5 ways AI is reinventing EHS processes

We examine how AI provides the opportunity for EHS to be reinvented, giving EHS managers more time to take proactive measures to improve safety.

EHS departments have lagged behind other business areas in adopting technology. While sales have high-spec customer databases, and production has automated maintenance management, EHS rely on spreadsheets and emails. 

AI provides the opportunity for EHS to be reinvented, giving EHS managers more time to take proactive measures to improve workplace safety, while supporting other business functions in meeting their objectives.

Here, there are five ways that AI is reinventing EHS processes in organizations.

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1. Near miss reporting

In traditional EHS processes, reporting near misses relies heavily on manual identification, which often leads to inconsistencies and underreporting. 

Integrating computer vision EHS and AI algorithms enables more reliable incident detection, allowing EHS managers to capture real-time safety concerns.

• Manual reporting and its limitations

Near miss reporting relies on people to identify something as a near miss or safety concern, to find the appropriate paper or online form, complete it, and send it to the right person. The EHS manager might have only a handful of near misses reported each month.

• AI-powered Near Miss Reporting

Computer vision (CV) monitoring multiple CCTV streams can supplement worker-reported near misses with automated reports of defined near misses. This provides a more consistent measure of events.

• More accurate insights for proactive risk management

With AI’s assistance, EHS managers gain a more comprehensive view of potential risks, allowing them to make informed decisions based on precise data. Continuously tracking safety metrics enables managers to implement more effective measures, significantly reducing workplace safety issues and human error.

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2. Housekeeping checks - Automated safety monitoring 

Integrating AI technology into housekeeping processes can significantly enhance EHS management by automating safety checks and flagging potential hazards. 

AI systems allow EHS supervisors to streamline workplace safety by identifying issues in real-time and ensuring consistent compliance.

• Time-consuming manual checks

Housekeeping checks require regular and time-consuming walk arounds. Although these provide an opportunity to talk to people, that adds to the time taken to complete the checks and might result in some areas being missed.

• AI-driven hazard identification

Housekeeping checks can be automated using AI hazard detection to flag up obstacles left in areas that should be clear, such as walkways. These could be tools or materials that could cause obstruction to workers' day-to-day tasks.

• Streamlining safety protocols with AI

Hazards can be flagged directly to those responsible for an area so that they can arrange for a clean-up, leaving the EHS manager with more time to talk to people properly, instead of dealing with housekeeping concerns.

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3. Real-time safety monitoring

AI-powered monitoring systems provide EHS leaders with real-time insights and proactive safety measures. Integrating machine learning and IoT allows AI capabilities to automate data collection and analysis, improving compliance management and reducing manual intervention.

• Manual monitoring and its challenges

While some monitoring is already automated (e.g. smoke detectors trigger a fire alarm panel), other systems still rely on people to read meters or take temperatures. For example, legionella management schemes require the temperature of water from taps and water tanks to be measured and recorded.

• AI and IoT for predictive analytics

The Internet of Things (IoT) allows real-time incident reporting of out-of-range readings. For example, water temperatures and emergency lighting functioning. Machine learning can help the EHS manager to make sense of the additional data from IoT.

• Operational efficiency gains 

The EHS manager can spend less time chasing people for temperature records and emergency lighting reports and more time managing concerns that arise, as soon as they are identified.

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4. AI-powered vehicle and pedestrian safety monitoring

AI technology enhances vehicle and pedestrian safety monitoring by replacing unreliable wearables with computer vision and AI algorithms. This approach provides real-time insights, helping EHS professionals address potential hazards and improve safety protocols.

• Challenges with wearable safety technology

Being hit by a moving vehicle remains the second most common cause of death at work in the UK, with 25 people killed in the year 2023/24. 

Wearable technology – which causes an alarm when a tagged vehicle and a tagged person get too close – has had some success, but it’s too easy for people to forget to wear their tag.

• AI algorithms for vehicle-pedestrian interactions

CV can provide rich data about pedestrians in vehicle zones, vehicles crossing pedestrian zones, or vehicles and pedestrians coming into close proximity. No additional infrastructure or tags for people or vehicles are needed.

• Proactive risk management for EHS professionals

EHS managers will have better data about where problems could occur before anything serious happens. They can be proactive in measures to prevent accidents, such as improving lighting, signage or training. The EHS manager will be able to spend less time investigating accidents too.

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5. AI capabilities in PPE compliance

Using AI systems can greatly improve PPE compliance by offering automated detection and behavioral analysis, enabling EHS managers to address non-compliance more effectively and enhance safety protocols.

• Challenges in ensuring PPE compliance

Although hard hats, gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are the last line of defense, they remain essential to protect workers in many jobs. The EHS manager can’t always be there to make sure it’s being worn. Individuals are criticized for their behaviors without sight of a broader pattern of behavior.

• Generative AI for behavior analysis

Rather than needing to “catch” people not wearing PPE, the EHS manager can leave PPE detection to monitor when it is – and isn’t worn. AI will help the EHS manager to spot patterns – for example, perhaps people working further away from changing rooms are less likely to wear appropriate PPE.

• Actionable insights for EHS leaders

With a better picture of where the problems are, the EHS manager can spend time identifying why PPE isn’t being worn in some areas, and what could be done to improve compliance. For example, moving the PPE storage, or providing different varieties for different work environments.

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Other benefits of AI in EHS management may include:

1. Proactive Risk Management

AI-driven analytics enable more effective accident prevention in the workplace, allowing EHS managers like Brad to predict potential safety incidents before they occur. 

By analyzing data trends and patterns from various sources, artificial intelligence in health and safety identifies high-risk areas, enabling preemptive action. 

The integration of AI into EHS processes has been shown to reduce workplace incidents by up to 30% in some industries, according to a study by the National Safety Council.

2. Enhanced Safety Culture

Through continuous real time safety monitoring and feedback loops, AI encourages a proactive safety culture within organizations. Tools powered by AI provide real-time insights into safety compliance and worker behavior, fostering a collective responsibility towards maintaining safety standards.

3. Streamlined Compliance and Reporting

AI automates compliance tasks, enhancing incident management and reducing the time spent on reporting. This capability not only ensures accuracy but also significantly reduces the administrative burden on EHS managers, with companies reporting a 50% reduction in time spent on compliance activities, as per the Environmental Protection Agency’s findings.

4. Data-Driven Decision Making

Leveraging vast amounts of data, AI offers unparalleled insights into safety management. For instance, it can analyze historical incident data to identify trends and patterns, providing EHS managers with the information needed to make informed decisions. This approach has improved safety outcomes by up to 40% in sectors adopting AI for EHS management.

5. Improved Training and Engagement

AI technologies, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), are revolutionizing safety training, making it more interactive and engaging. This hands-on approach to training has proven to increase retention rates and enhance the understanding of safety protocols among employees.

By embracing AI, organizations can significantly improve their EHS processes, making workplaces safer and more efficient. As technology evolves, the potential for AI in EHS management continues to expand, offering new avenues for innovation and improvement in safety standards.

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Safer workplaces and better compliance

Fortunately, you don’t need a degree in machine learning or even a school qualification in computing to manage this new technology. AI tools make it as easy for an EHS manager to configure an AI system such as computer vision, as to create a flow chart in PowerPoint, or a spreadsheet in Excel. 

What are you waiting for? To learn more about how Protex AI is using camera software to help EHS safety managers embrace more proactive safety processes, chat to one of our product experts here 👈🏼

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