Product category:
Process Control: SCADA, ERP, MES and networks
News Release from: BASF IT Services | Subject: IT solutions in Health and Safety
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 20 May 2005
It pays to use IT solutions in Health
and Safety
Environment and health safety, work safety and social responsibilities are important topics in the process industry: companies need effective IT to comply with legal and safety targets
Environment and health safety, work safety and social responsibilities are important topics in the process industry Many different groups, such as investors, customers, employees, suppliers and legal requirements, measure companies according to these criteria
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 14 Sep 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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As an integral part of the growth and global success of the world's largest chemicals company, BASF IT Services, is committed to eliminating what they call the 'Disconnect'
This area is technically known as Environment, Health and Safety (EH and S), as well as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
At the same time, the lowering of costs demand improved efficiency.
Companies need an effective IT in order to comply with legal requirements and achieve their own environmental safety targets.
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EH and S is a must: IT solutions for EH and S provide sustainable support to a company's success, according to the outcome of a study made by the renowned market research institute, Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC).
The study shows that they increase the economy and efficiency of a company, when integrated into the logistics, production and finance areas and provide a uniform and cohesive overview of the entire company.
The central point of modern EH and S solutions lies in the adherence to legal requirements.
Only then can customer damage claims and penalties due to non-compliance be avoided.
Legal requirements are constantly changing, for example those made through the EU Chemical Regulations, REACH.
Therefore, the modern EH and S systems must be flexible.
According to PAC, whoever ignores the currently available possibilities, which IT offers to EH and S, risks inconsistent data and communication gaps.
This could lead to damage claims, penalties, loss of turnover and long-term damage to a company's image.
PAC carried out this study at the request of BASF IT Services and questioned 400 companies in the European process industry.
86 per cent used an IT system to support EH and S but only one third had incorporated it company-wide.
These companies realised that with the integrated EH and S system, legal requirements were easier to follow and business processes ran more efficiently.
The implementation of this IT support primarily benefits the editing of product safety data.
This is where BASF IT Services can offer top know-how.
It operates one of the world's largest integrated material data banks for the BASF Group.
"As exclusive partner in the EH and S field for BASF, we have prepared the technical foundation for the collecting, updating and maintaining of all the chemical data for this major chemical company," explains Fritz Maurer, EH and S expert and head of the Supply Chain Management (SC) Unit of BASF IT Services.
Just the same as any other company, BASF can provide the authorities and customers with information on its products and chemical ingredients at any given time.
BASF IT Services, has set up the tasks of maintaining and forwarding information to customers, logistics and authorities to run almost fully automated and as a consequence, contributes significantly to the optimisation of business processes.
BASF IT Services, a BASF Group company, is among the leading IT service providers for the process industry in Europe.
It has some 2,300 employees and recorded an annual turnover of Euro386 million in 2004.
The company key strengths are the provision of successful IT solutions for the process industry, managed infrastructure services and business process outsourcing.
This expertise is based on years of experience in providing solutions to the world's leading chemical company, BASF.
Today, BASF IT Services operates one of the world's largest networks and around 1,000 servers for some 50,000 users in more than 250 locations.
The company, which is represented throughout Europe, is committed to standardising and developing customer-orientated, tailor-made solutions.
BASF IT Services is certified under the international quality management standard ISO 9001:2000.
More information about BASF IT Services and the EH and S study can be found on the website.
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