Corrective and preventative actions (CAPAs) play a critical role in ensuring that employees are consistently in compliance with risk mitigation policies. But effective CAPA management continues to challenge enterprises around the world. Specialized corrective action tracking systems - quality, environment, health, and safety (QEHS) software - that is based in the cloud can significantly calibrate CAPA strategy execution and document workflow, in part because it aligns locations across borders in real-time.
CAPAs generally include the following:
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Routine inspections
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Accident investigations
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Trainings
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Near-miss data evaluations
When QEHS programs are managed with cloud-native applications, companies have a much better chance of implementing and running a successful program. Having a central repository of information that can be accessed from anywhere empowers teams to streamline interdepartmental communication. It also enables worflow automation and teams to keep track of all actions taken. The endless storage capabilities of the cloud ensure that nothing, no matter how small, slips through the cracks or is forgotten. In fact, it empowers companies to mine their historical data and use it during predictive analytics endeavors.
Types of tracking in a successful QEHS program
There are different types of tracking functions in QEHS software that can be categorized as either proactive or reactive. The proactive approach actively monitors operations to determine if a work environment is safe for employees. Every inspection, assessment, and interaction is tracked to create a record of a site’s health, as seen over time. For companies that are interested in year-over-year improvement, keeping track of performance is vital to success.
Reactive methods, on the other hand, simply track evidence of non-compliance. This includes the investigation of incidents and accidents or tracking work-related sickness. This type of tracking is often seen in companies that simply wish to remain compliant with government regulations.
A successful QEHS program is not only proactive, it is also quantitative. Traditionally performance scoring has been done on paper and pencil. It often required inspectors to file forms in triplicate to make sure all supervisors and stakeholders are kept informed. Measuring and tracking the success of a strategy across multiple locations this way has been known to lead to workforce malaise. Calculating scores across multiple locations is much simpler when using a mobile device that instantly transmits information to the cloud.
When a quarterly inspection contains hundreds of questions, leveraging the cloud can liberate employees from the pain of keeping track of paper forms and Excel spreadsheets. Forms no longer need to be filed in multiple places. All records and evidence are immediately available via the cloud, enabling stakeholders to easily track progress. Enabling team members to file incident reports or assign corrective actions on mobile devices also reduces barriers to report creation, which unlocks near-miss data that can be used during future strategy development. Creating predictive models that leverage all available information can be resource-intensive. Designing for a future we cannot yet imagine is a challenge. However, it is an attainable goal.
Effectively tracking QEHS operations today
In our digital age, a robust QEHS program depends heavily on the effectiveness of the way it is managed. Every organization has different elements that need to be monitored, and QEHS software has to be able to address all of it. Whether you implement a turnkey solution or use a highly customized mobile app to do your inspections or assessments, tracking actions must be timely, especially if there could be an investigation at a later date.
Tracking plays an important role in not only identifying problems; it also sheds light on what actually caused them, how they could be resolved, and how they could be prevented. When multiple inspectors are working in tandem across multiple locations, the amount of aggregated data adds up. Digitally managing this data with applications that are synced with the cloud enables organizations to effectively track and manage information from a centralized platform in real-time. This comes in quite handy when decision-makers are demanding rapid data analysis during an investigation or an audit.
This is a primary reason why no-code, cloud-native app development is perfectly suited for the QEHS space. By adopting a no-code approach to app development, anyone within the organization can rapidly build or update the software used to capture, monitor, and analyze program data. If it is determined that a change needs to be made to a policy, the app can be updated in real-time through the cloud — without writing any code.
Cloud-native app development on a no-code platform like Pulpstream can help rapidly develop, implement, mobilize and customize your QEHS program in a cost-effective way, without engaging your IT department. Furthermore, this approach would equip your organization with tools that bolster continuous improvement with real-time data and workflow automation, creating a culture of painless compliance.
