” says Last.
“At the moment most companies employ or contract field workers to conduct compliance audits using clipboards and paper-based forms to gather SHEQ information. This is then re-captured onto a computer. A software system which is based on a company’s intranet is sometimes also used but until now there has been no mobility.
“Gathering information in the field using handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and smart phones means much faster response times and improved business efficiency. MobiEasy is a complete solution that allows you to convert paper-based forms to digital format. Once the information has been collected, data is uploaded to the system via the internet where management can view reports immediately.”
The previous paper-based system involves an auditor conducting audits using paper forms, then a data capturer using a computer to capture the written information. After that a data examiner verifies the information before it can finally be published by a data administrator and reports are then viewed by the relevant stakeholders.
“While companies have a moral obligation to ensure the safety of employees and the community, the present economic situation means that companies need more done by less people. The new system using MobiEasy increases productivity as the audit can be loaded from any location even whilst off-line as the device simply publishes to a web interface as soon as the auditor moves into a network coverage zone. It cuts out the need for time-consuming data capturing and administration,” points out Last.
This new solution offers additional key benefits which include eliminating transcription and human error, being customisable via the administration interface, easily integrating with other systems and it is able to run on any device which supports the Windows platform.
MobiEasy can be used by SHEQ managers, practitioners and consultants as well as risk managers, supervisors and foreman, contractors and Department of Labour inspectors. The application is able to conduct legal compliance audits for occupational health and safety (OHS Act, 85 of 1993), environmental management (ISO 14001), occupational health and safety management (OHSAS 18001) and quality management (ISO 9001).
LexisNexis’ growing compliance and training division offers a comprehensive package of products and services to keep businesses up-to-date and compliant with changing laws and regulations. To assist companies to meet occupational health and safety compliance, LexisNexis offers a total solution, which includes the auditing and electronic compliance tools as well as consulting services, training and content.
LexisNexis and its technology partner, award-winning specialist digital solutions provider FLUX, are working towards providing a wider range of auditing solutions for businesses, which will cater for other legislation and standards. Other applications for MobiEasy will include using it for quality inspections, field surveys and questionnaires.
For more information on auditing and electronic compliance tools as well as consulting services, training and content, contact LexisNexis Johannesburg on 011 245 6500 or send an e-mail to bohss@lexisnexis.co.za.
