As the digital revolution continues, more and more utility companies are looking to EHS software to help cut costs, increase productivity, and reduce risk.
And for good reason: Digital technologies can help utilities reduce operating expenses up to 25% and improve performance 20-40% in areas like safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance, according to McKinsey.
At Perillon, we work closely with a number of utilities that deliver electric power, natural gas, water and other services. To help you envision how EHS software can benefit your organization, here are just a few of the ways utilities are using EHS software.
1. Tracking compliance obligations and deadlines
Along with state and federal regulations, utilities must complete hundreds of smaller tasks in order to maintain compliance. Permits need to be renewed, reports need to be submitted, and documents need to be filed. Failure to meet these obligations can result in major fines, as well as serious reputational damage.
Many utilities have started using EHS software to help manage and organize tasks and deadlines. With the help of features like a centralized compliance calendar, email reminders and notifications, employees can stay on schedule and meet critical deadlines — even as requirements change.
2. Managing safety and environmental incidents
When every moment counts, it's essential to have an efficient and orderly incident management system in place. That's why many utilities are turning to EHS software to manage leaks, outages, quality issues, and other incidents or non-conformances.
Software alerts need-to-know staff as soon as an incident is reported, so you can respond immediately. Add to that the ability to automatically trigger corrective and preventive actions and track them through to closing, and you’ll always know exactly which steps to take in order to manage an effective response.
What's more, management can view incident trends by location or root cause on intuitive dashboards. With these insights, executives can make proactive decisions and ultimately prevent future incidents from occurring.
3. Succession planning and turnover
As more and more Baby Boomers retire, employee turnover is becoming a major issue for utilities. According to the Department of Labor, as much as 50% of the nation’s utility workforce will retire in the next five to 10 years. Nearly 100,000 new workers will be needed to fill these gaps.
While EHS software can’t help utilities locate new talent, it can help make the transition much smoother. EHS software systems store information in one place, which helps ensure critical institutional knowledge doesn’t walk out the door with exiting employees. It also makes it easy to identify and reassign tasks if someone leaves, helping you avoid costly delays or mistakes.
The bottom line
EHS software has huge potential in the utility sector, and many utilities are already taking advantage of the opportunity. At Perillon, we specialize in EHS software for companies with high volumes of data. Our customers include utilities, pipelines, refineries, and more. Click here to schedule a free demo with our solutions team.