Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) professionals around the world are advancing transparency and prevention across their organizations by replacing paper processes and disconnected spreadsheets with purpose-built tools and performance-tracking systems.
According to Sphera’s latest Health and Safety Management Survey, EHS software adoption has reached 62% with a growing share of companies now relying on digital tools to enable employees to report incidents, near misses and observations, conduct training, document events in real time and perform audits and inspections more efficiently.
Yet, despite this progress, significant gaps remain. Nearly 40% of respondents still rely on spreadsheets and 25% on paper. Only 33% report real-time visibility into that information. These gaps create more than inefficiencies. They introduce risk that can impact worker safety, productivity and compliance.
Incomplete and disconnected data carries operational and financial consequences, from lost confidence and delays to increased regulatory scrutiny. With contractors representing 10% to 20% of the workforce for many organizations, limited access to safety programs leaves important signals unreported.
When developing a digital foundation, Sphera recommends these seven steps to strengthen resilience, unify safety processes and close dangerous data gaps.
1. Unify reporting across the entire workforce
Resilient safety systems start with inclusive reporting, giving employees and contractors access to digital tools to submit incidents, near misses and observations from anywhere. This accessibility removes blind spots, strengthens early detection and builds the complete dataset required for prevention and prediction.
When reporting is consistent across locations and job roles, safety teams gain a clearer view of operational risk. Broader participation also reinforces a culture of shared accountability, helping organizations identify hazards before they escalate into serious incidents.
2. Standardize and digitize core safety workflows
High-performing organizations are moving beyond event reporting to digitize the workflows that shape daily operations. Audits, management of change, corrective actions and permit-to-work processes can be standardized within dedicated EHS software.
Replacing spreadsheets with structured workflows ensures consistent reviews and maintains a verifiable chain of custody for decisions. Automated audit trails and standardized forms reduce administrative burden while improving compliance readiness and operational discipline.
3. Embed leading indicators into digital EHS programs
As safety data expands, organizations can track leading indicators such as permit-to-work compliance, and exposure and hazard observations that support proactive decision-making.
These indicators shift the focus from reacting to incidents toward preventing them. By identifying patterns earlier, leaders can address emerging risks before they disrupt operations or harm workers, transforming safety programs into forward-looking systems.
4. Harmonize processes with technologies
Technologies that cover areas such as real-time hazard reporting, predictive maintenance tools, automated machinery safety systems and wearable devices can improve situational awareness. By harmonizing EHS processes with these tools, companies can improve consistency across sites and increase predictability in complex operations.
5. Realize the benefits of AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool for advancing safety. More than 80% of respondents report adopting AI into their safety strategy and 35% view it as a potential game-changer. Its effectiveness depends on high-quality, connected data to identify trends, anticipate incidents and support smarter decision-making.
6. Strengthen real-time visibility across safety programs
With only one-third of organizations reporting real-time insight into safety data, improving visibility remains a critical priority. Limited contractor participation and inconsistent near-miss capture reduce situational awareness and slow response times. Unified dashboards and connected data environments help organizations visualize risk in real time, improving decision-making, accelerating corrective actions and providing the foundation needed for AI pilots and predictive analytics initiatives.
7. Build a strong and trusted data foundation
Accurate, reliable data underpins every resilient safety system. Many organizations already strengthen data governance through supervisor reviews, automated audit trails, AI-based anomaly detection and standardized EHS forms. However, gaps remain that can undermine confidence in analytics and automation.
By prioritizing data quality and consistency, organizations create the conditions needed for predictive safety. Clean datasets enable deeper analysis, reveal hidden risk patterns and support continuous improvement across operations.
Moving from digital adoption to resilient safety
While EHS professionals adapt these steps, many will still struggle with fragmented workflows and limited visibility. Closing these gaps requires a deliberate strategy focused on unifying reporting, embedding leading indicators and strengthening data foundations. Resilient safety systems depend not only on the tools organizations deploy but on the quality, connectivity and accessibility of the data that drives them.
Contact Sphera to learn how to combine the right expertise, technology and data to create a strong and resilient safety system.
