Like any process, there are a few common mistakes that people tend to make when setting up and executing a water and wastewater management plan. Fortunately, EHS software automates the entire process and helps you avoid costly and dangerous pitfalls.
1. Not tracking or recording sample test results
Sample testing is the most accurate way to measure your performance against your targets and objectives. But some people make the mistake of simply collecting the samples, and doing little more with them.
But this is a costly mistake. If you’re not really looking at the results, you may be missing some key information that lies beneath the surface.
Maybe your wastewater is within an acceptable range for certain contaminants, but with each test it has creeped closer and closer to being unacceptable. Being able to see this bigger picture lets you proactively mitigate risk and avoid dangerous activities.
What can EHS software do? Automating with EHS software lets you assign responsibility for sample collection and testing. Responsible parties will be automatically given escalation reminders for tasks, as well as trigger notifications upon task completion. Furthermore, it integrates with other information management systems within your organization so the information is available when and where you need it.
2. Just collecting data, but not evaluating it
So you completed your sample testing and logged the results. That’s good enough, right?
That mindset is another common water management pitfall. The data can’t help your organization improve if it’s not being put to use.
Data is a powerful tool—when used as a catalyst to ask important questions and make meaningful decisions. But unless it’s presented in a way that makes sense for your organization and is visible across all operations, the important information within your data will go unnoticed.
What can EHS software do? EHS software presents your data in a comprehensive dashboard that’s organized in a way that makes sense for your organization. This enables you to see overarching trends across all locations, as well as drill down to key data points for specific locations. The resulting reports are complete, streamlined and audit-friendly representations of your organization’s water management process.
3. Not taking compliance seriously
Before you respond with “of course I take it seriously!” just know that this pitfall is the most dangerous because it’s often not intentional. Many organizations think they are doing enough to achieve and maintain compliance, and often that is actually the case.
So how is this a pitfall? Simply meeting compliance requirements will cause you to tread water (no pun intended) rather than excel as an organization. This means you will rarely get the opportunity to focus on more in-depth business and sustainability efforts.
What can EHS software do? Automating all your EHS processes is beneficial to compliance, but water management is one of the more in-depth processes that is hard to track and document manually.
Automating water and wastewater management takes human error out of the equation. It also frees up your resources so that valuable employees can focus on providing excellent goods and services, as well as go beyond what’s required in ISO standards to tackle other initiatives.
Just like with any EHS process, there are hidden pitfalls within water and wastewater management. But having automated EHS software guides you through, making sure you don’t fall.