Technical Tips for Implementing an EHS Management Information System

摘要

When businesses seek to streamline their environment,health and safety(EHS)operations,they often seek information solutions.Organizations today expect to receive rapid return on their investments,including EHS management information systems,or EMIS.Addressing Information Systems/Information Technology/Management Information Systems(IS/IT/MIS)1 issues in tandem with EHS and business issues can help organizations reduce the risk of a failed software implementation.This paper explores the technical issues surrounding EMIS,examines why EMIS software may remain unused even after significant investment,and offers technical tips for implementing an EMIS,or any other information solution,to result in positive returns.The technical motivations for moving from paper-based or simple electronic systems to a more wide-ranging solution range from problems with legacy systems to corporate IT standards to user-friendliness of existing applications.The reasons why software often becomes"shelfware"are addressed in terms of the Five Deadly Sins of Unused Software and Technical Danger Signs that can indicate a less than successful deployment lies ahead.The ten technical tips for implementing an EMIS are presented to help organizations avoid pitfalls from the earliest conceptual stages of the project through ongoing operation and maintenance.Organizations often focus on business matters when considering an EMIS or other management information systems,overlooking important technical matters.If organizations factor in technical issues from project concept through deployment and ongoing operation and maintenance,they will be better positioned to get positive returns from their systems.