IT in Manufacturing


HSEC Online simplifies health and safety compliance for companies

Technews Industry Guide: Sustainable Manufacturing 2021 IT in Manufacturing

Health and safety compliance is a vital area of focus for businesses and has become even more crucial as the world faces a global pandemic. In current times, it is essential for companies to ensure personal safety and to reduce downtime by being able to capture, store, proactively manage and share compliance information.


Ingrid Osborne.

System accessibility from anywhere

Recognising this need, Saryx Engineering Group launched a cloud-based solution that enables organisations of all sizes to proactively track and manage health and safety document compliance for the company, its people, and equipment. It is accessible on any device, from anywhere and at any time. Designed with the Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) compliance of its own organisation in mind, and known as HSEC Online, the Saryx solution is currently being used by companies where the safety of employees working in ‘gated environments’ is a priority.

“Although we built the solution for internal use initially,” explains Ingrid Osborne, an electronic engineer and one of the company’s founders, “we quickly realised it had commercial viability and could provide significant help to many companies, particularly in these tough and complicated times.

“What’s more, while HSEC Online has been adopted by large corporates to manage their contractor compliance, it is also ideal for QSEs and SMMEs as these entities have to be just as compliant as large companies, but they seldom have the time or the resources to manage such things manually. With this, they have access to an affordable, automated system instead.”

Ideal for companies with limited resources

Cofounder Julie Mathieson, a computer scientist, adds that many companies provide services to large corporates and therefore need to be able to demonstrate a certain level of HSEC compliance. She further noted that the automated nature of HSEC Online is ideal for businesses that simply do not have staff to spare.

“Essentially, it makes them more aware of the various HSEC issues they face and what needs to be done each year to remain compliant, such as what documents need to be filed, where they must go and when it should be done,” she states. “This is a vast improvement on the previously used method, which was basically a physical ‘safety file’ that could easily become confusing and have missing documentation – and remember, you don’t really check what isn’t there – due to its manual nature. I would describe HSEC Online as providing a similar service in this arena as Internet banking does in eliminating the need to stand in a queue to see a teller: it is simple, efficient and saves you enormous amounts of time.”

Osborne points out that HSEC Online assists in significantly reducing the number of potential work hours lost in a scenario where an injury occurs. Depending on the industry sector, a business may find itself shut down while a thorough investigation is performed.

“Such an investigation can take from two to four weeks while the authorities check your records to ensure you were compliant with all safety regulations and had all the correct systems in place,” she adds. “After the many financial challenges already experienced during lockdown, how many companies can afford to lose up to another month’s worth of earnings?

“On the other hand, we have experienced instances where the clarity provided by our automated solution has enabled the authorities to investigate, clear the company and have their operations up and running again within 24 to 48 hours.”

Flexibility solves business compliance challenges

Mathieson says that the system is flexible enough to help companies control everything from legal issues to PPE management, not to mention audits, risk management, and of course all the required documentation around emergency procedures and organisational safety policies, in a safe and secure manner.

“We focused on making HSEC document management compliance as simple and intuitive as possible,” she concludes. “We understand that many companies have neither the time nor the staff to spend time learning how the system works. By making it user-friendly and smart, and by providing custom training support, HSEC Online is the ideal solution to solve business compliance challenges.”




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Turning system integrators into trusted technology partners
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing System Integration & Control Systems Design
Schneider Electric’s Alliance Partner Programme is repositioning system integrators from hardware suppliers into lifecycle-value partners. Oriel Soupen explains the competency framework, certification model and real-world results that are already helping African system integrators win higher-value, longer-term engagements.

Read more...
Why renewable projects need integrated protection and control
IT in Manufacturing
Fragmented secondary plant integration in renewable energy projects causes costly delays during commissioning. ACTOM Protection and Control’s Secondary Plant Integration solution consolidates all secondary systems under a single engineering framework, reducing risk and accelerating grid

Read more...
When digital twins move from concept to critical tool
IT in Manufacturing System Integration & Control Systems Design Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Digital twins are moving out of the lab and onto the mine, the factory floor and the transport network where they predict failures before they happen. Amritesh Anand looks at where they earn their keep, the data and integration work behind them, and the security questions every organisation should ask before switching one on.

Read more...
How a digital foundation can overcome the LNG trilemma
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing SCADA/HMI
The LNG sector is racing to add capacity, but without a digital backbone, growth creates complexity rather than capability. Christophe Begat of Schneider Electric explains how connecting data, systems and analytics across the LNG value chain can resolve the trilemma of secure supply, lower emissions and tighter costs.

Read more...
Decarbonisation is reshaping mining strategy in Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing Electrical Power & Protection
Mining companies across Africa are embedding decarbonisation into operational strategy, driven by investor, regulatory and customer pressure to reduce emissions while improving resilience.

Read more...
Siemens and HighByte partner to scale industrial AI
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Siemens is expanding its Industrial Edge ecosystem through a partnership with HighByte, enabling customers to connect, contextualise and transform data from operational technology and information technology sources to build AI models and applications at scale.

Read more...
Africa on the edge of a digital future
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Edge computing promises lower latency, stronger reliability and real-time responsiveness across Africa, yet its rollout keeps colliding with one stubborn obstacle, power. Steven Santini explores how renewable microgrids, smart energy management and the right partnerships could turn the continent’s energy gap into its biggest edge opportunity.

Read more...
3D electrical systems design workflow for electromechanical innovation
Siemens South Africa Fieldbus & Industrial Networking IT in Manufacturing
Siemens has announced new 3D electrical design capabilities within its Capital software, enabling electrical and mechanical engineers to work concurrently in a shared 3D environment to reduce late-stage design changes and accelerate time to market for complex electromechanical products.

Read more...
Optimising energy reliability for African manufacturing
Electrical Power & Protection IT in Manufacturing
Unreliable power can cost African manufacturers as much as 31% in sales. Behind-the-meter power offers manufacturers in sub-Saharan Africa control, visibility and resilience in their energy provisioning.

Read more...
ISO 42001 helps organisations prepare for the realities of AI governance
IT in Manufacturing
A security specialist at Galix explains how a new international standard helps organisations build structured governance around their use of artificial intelligence.

Read more...









While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved