How to enhance compliance while creating a safer working environment

Chemical companies are poised for significant growth over the next year as the industry rebounds from the losses experienced during the global COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the chemical industry is facing a wave of new regulations and increasing pressure to meet strict global compliance requirements — a rise in national, local, and industry regulations covering everything from emissions to safe waste treatment. To meet these increasing compliance requirements, chemical companies must overcome key challenges surrounding gathering, managing, and reporting data. For organizations that do enhance their compliance processes, the benefits are immense — particularly in relation to safety. Let’s take a look at how companies are using technology to overcome key compliance challenges resulting in safer working environments.

The challenge of achieving compliance

Chemical companies face an immensely complex and detailed ar- ray of compliance requirements in their own country and are often required to adhere to strict global regulations.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict guidelines that chemical manufacturers must comply with to protect the safety of workers interacting with chemical products. And, globally, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) regulates chemical organizations’ processes, and the United Nations (UN) addresses global environmental and human safety concerns. Each of these organizations — and many other local and regional governing bodies — implement a strict set of regulations and compliance requirements on chemical companies. An integral part of meeting these requirements revolves around the following:

• Inspections

• Checklists

• Standards of performance

• Laboratory testing

• Reporting

The management of such critical information for multiple assets and large numbers of employees can quickly become chaotic. In the past, much of the process of meeting compliance requirements was manual. This, in turn, made the process error-prone and time-consuming.

Compliance creates a safer working environment

From the proper disposal of toxic waste to operational procedures surrounding equipment usage, meeting compliance requirements isn’t simply about checking off a box. Chemical companies that are enhancing their ability to meet both internal and external compliance and regu- latory requirements are benefiting from increased safety in the workplace.

Chemical workers have long held some of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Exposure to toxic chemicals and working around potentially hazardous equipment has continually put chemical manufacturers’ greatest asset — their people — in danger. Manual processes for maintenance and tedious processes surrounding inspections and testing have led to a high risk of human error.

Now, through improved, automated processes and enterprise asset management solutions, chemical companies are poised to create a future in which meeting compliance requirements is simplified and workplace safety is elevated.

This safety translates not only directly to an organization’s own employees but also to surrounding communities and, ultimately, the greater global population.

How technology is helping chemical companies achieve compliance

Technology simplifies and streamlines processes surrounding compliance. From document management to scheduling service calls to maintenance prevention and logging of results, new automated technology solutions are empowering chemical companies to lead the way in meeting compliance requirements. With the use of advanced and connected technology solutions, chemical manufacturers are also increasing their trust in the accuracy of their data. Much of this progress is happening through embedded automation across the lifecycle of plant operations. Automation is allowing chemical companies to reach new levels of efficiency, quality, and op- erational integrity.

Technology is enhancing compliance by improving data governance, as well. What was once scattered, siloed information is being transformed into actionable insights that empower chemical companies to meet local and global compliance regulations and mitigate employee risks. This, in turn, is resulting in enhanced safety across the chemical industry.

Enabling enhanced compliance for chemical companies

HxGN EAM enables chemical companies to achieve a safer and more sustainable working environment by gaining complete visibility into assets and control of maintenance to reduce costs and downtime while increasing productivity. Additionally, HxGN EAM allows organizations to align to REACH to ensure products are safe and reliable, allowing them to meet both internal and external compliance and regulatory requirements. If you are interested in learning more about how Hexagon technology solutions can help your organization achieve compliance in efficient and effective ways, contact Hexagon team: https://hexagonppm.com/contact. l

The chemical industry is facing a wave of new regulations and increasing pressure to meet strict global compliance requirements

Antares Vision Group, a technology partner in the digitalization of products and supply chains for companies and institutions and a leader in traceability and inspection, introduced Diamind, the most intelligent and integrated ecosystem of solutions that simplifies the technology environment, at Interpack, the leading processing and packaging trade fair, in Düsseldorf from 4 to 10 May.

The Diamind ecosystem fosters business growth and enables a data-driven, tailored journey to digital innovation. All of its solutions and innovations are aimed at guaranteeing the quality, safety, efficiency, and sustainability of products and supply chains in all the business areas in which the Group is active.