Managing the world of industrial hygiene requires the right tools to collect, synthesize and share complex data. In this edition of Voices of Cority, Erin Snyder, MS, CIH, Solutions Engineering Manager, at Cority shares her experience in managing industrial hygiene programs and teams, the challenges along the way, and strategies for leveraging technology to stay compliant as an organization.
Julianna Giordanella, Product Marketing Manager at Cority spoke with Erin about industrial hygiene program effectiveness, stakeholder communication, and her insight into using software to elevate reporting and compliance.
Julianna: Can you describe your current role at Cority?
Erin: Certainly. As a Cority Solutions Engineer Manager, I am the subject matter expert (SME) for the Industrial Hygiene (IH) solution on the Sales team. I serve as a trusted advisor throughout the sales process. I start by gathering information about a customer’s current IH programs and their pain points. Then, I demonstrate software capabilities and address their concerns. My goal is to determine the best fit for the customer’s project implementation. For the past 10 years I have been able to offer Cority’s customers Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) professional guidance.
Julianna: Can you provide an overview of your previous experience as an Industrial Hygienist?
Erin: After completing my Master’s degree in Industrial Hygiene at the University of Cincinnati, I began my EHS career at the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH). Working in the Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch gave me the opportunity to work with many companies and manage a range of hazards.
After NIOSH, I worked for consulting firms evaluating their workplace exposures, conducting risk assessments and compiling chemical inventories. These years of experience influenced my role as an EHS SME at Cority.
Julianna: What were some of the main challenges or pain points you encountered while running an industrial hygiene program?
Erin: Data entry was always a challenge because of the time involved in collecting samples in the field, and then returning to the office to transcribe field notes. As an industrial hygienist, I collected and reviewed this data, and wrote the report outlining the work.
Another challenge stemming from the report was to briefly and accurately communicate data to a non-technical audience, mainly the employees themselves.
Julianna: What strategies or approaches did you use to overcome the challenges you faced in managing an industrial hygiene program?
Erin: One of the strategies that helped me overcome these data collection challenges was using a software system to accurately and instantly document these data points in the field. The software allowed me and fellow industrial hygienists to collect the data, organize the sample results and run the required reports. I could then share that information with the entire team quickly and without risk of communication errors.
Julianna: Many industrial hygiene teams consist of a single individual or very small teams managing all aspects of the IH program. How does industrial hygiene software assist in handling this comprehensive responsibility?
Erin: Whether you work as the single hygienist in an organization or you’re part of an EHS team, many of the same challenges prevail, such as data entry, monitoring, managing follow-up plans, etc. With that in mind, Cority has developed a pre-configured software package designed for quick and easy implementation. Hygiene Essentials addresses the issues that come with data entry and communication of results in industrial hygiene programs.
The out-of-the-box workflows focus on rapid data entry and have well-designed search features. The prepackaged solution also includes access to a mobile portal called myCority for much easier sample entry when you’re in the field. This portal’s access can be shared with third-party consultants too, so duplicate entry is not needed.
Learn more about Cority’s Industrial Hygiene solution, designed by Cority’s Certified Industrial Hygienists.
Julianna: In your experience, what were some benefits of using industrial hygiene software within the program you managed?
Erin: Putting an industrial hygiene software solution into practice gave me oversight into the information collected not just by myself, but by the entire team, including project consultants. This centralization of information allowed us to stay consistent and on track. And as we know, having visibility into data leads to better decision making. This greatly enhanced our industrial hygiene program and reduced risk of errors.
Julianna: How can industrial hygiene software support efforts in adhering to internal or external regulations and reporting requirements?
Erin: Cority provides numerous tools that support industrial hygiene regulatory efforts. Once a sample result is received from the analytical lab, the software calculates the time weighted average (TWA) for the sample and compares the result to the applicable occupational exposure limit (OEL). The software also flags any exposures or other risks. For example, the system assigns a visual indicator corresponding to an exposure category and sends notifications if there is an exceedance of the OEL.
Having access to business intelligence tools provides an industrial hygienist with real time dashboards to monitor sample results, as an example. Additionally, with a software solution, reports can be scheduled for distribution to interested parties as frequently as needed.
Julianna: How can software help monitor the success of industrial hygiene programs at an organization?
Erin: With the rise in data analytics, great software should be able to process data points and document trends. And this is an important feature within Cority’s Business Intelligence tools. It allows the industrial hygienist to visually present whether exposures have improved over time. Thus, it becomes very easy to indicate a reduction in risk among the workforce. Finally, as we know, using sample data to enforce a case for the implementation of controls in the workplace is invaluable to EHS professionals and programs.
Julianna: How can data or reporting capabilities help industrial hygienists when presenting program effectiveness or communicating with stakeholders?
Erin: Visualizing data is an important intermediate step when reporting metrics and results to non-technical positions. In my experience, many departments outside EHS do not understand what industrial hygienists do and the impact their programs have on the health and wellness of employees. Using dashboards to show lowered exposure results and effectiveness of controls can help solidify how essential industrial hygiene projects are to the organization’s overall safety
Julianna: What advice would you give to someone who is considering industrial hygiene software and needs to obtain buy-in from their executives/leadership to get funding?
Erin: I agree, buy-in from leadership is essential to successfully implement and socialize EHS software. My advice to industrial hygienists and teams purchasing a solution for industrial hygiene, is to consider this:
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- Identify the jobs, tasks and hazards with the highest risk. Once identified, they should be prioritized for evaluation. Document the steps that need to be taken for risk reduction in these high-risk activities.
- Associate the costs tied to the identified risks, including workers’ compensation claims such as noise-induced hearing loss, regulatory fines from exposure non-compliance, or inadequate reporting. Understand how these costs affect the bottom line.
- Look to integrate with other teams. Take advantage of incorporating with Occupational Health, Safety, Ergonomics/ or Radiation Safety to optimize data sharing across the organization and perhaps share costs as well.
With this concrete action plan, it becomes easier to present a business case to decision makers in your organization to fund the safety and well-being of your employees.
If you are looking for an Industrial Hygiene solution, but not quite sure where to begin, Cority’s experts like Erin can help you create a business case.
