Highlights

Major Energy & Petrochemical Company Case Study

The Client is a subsidiary of an energy and petrochemical company.  It provides ship management, technology services and shipping oil and natural gas and is well known to be a leader in health, safety, security, environment, and social performance (HSSE & SP) that commits to conducting an environmental, social and health impact assessment for every major project. Find out how they improved crew wellbeing, Human Reliability, and safety outcome onboard with SOL-X Connected Worker Health & Safety solution. Download to know more. Download Now

Magellan X brings invaluable knowledge and deep insights on Worker Safety

- The International Labour Organisation estimates that over 2.3 million workers in the world die each year from work–related accidents and diseases. - How we address and reduces incidents through IIoT and AI with our SOL-X Worker Safety Solution and Intrinsically Safe SmartWatch Singapore – 24 March 2023. Magellan X will join as a Gold Sponsor at The Connected Worker Summit 2023, Norris Conference Centre in Houston, Texas from 28 to 30 March. Captain Daniel Alcantara, our Chief Solution Delivery Officer will represent Magellan X to meet and network with the renowned experts and leaders. The Connected Worker Summit is a three-day event that aims to promote innovative solutions to increase productivity and understand how they can better connect workers to the information and resources they need to do their work more effectively. Magellan X is all set to participate in the event to share insights on worker safety which is crucial to enhance the connected workforce and drive operational efficiency in energy companies and organisations. Highlights of the event: • Main conference on day 1 (Magnolia Room) Keynote Presentation by Captain Daniel Alcantara for 20 minutes on, “Leveraging IIoT Enabled Connected Worker Platforms for Workforce Safety” at 3.30 to 4 p.m. followed by a 10-minute Q&A session. He will emphasise enhancing safety with Digital safety management systems and wearables that are compatible with major connectivity protocols like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Long-Range Bluetooth etc. to provide a connected worker platform for the oil and gas industry. • Exhibition (Red Oak Ballroom) Magellan X’s SOL-X will be exhibited at booth number 30 of the Red Oak Ballroom. Our experts in safety, Daniel Alcantara, Chief Solution Delivery Officer, and Alister Leong, Chief Product Officer will also be showcasing and demonstrating how the product works. About Magellan X Magellan X specialises in developing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) technologies for the oil and gas, mining, chemicals, and maritime sectors. We are backed by MISC and BCG Digital Ventures. Magellan X's technology solutions address ESG needs of our clients and better position them to achieve their sustainability goals through IIoT solutions that accurately capture real-time data streams and produce analysis using artificial intelligence. Our suite of specific solutions includes: ecoMax - Decarbonisation SOL-X - Worker Safety Propeller - Inventory Optimisation Media Contacts Magellan X Pte Ltd Eric Graffagnino / Gladys Ng Chief Marketing Officer / Associate Director, Marketing and Communications +65 8866 0172 / +65 9145 7766

EGYPS 2023: Join Magellan X to understand safety and sustainability challenges in the Oil and Gas industry

Egypt International Exhibition Centre, Cairo, Egypt Singapore, 8 February 2023. Magellan X is gearing up to join eminent influencers of the Oil, Gas and Energy sector at EGYPS 2023, (The Egypt Petroleum Show) from 13 to 15 February. We are pleased to present Fatema Choudhury, Chief Operating Officer who will be speaking at the Lightning talks, and Ricardo Puig, Chief Commercial Officer as an expert speaker at the ESG Panel Discussion of the event.The leading Oil, Gas and Energy Exhibition and Conference with 32,000 plus attendees, 500 plus exhibitors and 260 plus speakers is where professionals and industry experts convene to engage in dialogues, create partnerships and identify solutions that cater to the needs of the evolving Global Energy market. The three-day event aims to drive the conversations that address the challenges of the sector in terms of sustainable climate-conscious production of oil and gas. Highlights of the event Panel Discussion: Ricardo Puig, CCO of Magellan X will be a part of the “Sustainability in Energy Conference & Awards” panel discussion on 14 February from 12.00 to 12.45pm at 219, Al Manara Room, Egypt International Exhibition. The topic “Demonstrating ESG credentials to drive sustainability and growth” highlights the sustainability agenda and the benchmark that reports on ESG performance whilst demonstrating compliance in the Oil and Gas industry.Lightning talks and audience Q&A: Fatema Choudhury, COO of Magellan X will be speaking at “Equality in Energy Conference & Awards” on 15 February from 1.30 to 2.30pm. The topic “The Digital Future: closing the skills gap” emphasises on further digital advances and deployment needed in the oil, gas and energy value chain over the next 5 years, and the skillsets and tech knowledge which will be required.Exhibition at The Digitalisation in Energy Zone: Stuart Douglas, Enterprise Sales Director and Thomas Deepak Xavier, Product Lead from Magellan X will be demonstrating SOL-X, our worker safety solutions at Stand Number 1B39 Hall 1. Learn how our ESG innovative solutions can help resolve safety challenges and enhance worker wellbeing through more connectivity and efficiency with IIoT and AI for the Oil and Gas industry.About our speakers: Fatema Choudhury is the Chief Operating Officer at Magellan X. Fatema comes with 20+ years of operational experience in the software and technology space with demonstrated expertise in meeting and exceeding targets, leading cross-functional teams, identifying areas for growth, and streamlining processes.Prior to Magellan X, Fatema held several roles in Business Development and Growth, Sales, Strategic Planning, Sales Operations and Management, Process Management and Improvement, Programme Management, and Finance at Aspen Technology, RSA security, IDBS, and Lucent Technologies. Fatema graduated with a BA in Finance from Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales (now DeSales University) and an MBA from Lehigh University. Ricardo Puig is the Chief Commercial Officer at Magellan X. He has 20+ Years of General Management and SaaS enterprise sales leadership with Wartsila Voyage, Teltronic, and Satlink in corporate acceleration, exponential market share, and revenue growth. Ricardo graduated with a double major BS in Finance and Economics from Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from the Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School. About Magellan X Magellan X is a global leader in Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) technologies, where it develops and invests in oil & gas, mining, chemicals, and maritime sectors. We are backed by MISC and BCG Digital Ventures. Magellan X technology solutions address our customers varying ESG needs and better position them to meet their sustainability goals through IIoT devices that accurately capture as real-time data flows and produce analytics using A.I. Our suite of purpose-built solutions covers ecoMax - Emission Optimisation, SOL-X - Worker Safety and Propeller - Inventory Optimisation. Media ContactsMagellan X Pte LtdEric Graffagnino / Gladys NgChief Marketing Officer / Associate Director, Marketing and Communications+65 8866 0172 / +65 9145 7766

Mitsubishi Corporation and Magellan X have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) after the completion of a successful trial.

Join Magellan X at Oil and Gas Automation and Technology Week Singapore – 11 January 2023. Magellan X is pleased to announce its participation in the Oil and Gas Automation and Technology Week as a Gold Sponsor. Eminent thought leaders of Magellan X, Captain Daniel Alcantara and Alister Leong will be the expert speakers. The theme of the event is “Integrate Emerging Technology and Drive Digital Innovation for Accelerated Business Transformation” which highlights the challenges in the digital transformation of the sector and strategies to overcome them. The two-day Oil & Gas Automation and Technology Week is held from 14 to 15 February 2023, includes interactive sessions, roundtable discussions and keynote presentations where industry experts will share their valuable insights on various topics. Magellan X, as a global leader in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) technologies will be part of this event to focus on worker safety and the need for ESG technologies in Oil, Gas and shipping Industry. We are also excited to showcase our solutions at the Technology Demonstration Sessions of the event.

Join Magellan X at Oil and Gas Automation and Technology Week

Join Magellan X at Oil and Gas Automation and Technology WeekSingapore – 11 January 2023. Magellan X is pleased to announce its participation in the Oil and Gas Automation and Technology Week as a Gold Sponsor. Eminent thought leaders of Magellan X, Captain Daniel Alcantara and Alister Leong will be the expert speakers.The theme of the event is “Integrate Emerging Technology and Drive Digital Innovation for Accelerated Business Transformation” which highlights the challenges in the digital transformation of the sector and strategies to overcome them.The two-day Oil & Gas Automation and Technology Week is held from 14 to 15 February 2023, includes interactive sessions, roundtable discussions and keynote presentations where industry experts will share their valuable insights on various topics.Magellan X, as a global leader in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) technologies will be part of this event to focus on worker safety and the need for ESG technologies in Oil, Gas and shipping Industry. We are also excited to showcase our solutions at the Technology Demonstration Sessions of the event.

Magellan X unveils the SOL-X SmartWatch’s latest features, adding a new dimension to worker safety

Singapore - 27 March 2023. Magellan X announces that the SOL-X SmartWatch, an ATEX certified safety smartwatch, will have three new features. The new features – Broadcast Message, Noise Monitoring and Fall Detection – will amplify the benefits of SmartWatch in providing a safe and secure work environment. The Annex contains illustrations of the SOL-X SmartWatch’s new features. One of the world’s first intrinsically safe smartwatches, SOL-X takes industrial safety up a notch by providing a connected worker platform. The existing features of the product include heart rate and heat stress monitoring, GeoFencing, Crew Assist and more. This SOL-X solution is also compatible with major connectivity protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Long-Range Bluetooth. Download Press Release to know more.

Shell chartered LNG tanker fitted with SOL-X safety management solution

SOL-X, a leading Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) safety management technology company, is pleased to announce the evaluation of SOL-X by Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (Shell), a leading global energy shipping company where safety and social responsibility are fundamental to their business operations. Global energy leader Shell has partnered with SOL-X to trial the breakthrough safety solution – SOL-X on an LNG tanker to further enhance crew safety management practice. As part of its ongoing focus on health and safety, Shell has been increasing its use of technology to prevent accidents and reduce people’s exposure to potential incidents. Common industry high risk incidents relating to working in and around high hazard environments such as enclosed spaces, hot work areas, mooring areas, and health related issues such as heat stress exposure, coronary stress and work rest hours are some of the areas that SOL-X is addressing in a holistic approach to crew safety and wellbeing. SOL-X developed as a turnkey solution which connects the crew via the intrinsically safe wearable technology (SOL-X SmartWatch) which enhances operational visibility, Control of Work management and improves overall crew situational awareness of their personal wellbeing and safety in the line of fire. SOL-X is a game changing safety 4.0 platform that improves human reliability, operational excellence, and safety outcomes. Our solution SOL-X Control of Work helps customers automate workflows, improve productivity and operational excellence. It also provides assurance of safety and compliance by promoting positive crew behavior change. During the trial, the system was enthusiastically adopted by the ship’s staff who were able to tailor the functionality to meet their specific needs. Some of its highlighted features include virtual barrier management and the ability to account for crew faster before the release of CO2 and during emergency drill mustering. “We are excited to be collaborating with Shell in deploying preventive technology to improve human performance and evolution of shipboard safety culture. At SOL-X, we understand that safety is the top priority for any ship operator and focusing on the human factors will reduce crew risk exposure and improve crew productivity. Ultimately, it will save operational cost in the long run and differentiate sustainable ship operators from their peers,” said Paul Keng Teoh, Vice President of Growth. About SOL-X SOL-X is a leading IIoT safety technology company centered on human factors. Combining deep maritime knowledge with Internet of Things capabilities and predictive Artificial Intelligence, our focus is on improving safety and compliance outcomes, increasing operational productivity, and enhancing crew wellbeing. SOL-X is an industry leading Behavioral Based Safety solution that combines an enhanced Control of Work with a holistic approach to Crew Wellbeing in improving worker health and safety culture. For more information, please visit https://sol-x.co ‍ ‍Media Contacts Magellan X Pte. Ltd. Alister Leong | Gladys Ng Chief Product Officer | Associate Director, Marketing & Comms. +65 9627 2765 | +65 9145 7766
oil and gas operations, gas extraction industry

Safety in Oil and Gas Industry: Common Hazards & Prevention

Occupational safety is a key concern in any line of work, but especially so in high-risk industries such as the energy sector. Oil and gas workers face a host of potential dangers in their work environment, like falling equipment and hazardous chemicals.With a higher possibility of being struck by hazards, workplace safety becomes all the more crucial — organisations should place the well-being of their workers at the heart of their culture and values.In an interview with McKinsey & Company, Bernadette Spinoy — then senior vice president of health, safety, and environment (HSE) from the major global oil and gas player Total—talks about how inculcating a collective mindset in which workers choose the right behaviour even when no one is watching can lead to a successful safety culture transformation.To encourage this collective behaviour, this article will cover 5 ways on how safety can be achieved in the oil and gas industry.Safety Hazards and Risks in Oil and Gas IndustryAccording to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), these are just a few of the many workplace hazards that can occur in the oil and gas extraction industry.1. FallsWorkers often must work from elevated platforms or equipment. This poses a risk of slips, trips, and falls that could cause serious bodily harm. Accessing these places via a ladder, would thus require more precautions to safely guide workers. Vigilance and proper safety training are essential.2. Confined SpacesWorkers often must work within confined spaces, where there is a higher risk of health hazards such as asphyxiation or exposure to toxic chemicals. The ignition of flammable vapours or gases is also a possibility, in the event of small or narrow areas which would position workers directly in the danger zone.3. Machine HazardsOil and gas extraction involves working with or around dangerous machinery. Workers could get struck by or caught between unguarded machines, which may result in cuts, burns, or other serious injuries. This is why routine checks and regular machine maintenance are important, as well as alertness to one’s surroundings in high-risk areas.4. Explosions & FiresThe ignition of flammable gases or vapours can also result in explosions or fires, which can wreak damage on a large scale in such a hazardous environment. Some causes include electrical energy sources, open flames, and frictional heat. High-pressure lines may also leak or burst if not properly maintained.5. Physical StrainOil and gas extraction is a physically demanding job that, even with the surplus of machines, often requires manual labour. Certain tasks, such as the lifting of heavy loads or equipment, can continuously exert a strain on workers’ bodies over time. Poor workplace ergonomics negatively affects safety in this area and can increase the risk of injury. Tips to Prevent and Reduce Hazards in Oil and Gas IndustryWhile safety risks cannot be completely eliminated, they can be significantly reduced through awareness of potential hazards and how they can be avoided. Use these 5 safety tips to help improve worksite safety.Tip #1 Establish Good Safety CultureWorkplace safety culture is a collective set of values and attitudes towards safety, which goes beyond the individual to the overall safety of the organisation. This sense of solidarity would encourage workers to obey rules and communicate hazards to keep themselves and their fellow workers safe.A good safety culture begins with strong leadership, as workers would feel more reassured knowing that their well-being is being cared for from the top down. Aside from having processes that are tailored to your company, it is important that these are clearly stated and reinforced in the worksiteNot only does this ensure that safety precautions are observed, it will also give workers added peace of mind knowing the processes are in place for their occupational safety. Furthermore, the mental health of workers will go a long way in keeping them vigilant and alert on the job.Tip #2 Learn to Embrace Automation & DigitalisationWhile there are manual steps that can be taken to ensure overall safety, such as installing safety signs or having highly visible floor marking, we live in an age where technology can provide useful tools for detecting and minimising hazards.SOL-X solutions provide valuable data and leading indicators through AI and IIoT. SOL-X is a management system focused on behavioural safety. By collating data on risk assessment and permits within the work environment, it provides real-time data to increase worker situational awareness, enhancing both safety and efficiency.Through smart wearables and AI technology, SOL-X solution addresses human factors — the most common cause of workplace accidents such as inaccurate fatigue management. By tracking conditions such as heat stress levels, heart rate trends, and work rest hours, it also helps workers monitor their symptoms to ensure that they are physically fit for the tasks at hand.Tip #3 Use the Process Safety ApproachThe International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) defines the Process Safety approach as the safe management of oil and gas operations and processes, with the aim of preventing hazardous emissions or structural failures that could lead to more severe consequences.While the traditional approach to accident prevention is based on trial and error, Process Safety attempts to identify trends and so more accurately predict events based on probability. The implementation of relevant safety precautions can thus protect workers from situations that can be easily avoided.According to the IOGP, there were 56 process safety events between 2007 and 2017 that led to 128 deaths. Combined with safety management systems like SOL-X and culture programmes, having process safety will greatly reduce the occurrence of oil and gas hazards.Tip #4 Communicate with Emergency Response OrganisationsAlthough prevention should always come first, unforeseen events may still occur from time to time. In such cases, a quick response could save a life. It is thus important for oil and gas companies to maintain good communication with their local emergency response community.This includes emergency responders and health professionals who will be able to take action and help minimise the consequences in the event of an accident. Developing a collaborative relationship with these organisations can also be beneficial to the workers by increasing awareness of emergency and safety equipment.Tip #5 Having Consistent Maintenance Activities & Safety ProgrammesAs with anything, consistency is key. Conducting regular maintenance checks and occupational safety training programmes can help to reinforce safety messages, especially for new workers entering a company. Since the job is highly focused on working with various equipment, routine maintenance is also mandatory to prevent premature machine failure.Risks and hazards can look different from day to day, especially if a project begins that requires working with new materials or equipment. By encouraging consistent training, this also ensures that workers are prepared for any situation that may come their way.Enhance Safety of Oil and Gas Workers with SOL-X SolutionsIn such a high-risk environment, the safety of oil and gas workers should never be left to chance. The safety solutions provided by SOL-X can not only reduce hazards in the worksite, but also enable quicker responses and boost overall productivity.Contact us to learn more about risk management and accident prevention today.

Inventory Management : Addressing A Complex Problem With A Simple Solution

The complex problem Inventory management is one of the most manual and operational workflows in the shipping industry. Lack of complete solution, time consuming processes and absence of standard operating procedures lead to inaccurate storage and consumption data. Insufficient or unavailable spare parts can lead to vessel downtimes that could cost the shipping company millions in delays and insurance claims. Holding excess inventory will incur significant carrying costs and spare part ageing and degradation problems. According to Clarkson’s Research, spares and maintenance costs in the shipping industry have been steadily on the rise and can constitute approximately 18% of a vessel’s Operating Expenses (OPEX). The manual processes cause additional burden to the crew’s productivity. The existing systems create redundant steps in carrying out the day-to-day operations and hours are wasted every day in finding and locating spare parts on ships. Moreover, the supply chain disruptions in the last two years have made the task of procurement even more challenging and cost intensive. The whole cycle of events is causing additional pressure on the operating costs and workload on both ship and shore employees. The challenge is to have the right ecosystem between the various stakeholders to optimise the inventory levels across the fleet and increase productivity for both ship and shore employees. PROPELLER: Simplifying complexity with innovation SCNX is partnering with shipping companies in digitising their inventories and creating a personalised ecosystem that suits their needs and solves their problems. The SCNX PROPELLER Internet of Things (IoT) solution enables company-wide visibility throughout the supply chain. The PROPELLER product suite integrates seamlessly with existing planned maintenance systems (PMS) / nterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms and consists of three integrated software and hardware modules: PROPELLER Ship: The portable onboard solution that enables engineers to carry out their inventory-related tasks and operations from any part of the ship or engine room. This system seamlessly works with the PMS system and helps to provide accurate inventory data and automate inventory management operations. This results in saving thousands of dollars in overstock and man hours. PROPELLER Shore: The high-end data engine for the shore buyer and procurement teams that aggregates vessel data and uses AI and ML to generate dashboards with actionable insight. Propeller Shore’s valuable recommendations include opportunities for bulk procurement, bundling opportunities and pricing trends to help customers manage and control budgets. PROPELLER Supply: Currently in pilot with selected suppliers, this module integrates the supplier ecosystem that allows pre-tagging of the spare parts and provides shipping status updates along the supply chain. This leads to better transparency of goods arriving on board How PROPELLER works: Onboard workflow is simplified through industry grade IoT tablets with integrated cameras and scanners and RFIQ/QR codes to facilitate accurate inventory updating on the go. Data automatically synchronises with PMS or ERP platforms. Even when tablets are offline or out of range, inventory reconciliation can still be completed once later synchronised – providing total vessel coverage. Captured data from PROPELLER Ship seamlessly feeds to onshore officers, fleet managers, and procurement teams via our highly secure cloud-based PROPELLER Shore portal. The information converts into actionable insights through AI and ML algorithms. Performance data and trends help vessel operators make better business decisions with fleetwide monitoring and analysis. Users can quickly gain highlighted inventory details from the ease of a dashboard, such as critical spares levels, parts that need restocking, purchase orders pending delivery & check-in, and equipment tagging/scanning activity. Accurate data and visibility provide competitive advantages while identifying opportunities for inventory optimization. The digitalization of inventory ensures: An accurate digital starting point for inventory data consisting of right inventory levels, spare-part pictures and digital manuals. Instant savings of over 25% of annual procurement spend proven by our experience of deployment over 50 vessels. Reduction in spare part ageing enabled by FIFO (First in First out) recommendations. Elimination of overstocking leading to reduction in operational expense. Strong boost in productivity by automating manual processes such as stock reconciliation. Establishment of standard SOP’s that ensures sustainable communication and data between ship and shore teams. Continuous cost saving opportunities across the fleet through intelligent recommendations. What our customer’s say: PROPELLER is improving well-being and vessel morale by simplifying onboard and shoreside workflow with fun and easy tools to use. “Crews say the PROPELLER portal and tablet are user-friendly, and it’s like playing with a game on their phone. Finding parts is like using a metal detector that pings the location. Engineers can become fluent with the app in a few hours. Even staff who are reluctant at first appreciate using it. They also love the digital equipment manuals stored on the tablets,” Conclusion: IoT technology has huge potential to unlock value in the shipping industry. According to Mckinsey&Company, over 10% of maintenance costs and 50% of downtime can be addressed with IoT systems. SCNX is challenging the status quo by building systems for frontline workers that focus on user-friendly experiences to improve working conditions and productivity. Utilising cutting-edge digital tools and mobile scanning technology, SCNX simplifies complex inventory management with benefits that scale up the entire value chain.

The Road towards Decarbonising the Shipping industry

Chord X’s white paper highlights the decarbonization of the maritime industry.In this paper, we explore how GHG regulations will change the face of the maritime industry. Learn more about #ChordXecoMax and #ChordXoptiMax (https://www.chordx.co/solutions) and how #ChordX can help you navigate the uncharted waters of marine decarbonization integration with operational efficiencies of your machines.Please download the whitepaper to find out more.

The “Good Trouble”

Discovery – Design & Implementation – Delivery The late civil right activist and US Representative, John Lewis, once said that “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble”. He was, of course, referring to a much larger cause of social (in)equality in the United States and how voicing out, while often troublesome is necessary for a better future. While Chord X does not have the same lofty ideals, our ambition to contribute to Green Shipping through product that complements our users’ daily life, has just about the same kind of challenges – albeit with obvious differences. We are dedicated to developing products that are central to the User Centric Design (UCD) philosophy so that it compliments what our users want to accomplish. A large part of what is intangible that goes into developing a digital product is the “necessary trouble” of paying attention to all aspects of users’ needs and wants. WHAT IS THE USER CENTRIC DESIGN PROCESS? Please download the whitepaper to find out more.

Using FFT to analyse and cleanse Time Series Data

Digitalize Product and unexpected noise The challenge Often when dealing with IOT data, the biggest challenge is encountering unexpected noise. This noise can be very troublesome when you want to derive values from the signal. The noise can easily mislead your models with inaccurate values The challenge lies in how we can clean the noise from the data when (often) we don’t know the frequency of which. To make matters worse, these frequencies may varying constantly due to the operating conditions of sensors. A possible solution is to decompose the signal. Once decomposed, it will be easier to filter out the nose. Please download the whitepaper to find out more.
Crude Oil Extraction and Natural Gas industries

Sustainability in the Oil & Gas Industry: Why It Matters in 2023

The global focus on climate change and renewable energy has made sustainability in the oil and gas industry grow in importance in recent years. The oil and gas industry is well-known for negatively impacting the environment, with a 2.5% increase in emissions in 2022.As such, more and more leaders are trying to guide their organisations towards a greener future. 79% of energy and utilities executives stated that sustainability processes are a major concern, and 47% are dedicated to hitting net-zero emissions.A key tool driving sustainable transformation is Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) technologies. EHS technologies can be used to monitor the environmental and safety performance of equipment and processes, which helps companies adhere to regulations while promoting safety.However, the oil and gas industry has been comparatively slow in embracing these technologies. 50% of executives from energy and utilities companies note the complexity of meeting these goals and implementing the technology. Bridging this gap will allow the Oil & Gas sector to catch up to other industries, and help them meet their goals of creating a more sustainable world.Understanding the Environmental and Societal Impacts of the Oil and Gas SectorOil and gas operations have a substantial environmental impact due to their reliance on fossil fuels. This industry contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, with estimates suggesting that it's responsible for about 15% of the global total. In addition to its environmental implications, the industry also faces challenges related to social issues and regulations.Shipping Costs and EmissionsShipping constitutes a significant proportion of global oil transportation, and exhaust gas emissions are a large contributor to pollution. A single large ship can emit as much sulphur dioxide as millions of cars, leading to air and water pollution and affecting human health. Shipping emissions were also equal to 2.2% of the global total in 2012, and are projected to rise by 50 to 250% by 2050 at our current rate.With countless types of pollutants being produced by ships, the maritime industry is one of the largest causes of pollution in the world. As such, in order to pursue environmental sustainability, oil and gas activities need to become more sustainable.Carbon Footprint and Greenhouse GasesThe carbon footprint of the Oil & Gas industry is enormous. Operations release substantial amounts of carbon dioxide and methane, which are both potent greenhouse gases. The industry's activities contribute to roughly 50% of all global methane emissions. Methane is over 25 times more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, making the industry a major contributor to global warming.These emissions lead to climate change and highlight the urgent need for the Oil & Gas industry to adopt sustainable practices. The industry's overall impact on the planet's ecosystems and communities has to be reduced, and this is where sustainable solutions come in.Harnessing Technology for Sustainable SolutionsAs the need for sustainability grows, organisations are seeking innovative solutions to minimise their environmental costs and liabilities.From improving energy efficiency to reducing emissions and waste, EHS technology like Magellan X is a powerful tool in helping oil and gas production become more sustainable.Manage Inventory with TechnologyEfficient inventory management leads to wasted resources and overproduction. With technology, unnecessary strain on supply chain operations and the environment can be avoided.PROPELLER is a Real-Time Location System (RTLS) that helps companies optimise their inventory management with Asset Performance Management (APM) and keep track of spare parts. PROPELLER can assist with up to $20k in savings per year by eliminating downtime and reducing excess stock by 30%. By providing visibility of crucial data at the user's fingertips, PROPELLER helps organisations monitor their inventory status and manage their logistics efficiently.Furthermore, the use of AI/ML-powered analytics can help companies locate bulk-order opportunities, and reduce excessive shipments, cutting down carbon emissions.Learn more about PROPELLER and what it can offer your organisation.Reducing Emissions with TechnologyAnother transformative technology that we offer at Magellan X is ecoMax, an industrial decarbonisation solution.ecoMax is designed to measure and analyse fleet emissions, monitor machine and engine performance, and provide near real-time insights. This comprehensive monitoring and analysis can help organisations identify areas where they can reduce their carbon footprint. ecoMax is also an AI-powered system that can carry out predictive analysis, automated reporting, and produce tamper-proof Carbon Emission certification.Similar to PROPELLER, ecoMax can be custom-tailored to vessels and industries. Our experienced team of engineers guide you throughout the onboarding process, and implement the systems that power ecoMax's monitoring.Find out more about how ecoMax can benefit your industry.Embracing Sustainability with Magellan X SolutionsIn order to address the critical challenges of sustainability in the oil and gas industry, companies must adopt innovative solutions that prioritise EHS performance. The role of technology in driving sustainable measures cannot be overstated, with solutions like Magellan X that can significantly transform heavy industry practices.PROPELLER's focus on energy efficiency and ecoMax's ability to monitor emissions can contribute to a cleaner environment, while boosting a company's reputation among stakeholders, investors, and the public. By making the decision to embrace Magellan X's solutions, oil and gas companies can achieve their sustainability goals and meet growing expectations for responsible business practices.Contact us to explore how our sustainable solutions can help your business.
ESG and EHS integration in industries

EHS and Sustainability: Best Practices for Heavy Industries

Environment, health, and safety (EHS) is a concept that is strongly intertwined with sustainability. These two ideas are essential to minimise environmental impact, promote responsible resource usage, and maintain safe working conditions.This is especially crucial for companies in heavy industries, where they face immense pressures in terms of environmental liability and rigorous health and safety laws. In order to overcome these problems, cutting-edge EHS solutions have emerged as a vital tool. By adopting these modern technologies, companies can definitely perform better when it comes to achieving their EHS and sustainability goals.Defining EHS and SustainabilityWhat is EHS?Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) is a multidisciplinary field that preserves and promotes the well-being of people and the environment, while ensuring compliance with legal regulations and standards in the workplace. It involves implementing and managing policies, procedures, and programmes to minimise risks and create a safe and healthy work environment.What is Sustainability?Sustainability is the concept of supporting a process over a long period of time. It's most commonly associated with environmental conservation, and relies on not depleting resources for future generations.Sustainability also includes the health and safety of people and communities. As such, sustainable practices consider not only the environmental impact but also the social and economic consequences of company actions.For example, a company aiming for sustainability may prioritise energy-efficient measures, such as using renewable energy sources. They may also sustain employee well-being by implementing robust safety protocols and providing training on occupational hazards.By addressing both EHS and sustainability, businesses demonstrate their commitment to fostering a healthier, safer, and more sustainable work environment for everyone involved. Consequently, this helps companies to build trust with employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and the broader community.Is EHS part of Sustainability?Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) is undoubtedly linked to Sustainability. EHS focuses on protecting employees, the public, and the environment from risks associated with various business operations. EHS initiatives often include compliance with laws, regulations, and the implementation of workplace safety programmes.The connection between EHS and sustainability lies in aligning the organisation's goals with the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. Organisations that prioritise workplace safety and the well-being of their employees are more likely to achieve long-term success and remain sustainable. The same goes for prioritising environmental sustainability, where 90% of 200 studies found that EHS standards lowered the cost of capital and led to success.Aligning business practices with EHS principles demonstrates an organisation's dedication to the long-term health and well-being of its workforce, as well as a commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.Best Practices for Integrating EHS and Sustainability ProgrammesIntegrating EHS and sustainability programmes can provide numerous benefits to organisations, such as reduced risk, cost savings, and support/grants for achieving sustainability goals. These are some of the best practices that integrate both EHS and Sustainability goals.1. Leveraging TechnologyTechnology plays a pivotal role in integrating EHS and sustainability programmes. Organisations that make use of Connected Worker Platforms and IIoT technology can progress further in their EHS goals.For instance, SOL-X and ecoMax, offered by Magellan X, enhance worker safety and contribute to decarbonisation efforts respectively. SOL-X's Crew Protect provides a holistic approach to workers' well-being, with health tracking and near real-time situational awareness. Our cutting-edge system utilises a SmartWatch to manage workers' well-being in hazardous work zones. This technology enhances part of an existing Safety Management Systems by providing health and safety benefits, near real-time visibility, and enhanced situational awareness.Another example, ecoMax, is a decarbonisation technology that provides data-driven reporting and analysis solutions aimed at improving greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory accounting and reducing emissions. It offers near real-time machine and engine monitoring, performance insights and alerts, certification of tamper-proof carbon emissions, and automated reporting. This technology is designed to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions and achieve net-zero goals.2. Measuring and Reporting PerformanceAccurate measurement and reporting of EHS and sustainability performance are essential for tracking progress, identifying areas for improvement, and demonstrating compliance with regulatory standards.One way to accomplish this is through Magellan X's PROPELLER with Asset Performance Management (APM) and Inventory Optimisation. It is, a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) inventory management solution. This digital solution provides real-time visibility of inventory, enabling better demand forecasting and minimising inventory holding costs. AI-powered insights and analysis of EHS data can also assist in identifying potential areas for improvement. This type of self-directed sustainability reporting reduces waste and optimises resource use, making it a gold standard in the industry.3. Involving StakeholdersInvolving stakeholders (e.g., management, supervisors, workers, and investors) early in the planning and strategy processes can help develop practical and feasible solutions that are aligned with the organisation's overall objectives. The National Association for EHS&S Management (NAEM) emphasises the importance of involving stakeholders to promote global sustainability. environmental factorsAs a platform that emphasises worker safety and well-being, SOL-X helps organisations coordinate with their workers, keeping them on the same page regarding EHS objectives. SOL-X has been used to increase situational awareness in workers, ensuring that they stay alert in hazardous environments.By following these best practices, organisations can effectively integrate EHS and sustainability programmes into their operations.Case Studies: Successful Integration of EHS and Sustainability ProgrammesMagellan X played a pivotal role in helping companies further their EHS efforts and meet sustainability requirements. One such company was a Major Energy & Petrochemical Company, which adopted Magellan X's solutions for their shipping needs.The Problem: The company's shipping division faced challenges in improving crew well-being, human reliability, and safety outcomes.The Solution: The company implements the SOL-X solution by Magellan X. First, they equipped their workers with our wearable SmartWatch, providing near real-time situational awareness to the crew and supervisors. Second, SOL-X enabled safety leaders to apply data-driven interventions and process/policy improvements. The SmartWatch gave contextual notifications and alerts, helped to manage workloads, detect falls, and monitor environmental exposure such as heat and noise.​ Finally, SOL-X provided a means to accurately collect and standardise health data, via a virtual Dashboard. This data helped to create safety performance metrics, allowing them to measure and report on the status of workers.The Outcome: The company takes a step forward in its EHS and sustainability goals. By leveraging technology to improve communications, Magellan X's solution helped to strengthen collaboration between stakeholders. With a better way to track safety metrics, the company could implement data-driven policies and procedures to manage and mitigate fatigue-related risks.The Future of EHS and Sustainability Integration with Magellan XThe integration of EHS and sustainability efforts is becoming increasingly important. Organisations are recognising the need to address current challenges and anticipate future trends. Through these 3 best practices, companies can stand out in the field and create a culture of safety, responsibility, and sustainability that benefits everyone.Magellan X offers solutions that can help streamline this process, providing organisations with the tools and insights they need to make a lasting positive impact in the world. Contact us now to find out more today.
EHS and Corporate social responsibility

What is EHS in 2023? The Essence of Environment, Health & Safety

In today's era of increasing awareness of environmental sustainability and workers’ rights, organisations are recognising the significance of Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) in creating a sustainable and responsible workplace. In this article, we cover the significance of EHS and examine its key components. What is Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) is a multidisciplinary field that preserves and promotes the well-being of people and the environment, while ensuring compliance with legal regulations and standards in the workplace. It involves implementing and managing policies, procedures, and programmes to minimise risks and create a safe and healthy work environment.What does EHS stand for? EHS stands for Environment, Health, and Safety. EHS regulations aim to protect workers, the general public, and the environment from potential hazards.ComponentDescriptionEnvironmentFocuses on preventing harm to surrounding ecosystems, reducing pollution, and promoting sustainable practices to minimise environmental impact.HealthEnsures the well-being of workers and the public by identifying and managing risks, such as exposure to hazardous substances, ergonomic challenges, and excessive noise levelsSafetyInvolves the implementation of protocols, training, and procedures to prevent accidents, injuries, and illnesses in the workplace, ensuring a safe and cost-effective work environment for all parties involved.Employing EHS principles in an organisation allows for more efficient operations, reduced liability, and a positive reputation, while complying with relevant legal regulations.What are Examples of Environment, Health, and Safety?Environment component focuses on minimising the impact of industrial activities on the environment, ensuring compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations and promoting sustainable practices. For instance, a company might invest in energy-efficient machinery and renewable energy sources to decrease their carbon footprint.Health refers to the measures taken to protect the well-being of employees and comply with Ministry of Manpower (MOM) standards. For example, a company operating in a noisy environment, such as a construction site or a factory, might conduct regular noise assessments and provide employees with appropriate personal protective equipment like earplugs or earmuffs.Safety involves managing and preventing workplace accidents, injuries, and illnesses. For instance, a company operating heavy machinery might establish a comprehensive safety training program or management system to educate employees about potential hazards and safe operating procedures.Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) compliance plays a critical role in protecting the environment and the well-being of employees. The increasing number of fatalities in Singapore's hazardous industries just last year shows the importance of EHS management. Organisations must take measures to reduce risks and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.What are EHS Policies in Singapore like?In Singapore, EHS policies are set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and various governmental departments, including the National Environmental Agency (NEA).These agencies ensure that organisations comply with the regulations set out in the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) and the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) respectively. WSHA focuses on the health and occupational safety aspects of EHS, ensuring that workplaces are safe and healthy for all employees. It requires employers to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of their employees. This includes conducting risk assessments, implementing safety management systems, and providing adequate training for employees. EPMA, on the other hand, focuses on the environmental aspect of EHS. It regulates activities that may cause environmental pollution and sets out measures for the prevention, reduction, and control of pollution. This includes regulations on air and water pollution, noise pollution, and the handling and disposal of hazardous substances. Why is EHS Important? A comprehensive EHS programme safeguards the health and safety of employees, fosters a secure work setting, and reduces accidents By monitoring pollution-causing activities, EHS policies contribute to a decrease in carbon emissions and pollution caused by business operations. Non-compliance with EHS regulations can lead to substantial fines, reputational damage, and in severe instances, criminal charges. Therefore, a robust EHS policy is not merely a moral and legal obligation but also a strategic business approach. By integrating best practices, businesses operating in high-risk industries can enhance their overall performance while mitigating potential risks. EHS is not just about adhering to regulations—it's about creating a safer, healthier, and more sustainable business environment. What is the Difference Between EHS and Other Terms? ESG vs EHS ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and EHS are both frameworks to assess a company in terms of sustainability and ethical practices. EHS focuses specifically on environmental protection and workplace safety and health, while ESG covers a broader range of issues, including corporate governance, human rights, and social inequality. HSE vs EHS HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) shares the same core components with EHS, but prioritises different aspects. HSE prioritises employee health and safety first, while EHS places ecological concerns at the forefront, followed by health and safety. Nonetheless, both HSE and EHS share common goals, such as striving for sustainable practices, minimising pollution, and promoting water conservation. OHS vs EHS OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) is a subset of EHS. OHS focuses specifically on the prevention of work-related injuries and diseases, while EHS covers environmental protection, health, and safety in the workplace. Overall, while each of these terms can overlap in their objectives, they differ in their priorities. EHS, ESG, HSE, and OHS all strive to promote better environmental, health, and safety practices. What is EHS Software? EHS software consists of technological solutions that allow companies to effectively manage their EHS processes and information. This software helps organisations adhere to industry regulations, minimise hazards, and maintain a safe work environment. Environment Software One aspect of EHS software is environmental management, which focuses on mitigating the impact of business operations on the environment. This includes addressing pollution, reducing carbon emissions, and implementing sustainable practices. Magellan X provides cutting-edge software such as ecoMax, an industrial decarbonisation solution. With a focus on achieving net-zero goals, ecoMax's compatibility spans various industry sectors, providing near real-time insights through IIoT monitoring and predictive AI analytics. Due to the high amounts of emissions produced by ships, this EHS software can help a business reduce emissions and attain sustainability goals. Another solution offered by Magellan X is PROPELLER, an inventory management software that helps managers significantly by saving time and costs, and reducing carbon emissions. Through AI analytics, bulk-order opportunities can be located, saving organisations extra shipping trips. Up to 30% of excess stock can be eliminated, and the overall carbon footprint can be greatly reduced. Health & Safety Software Another critical area of EHS software is health and safety adherence. This encompasses managing risks in the workplace. Implementing safety management systems in hazardous industries is crucial to ensure employees' safety and well-being. Our SOL-X solution introduces Crew Protect software that helps protect workers on the job. SOL-X analyses environmental exposure risks, as well as worker health and well-being data. Through the Wearable SmartWatch system, it monitors the heart rate, heat stress, and fatigue levels of workers, allowing supervisors to keep track of their well-being through a Dashboard. Moreover, SOL-X Crew Protect enables connected wellness programmes by analysing live data, allowing for near real-time feedback from worksites. EHS software is indispensable in today's challenging marketplace. As a provider of these solutions, we offer expert guidance to help businesses excel in managing environmental, health, and safety aspects. With solutions like SOL-X, ecoMax, and PROPELLER, organisations can ensure a safe and sustainable future. Meet Your EHS Goals With Magellan X Solutions Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) form the bedrock of a responsible and sustainable workplace. By embracing best EHS practices, organisations can make a profound impact on the environment, safeguard employee health, and ensure a safe working environment—while reaping the benefits of increased productivity and reduced costs. Magellan X provides a comprehensive suite of EHS management solutions that empower businesses to tackle various challenges head on. By using our EHS software, companies can implement robust safety and health management programmes that set the gold standard in the industry. Take the first step towards a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future—contact us today! Frequently Asked Questions What is the Purpose of EHS in Business? EHS ensures the safety of workers, minimises the damage done to the environment by operations, and protects the company’s reputation while meeting compliance requirements. What is an EHS Hazard? An EHS hazard refers to any source of potential damage to the environment, workers’ health, or safety. Some examples of common EHS concerns include:Exposure to hazardous materialsEnvironmental pollutionHeat ExertionFire risks What is EHS in Compliance? EHS compliance refers to the adherence to laws, regulations, and standards related to Environment, Health, and Safety. This involves implementing and managing EHS policies and procedures, conducting regular audits and inspections, and ensuring that the organisation meets all legal and regulatory requirements. What are EHS Guidelines and Procedures? EHS guidelines and procedures are a set of rules and instructions designed to help organisations manage their EHS responsibilities. They provide a framework for identifying and controlling hazards, managing risks, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions with sustainable technology

Sustainable Technology Solutions: Pioneering a Greener Future

As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, organisations are embracing sustainable technology solutions to contribute to a greener future.Heavy industries, such as the oil and gas sector, are facing various Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) problems. These concerns are already affecting how companies operate and interact with the public, making sustainable technologies vital in this day and age.Organisations like Magellan X are spearheading sustainable technology and revolutionising industries and worksites through their Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) solutions. From reducing waste and conserving energy, to optimising operations and promoting employee safety, these sustainable technology solutions are integrative and innovative in their approach.Key Takeaways: Sustainable technology solutions are of growing importance in the modern world, and are used to meet EHS standards in the Oil, Gas, Maritime, and other heavy industries. Solutions such as Magellan X enable organisations to optimise their operations and reduce waste, leading to better sustainability. Adopting sustainable technology can help companies increase their reputation as sustainable industry leaders, and gain trust from customers, investors, and the public. What is Sustainable Technology? Sustainable technology is technology that promotes environmental and social responsibility. It prioritises the well-being of individuals and communities, and involves the use of technological developments that attempt to minimise the impact of human activities on the environment.For example, initiatives such as renewable energy or electric vehicles fall under sustainable technology, and are intended to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impacts.The concept of "sustainability" involves close cooperation between multiple industries, blending health, safety, security, environment, and social performance, combined with technical and commercial considerations.In Singapore, sustainability efforts are a high priority, with multiple government initiatives such as the Singapore Green Plan 2030 being present across industries. The usage of technology to support this sustainability strategy is of utmost importance.How does technology help sustainability?Technology plays a crucial role in achieving sustainability goals by providing tools and systems that promote responsible practices, reduce environmental impact, and foster continuous improvement in various industries. Embracing sustainable technology solutions such as those by Magellan X offers several significant advantages:1. Improves operational efficiencySustainable technology solutions, such as those offered by Magellan X, are instrumental in helping organizations optimize their operations. By minimizing resource consumption, reducing waste, and streamlining processes, these solutions drive operational efficiency to new heights. These improvements not only contribute to a reduced environmental footprint but also translate into cost savings and enhanced productivity.2. Ensure Compliance with EHS standards & regulationsIn today's business landscape, adherence to Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) is tightening constantly. It's essential for organizations to maintain a safe working environment and minimize their impact on the natural world. Sustainable technology plays a pivotal role in helping businesses meet these standards. By implementing effective monitoring and control systems, such as SOL-X's Crew Protect by Magellan X, business leaders can ensure compliance with EHS regulations. These systems provide near real-time visibility into safety metrics, enabling businesses to identify and address potential issues before they escalate.3. Enhancing reputation as a sustainable industry leaderAs public awareness and demand for sustainable practices grow, organisations are increasingly scrutinised for their environmental performance. By leveraging solutions like those offered by Magellan X, businesses can not only meet but exceed stakeholder expectations. This commitment to sustainability can differentiate them as industry leaders, enhancing their reputation and fostering trust among customers, investors, and the broader public.Environmentally sustainable technology also serves as a catalyst for organisations to achieve their sustainability objectives by providing innovative solutions that contribute to environmental protection, social responsibility, and economic growth. By embracing these technologies, businesses can reap the benefits and stand out as industry leaders.3 Great Examples of Sustainable Technology1. ecoMax: The Best of Industrial DecarbonisationAs the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, industrial decarbonisation plays a critical role in achieving global emission reduction targets. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption is paramount to achieving net-zero goals. 80% of shipowners agree that net-zero-emission vessels are a necessary development, and Magellan X's ecoMax solution can help owners move towards this goal.Our solutions tackle this challenge using AI, by enabling businesses to analyse their emissions across various industrial sectors. It is designed to enhance environmental management practices and reduce their carbon footprint. By leveraging data-driven analytics and reporting capabilities, ecoMax enables businesses to measure, monitor, and report on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accurately.In particular, ecoMax enhances operational efficiency by providing a single-page interface for self-diagnostic asset monitoring. The system offers automated reporting, advisory services, and optimisation analysis, empowering organisations to benchmark their performance, identify areas for improvement, and streamline operations. Furthermore, ecoMax's tamper-proof carbon emissions certification ensures data integrity and compliance with environmental regulations.2. PROPELLER: Transforming Fleet ManagementEffective inventory management is essential for reducing waste and optimising resource utilisation.Magellan X's PROPELLER solution utilises mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) technology, combined with mobile scanning capabilities, IIoT tracking, and RFID radar technology to streamline inventory management processes.With PROPELLER, organisations can achieve near real-time inventory visibility at their fingertips, significantly reducing the time spent on stock reconciliation and minimising the risk of misplaced or missing parts. Accurate inventory views, ERP synchronisation, and unique IDs linked to all spares reduce excess stock and ensure complete accountability and streamlined operations. Our AI-powered analytics can also find opportunities for bulk orders and inventory aggregation, reducing the need for excess trips and cutting down on emissions.By providing such near real-time inventory data, actionable insights, and smart procurement features, PROPELLER helps organisations minimise waste, improve efficiency, and adhere to sustainability best practices.3. SOL-X: Digitalising Workers’ Health and SafetyDigitalisation and automation can bring both safety and efficiency. With Control Of Work, organisations can make the switch to a digital Permit to Work system. An average vessel uses 39,000 sheets of paper annually for PTW-related tasks. By eliminating the physical paperwork, ships can operate more sustainably on an environmental and operational level, and save 4600 man hours annually on a streamlined work process.Additionally, a major part of sustainability is keeping people in mind. It's necessary for organisations to avoid putting people at risk and impacting lives negatively. There's a level of social responsibility that companies have to meet. As such, health and safety is the responsibility of employers. Using SOL-X's Wearable SmartWatch systems, employees can be safeguarded reliably, fulfilling these obligations.By integrating Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), SOL-X enhances regulatory compliance workflows, incident management capabilities, and near real-time data monitoring. This empowers workers to make informed decisions, reduces risks, and fosters a safer and more sustainable work environment.Challenges & Solutions in Sustainable Digitalisation: How to Approach It at an Enterprise LevelImplementing Sustainable Technology at Scale Problem: When it comes to heavy industries such as Oil & Gas, Maritime, Chemicals, Mining, and Construction, the worksite often spans a massive space that requires professional guidance. Solution: Companies like Magellan X provide onboarding and on-site support. Our dedicated team of engineers support organisations throughout their sustainability journey. Technology solutions such as our PROPELLER service come with professional support. We conduct pre-audits, install the hardware, establish an inventory, and take the time to provide comprehensive training to the users. Providing professional guidance along with the service goes a long way towards creating a sustainable tech solution. Data Privacy and Security Problem: There is a need to balance digitalisation with data privacy and cybersecurity risk management. Cybersecurity risks associated with EHS technology include unauthorised access to sensitive data, software vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers, and potential data breaches that may expose confidential information. Solution: Companies like Magellan X place a strong emphasis on data privacy and security. Our commitment to protecting user data and client confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is safeguarded. User information is encrypted for privacy, and our usage of world-class secure cloud service providers ensures that data has the highest degree of protection. By adhering to the highest standards of information security, and obeying GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) compliance, Magellan X enables organisations to confidently embrace sustainable technology solutions without compromising data integrity or privacy. Sustainable Technology Examples: Implementation in Action Sustainable IT Solutions in the Maritime Industry A Leading Shipping Multinational Company that adopted Magellan X's SOL-X solution was able to cut down on wastage and increase efficiency. They initially suffered from a lack of visibility of workers and the misplacement of physical documents that greatly slowed down work. Manual paperwork was prone to human error and disorganised. Through SOL-X's Control Of Work system, we helped them create a sustainable solution by eliminating the need for paper consumption and enhancing EHS compliance.Additionally, the transition to a digital planning system reduced the average time to work by 44 minutes per Permit To Work (PTW). Workers were able to easily monitor and report on the status of jobs on-site through digital tablets, allowing for faster appraisals and stronger accountability.The SOL-X SmartWatch gave supervisors the ability to monitor the health status of workers, and the Crew Assist feature helped protect them in the event of emergencies. Through innovative SOL-X solutions, the company was able to become more sustainable and look out for the health of workers.Worker Safety in the Energy & Petrochemical IndustriesThe energy and petrochemical industries are constantly striving for sustainable practices to reduce their impact on the environment. Many struggle to meet EHS obligations, and a gap exists between their targets and practices. Sustainable technology can be implemented to resolve this.An example is the Shipping Division of a Major Energy & Petrochemical Company that implemented SOL-X solution by Magellan X. Their initial challenges were difficulty in managing and implementing digitalisation, and promoting worker well-being.We recognised that implementing a Digital Safety Framework might face resistance, so we developed an MoC (Management of Change) strategy with the company to highlight the benefits of this transformation to workers.We also supported Crew Situational Awareness using SOL-X Crew Protect, which provided a monitoring platform that could protect workers and meet EHS obligations. By making use of the Wearable SmartWatch system to monitor the individual status of workers, the heart rate, heat exertion, and noise exposure of workers could be tracked, allowing better situational awareness.Through these means, our sustainable technology solution helped the company take care of worker health and prioritise it under their EHS goals.Join the Sustainable Technology Revolution with Magellan X Solutions Sustainable technology is no longer just a trend, but a necessity for heavy industries. By partnering with Magellan X, your organisation can leverage the power of ecoMax, SOL-X, and PROPELLER to fulfil your Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) obligations and position yourselves as a forward-thinking industry leader committed to building a sustainable future today.
Extracting oil and natural gas products

Optimise Oil and Gas Upstream, Downstream, Midstream Processes

The oil and gas industry is a vital component of the global economy, and is responsible for providing the energy resources that power various aspects of daily life. Due to its unique nature, this industry faces numerous challenges in operational efficiency, safety, and environmental impact.By taking a closer look at each of the Upstream, Downstream, and Midstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, the article aims to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of how these segments can be transformed by innovative EHS solutions. 3 Stages of Oil & Gas: Upstream, Midstream, Downstream The oil and gas (O&G) industry is made out of a complex network. This network can be split into the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors. Upstream refers to the production of oil and gas reserves. This stage involves activities such as the drilling and extraction of petroleum (crude oil) from the ground. Upstream operations play a crucial role in determining the availability of oil and gas resources in global energy markets. Midstream refers to the transportation and inventory management of O&G products. Midstream services include pipeline networks, transport services, and storage facilities. The midstream industry supports the efficient and effective transfer of commodities while mitigating potential bottlenecks. Downstream refers to the final stage that processes raw materials into valuable end products. It involves the production process of refining crude oil and processing natural gas. This stage creates products such as petrol and diesel. Downstream activities are crucial for meeting consumer demand and providing essential materials for other industries. Each stage of the O&G industry faces distinct challenges related to safety, regulatory compliance, environmental impact, and operational efficiency.With the help of comprehensive EHS solutions, companies like Magellan X are providing custom-tailored approaches to address these challenges and bring about positive change in these industries. Upstream Operations: Navigating Hazardous Worksites The upstream sector, responsible for producing crude oil in hazardous environments such as oil refineries, often involves strenuous physical activity and heavy machinery.The hazards and risks in this sector cannot be overstated. In 2021, the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers reported that fatalities and injuries on such worksites were on the rise, with 20 fatalities and a 10% increase (compared to 2020) in recordable injury rate.Magellan X's connected worker platform, SOL-X, can greatly enhance safety in these high-pressure environments. By combining advanced IIoT technology with AI analytics, the SOL-X platform provides near real-time visibility into the status of workers by using the SmartWatch wearable. Specifically, our SmartWatch can measure fatigue, monitor heat stress, and can be used by the workers to call for assistance.By implementing digital solutions such as SOL-X in heavy industries, upstream oil and gas operations can create a safer environment for the workers.Read more: How SOL-X Protects Workers Globally with their Industrial Safety Solutions Midstream Operations: Enhancing Efficiency The midstream sector involves transportation, storage, and distribution, and companies in this sector can greatly benefit from adopting inventory management solutions to increase efficiency.One such solution is Magellan X's PROPELLER, a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) inventory management solution, powered by IIoT technology.PROPELLER uses an RFID tagging system to catalogue spare parts and inventory contents. In the oil and gas industry, this can greatly reduce downtime and improve asset visibility. Other features such as mobile scanning, RFID tracking, and AI-powered analytics empower organisations to streamline inventory management using big data and reduce costs.Read more: The Future of Inventory Management – How IIoT is Changing the GameAnother solution by Magellan X is ecoMax, an analysis tool for industrial decarbonisation. ecoMax is highly compatible with midstream operations, as it aids organisations in engine monitoring, reporting CO2 emissions, and overall sustainability performance. AI-powered analytics help optimise and reduce fuel emissions on the vessel, leading to a lower carbon footprint as part of sustainable business practices. Downstream Operations: Promoting Safety and Compliance The downstream sector involves refining and distributing oil and gas products to end consumers. Safety, compliance, and operational risk management are crucial in downstream operations. As such, advanced technologies can play a big part in ensuring security and regulatory adherence.SOL-X provides robust tools to identify worksite hazards, minimise accidents, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. The Control Of Work system provides a digital platform for task management and data collection. Its simple, streamlined approach encourages workers to comply with rules, manage permits, and check inventories.SOL-X also produces AI-powered, data-driven analytics, which helps organisations identify trends and areas that require improvement. It promotes safer work practices by allowing workers and supervisors to communicate with each other, helping to ensure safety standards are met. Improved worker accountability and situational awareness also help to cut down on safety incidents in the downstream oil and gas sector. Sustainable Solutions in the Oil and Gas Industry with Magellan X Magellan X understands the complexity of the oil and gas industry, and our solutions are designed to seamlessly integrate with existing systems and architecture. Our experienced engineers work together with you to make sure that the systems can fit smoothly into your operations, with tailored solutions for each industry.With our cutting-edge solutions, organisations can navigate industry challenges, achieve their EHS commitments, and contribute to a sustainable and efficient future. From mining in the upstream sector, and transportation in the midstream sector, to oil refining in the downstream sector, Magellan X supports clients at every stage.Explore Magellan X's solutions and contact us today, to witness the transformation of your organisation into a more sustainable, efficient, and responsible industry leader.
AI for Workplace Safety

AI for Workplace Safety: How to Prevent Industrial Hazards in 2023

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has opened up new possibilities for enhancing safety measures and mitigating risks in today's hazardous industrial environments.Today, AI is revolutionising workplace safety by leveraging connected worker platforms, intelligent safety compliance, and data-driven insights to create safer and more efficient industrial ecosystems. By empowering companies to proactively address safety concerns and streamline their operations, AI promises a future where workers can perform their tasks with enhanced security and peace of mind.One such example is the SOL-X solution by Magellan X. By utilising advanced algorithms and sophisticated machine learning techniques, this solution analyses large amounts of data to detect potential hazards, predict equipment failures, and aid in decision-making processes that can improve overall safety standards.In this article, we cover the ways AI can help ensure safety in the workplace, and make sure that workplace accidents are kept to a minimum.Key Takeaways: The emergence of AI technologies offers new possibilities for safety within heavy industries. Through features such as predictive risk mitigation, connected worker platforms, real-time monitoring, and insight-gathering, AI provides safety solutions for various companies. AI use has already helped heavy industries improve their safety procedures and establish a positive culture around employee well-being. What is the Role of AI in Safety Management? AI has been gaining significant attention for its ability to improve workplace safety. Modern features like task automation, data analysis, and the ability to identify potential risks can help organisations cut down on human error.As reported by EMSA and other safety professionals, this human error causes 66% of marine incidents and casualties. Even more severe is the finding that 80% of accidents in the petrochemical industry are caused by human error. AI can therefore be the key to reducing workplace injuries— handling and monitoring dangerous tasks, and contributing to the training and skill development of employees. How Can AI Enable a Safer Industrial Workplace? 1. AI-Driven Predictive Risk MitigationIn the pursuit of a safer industrial workplace, AI technology is playing a pivotal role. By integrating AI with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors and wearable devices such as the SOL-X Smartwatch, organisations can predict and prevent workplace hazards before they occur. AI-powered systems can take in huge amounts of data, identify patterns, and detect anomalies, allowing safety managers to proactively address potential risks. The usage of these risk mitigation services contributes greatly towards occupational safety and health by reducing human error and forecasting threats.2. AI-Powered Connected Worker PlatformsConnected worker platforms are collections of technology that keep workers linked to systems in near real time. They're able to provide employees with the latest safety insights and guide them while on the job. Solutions like SOL-X are integrated with various connectivity platforms such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Long-Range Bluetooth, which facilitates seamless communication between workers and supervisors. Workers are able to connect to the Live Dashboards that we provide, and receive safety alerts to enhance their situational awareness at all times. This ability to collaborate with colleagues can greatly reduce response time in emergency situations, leading to increased safety.3. AI-Assisted Intelligent Safety ComplianceSafety risks are inevitable in hazardous industries, but organisations and regulatory bodies are doing their best to create a safe environment for workers. As of September 2022, there were 36 fatalities in workplaces, and Singapore's Ministry of Manpower held a safety timeout for organisations to review their procedures, which highlights the growing importance of establishing better worksite safety standards. Using AI-enabled systems like SOL-X Control Of Work, organisations can simplify their compliance processes through automated data collection, analysis, and reporting, which reduces human error that might otherwise occur while conducting manual compliance processes.4. Advanced Incident Response and ManagementAI technologies enable near real-time monitoring of workplace activities through computer vision and smart sensors. These systems can detect unsafe behaviour, unauthorised access, and potential hazards, triggering immediate alerts to relevant personnel. One example is our SOL-X Geofencing system, where dangerous areas can be marked out virtually. Workers who enter these areas are immediately alerted, allowing them to maintain caution, and allowing their supervisors to keep track of them in lone worker scenarios. AI-enabled incident response and management systems also optimise emergency response efforts, expedite evacuation procedures, and ensure efficient coordination among response teams.5. Data-Driven Insights for Continuous ImprovementAI algorithms can analyse large datasets collected from various sources. These algorithms can take in incident reports, records from safety inspections, and worker feedback. By extracting actionable insights, organisations can identify trends, root causes of accidents, and areas for improvement, and even help preempt accidents or incidents from happening. These data-driven insights help develop targeted safety training programs, implement preventive measures, and continuously enhance safety protocols for long-term risk reduction. Industry-Specific AI Use Cases Employee Safety in the Maritime Industry The integration of AI in the maritime industry has led to significant improvements in safety and efficiency. SOL-X by Magellan X is a solution that utilises AI-powered wearable technology, and has already enhanced the safety and productivity of several enterprises.One Leading Ship Manager was faced with the need to enhance its Safety Management System (SMS) assurance and compliance. They faced lagging safety indicators and an excessive amount of paperwork that led to constant errors. Fortunately, our system provided them with the improved and automated workflow that they required, leveraging AI-powered solutions to improve their health and safety management.After implementing SOL-X, about 60 minutes per Permit To Work (PTW) were saved, adding up to 12 hours a day, and 4000 hours a year. The addition of a Crew Assist feature has been able to aid workers in emergency situations and assures their safety when working alone. By implementing the SOL-X solution, industrial businesses can now streamline their processes and conduct more efficient risk assessments, allowing their vessels to meet occupational health and safety compliance requirements. Keeping Workers Safe in the Petrochemical Industry SOL-X has also partnered with a Leading ESG company that manages wastewater and promotes sustainability. Our safety solution was integrated into their treatment plant, in order to utilise AI in workplace safety and resolve some of the pressing issues they were experiencing. Issues faced by the treatment plant included a suboptimal safety culture, low situational awareness and visibility among workers, and a lack of workflow control. By using SOL-X to improve safety, the treatment plant benefited from Worker Well-being Tracking and GeoFence tracking. Our SmartWatch technology kept track of worker fitness by monitoring their heart rate and exposure to heat stress, allowing workers and supervisors to keep track of their status. The GeoFence alert improves situational awareness by letting workers know whenever they've entered hazardous environments, allowing them to stay vigilant These AI-driven solutions created a safer workplace and helped prevent accidents within the treatment plant. Applying such technology to the Petrochemical Industry can help prevent accidents and serious injuries. Discover the Future of Workplace Safety with SOL-X The landscape of workplace safety is undergoing a significant transformation, thanks to AI technology, as exemplified by SOL-X by Magellan X. We're using cutting-edge tech to help organisations actively create safer working environments, whilst ensuring the well-being of their employees. By implementing intelligent solutions in hazardous industries, AI is proving to be an invaluable tool in industrial risk mitigation.Don't miss out on an opportunity to equip your organisation with the advanced AI capabilities our systems offer, and pave the way for an efficient and secure work environment. Step into a safer future—explore SOL-X today.
connected worker technology, connected worker software

Connected Worker Platform for Hazardous Industries (2023)

The heavy industry has been steadily evolving to keep up with new technologies. During this advancement, the rise of the connected worker is becoming increasingly apparent. A connected worker is an employee who makes use of technology to integrate themselves into their work environment. They engage with devices and software that can keep them linked to systems and facilitate work. By leveraging new technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), workers can perform their duties more safely and efficiently. For instance, workers on a maritime vessel or factory could use a wearable mobile device to monitor their health and safety conditions in near real-time. The device then feeds information back to a larger system, creating a connected worker platform. A connected workforce is rapidly becoming integral to the heavy industries sector, and establishing a connected worker platform can have a huge impact on your business productivity and safety. What is a Connected Worker Platform? A connected worker platform is a digital infrastructure that integrates various technologies to support connected workers in their duties. Common features of a connected worker platform include: Near Real-Time Data Monitoring: Enables immediate insights into operational conditions, supporting quick decision-making. Health and Safety Tracking: Uses IIoT devices to monitor worker vitals and environmental hazards, ensuring a safer workspace. Remote Communication: Facilitates seamless information exchange between workers and management, fostering collaboration. Predictive Analytics: Applies AI to predict potential issues or risks, allowing proactive management and continuous improvement. Location Tracking: Offers near real-time location data for workers and assets, improving resource allocation and emergency response. Why Use a Connected Worker Platform? Challenges of Standalone Devices Standalone mobile devices, while holding their own benefits, fall short when it comes to providing a holistic view of data. They lack seamless integration and easy communication, since they have to be managed on a per-device basis. On the other hand, a connected worker platform aggregates all its benefits into one comprehensive solution. Here are five key use cases for employing such a platform: Enhanced Safety: Workplace injuries and deaths cost nearly $165 billion a year. Platforms like SOL-X offer near real-time health and safety tracking, reducing the risk of workplace accidents and improving worker well-being. Multi-Protocol Connectivity: Compatibility with major connectivity protocols like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Long-Range Bluetooth is a key feature of connected worker technology like SOL-X. This compatibility enables seamless data transmission, real-time monitoring, and efficient communication between devices and systems. With these capabilities, modern solutions like SOL-X is able to provide health and safety tracking, facilitate remote communication, and enable predictive risk management—all with minimal disruptions. Lastly, critical information can be shared in near real time, and supervisors can deploy digital work instructions with ease. Operational Efficiency: By enabling near real-time data monitoring and predictive analytics, these platforms allow companies to optimise their operations and reduce wastage. Avoiding inefficiency and optimising operations can save a business $300 million a year. Predictive Risk Management: Through the application of AI, connected worker platforms can predict potential issues or risks. This foresight allows for proactive management and mitigation of risks, enhancing overall operational reliability. Effective Asset Management: Location tracking capabilities of a connected worker platform provide near real-time location data for workers and assets. This not only improves resource allocation but also allows for swift emergency response, further ensuring the safety and efficiency of operations. This type of enhancement can reduce contractor costs and maintenance spending by 10 to 15%. Top Trending Connected Worker Technology & Software Connected worker technology is a rapidly growing trend in various industries. Hazardous environments such as oil rigs, mines, and construction sites benefit the most from it. Such technology involves the use of digital interfaces, IIoT devices, and other advanced tools to enhance worker safety, productivity, and communication. Demand for this trending technology is soaring due to its potential to increase the efficiency and safety of operations significantly. Here are some devices that are seeing more and more use in recent years, and helping businesses reach new heights. 1. Digital Interfaces Digital interfaces are a key trend in connected worker technology. These interfaces include live Dashboards and mobile tablet interfaces. They provide a user-friendly platform for workers to interact with the system, access near real-time data, and perform their tasks more efficiently. A prime example of this trend is the SOL-X Control Of Work system. We developed this system with a range of digital interfaces designed to streamline workflows, ensure on-site compliance, enhance efficiency, and improve safety. Our Live Dashboards offer a near real-time overview of the work site, allowing our supervisors to monitor operations and make informed decisions. The mobile tablet interface we have implemented enables our workers to access the necessary information and perform their tasks from anywhere on the work site. Moreover, we have incorporated automation tools into our system that removes the need for paper-based processes. This not only reduces the risk of errors but also saves time and resources, contributing to our overall operational efficiency. 2. IIoT Devices IIoT devices are a crucial component of connected worker technology. These devices usually take the form of wireless Bluetooth beacons, and are placed at strategic points in the workplace to pick up signals. This forms a web of connections that transmit to other smart devices like smartwatches. These IIoT devices are becoming increasingly popular in various industries due to their ability to enhance safety and efficiency. For instance, in a ship, SOL-X Connected Worker Health and Safety Solution uses beacons to provide near real-time location tracking of workers, helping to prevent accidents and ensure a quicker response in case of emergencies. These devices also facilitate data sharing among workers, supervisors, and other stakeholders. This can lead to improved decision-making, better coordination of tasks, and ultimately, enhanced productivity and safety outcomes. 3. Wearables Mobile and wearable devices are becoming increasingly popular due to the ease with which they can upgrade a worker's connectivity. Products such as SOL-X's Intrinsically Safe SmartWatch can provide an individual user with a wide range of functions. These devices can collect data on workers' health, send alerts regarding their surroundings, and allow them to contact others. Additionally, the SmartWatch is ATEX certified and equipped with a wide range of health vitals and environmental sensors. The SOL-X SmartWatch is a powerful tool for enhancing worker safety and productivity in energy, industrial, and maritime sectors. By providing near real-time health and environmental data, our device allows for proactive safety measures and immediate response to potential health risks. 4. Cloud Computing Systems Cloud computing systems are a key trend in the connected worker technology landscape. These systems store and process large amounts of data in a secure and efficient manner, enabling real-time analytics and decision-making. SOL-X is delivered to customers through a Software as a Service (SaaS) Cloud model and an On-Premise Edge Server model. This means that our system can be accessed and managed remotely, making it a flexible solution for diverse industrial settings. Additionally, SOL-X uses world-class secure cloud service providers such as Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. These providers have implemented comprehensive security measures to ensure and maintain the security of their infrastructure, and have committed to adhering to rigorous security and compliance standards. This quality assurance ensures the security and reliability of our SOL-X system. Case Studies of a Connected Workforce Integrating our connected worker solutions into their production processes has helped several large companies achieve operational excellence. Here are some ways businesses use connected technologies to improve worker safety and increase productivity. Maritime In the maritime sector, SOL-X Connected Worker Health and Safety Solution was implemented by a leading shipping multinational company. The company faced challenges such as: A lack of visibility of individual crew members The loss of important documents due to human error Difficulty in finding the right party for task approval onboard SOL-X's Control Of Work system streamlined and optimised the overall workflow, reducing the average time to work by about 44 minutes per Permit To Work (PTW). Through establishing a Connected Worker Platform, the system improved quality control and execution of tasks onboard, enhanced compliance, and promoted proactive crew behaviour and accountability. The SOL-X SmartWatch provided GeoFencing capabilities, enabling hazardous areas to be marked out, and alerting workers when they were in danger zones. The SmartWatch also improved worker well-being, providing ambient heat index readings and heart rate alerts, and encouraging personal fitness tracking. Petrochemical In the petrochemical industry, SOL-X was implemented in a leading wastewater treatment plant. The plant faced challenges such as: An inadequate safety culture Low operational visibility and lone worker monitoring A lack of situational awareness among workers SOL-X provided near real-time visibility of worker location and Control Of Work operations monitoring. Through GeoFence alerts, workers were kept aware of their surroundings, enabling them to remain in a fit state through connected wellness features and fatigue management. The wearable SOL-X SmartWatch allowed workers to stay aware of the heat, keep track of their heart rate, and manage their work-rest hours. The SmartWatch also detected higher incidences of heat stress in zones like the Dryer Room. It then provided insights into infrastructure improvements such as where Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) should be placed. Embrace the Future of Safety with SOL-X Connected worker technology is revolutionising the way heavy industries operate. By integrating digital interfaces, IIoT devices, wearable technology, and cloud computing systems, our solutions are empowering workers to make use of digital transformation on the work site. SOL-X, our connected worker platform, is at the forefront of this revolution. It has a comprehensive suite of features, including our Control Of Work, Crew Protect, and SmartWatch systems. Whether you operate in the maritime, petrochemical, mining, or offshore industries, we can help you meet your health, safety, and environmental obligations using our connected worker approach. Don't wait to make your workplace safer and more efficient. Establish a connected worker platform with our SOL-X Connected Worker Health and Safety Solution today. Download this article here.
Inventory management best practices in 2023

5 Essential Inventory Management Best Practices in 2023

Inventory management plays a critical role in the overall success of heavy industries.In recent times, more businesses are going digital with their inventory management process. Companies are now leveraging advanced technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices for real-time tracking of inventory. Moreover, methods such as predictive analytics are being used to forecast demand and optimise inventory levels, helping to ensure that resources are efficiently allocated.In order to keep up with these developing technologies, businesses need to remain up-to-date and ensure they carry out these best practices.Standing at the forefront of this is Magellan X, a company that offers purpose-built DeepTech solutions to help companies in heavy industries that are struggling to digitalise. By harnessing the power of IIoT devices and AI-powered analytics, we help businesses gain real-time insights into their inventory levels. This allows them to make data-driven decisions that optimise their supply chains while minimising their environmental impact.What is Inventory Management?Inventory management is the process of ordering, storing, tracking, and accounting for a company's goods. The intent is to meet customer demands efficiently and effectively. Industries such as maritime, petrochemical, mining, and offshore operations rely heavily on effective inventory management for smooth operations.Benefits of Inventory ManagementCost Reduction: Effective inventory management allows companies to reduce carrying costs, avoid running out of stock, and minimise lost margins from markdowns and expedited shipping. These cost savings are crucial in heavy industries like oil & gas, maritime, chemicals, and mining.Enhanced Efficiency: With proper inventory management, companies can streamline operations. In industries like offshore facilities, timing is critical, and properly managed stock will prevent disruptions. This ensures the efficiency of high-value operations.Improved Customer Satisfaction: In maritime and petrochemical sectors, effective inventory management ensures prompt fulfilment of customer orders, thus enhancing customer satisfaction. Better satisfaction leads to increased customer demand, and larger profits for a business.Challenges of Inventory ManagementDemand Forecasting: Accurate demand forecasting is essential to avoid stock shortages or an excess of inventory. In industries like mining and offshore operations, this can be especially challenging due to volatile market conditions or weather disruptions affecting the demand and supply chain.Maintaining Inventory Visibility: Maintaining real-time visibility into inventory levels is critical for industries that operate globally. Shipping internationally can complicate tracking goods as they are moved across facilities. Inventory visibility is a constant issue among suppliers, but this can be solved using best practices and modern technology systems.Supply Chain Management: Ensuring efficient supply chain management is vital for heavy industries like mining, where disruptions in the supply chain can lead to delays in production and increased costs. Effective inventory management plays a significant role in mitigating these risks.What are the Best Practices for Inventory Management?Best practices in inventory management enable companies to have accurate stock records, improve efficiency and become more competitive, reducing unnecessary expenses. It also helps to track inventory figures and enables easy warehouse management, as long as you make the right software investment choices.1. Invest in Inventory Management TechnologyInvesting in robust inventory management technology is essential for successful inventory management. Using tools to eliminate paper processes and increase efficiency can lead to huge returns for your business.PROPELLER by Magellan X is a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) inventory management solution that brings Intrinsically Safe portable scanning tablets to your warehouse. Our AI/ML-powered cloud solution provides near real-time inventory data and actionable insights, allowing for inventory to be tracked remotely.2. Use Inventory Management Tools that Integrate with Your Other SolutionsSeamless integration with your existing business tools is a necessity for effective inventory management. This allows you to improve your systems with minimal disruptions to your business operations.PROPELLER's RFID Mobile Scanner is compatible with a range of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, enabling standardisation across inventory management platforms. In addition, our mobile tablet synchronises data with your PMS automatically, facilitating smoother and more efficient inventory tracking.Your existing infrastructure doesn't become obsolete with PROPELLER. Instead, our inventory management software adds to the groundwork you have already laid.3. Track All Product InformationAccurately tracking product information is necessary for effective stock control.PROPELLER offers AI-powered analytics that monitors consumption and usage. Our service also provides a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS), allowing you to ensure transparency throughout the ordering process.By monitoring your inventory and remaining aware of your products, you can avoid losing track of items and causing inefficiency.4. Audit InventoryRegular inventory audits are essential to maintain accurate records and detect potential discrepancies in your inventory.PROPELLER has a range of features that simplify the auditing process. Our RFID Mobile Scanner helps you keep track of parts and prevents misplacement. Through IIoT technology, parts can be reliably found within minutes.For shorter-range operations, QR tags are available to be placed on items. These provide unique IDs and storage locations for 100% of your inventory, ensuring that your next audit goes on without a hitch.For even longer-range usage, PROPELLER has long-range RFID beacons that can monitor cargo when it is in transit. These tools can help you remain aware of your own stock, and you can manage inventory without any fuss.5. Comply with Best Environmental PracticesIn today's eco-conscious world, adhering to environmental best practices is more important than ever. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is making efforts to battle climate change, and global efforts are underway to curb emissions in the shipping industry.With PROPELLER, you can participate in carbon-conscious inventory management by reducing the need for unnecessary transport and orders. Our system reduces an average of 30% of excess stock when used, and our AI analytics are constantly on the lookout for bulk-order opportunities, saving you an extra shipment that might enlarge your carbon footprint.How to Choose the Right Inventory Management SystemWhen selecting the right inventory management system for your business, it is important to consider several factors that align with your industry-specific needs. Here are a few tips to help you make the best choice.Assess whether the system is scalable and customisable to your sector. Various industries have different needs, so be sure to pursue a solution that can fit your requirements. For example, PROPELLER has various functions that can benefit the petrochemical, maritime, offshore, and mining sectors, using different combinations of its scanners, RFID tablets, and analytics Dashboards.Prioritise functionality. Ensure that the inventory management system offers features that directly address the emerging trends and pain points within your industry. In the case of PROPELLER, it includes features that aid in general inventory management, such as real-time stock visibility, order consolidation, and smart procurement. These capabilities prioritise efficiency, cost optimisation, and compliance with industry regulations.Ensure it can integrate with existing systems and data sources. Verify that the inventory management software is compatible with your current technology infrastructure and can be integrated into your workflows without much hassle. PROPELLER, for instance, is designed to be compatible with various systems in the maritime sector, so integration becomes a seamless process.Lastly, consider the quality of customer support and future upgrades provided by the system vendor. A responsive and knowledgeable support team will help ensure that any issues encountered with the software are resolved promptly. Furthermore, regular software updates addressing new industry trends and requirements play a vital role in maintaining the long-term effectiveness of the system.By keeping these factors in mind, you can select an inventory management system like PROPELLER, which offers a range of features tailored to meet the unique challenges of this sector.Elevate Your Inventory Management with PROPELLER by Magellan XIn an ever-changing world, businesses operating in heavy industries face increasing challenges in inventory management. The need for up-to-date, efficient, and sustainable solutions is undeniably crucial. By adopting innovative technologies that align with best practices, organisations can streamline their inventory management processes and enhance overall performance.Platforms like PROPELLER can help companies improve their efficiency, reduce waste, adhere to these best practices, and promote environmentally responsible operations. Don't let your inventory management fall behind—find out more about PROPELLER to elevate your organisation's inventory management practices today.Download this article here.
Important inventory management trends to keep up with customer demand

The Future of Inventory Management – How IIoT is Changing the Game

Inventory management has always been a crucial aspect of successful business operations. Its importance has been magnified like never before in the wake of the global pandemic. Losses from improper inventory management cost retailers $1.75 trillion of losses annually, due to over-stocking and under-stocking.With unprecedented disruptions to supply chains, businesses across industries have been forced to reevaluate and innovate their inventory management practices. One thing is clear—the future of inventory management lies in leveraging advanced technologies, particularly the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).IIoT is transforming the very fabric of inventory management, introducing new levels of efficiency, accuracy, and visibility. One tool at the forefront of this technological revolution is Magellan X's PROPELLER.PROPELLER offers real-time tracking and AI-driven insights, enabling businesses to better anticipate demand, reduce waste, and ensure the smooth running of their supply chains. As the rate of change accelerates, our solutions aren't just enhancing inventory management; they are reinventing it.Here are some ways businesses have been pursuing sustainability and efficiency, and how PROPELLER has been helping in the process.The Latest Advancements in Inventory ManagementImpact of IIoT on Real-Time Tracking and Inventory VisibilityIn the ever-complex landscape of inventory management, making use of IIoT can simplify things significantly. Solutions like PROPELLER are utilising these methods to transform the way businesses track and manage their inventory. With our unique RFID tagging system, we enable businesses to monitor the status of spare parts and assets in real time.For short-range usage, PROPELLER provides QR tags that can be uniquely linked to items in an inventory. Long-range usage comes in the form of an attached beacon, which can be tracked remotely to make sure it is never lost.Engineers can then quickly identify, tag, and check-in parts with a mobile tablet, reducing time spent searching for misplaced items. By offering a bird's eye view of assets through a unified IIoT, our solution streamlines inventory management, improves visibility, and enhances operational efficiency. Properly managing inventory is key to keeping your operations successful.Leveraging AI and ML AnalyticsOur research has found that 80% of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) have inaccurate data analytics, and commonly stock excess spare parts. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) has ushered in a new era of data-driven decision making, which can easily resolve these inaccuracies.With PROPELLER, companies can leverage AI and ML analytics to not only track assets, but also anticipate future demand. By interpreting patterns and trends in data, it can forecast inventory needs accurately, helping businesses maintain optimal stock levels, reduce holding costs, and avoid downtime. Businesses have found that using AI forecasting, such as what PROPELLER offers, can reduce supply chain errors by 30-40%, preventing disruptions and monetary loss in industries like warehousing and shipping.Advantages of Cloud-Based Inventory Management The cloud has revolutionised many facets of business operations, and inventory management is no exception. Singapore is already ahead of the curve, possessing the largest public cloud market size in Southeast Asia in 2021.Cloud-based systems offer the advantage of anytime-anywhere access to real-time inventory data. This, coupled with the ability to integrate with other business systems, allows for informed decision-making and efficient operations.PROPELLER offers a comprehensive, on-the-go view of inventory across multiple locations through our cloud connection. By placing inventory data right at the fingertips of decision-makers, we help you ensure timely and effective responses to changing inventory dynamics, further driving efficiency and sustainability.Sustainability and Efficiency in Business OperationsEnvironmental consciousness is being heightened constantly, and businesses are aiming to integrate sustainability into their operations. As such, many organisations are trying to implement green practices and create sustainable cycles for industries such as maritime shipping.Inventory management, often linked to considerable carbon emissions due to transportation and overstocking, suffers from a lack of sustainability. Our research has found that Heavy Industries miss roughly $100k worth of procurement opportunities per site annually.This is where IIoT solutions like PROPELLER come into play. By providing real-time visibility and predictive analytics, PROPELLER enables businesses to maintain optimal inventory levels. This reduces the need for emergency shipments and cuts down on waste from obsolete or excess stock.Our data analytics also help detect bulk ordering opportunities, helping to ensure that fewer shipments are made. This can significantly reduce your business' carbon footprint and contribute to global sustainability goals, all while realising cost savings and efficiency gains.Addressing Industry-Specific ChallengesEach industry comes with its unique challenges in pursuing digital solutions. We have found that many businesses suffer from a lack of standardisation in inventory management systems, and have inaccurate data. The mining industry has seen a global decline in productivity, which is attributed to the slow rate of digital adoption, and the maritime industry is faced with environmental concerns over carbon emissions caused by shipping.As a service that utilises IIoT, PROPELLER is specifically designed to address these industry-specific challenges. We offer tailored solutions that cater to the unique needs and operational contexts of different sectors, including maritime, oil and gas, warehouse, and mining.Through an onboarding and training process, we ensure that our digital solutions are installed on worksites and vessels, and that crews are comprehensively trained by our experts. The carbon footprint of maritime shipping is reduced by our data analytics, which display opportunities to reduce transportation costs and maintain efficiency.By providing real-time tracking, efficient spare parts management, and AI-driven demand forecasting, PROPELLER helps industries keep up with advanced solutions, lower their carbon footprint, and ensure accuracy of their inventory management.PROPELLER - The Future of Inventory Management through IIoT In the rapidly evolving world of inventory management, keeping pace with emerging trends and technological developments is a necessity. IIoT solutions like PROPELLER are at the forefront of this digital transformation, helping businesses stay efficient, sustainable, and competitive.We offer an array of benefits, from real-time tracking and predictive analytics, to cloud-based access and industry-specific solutions that address the critical needs of businesses in the modern age.The importance of efficient inventory management will only continue to grow. Leverage the power of IIoT and solutions like PROPELLER to stay ahead, and step into the future of inventory management today. Download this article here.
ship, vessel, marine environment, marine industry

What is a Vessel Safety Management System? (Maritime & Shipping)

In 2012, the Costa Concordia ship was grounded in an accident that resulted in the deaths of 26 passengers and 4 crew members. In 2007, marine vessel Cosco Busan experienced an collision that released approximately 54,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay. The common grounds for these accidents were inadequate Safety Management Systems and failure to comply with the ISM code. As such, proper procedures must be in place to mitigate such incidents. Vessel Safety Management Systems play a crucial role in risk management and environmental protection. This article covers how they can reduce potential risks and improve safety for maritime workers. What is a Ship Safety Management System? A ship Safety Management System is an organised system of operational procedures and mandatory safety rules which safeguard the vessel and the maritime environment. It ensures that ship owners and crew comply with international safety regulations and those established by relevant government authorities. Safety Management Systems should document health and safety considerations, important policies, and emergency response procedures. It should also cover crew member training and proper vessel maintenance. Safety management involves determining the root causes of all maritime incidents, near misses, and non-conformities, whether major or minor. From there, a company should take corrective and proactive actions to prevent any recurrences of accidents. Is a Safety Management System Required Under ISM Code? The International Safety Management Code is the standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention. Under the ISM code, a Safety Management System is a legal requirement for every ship, both private and commercial vessels. The ISM code requires shipping companies to conduct internal and external audits for each vessel. The audits are to verify whether the Safety Management System of the ship complies with ISM requirements and that routines on board match the implemented procedures. If all the necessary criteria are met, the vessel receives a safety management certificate which verifies that a proper system is in place to ensure safety. What are the Common Features of a Safety Management System? The majority of EMSA safety recommendations comprise ship-related procedures and human factors—45.5% and 21.6%, respectively. Safety Management Systems thus emphasise safe operations and practices as well as emergency procedures. Here are 3 standard features of a vessel Safety Management System: 1. Implements safety standards and procedures on the worksite A Safety Management System sets the standards for operations and communications on a worksite. Establishing guidelines for workplace safety culture can reduce the occurrence of preventable accidents. These can include supervision of tasks and skills training. As part of a Safety Management System, SOL-X Control Of Work allows easy worker supervision with user, time, and location stamp verification. It ensures that supervisors can identify the RIGHT person, at the RIGHT time, in the RIGHT location.​ Furthermore, with SOL-X Crew Protect, companies can set better safety standards by enabling workers to access health analytics such as their work/rest hours. With this data, they can proactively manage their workload and resources, providing preemptive intervention against worker fatigue. 2. Improves operation safety within maritime facilities Safe operations reduce the risks of accidents to safeguard the vessel and each and every crew member. On an individual level, wearing protective clothing and personal protective equipment is necessary. There is also a need for safety equipment, proper anchoring of heavy loads, and procedures to ensure safe movement around the vessel. On top of physical equipment, companies can explore digital solutions. SOL-X Control Of Work boosts existing Safety Management Systems by including an integrated mobile interface that streamlines Permits To Work. This feature zooms in on specific workers who are working in confined spaces, physically isolated, or engaging in hot work such as welding. It ensures workers are authorised for specific tasks in those potentially hazardous conditions. 3. Includes concrete emergency plans and procedures A Safety Management System ensures crew members receive regular training through drills and exercises for emergencies. A ship should also have its safety and environmental policies displayed in an accessible location on board, where they can be easily seen and reviewed. Familiarising themselves with emergency procedures enables crew members to respond effectively to potential incidents. A quick emergency response time can save lives in a crisis situation such as a fire, abandon ship, or man overboard. With SOL-X Crew Protect, existing Safety Management Systems can now be enhanced with Broadcast Message alerts that enable the crew to communicate with workers on the ground in case of an emergency. This solution also equips workers with their own SmartWatch with a “Crew Assist” function which they can use to alert their supervisors if they are in any danger. What is the Purpose of Safety Management Systems in Maritime Sectors? There were a total of 2,637 marine casualties in 2021. Maritime workers face unpredictable, high-risk environments out at sea. The job also involves working with dangerous equipment and chemicals that could cause fatal injuries if improperly handled. The safety and security of crew members are essential not just for individual well-being but also for the protection of the vessel and everyone on board. A Safety Management System focuses on tackling the root cause of maritime accidents, emphasising risk prevention rather than 'cure.' Here are 3 benefits of having a proper vessel Safety Management System: 1. Improves communication and efficiency Safety Management Systems ensure information is disseminated efficiently to update workers on worksite procedures and conditions. Good workplace communications are essential to manage risks and facilitate collaboration between workers on board, regardless of location. For instance, the ISM code requires every ship to have a designated person ashore (DPA). The DPA provides a direct link between the company and those on board to support safe operations on the vessel. As part of a Safety Management System, SOL-X Control Of Work also takes the groundwork out of Permits To Work. With automated workflows and a portable interface to Work On The Go, it eliminates the need for manual paperwork, encouraging compliance and increasing work efficiency. 2. Saves costs While implementing more safety procedures might involve more expenses, Safety Management Systems ultimately save costs for shipping companies by improving productivity and resource management. An organised system of operations ensures that trained workers uphold high standards of quality and safety. By avoiding potential safety risks, companies also avoid incurring uninsured financial losses. In 2020, the costs of work injuries added up to $163.9 billion. This figure included wage and productivity loss, medical expenses, and administrative costs. 3. Predict dangers On top of alerting dangers, Safety Management Systems can also predict possible risks. When out at sea for long periods of time, it is important to monitor if a worker is medically fit to work so as to prevent occupational diseases. For instance, as part of a Safety Management System, the SOL-X SmartWatch tracks health vitals, including heat stress exposure, coronary stress, heart rates, and more. This data collected can help to predict which workers' well-being is in potential danger. Boost Your Vessel Safety Management with SOL-X Worker Safety Solution With the hazardous nature of the industry, maritime companies must not leave the safety of their workers up to chance. Proper technology and software can get you up to speed on modern maritime safety standards. As part of a Safety Management System, SOL-X solution can provide the resources to enhance maritime operations and procedures. Ensuring a vessel runs smoothly helps create a safer environment for everyone on board.
learn the benefits of esg

The 3 Big Reasons Why Your Company Should Care About ESG

ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategy is not a niche or a fad. McKinsey reports that more than 90% of S&P 500 companies now publish ESG reports, as do approximately 70% of Russell 1000 companies. Companies that pay attention to ESG factors do not experience a drag on value creation—quite the opposite. If your company does not have an ESG strategy yet, you miss significant opportunities for growth. You might also expose yourself to higher risks of regulatory scrutiny, stakeholder backlash and market disruption. With the right technology and solutions, businesses can achieve their ESG goals effectively and efficiently. Technology can enable you to measure your performance and engage with stakeholders. In this article, we will explain why ESG matters for your business. What is ESG explained in simple terms? ESG can be defined as environmental, social and governance factors that measure a company's sustainability and ethical impact. To be more specific, ESG is a common way to evaluate how a company performs across different aspects. These aspects may directly or indirectly impact a company's sustainability and ethical impact. For example, environmental issues include how a company affects the natural resources and environment. Social issues include how a company interacts with its stakeholders, such as its employees, customers, suppliers and communities. Finally, governance issues include how a company is run and controlled, such as its board structure, executive compensation, shareholder rights, business ethics and transparency. ESG is not just a moral or ethical concept. It is also a financial one. ESG can help investors and stakeholders understand how a company manages the risks and opportunities created by changing environmental, social, and governance conditions. What is the Difference Between ESG & EHS? ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, while EHS stands for Environment, Health, and Safety. ESG principles and EHS refer to different aspects of corporate responsibility. The ESG approach is focused on future planning and policies to align with environmental, social, and governance demands. EHS is more about the operational function of a business and reporting on current practices. EHS policies and practices aim to prevent or mitigate harm by ensuring compliance with environmental criteria and laws. Compliance with EHS regulations is mandatory, but companies can choose whether or not to adopt ESG policies. In terms of implementation, EHS policies focus on environmental protection (such as reducing emissions) and employee safety to avoid penalties. In contrast, ESG strategies aim to make positive changes, such as improving working conditions and increasing diversity. Why is ESG More Important than Ever? 3 Big Reasons For Your Business ESG considerations are on the rise, especially in the Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Mining, and Shipping industries. For example, Deloitte reports that even though the shipping industry represents only 1.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, companies are taking several actions to reduce their carbon footprint out at sea. Here are the three big reasons why these businesses are now focusing on ESG: 1. Competitive advantage ESG can help you gain a competitive edge by attracting investors, customers, and talent who value sustainability and ethics. ESG can also help you tap into new markets, products and services that address environmental and social needs, such as clean energy, circular economy or social impact investing. According to Bureau Veritas, companies that engage with their local communities can deliver a win-win outcome that supports their ESG goals and provides long-term value creation. By offering sustainable investing, you also give customers a reason to invest in your business. 2. Risk management ESG can help you anticipate and comply with evolving regulations and standards on environmental and social issues, avoiding fines, lawsuits or reputational damage. For example, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering new rules that would require more detailed disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions. To comply with such regulations, companies can tap into the latest decarbonisation technologies such as Magellan X's ecoMax software to measure and report ESG performance, track progress, identify gaps and opportunities, and communicate impact to their stakeholders. 3. Innovation ESG can stimulate innovation when companies invest in new technologies that reduce environmental impact or improve efficiency. Andrew Poreda, an ESG research analyst, shares that ESG investing will likely encourage many oil and gas companies to spend more money on research and development (on technologies involving AI, machine learning, renewable energy, and more), which will enable them to survive even when the world transitions away from fossil fuels. In addition, technologies like SOL-X, a connected worker platform, contribute to innovation by reducing paper waste and ensuring safety compliance. Are There Disadvantages of ESG? While ESG practices have clear benefits for the company, there are also some disadvantages. 1. Greenwashing One downside is the prevalence of "greenwashing," which can make it challenging to identify genuinely sustainable companies. Many companies use dishonest marketing tactics to persuade consumers and investors that they have a positive impact, making it the investor's responsibility to research public records and evaluate the company's sustainability. 2. Focusing only on compliance The compliance-oriented approach is when companies only highlight their adherence to regulations and critical issues in their ESG programme. This approach gives an impression of reactivity and a lack of initiative to surpass the minimum requirements. Instead, companies should showcase proactive measures to get a competitive advantage and establish themselves as ESG business leaders. Companies must explain their sustainable practices in regions with solid regulations to gain recognition for their high operating standards. 3. Difficulties in measuring international ESG performance Unfortunately, it can be difficult for companies to assess their ESG performance across a global benchmark. Despite the vast amount of other ESG disclosures and data, there are data quality challenges in different regions, particularly emerging markets. For example, while sustainability metric declarations by companies in the S&P 500 index have risen from 20% to over 80%, Asia still lags with varying sustainability disclosures across countries. There are also variations in corporate governance practices within regions such as China and Taiwan. How to Realise Your Company’s ESG Strategy? According to McKinsey & Company, companies can realise ESG goals in these ways: 1. Mapping the business model against each ESG dimension ESG mapping is essential for organisations to analyse and improve their performance. Effective mapping requires a thorough examination of how an organisation's business model aligns with each ESG dimension (environmental, social, and governance). This analysis should examine how the organisation's activities, products, and services impact each dimension and identify gaps between current performance and desired outcomes. Once the analysis is complete, organisations can use the insights gained to develop a plan for improving their ESG performance, and at the same time, enhance their reputation, reduce risks, and create long-term value for stakeholders. To facilitate ESG mapping, companies can use an ESG analytics platform like ecoMax for comprehensive data analysis, near real-time monitoring, benchmarking, and stakeholder engagement capabilities. It enables organisations to make data-driven decisions to enhance their ESG performance and create long-term value for stakeholders. 2. Setting targets and tracking progress To set ESG targets, organisations should first conduct a comprehensive ESG assessment to identify areas for improvement. This involves a detailed analysis of the organisation's ESG performance across all relevant social factors and dimensions, including environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance practices. Once the assessment is complete, the organisation can use the insights to set specific, measurable, and time-bound ESG targets. For example, for sustainability initiatives, an organisation may set a target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2025. Organisations should establish a robust ESG reporting and monitoring system. Regular reporting on ESG metrics demonstrating progress and performance can help organisations build credibility and trust. It can also provide valuable insights into areas for improvement and help the organisation refine its ESG strategy over time. 3. Engaging with stakeholders Considering stakeholder interests are fundamental to any ESG strategy. This involves identifying important stakeholders (e.g. employees, customers) and understanding what they value. Forward-looking companies actively engage with various stakeholders to unlock opportunities for all. Technologies like SOL-X can improve engagement with workers by facilitating the evidence-gathering phase during an incident investigation. SOL-X can provide near real-time insights into the causes of incidents, enabling companies to take proactive measures to prevent similar incidents. Harness the Benefits of EHS with Magellan X By implementing ESG frameworks and EHS practices, you create value for yourself and your stakeholders in the short and long term. Magellan X ecoMax and SOL-X can help businesses harness the benefits of both EHS and ESG standards. ecoMax helps companies meet their sustainability obligations through purpose-built technological solutions that monitor carbon emissions. SOL-X provides an industry solution that improves worker safety, helping to anticipate incidents and improves compliance workflows. By using these solutions, businesses can ultimately build better ESG and EHS strategies. Ready to reap the benefits and propel your business? Reach out to our experts at Magellan X for more information today.

Leveraging IIoT for Worker Health & Safety

"You have the required Safety and Sustainability Strategy in place. That is the WHY. It is thus vital that we redirect attention to achieve the Generative Culture in Safety to accelerate Core Values and Sustainability results within the organisation – which will bring us to the WHAT and HOW.” Captain Daniel Alcantara In recent times, there has been an increase in worker health and safety awareness across industries. Many employees have lost their lives due to worksite incidents and occupational illnesses. These fatalities and serious injuries are devastating and can have a long-term effect on employees, their families, and colleagues. Therefore, it is the responsibility of everyone in an organisation to understand the potential factors associated with worksite accidents and take preventive measures. The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) issued guidelines since 2018 to develop sustainability journeys and reporting for health and safety. GSSB is the independent standard-setting body of GRI and has developed best practices in occupational health and safety management and reporting. Despite these efforts, there is a very little change over the past decade. Worksite incidents and injuries continue to plague several sectors, resulting in a huge loss of resources. While Mining, Chemicals, Maritime are the few sectors which are prone to such worksite accidents, the Oil and Gas industry, a vital part of the world economy, is one of the most affected sectors among all. A report by The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) revealed that workplace injuries were about 10% higher in 2021 as compared to 2020. The prospering industry is not immune to serious injuries or fatalities. Cause of accident reoccurrence No matter how safe a worksite is, accidents are inevitable. Unforeseen events and incidents can lead to an injury or casualty. Despite their efforts, companies have not been able to improve safety records involving its employees and contractors. In fact, worksite incidents have been on the rise for the past decade and their effects may be devastating and result in huge human and economic costs. Human reliability is one of the primary factors of workplace safety. In general, human reliability means successful performance within specific timeframes and environmental conditions. Lack of Human Reliability information on process efficacy and work environment increases the likelihood of accident’s reoccurring. Experts believe that by improving general awareness and understanding of the risks involved in human reliability, the rate of accidents can be brought down significantly. This can be achieved by leveraging IIoT analytics to better inform the design of employee safety awareness programmes and conducting targeted, proactive training sessions. Most companies are unable to uncover underlying cause of the accidents and tend to concentrate on direct causes. The main reason for accident recurrence is insufficient real time information towards underlying causes and pre-conditions. It is crucial to obtain real time human reliability data in order to assess the cause of an incident; and subsequently execute preventative measures effectively. Leveraging IIoT and AI technology to improve visibility and situational awareness for workers involved in hazardous operations can help to improve accidents and incidents and reduce overall frequency. Through data and analytics, leading indicators can help management and HSSE (Health, Safety, Security, and Environment) teams identify early trends and take proactive action, resulting in positive behaviour change. Unpredictable and unsafe behaviour The unsafe behaviour of the workers is one of the underlying causes of worksite accidents. Employees tend to neglect safety protocols by taking shortcuts. Also, it is common for employees to not be always conscious of their surroundings. Such unsafe behaviour and hazardous working environment can exist concurrently and cause serious accidents. Early detection of unsafe behaviour is important to execute interventions and targeted trainings. Technology plays a crucial role in detecting unsafe behaviour of workers at hazardous locations. Therefore, it is imperative that the management has safety solutions backed by digital frameworks in the worksite to minimise accidents. Transforming safety with the digital framework using wearable technology With Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and software, companies can improve workers’ situational awareness. Wearable technologies help in optimising worker data and improving the work environment and processes. Utilising wearable technology as a tool to curb worksite accidents is becoming popular and is adopted by various industries to create a safer work environment. They can minimise such accidents at the worksite by helping the organisation with real-time alerts during an incident. Some wearables not only prevent accidents but also assist employees in their day-to-day work. Today, wearables like smartwatches have the capability to detect anomalies and prevent accidents. Through wearables, organisations can track lone worker in remote or dangerous locations. Benefits of the Safety SmartWatch in the Oil and Gas Industry Location Tracking The Oil and Gas industry involves specialised equipment and employees working at oil rigs and plants. Processes like the extraction of natural gas from ocean beds involve hundreds of labourers and engineers. Tracking workers who are spread across the site on the ocean bed is a tedious task that calls for digital solutions to connect workers and their supervisors. Location tracking technology in smartwatches enables supervisors to track employees’ location in real time at a worksite, no matter how remote it is or how hazardous the working conditions are. A human movement overview on the dashboard and the ability to pinpoint the indicative location of worker during an emergency will accelerate rescue operations and provide swift medical aid. Virtual Geofencing It is impossible for management to monitor individual employee’s situational awareness with the current manual tools available and furthermore the topic of Situational Awareness has generally been misperceived as the injured person’s shortcomings (for not being situationally aware of the tasks they have been engaged on). So, with virtual geofencing technology, smartwatches can detect and alert the worker when approaching a hazardous area. Over and beyond notifying the worker of direct hazards, technology can provide the supervisors with additional insights to evaluate sufficient manpower on site, workers work and rest hours, heat exposures etc. We strongly believe Situational Awareness can be accelerated when human reliability insights become more visible or prominent. Workforce Optimisation Unsafe acts are difficult to predict at a worksite. It is natural for workers who are on 9 to 12-hour shifts on rigs to get tired or stressed. This increases the tendency for such workers to get injured due to fatigue and poor concentration. Also, the monotonous nature of certain jobs may result in such workers ignoring safety protocols or behaving recklessly, causing harm to themselves and others. As such, it is important to recognise and correct such behaviours to prevent serious accidents. Smartwatches can assist in delivering insights into worker behaviour and providing the basis for guided intervention. With these insights, supervisors can make the necessary tweaks to the deployment of their workers to achieve both safety and resource optimisation. Vitals Monitoring It is common for oil and gas industry workers to lack real-time situational awareness on hazardous worksites. Workers are unaware of pre-conditioned environmental risk exposures, and they may not receive contextual alerts that inform them of surrounding risk. External environmental factors and harsh working conditions may result in adverse physical and psychological effects. Guided Intervention It is natural for the workers who are on 9-to-12-hour shifts on rigs to get tired and stressed. They tend to get injured due to fatigue and poor concentration. Also, the monotonous nature of the job makes workers ignore safety protocols and behave recklessly, causing harm to themselves and others. Unsafe acts are difficult to predict at a worksite. However, it is imperative to recognise and correct such behaviours to prevent serious accidents. Leveraging on IIoT with a digital safety framework can deliver workers behavioural insights and provide guided intervention. Social Commitments in Workers Health and Safety - Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Expectations for organisational social commitments have started to shift to focus on outcomes and not just inputs or investments. Increasingly, safety and wellbeing are becoming more important for in an organisation’s sustainability agenda. Wearables is a game-changing technology when it comes to worker safety. Equipping employees with such cutting-edge solutions can assist companies in fulfilling their Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) obligations in safety, through enhancing working conditions for the employees and reducing the occurrence of accidents and injuries. Apart from ESG considerations, the quantum of accident claims, insurance premiums and regulatory fines for workplace injuries have increased over the years. Organisations that invest in safety technologies may well end up experiencing overall cost savings with reduced accident rates and associated costs. For organisations looking to enhance the safety and well-being of their employees, safety wearables could be the perfect tool.

How SOL-X Protects Workers Globally with their Industrial Safety Solutions

It is no secret that the Heavy Industries, Oil and Gas, Mining, Construction and Maritime industries are potentially the most hazardous sectors worldwide. The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers’ annual safety report shows a startling rise in fatalities in 2021 and an overall total recordable injury rate of 0.77. This is 10% higher than in 2020. The combination of powerful machinery, combustible substances, and high-pressure procedures can result in dangerous and even fatal situations. That is why organisations need to have the best industrial safety solutions in place and enable every worker to practise the recommended safety controls on their worksites. As technological advances continue to shape the industrial sector, more companies recognise the need for better safety systems and are transitioning towards modern safety solutions. SOL-X is at the forefront of this movement by pioneering innovative IIoT technology designed for hazardous worksites – allowing businesses worldwide to boost their operational excellence while simultaneously ensuring worker health and security. The Importance of Industrial Safety Solutions Industrial safety is the term used to describe safety management procedures in the industrial sector. An industrial safety solution prevents potential mishaps on the worksite and helps to detect dangerous situations in a hazardous environment. Certain factors can increase the chance of a worksite accident if an organisation has yet to employ industrial safety solutions. For instance, extreme noise or heat can cause workers to feel unwell and make mistakes. Other hazards include injuries due to over-exertion or malfunctioning equipment. An industrial safety solution is therefore a vital system to keep people, industrial equipment, and the environment safe. How Oil and Gas and Maritime Companies Benefit from SOL-X Industrial Safety Solutions SOL-X industrial safety solutions can benefit Oil and Gas, and Maritime companies through its innovative technologies. Their integrated Control Of Work software ensures on-site compliance, and their Crew Protect system and SmartWatch tap on IIoT and AI technology to improve workers’ visibility and situational awareness. These solutions provide companies with advanced worksite management, increasing productivity and overall well-being. Here are how these solutions can further help businesses in hazardous industries. 01.Increases Productivity Productivity is a result of safety. Workers can devote more time to their work output when they are not concerned about the safety and security of their workplace. Through the SOL-X Control Of Work system, organisations can enhance operational productivity levels with alert notifications and real-time monitoring. For example, their smart worksite-connected platform and live dashboard provide a holistic overview of cumulative risk and high-risk work activities. This enables near real-time operational monitoring, allowing for faster response if safety is compromised. By standardising best practices using SOL-X innovative technology, it can also improve fleetwide operational excellence, helping businesses save approximately 4,600+* man hours per vessel annually. *Number is approximate and may differ depending on customer’s current practices. Based on data collected from customer usage of SOL-X. 02.Saves Costs Direct and indirect costs from accidents, such as hospitalisation and treatment costs, can be avoided and with insurance claims. All these are prevented with proper safety and control systems. There are also hidden costs, such as slower production rates by other employees, downtime from the employee involved in the accident, and labour costs associated with cleaning. These can add up and should not be ignored by the organisation. Organisations can reduce such costs by detecting potential pitfalls early using wearable technology to send crucial information and reminders about the working environment. For instance, the SOL-X SmartWatch tracks workers’ active heart rates. Companies can use such data to determine which employees require more assistance. These can improve well-being reporting and reduce accident rates, which can lead to higher costs if left unchecked. 03.Ensures Legal Compliance Safety regulations have been created emphasising occupational health and safety. Breaking these rules can result in severe fines. Companies can utilise the SOL-X Control Of Work system to avoid paying hefty fines to ensure legal compliance. This innovative technology facilitates Permits to Work using Smart Forms. The system also aligns with global standards used to protect human rights, working conditions, employee welfare, pay and compensation, and labour laws. Such critical steps help to enhance compliance assurance. 04.Improves Workplace Relations A work environment that is safe and free from any accident promotes positive employee attitudes towards the company. SOL-X Crew Protect system provides the infrastructure for better workplace relations. One example is how workers receive GeoFence notifications on the SOL-X SmartWatch. These are contextual alerts which inform workers of surrounding risks in the work environment. The wearable also has active sensors to capture worker insights and leading indicators. Companies can use such data to craft corporate wellness programs, health, and safety plans. These features also empower employees to take ownership of their well-being. The Real-World Impact of SOL-X’s Technology Global companies like Shell and Eaglestar have started to guard against different industrial safety hazards with SOL-X Industrial Safety Solutions. Eaglestar, headquartered in Malaysia, has deployed the SOL-X solutions for crew management across its fleet of over 67 vessels. Global energy company Shell has also partnered with SOL-X in a successful trial of a breakthrough safety solution on an LNG tanker. The aim was to further enhance crew safety management practices. The ship’s staff were enthusiastic about the system’s functionality to meet their specific needs. Some highlighted system features include virtual barrier management and the ability to account for crew faster before the revlease of CO2 and during emergency drill mustering. Promoting Global Worksite Safety with SOL-X One catastrophic mistake can stop Heavy Industries, Oil and Gas, Mining, and Maritime operations. That is why our team of seasoned technologists, maritime, and safety experts continue to research and develop innovative SOL-X IIoT technology to improve operational excellence, promote a safety culture, and reduce potential risks on worksites. With efficient industrial safety solutions, organisations can now engage in new and elevated standards of safety to promote a better workplace for industrial workers across the world.

How to Avoid Near Misses on the Worksite with SOL-X IIoT Solutions

How many times have you narrowly avoided slipping on a wet floor?At the worksite, this is referred to as a near miss. In simple terms, a near miss is an unexpected event that did not cause any harm, injury, or damage but had the potential to.The concept of near misses gained traction in the 20th Century because of the Accident Triangle, a theory proposed by Herbert W. Heinrich and later expanded on by the research of Frank E. Bird, who studied a total of 1.7 million accident reports from 297 companies. This extensive research revealed that for every 600 near misses, there is an estimation of 30 minor injuries, 10 severe injuries, and 1 fatality.This finding revolutionised how companies viewed worksite safety. The idea that reducing near misses could potentially lead to a fall in the number of serious accidents encouraged organisations to build more reliable reporting systems to record and address near miss incidents.As part of those efforts, the SOL-X IIoT industrial safety solution strives to create safer worksites by ensuring that workers, particularly those in the oil and gas and maritime industries, have access to better systems to report and prevent near misses. By reducing the potential for injuries or fatalities wherever possible, our solution stands at the forefront of protection for hazardous worksites.What Should We Pay Attention to Near Misses?Near misses are unintentional or unexpected incidents that could have caused minor or severe injuries, or even death, but were narrowly avoided. A near miss could occur due to human error or inadequate safety systems or procedures. Near misses should not be confused with an incident or hazard. A hazard is any potential for harm to a person, equipment, or property, and an incident occurs when there is an unplanned event that results in injury, damage, or death. On the other hand, a near miss describes an unplanned event that had the potential to cause injury, illness or damage but did not do so.Although near misses are not positive experiences, they are important learning opportunities. Hearing about your co-worker’s experience can provide insight that makes you even more aware of your surroundings. Additionally, reporting them can potentially lead to improvements in safety procedures.However, America’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that half of the serious workplace injuries are still unreported. Additionally, for 62% of worksite incidents, OSHA responded by “asking employers to conduct their own incident investigations and propose remedies to prevent future injuries.”With workers choosing not to report even severe injuries, the likelihood of them reporting a near miss is even lower. Furthermore, relevant authorities might not step in to inspect worksite incidents. These factors make it even more important for employers to find better solutions to identify near misses and eliminate risks.How SOL-X IIoT Solutions Actively Prevent Near Misses01. Increases Worksite VisibilityThe SOL-X Control Of Work system improves workflow management with a smart worksite-connected platform with live dashboards that allow for worksite visibility for workers and supervisors.With a digitalised Control Of Work, users can track high-risk activities alongside peripheral information (including workers, location, and time) which offers an added layer of security of who, what, where and when knowledge, giving managers access to behaviour-based safety information.Additionally, with the benefit of gaining situation awareness through the SOL-X Control Of Work system, superiors can take immediate corrective action when reviewing the present situation or upcoming trends.Using near real-time monitoring of operations and having a holistic overview of the worksite to increase situational awareness not only prevents near misses, but may also motivate the worker to feel more accountable and engaged throughout the process.02.Analyses Workers’ Well BeingBy conducting regular reports of workers’ well-being, your organisation can uncover high-risk activities and health data that were previously unknown.Using the well-being data, companies can implement targeted control measures, such as training and equipping specific workers for heat stress management and hearing conservation. They can easily identify high hazard zones that require infrastructural improvements and improve the efficacy of worker well-being programmes using near real-time feedback.To gather such data, the SOL-X Crew Protect leverages digital technologies, such as AI, big data, cloud computing and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in day-to-day hazardous work operations. These technologies will deliver actionable insights to the organisation on how to improve the situational awareness of workers.As part of the Crew Protect system, the SOL-X SmartWatch provides workers with important information and data regarding their working conditions, such as risk exposure times and other potential work-related dangers.The features on the SmartWatch include timely reminders to stay hydrated when in high-risk environments so that workers can better manage heat stress symptoms. On top of that, it detects heart rate trends which gives insights into where physically demanding activities are being performed and who is performing them.The wearable also tracks Work Rest Hours which provides rich analytics about rest periods for better workload management. All this information can help to better monitor workers’ health and prevent near misses.03.Improves ComplianceFor any high-risk work in hazardous environments, on-site checklists and cumbersome paperwork are part and parcel of the job. The hassle of taking these steps onsite may at times disincentivise workers from following safety processes. Workers may end up taking shortcuts to complete tasks which increases the risk of non-compliance and near misses.But with digital IIoT solutions, like the SOL-X Control Of Work system, workers no longer have to rely on inefficient manual and paper-based systems. These digital solutions are fully integrated, easy to use, and encourage workers to follow the correct procedures.In addition, with end-to-end mobile systems that provide near real-time line of sight into ongoing safety operations, the SOL-X Control Of Work system further assures workers and onshore teams that safety processes are being followed throughout the worksite.These digitalised systems and visibility of ongoing safety operations encourage positive worker behaviour change, improve procedural compliance for high-hazard work, and can ultimately reduce the instances of near misses.Prevent Near Miss Incidents with SOL-X solutionsWhen human lives are at stake, companies have a responsibility to their workers to implement comprehensive safety protocols. With the latest IIoT technology by SOL-X, companies can establish a proactive safety culture and empower workers with solutions that ensure no near miss goes unnoticed or uncorrected, thereby enhancing the safety and well-being of their workers.

The Future of Wearable Technology: Magellan X Introduces 3 Brand New Features for SOL-X Intrinsically Safe SmartWatch

According to the International Labour Organisation, approximately 2.3 million workers die from work-related incidents yearly –this shocking statistic corresponds to over 6000 deaths every day. Many of these deaths could have been prevented if proper measures were in place. Yet there are still companies that lack the necessary visibility into worksite operations for effective risk management. Today, the modern solution is to employ cloud connected wearable technology. These devices share real time data insights so workers can quickly assess and respond to hazards and accidents. To meet the rising need for advanced safety technology, Magellan X developed the SOL-X SmartWatch, a wearable IIoT device that helps to send emergency alerts, manage workloads, and track health and environment data. In furtherance of its commitment to advancing the state of the art in personal safety technology, Magellan X recently introduced 3 all-new features to enhance the already robust capabilities of the SOL-X SmartWatch: Fall Detection, Noise Monitoring and Alerts, and Broadcast Message. 01. Fall Detection Falls from heights are one of the most common work-related accidents in industrial worksites. These types of accidents are not merely the results of slips or missteps. Site design and conditions, such as lack of physical barriers, fall protection systems, or proper maintenance of the working space, are key factors in determining the probability of such falls. When a fall from height incident occurs, the severity of the consequences of the fall will be dependent on the response time and quality of response. In order to create an effective fall detection feature, Magellan X first identified these 3 pain points when it comes to detecting falls: a. Speed of Response A swift and effective response can mitigate the harm inflicted by falls. However, various circumstances may prevent a fall victim from receiving help in a timely manner. Workers may not be aware of the dangers a fellow colleague is in, and an isolated victim may be unable to call for help independently due to the injuries sustained. Workers who witnessed the fall may be in shock, resulting in a delayed or inadequate response. b. Issues With Reporting Critical information must be relayed in a timely and accurate manner. However, there can often be obstacles to communication. For instance, the lack of first-hand knowledge can lead to a misinterpretation of the severity of events. Workers may also be reluctant to report a fall if it was due to human error/incorrect behaviour. c. Deliberate Falls A worker may intentionally drop from a height to reach their destination faster. Such events are more likely if worksite configuration and layout make taking the designated pathways inconvenient. Of course, a worker should not disregard their safety for the sake of efficiency. However, they may miscalculate the fall risk factor due to human error. What is in This Feature The SOL-X SmartWatch’s new fall detection feature was developed to address these 3 pain points. If a fall is detected by the SmartWatch’s accelerometer, the device automatically sends an alert to the Dashboard with the worker’s identity and last known location. This information will enable a more efficient and precise response from a site manager to address the situation, potentially reducing the severity of the harm inflicted. 02. Noise Monitoring and Alerts Singapore’s WSH Council reports noise to be a common occupational health hazard. Excessive or prolonged exposure to noise can cause acoustic trauma or hearing loss. It may also interfere with workers’ speech communication and their perception of warning signs. All of these can lead to disrupted job performance. Equipment, machinery, and processes in industrial worksites often generate high noise levels. Most companies in hazardous industries establish a Hearing Conservation Programme to prevent noise-induced deafness (NID), which usually involves a professional noise survey performed by a specialist. However, establishing such a programme and performing a noise survey report are typically labourious and time-consuming. Noise surveys are performed infrequently, often with lapses of a year or even years between each. Furthermore, they only take certain personnel into consideration and thus do not mitigate the risk for all workers. What is in This Feature In contrast to the Hearing Conservation Programme, the SOL-X SmartWatch’s new noise monitoring and alert feature provides continuous data points and more immediate and relevant feedback to counter noise-related issues. The SmartWatch provides noise level readings in near real time so users can take the necessary safety precautions. If a user is exposed to harmful noise levels, the SmartWatch alerts them so that they can respond to this potential hazard accordingly. Noise levels are measured 4 times per hour for each user. This data is then displaced on the SOL-X analytics platform and compared across different work groups at various locations within the worksite. When surfaced to HSSE and operations teams, these insights can be used to evaluate operations policies and tweak training programmes in a more focused manner. The collected data also helps to identify specific groups at higher risk of developing NID and identify areas of improvement to better ensure compliance with safety precautions on the worksite. 03. Broadcast Alerts Timely communication is critical to ensure the safety and effectiveness of operations. Suppose a hazardous gas leak is discovered somewhere on the worksite. Such critical information will need to be rapidly disseminated to all at-risk personnel to prevent or limit exposure to the toxic gases. This will also allow first responders spread across the site to quickly provide the necessary mitigation measure to the situation. Digital or analogue walkie-talkies are commonly used to relay information within industrial worksites. However, this form of communication has various limitations, which may result in the recipient not receiving the message in its entirety or at all. Transmission of the information on the ground may also result in broken messages that fail to convey the original intent and purpose. What is in This Feature The new message broadcast feature allows for the dissemination of information regardless of each worker’s location within a worksite. As such, supervisors and first responders can quickly implement and enforce the necessary measures to contain the situation. It also provides added assurance that workers on the ground will receive timely and accurate updates. Supervisors in control rooms can send precise text messages to specific SmartWatch users via the Dashboard to improve situational awareness or to perform a specific task. In the case of an emergency, this will allow for a faster and more targeted safety response. Through the SmartWatch, worksites will be able to provide periodical reminders on operations and health and safety matters. Sending these reminders will help SmartWatch users keep pertinent safety information fresh in their minds and to comply with the latest Standard Operating Procedures and health and safety requirements. Enhance Worksite Safety With The SOL-X SmartWatch When placed in a hazardous and unpredictable environment, effective communication and timely information can be vital to saving lives and preventing injuries. By increasing awareness of where workers are at all times and any hazards they may face, the SOL-X SmartWatch is a modern solution that can greatly transform the safety culture of worksites in hazardous industries.
oil and gas operations, gas extraction industry

Safety in Oil and Gas Industry: Common Hazards & Prevention

Occupational safety is a key concern in any line of work, but especially so in high-risk industries such as the energy sector. Oil and gas workers face a host of potential dangers in their work environment, like falling equipment and hazardous chemicals.With a higher possibility of being struck by hazards, workplace safety becomes all the more crucial — organisations should place the well-being of their workers at the heart of their culture and values.In an interview with McKinsey & Company, Bernadette Spinoy — then senior vice president of health, safety, and environment (HSE) from the major global oil and gas player Total—talks about how inculcating a collective mindset in which workers choose the right behaviour even when no one is watching can lead to a successful safety culture transformation.To encourage this collective behaviour, this article will cover 5 ways on how safety can be achieved in the oil and gas industry.Safety Hazards and Risks in Oil and Gas IndustryAccording to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), these are just a few of the many workplace hazards that can occur in the oil and gas extraction industry.1. FallsWorkers often must work from elevated platforms or equipment. This poses a risk of slips, trips, and falls that could cause serious bodily harm. Accessing these places via a ladder, would thus require more precautions to safely guide workers. Vigilance and proper safety training are essential.2. Confined SpacesWorkers often must work within confined spaces, where there is a higher risk of health hazards such as asphyxiation or exposure to toxic chemicals. The ignition of flammable vapours or gases is also a possibility, in the event of small or narrow areas which would position workers directly in the danger zone.3. Machine HazardsOil and gas extraction involves working with or around dangerous machinery. Workers could get struck by or caught between unguarded machines, which may result in cuts, burns, or other serious injuries. This is why routine checks and regular machine maintenance are important, as well as alertness to one’s surroundings in high-risk areas.4. Explosions & FiresThe ignition of flammable gases or vapours can also result in explosions or fires, which can wreak damage on a large scale in such a hazardous environment. Some causes include electrical energy sources, open flames, and frictional heat. High-pressure lines may also leak or burst if not properly maintained.5. Physical StrainOil and gas extraction is a physically demanding job that, even with the surplus of machines, often requires manual labour. Certain tasks, such as the lifting of heavy loads or equipment, can continuously exert a strain on workers’ bodies over time. Poor workplace ergonomics negatively affects safety in this area and can increase the risk of injury. Tips to Prevent and Reduce Hazards in Oil and Gas IndustryWhile safety risks cannot be completely eliminated, they can be significantly reduced through awareness of potential hazards and how they can be avoided. Use these 5 safety tips to help improve worksite safety.Tip #1 Establish Good Safety CultureWorkplace safety culture is a collective set of values and attitudes towards safety, which goes beyond the individual to the overall safety of the organisation. This sense of solidarity would encourage workers to obey rules and communicate hazards to keep themselves and their fellow workers safe.A good safety culture begins with strong leadership, as workers would feel more reassured knowing that their well-being is being cared for from the top down. Aside from having processes that are tailored to your company, it is important that these are clearly stated and reinforced in the worksiteNot only does this ensure that safety precautions are observed, it will also give workers added peace of mind knowing the processes are in place for their occupational safety. Furthermore, the mental health of workers will go a long way in keeping them vigilant and alert on the job.Tip #2 Learn to Embrace Automation & DigitalisationWhile there are manual steps that can be taken to ensure overall safety, such as installing safety signs or having highly visible floor marking, we live in an age where technology can provide useful tools for detecting and minimising hazards.SOL-X solutions provide valuable data and leading indicators through AI and IIoT. SOL-X is a management system focused on behavioural safety. By collating data on risk assessment and permits within the work environment, it provides real-time data to increase worker situational awareness, enhancing both safety and efficiency.Through smart wearables and AI technology, SOL-X solution addresses human factors — the most common cause of workplace accidents such as inaccurate fatigue management. By tracking conditions such as heat stress levels, heart rate trends, and work rest hours, it also helps workers monitor their symptoms to ensure that they are physically fit for the tasks at hand.Tip #3 Use the Process Safety ApproachThe International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) defines the Process Safety approach as the safe management of oil and gas operations and processes, with the aim of preventing hazardous emissions or structural failures that could lead to more severe consequences.While the traditional approach to accident prevention is based on trial and error, Process Safety attempts to identify trends and so more accurately predict events based on probability. The implementation of relevant safety precautions can thus protect workers from situations that can be easily avoided.According to the IOGP, there were 56 process safety events between 2007 and 2017 that led to 128 deaths. Combined with safety management systems like SOL-X and culture programmes, having process safety will greatly reduce the occurrence of oil and gas hazards.Tip #4 Communicate with Emergency Response OrganisationsAlthough prevention should always come first, unforeseen events may still occur from time to time. In such cases, a quick response could save a life. It is thus important for oil and gas companies to maintain good communication with their local emergency response community.This includes emergency responders and health professionals who will be able to take action and help minimise the consequences in the event of an accident. Developing a collaborative relationship with these organisations can also be beneficial to the workers by increasing awareness of emergency and safety equipment.Tip #5 Having Consistent Maintenance Activities & Safety ProgrammesAs with anything, consistency is key. Conducting regular maintenance checks and occupational safety training programmes can help to reinforce safety messages, especially for new workers entering a company. Since the job is highly focused on working with various equipment, routine maintenance is also mandatory to prevent premature machine failure.Risks and hazards can look different from day to day, especially if a project begins that requires working with new materials or equipment. By encouraging consistent training, this also ensures that workers are prepared for any situation that may come their way.Enhance Safety of Oil and Gas Workers with SOL-X SolutionsIn such a high-risk environment, the safety of oil and gas workers should never be left to chance. The safety solutions provided by SOL-X can not only reduce hazards in the worksite, but also enable quicker responses and boost overall productivity.Contact us to learn more about risk management and accident prevention today.
lone and remote workers, lone worker policy, lone worker safety devices

Lone Worker Monitoring: Safety Solutions for High-Risk Jobs

A recent study by Tracplus found that nearly 20% of lone workers working in remote areas have difficulty getting help after an accident. That is a shocking number of workers at risk of an injury since it’s entirely preventable.Imagine what would happen if 1 in 5 of your workers were suddenly unavailable for work? Your business would have a loss of productivity, a decrease in sales, low staff morale, and a loss of reputation. In the worst case, the closure of the business is also possible. With such high stakes at play, businesses need to prioritise their lone worker’s safety.So how can we reduce the risk of lone working? Read on to learn more about the pain points of lone workers and the best ways to ensure their safety.Common Injury Risks Faced by Lone WorkersFor lone workers, the risk of injury is much higher as there is no supervisor or team member to assist them when they are in danger.This makes it even more important to identify and thoroughly understand the hazards in detail so you can take the necessary precautions to mitigate risks and keep your lone workers as safe as possible.1. Slips, trips, or falls on the same levelSlips, trips, or falls are the most common type of accidents yet are often the simplest and most cost-effective to prevent. Multiple factors can cause these accidents. Some of it includes the workers’ footwear and environmental hazards such as bad weather conditions and low visibility due to fog.2. Handling, lifting, or carryingHandling, lifting, or carrying objects can lead to immediate or long-term musculoskeletal injuries. The risk of injury increases when workers bend, twist, have awkward postures or deal with heavy loads.3. Struck by a moving objectMoving objects include things such as knives or any objects falling from height. Injuries caused by moving objects can be fatal, especially for lone workers, since they cannot get help quickly.4. Acts of violenceActs of violence are “any occurrence in which a person is mistreated, intimidated, or attacked in the circumstances relevant to their employment”. Learn more about acts of violence and maritime crime here.5. Falling from a heightFalling overboard. A fall from a port or ship into the open ocean is a prevalent cause of maritime worker deaths. Even if workers are pulled from the water; hypothermia, hypoxia, and other near-drowning symptoms may occur. It’s much more dangerous for lone workers as they must account for their safety and can only rely on themselves should they fall overboard.Falls from platforms. Ship workers may fall from ropes and scaffolds while completing repairs, while harbour workers may trip when working equipment on storage facility roofs. A fall from many storeys can result in permanent brain damage, physical and mental problems, or spinal injuries resulting in partial or total paralysis.What is Lone Worker Protection?Lone worker protection means having proper policies, risk assessments, processes, and safeguards in place to ensure the safety and security of any lone workers.For many lone worker employers, this entails carefully considered risk assessments, a comprehensive lone worker policy, and investing in a lone worker safety solution that allows employees to call emergency services or others for help quickly.These safety solutions usually come with monitoring systems and location-tracking functions to help employers provide safety to all staff members in the work environment.Reasons Why You Need Lone Worker Safety Solutions 1. Government ComplianceEmploying a safety solution lowers liability, keeps track of employee actions, dangers, and incidents, and helps businesses comply with workplace health and safety regulations. For this reason, businesses have increasingly turned to smarter solutions to keep their workers safe and avoid legal troubles.2. Safety Practices and ProceduresEmploying an effective lone worker protection solution makes it simple for businesses to create and implement robust safety policies, protocols and procedures that can ensure the safety and well-being of lone workers.3. Ever-Changing Lone Worker HazardsThe nature of every lone working role is different. This means that every role has its fair share of hazards that could differ from other roles, which makes it necessary and important for employees to be trained in carrying out dynamic lone worker risk assessments.5 Ways to Reduce Risks of Lone working1. Use a Lone Worker Device with AlertsLone worker devices are applications that allow workers to communicate quickly with their employers and emergency services. In addition, they help reassure lone workers that they can get help if needed while they work without supervision.Specialist lone worker solutions like the SOL-X Control Of Work System enable real-time visibility of front-line operations from a live dashboard, displaying workers’ identities along with their live location and active tasks.The system alerts the supervisors through Crew Assist notifications when workers have difficulties performing their tasks or feel unwell.2. Use Wearables to Monitor WorkersSmart wearables are used for tracking information and are usually linked to a safety system that allows for real-time monitoring to ensure the safety of workers. The SOL-X Crew Protect System, which provides each individual with a SOL-X SmartWatch, is a superb system that accomplishes this.These smartwatches are equipped with modern hardware and extensive data processing software to generate physical activity profiles that provide users with helpful health and safety preventative information. At the same time, they provide their supervisors with real-time health and activity levels for monitoring.When workers need assistance, they can access a Crew Assist function on the SmartWatch that helps them contact their supervisor. The Crew Assist function automatically sends the worker’s location and task details which speeds up response time.3. Conduct Lone Worker Risk AssessmentsA lone worker risk assessment allows supervisors and workers to identify and address risks associated with a job role by considering the possible hazards and the environment the lone worker is working in.Organisations can create a lone worker risk assessment to use, and the assessment should contain and address the following:Hazards identified/presentWho and how a lone worker may be harmedProcedures in place to reduce risks and prevent harmFurther actions are required to reduce the riskIt is also useful to include the names and dates of when the risk assessment was carried out, along with any necessary details.4. Train Lone Workers and SupervisorsTraining is an essential part of any successful business or organisation.It increases workers’ confidence by allowing them to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle problems and get things done. Furthermore, it shows the workers that the business prioritises their safety.By training lone workers, supervisors ensure that they are aware of workplace hazards and how to carry out first aid for themselves or other workers in an emergency. Other core components of a training course for lone workers may include:Work behaviour and best practices to avoid dangerous situationsHow to use lone working monitoring systemsHow to use personal protective equipment5. Encourage Cooperation between Lone Workers and Managing StaffThe managing staff of a business with lone workers should always be aware of the activities, locations, and schedules of lone workers, especially if the company has not adopted a lone worker monitoring system.Without a lone worker monitoring system in place, a constant communication channel must be activated between lone workers and supervisors to ensure they are safe and can receive instructions from their supervisors when needed.Protect Lone Workers with SOL-XThe easiest and best way to monitor your lone workers in real-time is through IIoT technology from SOL-X for lone worker monitoring.Check out our Control of Work Systems and Crew Protect System at SOL-X today!
reporting near misses, near miss system

Near Misses in the Workplace: How to Avoid These Accidents

Have you ever nearly slipped on a wet floor but managed to catch yourself in time? In the work site, this is referred to as a near miss.In simple terms, a near miss is an unexpected event that did not cause any harm, injury, or damage but had the potential to.Accidentally tripping or slipping may not seem like the cause of a serious injury at first, but the Ministry of Labor’s Workplace Safety and Health Report states that slips, trips, and falls are one of the top three workplace significant injury causes, alongside machinery accidents and falls from heights.That’s why it is important to have a proper reporting system to record and address near-miss incidents and prevent workplace accidents.This article will cover everything you need to know about near misses, incidents, hazards, and how near misses can be reported and prevented.What is a Near Miss?A near miss is an unexpected or unintentional incident that could have caused harm, minor or severe injuries, or even death, but was narrowly avoided. A near miss could have been caused by human error or inadequate safety procedures or systems at a company.Differences between Near Miss, Incident, and HazardAn incident refers to any unplanned event resulting in injury, damage, or other types of loss.The key is that something has occurred and caused injury, illness, damage, or even death. “Accident” is another word commonly used to describe an incident resulting in severe consequences and may be used interchangeably with “Incident.”A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm to a person, equipment, or property.The difference between a hazard and a near miss is that a “hazard” describes the potential for something to occur, while a “near miss” indicates that something unplanned has happened but did not result in an injury/illness or damage but had the potential to do so.For example, a puddle on the floor from a spilled drink is a hazard since it could potentially cause harm. On the other hand, a worker experiences a near miss when he nearly slips but regains his balance and avoids getting injured.In summary:Incident — something has happened and resulted in injury, illness, damage, or death. (a worker trips on an unmarked step, falls, and hits his head).Hazard — something that could cause a dangerous event (an unmarked step).Near Miss — something has happened but did not result in any injury, illness, damage, or death (a worker trips on an unmarked step but regained his balance which did not result in injury).What are Examples of Near Misses?Some near-miss examples include:A crew member working without a safety helmet falls but is saved by a fellow employee nearby.A crew member is working to fix a ship’s hull on a platform when suddenly, the board breaks, but his life belt saves him.A site manager working with poor lighting almost falls over an undetected extension cord but avoids a fall by grabbing a nearby railing.A worker accidentally touched an exposed cable from high-voltage equipment but did not get electrocuted as it was already turned off.A person jumps out of the way to avoid a collision with a swinging suspended load.How to Report Near Misses (With Examples)Regardless of the industry or size of the business, near misses occur frequently. They may be viewed as warning signs of unidentified work site issues. Companies should track near misses to prevent accidents rather than waiting for one to happen.At its core, a near-miss report should lead to hazard resolutions and preventative action by allowing your management to review the situation and take proper action to prevent future accidents.A near-miss reporting system typically consists of 5 steps — Identify, Report, Investigate, Intervene, and Review.Identify: employees should be trained to recognise a near-miss event when it happens and understand the importance of near-miss reports in preventing workplace accidents.Report: To help employees, they should have a convenient and easy-to-understand system, along with near-miss reporting templates that allow them to fill in the near-miss details without too much additional work.Investigate: The company’s management should investigate every near-miss report to prevent near misses and future accidents.Intervene: After reviewing the near-miss incident, the company’s management should take the proper actions to prevent potential accidents.Review: At this stage, any similar near-miss incidents should be prevented, and the company’s management would review the safety practices or safety programme and adjust if necessary.Even if there isn’t an existing near miss reporting system in your work site, near misses can still be reported informally. Text messages to your employer are an example of an informal near-miss report.The National Safety Council can also provide solutions and assistance if the proper steps are unavailable to ensure work site safety.How can Near Misses be prevented?1. Keep an eye out for hazardsStaying alert for hazards while moving around the workplace is one way to prevent near misses. Near misses are accidents waiting to happen, and the more you take the initiative in recognising and reporting near misses, the less likely an accident will happen.2. Follow safety rulesSafety rules set in your work site are important because they are meant to protect employees. Following safety rules, such as wearing the required Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), dress code, and following proper work procedures, are all rules that should be always followed, even if you think that performing a task differently may save you time.When rules are followed, employees can work more efficiently and smoothly, knowing they won’t have any work site accidents. This creates a positive atmosphere, and everyone can be more comfortable at work.3. Use a Control Of Work systemThe SOL-X Control of Work system provides a smart worksite-connected platform with live dashboards that allow for real-time worksite visibility of front-line operations by presenting live worker locations, their identities, and the activities they are working on.This ensures near real-time monitoring of operations and a holistic overview of cumulative risk and high-risk activities happening in the work site.With situational awareness on the ground, superiors can take fast corrective action at any time when reviewing the present situation or upcoming trends.4. Use wearables and IIoT technologyThe SOL-X Crew Protect leverages IIoT and AI technology to increase visibility and situational awareness for workers.Through connected wearable features on the SOL-X SmartWatch, workers are given crucial information about their working conditions, hazard exposure periods, and other work-related hazards.In addition, real-time interventions like GeoFence notifications are delivered on their wearables when they get close to dangerous zones. Avoiding that location immediately lowers the likelihood of an incident and gives employees more control over how they carry out their preventive measures.Finally, the SmartWatch encourages positive behavior by sending notifications telling workers to drink water and take breaks as necessary when they are in a high temperature setting or heart rate.5. Regularly analyse dataRegularly analysing data via trend analysis reporting allows your organisation to uncover high-risk areas and activities that may be previously unknown. Using this data, mitigation and safety programmes can be revised to lower the risk of incidents.It is also equally important to ensure that all areas of the organisation are aware of the findings and analyses, and corrective procedures are in place to raise awareness of the recent risks that were found in the work site and new proper safety procedures.Prevent Near Miss Accidents with SOL-XNear-miss accidents can be tricky to catch, but with the latest IIoT technology by SOL-X, you can better prevent and protect your workers from near misses. Contact us to learn more about our safety solutions today.
Achieve safety outcomes by reducing potential risks.

Workplace Safety Culture: 5 Tips to Help Create and Maintain It

Workers in the maritime and oil & gas sectors have had some of the riskiest jobs for centuries. The mortality rate of workers on offshore platforms is disturbingly high. Although it has declined greatly over recent decades, these jobs continue to remain amongst the most hazardous of occupations.While out at sea, even slippery, uneven, or cluttered vessel decks can lead to slip-and-fall accidents. Other common accidents include falling from elevated heights, exposure to harmful chemicals, fires and explosions, and more. As a result, workers can suffer devastating injuries, and even death.This is where workplace safety culture comes in.Creating a strong safety culture can protect and save many lives. By promoting a positive attitude toward safety, workers are more likely to follow the rules they know will keep them safe. Also, by encouraging employees to report hazards before they become injuries or even fatalities, you can avoid having any accidents occur in the first place.To build a workplace safety culture, this article will help you understand the components of a strong safety culture, and 5 tips to help create and maintain it.How do you define a good safety culture?A safety culture can be defined as an organisation’s shared values and beliefs that influence employee behavior. This includes people’s attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors about safety on a ship or in an oil and gas environment. It’s important because it can help prevent accidents from occurring—or at least mitigate their impact. A workplace with a positive safety culture will have procedures for ensuring adequate safety and preventing accidents and making sure that employees feel comfortable reporting problems or concerns.Why is it important?Here are three key reasons why a company’s safety culture is so important:1. It prevents injuries and accidents from occurringA successful safety culture helps create an environment where employees feel comfortable reporting issues on the job, leading to more timely fixes and preventative action. It also allows employees to feel empowered to make decisions about their safety and that of their coworkers.2. An effective safety culture improves overall productivityA strong safety culture ensures that a high standard is routinely expected for all safety processes. Therefore, the company is always prepared to deal with safety performance audits, reducing the time taken to prepare for compliance checks.3. Better employee engagementWhen you have established an effective safety culture, employees will require less supervision to adopt safe working habits. In addition, over time, employees feel more committed to preventing safety hazards as they are well aware of their participation and role in the workplace.What are the 4 key components of a workplace safety culture?To create a workplace safety culture, these four key characteristics must be in place:1. Your leaders are committed and invested in successful safety cultureStrong safety culture starts at the top. Your senior leadership team must set the tone by prioritising safety, factor it into bottom-line goals, and ensure their commitment is visible. The company must be willing to invest resources such as time, money, training, and personnel to achieve safety outcomes.Senior management should also be actively involved in the safety programme activities alongside frontline employees. Leadership must be led by example, and all workers should have opportunities to be trained and certified. Here’s an example of how Total, a leading company in the oil and gas industry, set up a successful workplace safety culture by involving top management.2. Your employees feel safe to speak upAll employees must feel comfortable reporting unsafe conditions. In addition, they should feel accountable for their own and their coworkers’ safety. To do so, the environment must be safe enough for them to provide suggestions for improvement without fear. Therefore, an efficient and effective communication system must be in place to support the organisation’s safety culture.3. There are clear processes to identify & control hazardsA straightforward, proactive process to locate and repair workplace hazards is crucial to a safety culture. Start by performing a comprehensive safety assessment. Employees can also conduct a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) for individual tasks. This will help them perform JSA inspections routinely or whenever there is an equipment modification or procedure that could impact safety.4. State safety goals, purpose, policies & proceduresYour safety programme should have a purpose and goals suited to your workplace. Once those are in place, you can design policies and procedures that reflect your organisation’s particular needs. They must be plainly expressed, in clear terms, and reviewed as necessary.To ensure the safety culture is sustainable, everyone, from leadership to frontline workers, must remain informed. Ongoing education and training will also improve workplace safety. Even seasoned workers should undergo training, so they know how to make health and safety decisions, especially when new systems are introduced.What are examples of a good safety culture?So, you think your organisation’s safety training culture is insufficient, but you are unsure what makes a good safety culture. While there are many examples you can reference, here are three top signs that you are doing it right:1. All employees demonstrate a working knowledge of health and safety topicsIn great workplace safety cultures, all employees have a working knowledge of health and safety topics. In other words — they’re competent in safety practices. They are not afraid to report safety concerns and seek continuous improvement.2. No competing priorities – safety comes first every timeYour organisation chooses safety every time when it comes to productivity versus safety. In some organisations, risk assessments are neglected as the company tries to increase production. This leads to unnecessary workplace injuries. If your company chooses safety first, even when it costs money, you have a good safety culture.3. The organisation is willing to invest in health and safetySafety slogans are excellent, but developing a winning safety culture requires resources. Safety concerns and potential hazards need to be addressed. Investing in safety so that necessary action is taken creates a positive safety culture.5 Tips to Create and Maintain Safety Workplace CultureTip #1: Use a Control Of Work systemControl Of Work is a safety management system ensuring that hazardous job tasks, such as confined space entry or “hot work” like welding and brazing, do not happen unless and until the necessary authorities have reviewed and authorised them.A system such as SOL-X Control Of Work System helps maintain safe workplace culture as all workflow tasks are streamlined and integrated into one software. All hazardous tasks can be reviewed and monitored seamlessly, which improves efficiency.For example, our system has a fully integrated end-to-end mobile Permit To Work which is easy to use and encourages the workers to follow the correct procedures, increasing operational safety and compliance.It also provides greater assurance that Control Of Work processes are observed. This enables Behavior-Based Safety as managers can access peripheral information such as the workers’ location and activity time stamps. Increased situational awareness of the job also motivates the workers to feel more accountable and engaged.On top of that, SOL-X Control Of Work provides real-time data and continuously analyses high-risk operations through leading indicators and worker safety behavior. This further enhances visibility and promotes a safer workplace culture in dangerous work environments.Tip #2: Empower workers to participateEngaging every worker in enhancing workplace safety culture is essential because when you have a culture that makes employees feel valued, they are more likely to participate in creating and maintaining a safe environment.The SOL-X Crew Protect System helps maintain safe workplace culture while encouraging positive behavior change. Through our SmartWatch, workers can proactively manage their health and well-being. For instance, workers are also empowered to take ownership of their broader health and activity levels. Timely notifications are sent to workers, advising them to hydrate and rest when possible. If feeling unwell, the individual is advised further to seek proper medical advice.With the SmartWatch, when workers need assistance, they can also activate the Crew Assist function which alerts their supervisor and immediately provides the worker location and task details, speeding up response times.Workers can also track their activities with the daily step goals feature in the wearable. This promotes healthy living, and the data can be used to measure and track the efficacy of Corporate Wellness programmes. The SmartWatch also allows workers to record and track their Work Rest hours conveniently. By managing working hours and workloads more effectively, the SOL-X SmartWatch reduces the risks of worker fatigue.Tip #3: Enable employees’ access to critical informationFrontline workers face the most increased risk of injury at work. They spend much of their time on job sites outside the offices and rarely have computer access.Organisations can improve safety by investing resources so that employees have instant access to necessary documentation and safety materials. Supervisors and safety representatives also need a way to send instant safety updates and alerts. To communicate this information, front-line workers should have access to designated offices or be equipped with mobile technologies such as mobile phones and smart devices. That way, information can be easily made available to them.Tip #4: Appoint and support safety supervisorsSome organisations may benefit from appointing a health and safety representative because employees hesitate to voice their safety concerns with their direct supervisors. Doing so will empower employees to confidently discuss their safety concerns with representatives who can act as a trusted go-between for frontline employees and managers.However, it is still the employer’s responsibility to support safety supervisors, allowing them to stay closely connected with employees. Such an appointment can ensure frontline workers feel that they can reach out to someone to report safety hazards.Tip #5: Keep investing in safety training sessionsNot only does training hold workers accountable for their own safety, but it also gets employees together as a team to learn and practise new skills. Educational programmes are wonderful opportunities to foster a safety culture, whether conducted online or remotely. In addition, it gets participants out of a daily routine, and you can easily include lunch, guest speakers, or other exciting components that are related to your safety and wellness programme.And because training is conducted regularly, safety remains at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Moreover, your employees will look forward to gatherings where they can engage with coworkers around safety topics.Boost Your Workplace Safety Culture with SOL-XTo improve your company’s workplace safety culture, harness advanced IIoT technology from SOL-X. Our Control Of Work and Crew Protect systems can help you reduce safety incidents and promote safety in your workforce.Contact us to learn how you kickstart a safety culture in your workplace today.
Industrial Safety Systems and Solutions

Industrial Safety Systems and Industrial Safety Solutions: How They Protect Workers

It’s no secret that the maritime and oil & gas industries are potentially the most hazardous sectors worldwide.The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers’ annual safety report shows a startling rise in fatalities in 2021 and an overall total recordable injury rate (fatalities, lost workday cases, restricted workday cases, and medical treatment cases) of 0.77. This is 10% higher than in 2020.The combination of powerful machinery, combustible substances, and high-pressure procedures can result in dangerous and even fatal situations. That’s why organizations need to have the best industrial safety systems in place and enable every worker to understand the recommended safety controls and hazards on each work site before work begins.You can improve worker safety by being aware of industrial safety systems’ benefits, and the solutions companies can adopt.What Are Industrial Safety & Industrial Safety Systems?Industrial safety is the term used to describe safety management procedures in the industrial sector. These procedures safeguard the environment, industrial personnel, equipment, buildings, and structures.An industrial safety system is typically a safeguard that is essential in any dangerous plants, such as nuclear power plants and oil and gas processing facilities.They are employed to safeguard people, industrial equipment, and the environment if a process deviates from the acceptable control margins.Benefits of Industrial Safety SystemsIncreased ProductivityProductivity is a result of safety. Workers can devote more time to their work output when they are not concerned about the safety and security of their workplace.Costs SavingsDirect and indirect costs from accidents, such as hospitalization and treatment costs, can be avoided and prevented with proper safety and control systems.However, there are hidden costs such as slower production rates by other employees, downtime from the employee involved in the accident, equipment damage, and labor costs associated with cleaning. These can add up and should not be ignored by the organization.Moral ResponsibilityYou have a moral duty as an employer to protect your employees from harm, for the benefit of themselves, their families, and the long-term prosperity of your company.Furthermore, creating a safe working environment for workers affirms the basic morale of a workplace. After all, you depend on your employees to maintain your operations.Legal ComplianceSafety regulations have been created emphasizing occupational health and safety, and breaking these rules can result in severe fines.These include the global standards used to protect human rights, including working conditions, employee welfare, safe work practices, pay & compensation, and labor laws.Better Workplace RelationsA work environment that is safe and free from any accident promotes positive employee attitudes towards the company.In addition, if there are no significant industrial accidents within the organization, a pleasant working relationship can be attained over the long term and helps with employee retention. Types of Industrial Safety HazardsPhysicalNoise exposure can result in increased stress levels, decreased productivity, and, in extreme circumstances, irreversible ear damage. The sound levels do not only affect hearing; unprotected noise exposure can result in greater stress levels and decreased productivity. Workplace noise exposure is also related to cardiovascular health.Radiation can cause skin damage and, in high doses, cancer later in life. Therefore, accidental exposure to radioactive substances requires emergency actions to minimize damage from radiation.Extreme temperatures can disrupt the body’s thermoregulation systems and cause rashes, exhaustion, and heatstroke. Therefore, it is advised to allow workers time to acclimatize to high temperatures with plenty of breaks and access to cold water to keep them safe in the heat.ChemicalChemical risks are a result of exposure to dangerous substances. This includes anything that could transmit disease through contact or inhalation.ErgonomicThe human body needs frequent movement and exercise. Overusing a particular set of movements, mainly when done incorrectly or without support, can cause overuse injuries. Pain can result even from prolonged inappropriate standing or sitting.BiologicalBiological dangers are caused by living things, whether small, like viruses, or large, like animals. These ailments could spread among the workforce and be contagious.SafetySafety risks arise while an employee is at work. Safety risks include electrical shocks from malfunctioning equipment, slips and falls from heights, head injuries from flying debris, and cuts or worse from improper use of machinery.How to Protect Workers from Industrial Safety HazardsTypes of Industrial Safety SystemsFunctional Safety SystemA functional safety system is the most critical safety system. It involves electronic, programmable, and the system’s capacity to respond appropriately to an initial electrical signal.Electrical Safety SystemElectrical safety can be attained by designing and installing electrical equipment. For instance, designing equipment so users won’t come into contact with electrically conductive components.Process Control SystemProcess control systems are employed to monitor and manage the production environment electronically. Process control systems can detect gases or liquids present in the environment.Process Safety SystemProcess safety systems manage the robustness of processes and operating systems that handle hazardous substances. It mainly prevents and handles events that have the potential to release hazardous substances and energy.Process Shutdown SystemProcess shutdown systems help to rapidly detect and safely handle process upsets. It can shutdown parts or whole processes where necessary.Safety Shutdown SystemSafety shutdown systems aid in the creation of a safe workplace by automatically shutting down and stopping any systems that are deemed unsafe.Emergency Shutdown SystemEmergency shutdown systems are higher-grade protection intended to safeguard personnel and equipment while minimizing any adverse effects of process activities on the environment.Fire and Gas SystemFire and gas systems are an incredibly sensitive and sophisticated mitigation safety layer that can identify danger early and broadcast visual and auditory warnings to warn others.Intrinsic Safety SystemThe intrinsic safety system is a technical principle that eliminates the risk of explosion or fire from electrical equipment and electronic instrumentation. Galvanic isolation or Zener barriers at the level of the power circuitry give this safety.Latest Industrial Safety Systems with IIoT TechnologySOL-X Control Of Work systemControl Of Work is a system of safety management that serves as a gate for your worksite, ensuring that dangerous job tasks, including restricted space access or “hot work” like welding and brazing, won’t happen unless and until you’ve evaluated and authorized them.Streamlined Step by Step Safety workflowsSOL-X Control Of Work streamlines step-by-step smart safety processes to enhance Control Of Work planning and execution and compliance assurance. For example, when preparing a permit at key stages, the worker needs to input location and time stamp verification such as Electrical Isolation Certificate (EIC) and sign-offs. This ensures compliance safeguards.AccountabilityThe workers are empowered to take ownership, and accountability is assured for tasks performed.Near real-time operational monitoringThe smart worksite-connected platform using a live dashboard enables near real-time operational monitoring and provides a holistic overview of cumulative risk and high-risk work activities.Alert NotificationsAlerts Responsible Authority with Crew Assist notifications if workers encounter difficulties performing their tasks or feel unwell. This results in improved response, better worker communications, and turnaround time on critical tasks.SOL-X Crew Protect systemCrew Protect uses IIoT and AI technology to enhance workers’ visibility and situational awareness during risky tasks. Integrated wellness features and fatigue management also ensure that employees stay in good physical condition.Communicate Crucial InformationWearables can detect important information about the working circumstances, risk exposure times, and other job-related dangers experienced by workers in confined spaces, other workplaces, etc.Empower WorkersWorkers are empowered to perform their own preventive actions in time when they are approaching hazardous zones, and they receive GeoFence alerts on their wearables.Reinforces Positive BehaviorPositive behavior is encouraged by sending reminders to notify workers to hydrate and take short breaks when exposed to stressful heat environments.Capturing Worker FeedbackActive sensors on the wearable enable the capture of workers’ insights and leading indicators that bring about the efficacy of corporate wellness programs and health and safety plans. This information empowers workers with near real-time data to manage immediate risks, such as important health signs, notifications, and recommendations.Explore Our IIoT SolutionsOne catastrophic mistake can stop maritime and oil & gas operations. Guard against different industrial safety hazards with SOL-X Control Of Work and Crew Protect now.To learn more about our solutions, look at our Control Of Work and Crew Protect systems and how they can solve your problems.
SOL-X Human Factors in Safety

Human Factors in Safety: Types, Examples, and Solutions

In the world of work, problems that occur due to human factors are common. After all, we are not robots, and we can make judgment errors when making a decision. Human limitations mean that such errors are more common than you might think. However, while they are natural, it’s a problem when the number becomes so high that accidents keep happening in the workplace.In fact, according to SOL-X, 66% of all incidents and casualties are caused by human factors. That’s why understanding human factors is so important for employers. Improving overall system performance is about managing such errors, especially in hazardous industries where a risk of human error can lead to severe consequences.The good news is that human factors can be managed with the right technology, which is key for hazardous industries. When you have suitable technology in place, you can protect your workers’ health and safety. Let’s assess examples of human factors in safety and solutions that work.What are Human Factors?Simply put, human factors are conditions that affect an employee’s interaction with their workplace, equipment, work procedures, or even their team. These conditions might arise from physical, psychological, or social reasons, but ultimately, they affect employees’ human abilities to perform their work safely.What are Examples of Human Factors?From the above definition, it’s clear that people, management, and workplaces contribute to human factors. Let’s take a look at specific examples of these factors:People: Your employee’s knowledge, abilities and limitations, and expectations will affect how they interact with others around them. Their individual differences such as their age and culture, also matter. If employees are stressed or distracted, these are predictors that safety performance might be affected.Management: The overarching organizational factors, such as management systems, also play an essential role. Managerial policies and decisions about the job design as well as how the information is communicated to the employee, will also impact human factors. This means that safety professionals must consider things such as work schedule, workload, task design, and requirements, besides written and spoken communications to convey instructions and data to employees.Work environments: Finally, work environments also affect safety in the workplace. The facilities, workstation configuration and accessibility, as well as workplace controls, warning systems, and other physical aspects that affect human well-being such as noise, temperature, and heat exposure all matter. Human factors specialists must consider workplace and employment design together while assessing the work environment.How Do Human Factors Affect Workplace Safety?The maritime and oil & gas industries are high-risk environments. The workers who operate in this field are exposed to various hazards, from extreme temperatures to the possibility of explosions. As such, companies in this field must have rigorous safety procedures in place to account for human factors.Human factors affect workplace safety because it leads to severe external consequences.Human factors are one of the most significant factors affecting workplace safety in this industry. The critical word to recognize in “human factors” is “human”. Humans make mistakes. Unfortunately, the price of human error is quite high. In October 2020, for example, an admin error by the Public Health of England caused nearly 16,000 COVID-19 cases to go unreported. In healthcare safety, it is estimated that the global cost of medication error is US$42 billion annually. The fact is that everyone is human, and those human mistakes come with major costs in safety.In the maritime industry, human factors cause severe casualties, leading to collisions, stranded ships, and even fire. Research shows that 80 per cent of maritime casualties are caused by human factors which lead to collisions, and collisions account for 85 per cent of maritime casualties. The collision among ships may cause damage to not only ships but also cargo.According to researchers (Mengwei, 2020), some human factors include fatigue which cause many driving accidents, the breakdown of machines, lack of professional knowledge, and negligence of potential risks. All these lead to an unavoidable collision.While it is difficult to establish a correlation as to which human factors lead to what type of consequences, suffice to say that such collisions have brought about disastrous consequences on the environment as well as negative effects on quality of life. In 1990, the Changjiang 0802 fleet collided with the Chongqing fleet, capsizing other ships and leaking concentrated sulfuric acid into the Yangtze River.In 2018, the oil tanker Sanchi caused significant impacts on the environment. The tanker carried about 1 million barrels of condensate, and a collision spread the fuel into the East China Sea. This is a catastrophe for the marine environment.Human factors impact safety since employees use experience rather than logic to judge the jobAnother reason why human factors can be challenging to minimize is that risky behaviors are sometimes driven by experience.Experience can prevent significant accidents because this process occurs intuitively and automatically and does not involve analytical, data-driven risk assessments. Each time the benefit is realized without a negative consequence, the behavior becomes automatic. But injuries can also occur when experience becomes a habit, influencing behavior. The act of doing in the workplace becomes careless when people think that the job is safe.Indeed, a study found that injuries were 88 per cent more likely to occur in a perceived safe job than those considered the most dangerous. Secondly, when people make repeated choices that reward their risky behaviors, they tend to underestimate the actual risks. Finally, the study concludes that we tend to rely on intuitive responses to make decisions and act upon them between logic and intuition. This partially explains why just telling someone that a job is risky may have little influence on someone’s behavior.Human factors impact safety due to complex environments with little informationHuman factors also result from employees’ lack of awareness of what is happening in complex and dynamic operating environments. Safety systems and risk models often do not describe safety risks or environmental change.An explosion at a Torrance, California, refinery in 2015 illustrates this problem. As the workers focused on completing the refinery shutdown, they became unaware of the changing environment around them. As a result, they neglected the importance of the critical safety barriers around them.Many companies might also not understand all the hazards they have and the conditions of their safeguards to prevent an incident—especially company operations associated with infrequent modes of operations, like startups and shutdowns. When accidents happen, the impact goes beyond assessing safety performance. ARC Advisory Group estimates that the unplanned downtime on process industry revenue and profitability costs companies $1 trillion yearly.How to Reduce Risks from Human Factors?Adopting a system and technology approach is the way to reduce risks from human factors. This means understanding the strengths and limitations of humans. It also means studying the interaction of people with equipment, technology, systems, workplace, environment, etc. Lastly, safety professionals must evaluate and design better technology, systems, workplace, and environment.Here are some solutions that can help you in a technology approach:Utilizing a Control Of Work SystemA Control Of Work is a Safety Management System that ensures that hazardous job tasks, such as confined space entry or “hot work” like welding and brazing, do not occur unless and until they have been reviewed and authorized.SOL-X’s Control Of Work can manage human factors by streamlining step-by-step smart safety workflows to improve compliance assurance, planning, and execution.For example, when a worker is preparing a permit at crucial stages, he must enter location and time stamp verification like sign-offs in the system. The roles and approval controls are customized to various authority levels for specific workflows, using unique worker identification. It also allows for surveying real-time operations from the live dashboard. This provides a complete overview of cumulative risk and high-risk work activities. Crew Protection SystemA crew protection system helps companies to manage risk and enhance current safety systems by addressing low situational awareness, incomplete workers’ health and wellbeing data, and environmental exposure risk.SOL-X’s Crew Protect can lower risks by providing crucial information on the working conditions, hazard exposure periods, ill health, and other work-related hazards faced by workers when detected by our SmartWatch. It also sends out Crew Assist alerts from their wearables when workers encounter difficulties performing their tasks or feel unwell, therefore alerting Responsible Authority.Furthermore, it reinforces positive behavior by sending out GeoFence alerts on their wearables so workers will avoid hazardous zones.Solutions to Manage Human FactorsHuman factors can add significant time pressures to your workflow when not managed well. To find out more about how human factors can impact your workplace safety, read our whitepaper to find out more.If you want to know how to better enhance your existing systems, see our SOL-X Behavior Based management systems and how our smart wearables work together to create a safe working environment.
Improve industrial processes with IIoT technology, industrial IoT

Industrial IoT (IIoT) Solutions: 5 Examples and Applications

What is IIoT?With the ever-growing number of smart devices, the Internet of Things (IoT) is more relevant than ever. Defined as a network of physical objects that contain embedded technology, IoT helps people and businesses communicate and collect real-time data so they can get actionable insights into the world around them.Similar to the concept of IoT, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the technology that connects machines, devices, sensors, and other equipment in industrial sectors with IT applications or cloud services. This allows businesses to collect and analyze data from IIoT-enabled products and services while they are being used in order to improve efficiency, uptime, and productivity levels over time. Find out how these technologies can improve industrial automation for smart factories in our modern age.IoT vs IIoT: How Are They DifferentThe Internet of Things (IoT) and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are both exciting technologies that have the potential to transform industrial automation in many ways.The main differences between IIoT and IoT include:Scale: IoT is an ecosystem that connects machines and devices over a network. It can be an interconnected system of consumer wearables that are used to monitor a small number of devices. In comparison, IIoT is the process of using data from connected devices to improve the efficiency, quality, and cost of an industrial business. Therefore, it is usually designed to manage large amounts of information.Focus: IIoT focuses on streamlining business operations, while the IoT focuses on creating new applications and services that improve consumer lives. Many IoT devices are designed to be used by consumers in their everyday lives, while most IIoT devices are designed to help businesses run more efficiently.Systems: The IoT relies on cloud computing, while the IIoT does not need cloud computing because it uses local servers instead of remote servers. Additionally, IIoT platform is more secure than the IoT because it uses more established hardware and software platforms that have been tested thoroughly to prevent hackers from breaking into systems.5 Examples & Applications of IIoTWhile they may differ slightly in industrial application, most industries with challenging environments (such as shipping, oil and gas, energy, chemical industries etc.) will benefit from an IIoT platform. Here are five applications:Application 1 – Manage Human ErrorHuman factors are the physical, psychological, and social characteristics that affect human intersection with equipment, systems, processes, other individuals, and work teams(s). Human error is when a person makes a mistake due to human factors, which can lead to issues in time, cost, and quality. We all make mistakes. It’s in our nature. But when you are talking about the workplace, human error can cause major issues.With the introduction of IIoT applications, human factors are better managed. These applications allow for better coordination of staff, which significantly reduces errors made in the workplace.Smart machines help us manage human error by automating some of the processes that could lead to human error.For example, a logistics company may require an employee to manually input inventory data into Excel spreadsheets every day. That can lead to mistakes that are hard to track down later on. But now that you have implemented an IIoT application for your warehouse management system, the computer can automatically input data, and you can get alerts from the application if something goes wrong and fix it quickly.Of course, the type of IIoT technology you employ in your workplace depends on your industry.For instance, let’s assume your goal is to reduce human errors in the maritime industry and improve worker safety. Smart devices can be very handy in this case. For instance, a smartwatch can allow every crew member stationed in different areas to quickly alert the entire team of any work-related incidents that may occur while on the job.This is especially so for ship workers. Take, for instance, the Pump Room on a ship. Using an IIoT device with remote access allows key personnel to monitor if a team member is in the Pump Room. Likewise, crew members in the pump room can alert others if something’s amiss. The SOL-X Atex certified SmartWatch is a mobile device that allows one to do that. This device also informs the crew about restricted work zones. Such timely reminders will improve your worker safety, as they receive notifications and gain awareness about these hazardous areas.According to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), 66% of incidents and casualties are caused by “human factors”. Therefore, you should implement IIoT technology like the SOL-X SmartWatch so that you can employ remote monitoring of your crew, issue timely reminders, and minimize workplace casualties.Application 2 – Manage CostsEmployees are a company’s greatest asset, and keeping them safe is a priority for any business. But workplace accidents can be costly—in terms of money spent on repairs and equipment, as well as time spent on recovering from injuries, filing claims, and hiring new employees.And that’s not even the worst part: if an accident is severe enough to cause permanent disability, it can have devastating effects on a company’s reputation.If you’re in the construction, manufacturing, or maritime industries, you know that workplace accidents can cost your company money in lost time and productivity, as well as medical expenses and insurance fees.In today’s world of interconnected machines and systems, it has never been easier to improve industrial protocols. IIoT allows companies to monitor their frontline operations and equipment from an off-site location, so they can identify potential problems before they happen and respond quickly when problems do occur. This means fewer injuries for your employees (and less time spent treating those injuries).It also means fewer delays on projects because you don’t have to wait for someone to notice something is wrong before getting it fixed—you can fix it yourself!Apart from the above features, wearable IIoT technology is now advanced enough to provide managers with updated information on workers’ wellness.For instance, SOL-X’s Crew Protect is a holistic solution using smart devices that can track and monitor workers’ workload, heat stress levels, and heart rate monitoring. Workers can also tap on a ‘Crew Assist’ button to seek help quickly.Particularly for workers on a ship who are exposed to high heat, the SmartWatch allows safety engineers to monitor workers’ heat exposure. Plus, reminders are automatically sent to prompt employees to rest when the heat gets to a dangerous level.This data allows your company to effectively plan corporate wellness programs so that your workers feel valued and safe. When workers are not fatigued, they can also perform at their peak capacity. Overall, it can drastically improve a work site’s productivity and operational efficiency.Application 3 – Gather Deeper Data InsightsWe are entering a new era of data analytics, where the traditional silos of business data are being replaced by real-time and relevant insights.Companies are now able to collate and tap meaningful and real-time data on worker performance—something that is made possible with IIoT technology. This can cover the entire worksite, giving us a much deeper understanding of the challenges their staff faces. It also allows them to react flexibly, carrying out predictive maintenance to reduce workplace danger.With digitalized improvements led by industry leader SOL-X, AI models are constructed to collect data and provide enhanced insights. Such information helps companies identify key factors and leading indicators in achieving operational excellence. Through this data, companies can carry out pre-emptive measures and make continual improvements to work processes.For instance, the SOL-X SmartWatch tracks work rest data, so safety engineers can evaluate their team’s workload and take the right steps to manage their fatigue levels.Overall, with modern IIoT solutions such as SOL-X’s Control Of Work and Crew Protect system, you gain peace of mind. Especially so for companies in hazardous industries, you need the data to streamline operations and manage key safety compliance factors so as to achieve maximum operational excellence.Application 4 – Near Real-time Remote MonitoringFor the shipping industry, incidents related to cargo loading occur for many reasons, as detailed by several case studies. Often, it is a lack of remote monitoring that leads to such accidents. It could be a worker entering an enclosed area that has been marked off limits. Or perhaps the wrong or outdated platform or ladders are used.These incidents often occur because there isn’t timely information that keeps everyone working aligned. Imagine a world where you can see what’s happening on your vessel in real-time. You can see where your crew members are, and what they’re doing. You can make sure that everyone is working safely and responsibly.Even at the blind spots for crane or forklift operators, you can monitor the work going on and quickly update workers on safety reminders. That’s the level of security IIoT technologies such as SOL-X’s Control Of Work can offer you.Workplace incidents can happen due to many reasons. While human factors, as mentioned above, can be a contributory cause, other factors such as the layout of the work area or equipment failure can cause an issue.For instance, poor ventilation or lighting in the area needs to be highlighted to the workers immediately so that nobody goes there while it is under maintenance.Using the live dashboard in SOL-X, your superiors can obtain a wide-angle view of all ongoing operations in real time. They are able to see what each worker is doing and whether they are at the right place. With SOL-X, you can reduce safety risks and improve workflow management.Application 5 – Increase Worker ProductivityIIoT technology is rapidly changing the way businesses operate by automating manual and repetitive tasks.With industrial automation, you can reduce paperwork, which means less time spent on tedious tasks and more time spent working with your team to improve processes and increase performance.For instance, SOL-X’s solutions allow for enhanced digital document management. There is no need to print, scan, and manually update documents with the all-in-one dashboard that archives all relevant data.Besides, it’s an integrated turn-key system with wireless communication, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to communicate essential data while onboard a ship. An additional plus is that all this information is archived, and you can easily retrieve it for company audits.In fact, getting permits signed is much easier with SOL-X. The system automatically routes a permit to work (a necessary permit in hazardous industries to formally authorize work done on-site) to the ship master for approval.That reduces the time spent for the second officer to look for the ship master, freeing them to concentrate on other tasks. Ultimately, less paperwork also means more time for workers to focus on what matters on the job site.Explore SOL-X IIoT SolutionsIn high-hazard environments such as the maritime industry, one fatal error can cause work to suspend. Don’t risk your employee’s safety and the company’s reputation. Instead, harness advanced IIoT technologies to improve risk management in your company.With the expertise of our internal safety experts, SOL-X solutions are designed to meet the unique requirements of high-hazard environments. Our expert team can also configure and customize systems suited for your workplace environments when required. Contact us for a free demo to find out how to optimize your workplace safety and efficiency today.
A behavior based safety approach is a scientific method to reduce unsafe behaviors

What is Behavior Based Safety and Why It’s Important

What is Behavior Based Safety?Behavior Based Safety (BBS) is a proactive method of implementing safety programs. By analyzing the risk factors that are created due to employee behavior, it aims to minimize safety hazards and reduce unsafe behaviors by analyzing the risk factors created by employee behavior. BBS studies how factors such as work procedures, measures, training, or equipment design, influence a person to perform the task safely.The objective behind BBS is to create an organizational culture where data-supported interventions are used to assess and improve the safety measures put into place continually.How Does Behavior Based Safety Work?Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) is a management approach that uses data, analysis, and learning to improve safety performance. It is based on the idea that safety is a behavior, not a condition. Through training, coaching, and feedback, BBS focuses on increasing employees’ awareness of safety behaviors.The goal of BBS is to reduce unsafe behaviors performed by employees. To do this, you must first identify the unsafe acts that are taking place in your organization. Then you can take steps to change unsafe behavior and prevent them from happening again.To identify the unsafe acts, the methodology relies on third-person observation data. As employees continue to work, an observer stays as a passive participant. This observer can be a human participant or a system that collects data.The tasks can include safety-related tasks such as a discussion on permit applications or workplace safety reviews using a checklist. When the job is completed, or at suitable points, the observer will share observations made, without judgment. This data triggers a discussion about why certain safety practices are carried out. In that way, the feedback loop creates a reflective safety culture.Why is Behavior Based Safety Important?One of the main benefits of BBS is that it puts more emphasis on prevention rather than just corrective actions after an injury has occurred. This means that employers can identify potential hazards before they become serious injuries or illnesses.With the observation data, the discussion can center on the effectiveness of the current safety program. It can also highlight safe and unsafe behaviors as well as conditions that the employees face, which might be overlooked by management.Overall, it creates a safety culture where workers feel empowered to report danger zones. It also increases the engagement between leadership and frontline workers, reducing human errors. In that way, the company can avoid severe consequences before accidents happen.Is Behavior Based Safety needed based on Singapore Laws (OSHD)?While there is no legal requirement in Singapore to implement BBS, the method improves worksite safety. The Workplace and Health Council, the statuary board under the Ministry of Manpower that regulates workplace safety in Singapore, also highly recommends BBS as a way to perform site inspections.What are the Principles of Behavior Based Safety?Here are five principles you should use to guideline your BBS program:First, recognize that historical assessments of previous injuries and accidents provide data-driven results. Start by identifying problematic behaviors that are unsafe or risky. Then, determine the root causes of the behaviors.Pay attention to small careless behaviors that result in significant accidents and injuries.Manage these risky and unsafe behaviors by developing critical behavior checklists to document examples of target behaviorsMaintain a safety culture. Design intervention programs to improve/avert unsafe or risky behavior. Such interventions can include training workers to lead as safety monitors.Fully engage all employees in the importance of behavioral safety. Encourage active observation and reporting to boost employee engagement and compliance.How to Promote Behavior Based Safety?1. Develop Safety Culture:Strong safety culture is supported by senior leadership, has clear policies and procedures, and encourages employees to speak up if they see something that could be unsafe.Safety culture is important to BBS for two reasons: employee morale and employee engagement. When people feel safe at work, they’re more likely to engage with their jobs and take pride in their workmanship. In addition to this, having a strong safety culture can help you avoid accidents on the job. This increases overall productivity in the organization.The SOL-X Control of Work process designed by SOL-X is a way that organizations can implement behavior-based safe work practices. The integrated technology ensures workers follow the safety procedures at the right place and time while carrying out their assigned scope of work. Such transparency also helps workers to feel in control over their work environment, motivating them to be more productive.2. Observe BehaviorsReal-time monitoring is beneficial for BBS because it allows organizations to identify gaps in safety processes. As mentioned, one of the fundamental principles of BBS is to pay attention to careless behaviors that result in accidents.When we use real-time monitoring, we can see where our safety processes are breaking down and identify where we need to make changes. This allows us to improve our work systems and ensure that operations are carried out safely.Using SOL-X’s safety solutions, your organization can observe risky behaviors in real-time. The live dashboard allows near real-time visibility of all operations. For example, crew managers can see a live update of their team’s location and tasks. Should any team member feel unwell, notifications will also alert relevant officers to take action.3. Get Real-Time FeedbackOne of the important aspects of BBS is real-time feedback. Real-time feedback refers to providing feedback to workers promptly so they can make adjustments as soon as possible.The intervention allows workers to be accountable for their actions in the present moment and encourages a sense of responsibility among members of the team. In addition, such feedback makes them more likely to take ownership of their actions.SOL-X’s advanced technological solutions, such as smart wearables for workers, will facilitate the provision of such real-time feedback. Workers are notified immediately if the system senses any possible danger. For example, if the place is too hot, the SOL-X SmartWatch can sense heat exposure and remind the worker to rest and hydrate. Workers can also alert their officers in charge via notifications from their smart wearables if they realize they cannot carry out their tasks safely. This reinforces positive safety behaviors, which is a cornerstone of BBS.4. Analyze Quality DataBBS safety processes are successful because they are based on direct observations of front-line workers doing their jobs. Unfortunately, the organization cannot see what people are thinking or understand their beliefs and attitudes. This qualitative data is undoubtedly necessary, but measuring them without exerting time and resources is impossible. On the other hand, it’s easy to observe what people do. The actions they take to ensure they are not injured and the actions they take that may put them at risk for injury are data that a company can collect.Once the unsafe behaviors are identified, you can create targeted solutions to remove them. Again, using data means no need for speculation since the process generates evidence we can see and measure.You can rely on SOL-X’s products to obtain such real-time data to collect important information. For example, its integrated SOL-X collects timely data on worksite safety. The SmartWatch also collects near real-time data on workers’ safety and well-being. Both data collection points from the work environment and workers’ health conditions support safety managers in crafting a comprehensive safety program.5. Use a Behavior Based Safety ChecklistA behavior based safety checklist is a direct-observation instrument that is used to record safe behavior and recognize the reason behind an unsafe act.A BBS checklist is important and valuable because it helps the observer to identify the areas of concern. The observer can then provide timely feedback to prompt a discussion from the checklist. The checklist also helps ensure that employees follow the correct procedures when performing their work, creating a behavior based safety system.Even a simple checklist like this example can also help encourage a workplace culture that promotes safety since it ensures everyone is on the same page.6. Reinforce Positive BehaviorsUltimately, BBS is not a framework for negative criticism. Instead, it aims to provide a feedback loop where safe behaviors are recognized. At the same time, unsafe behaviors are discussed so workers can reflect and adjust their processes. As part of a safety culture, monitoring, managing, and giving positive feedback to reinforce safe behavior is essential.SOL-X solutions use ready-made analytics that helps to create positive behavioral feedback loops. This technology is aided by AI and is built by an experienced safety personnel team that is well-informed about workplace safety. This professional solution means SOL-X can gather real-time ground data for actionable insights. These insights allow the company to identify positive behaviors, share best practices, and find leading indicators for continuous improvement.Behavior Based Safety SolutionsFor more information on how SOL-X can support BBS methods, read our white paper to learn more. You can read more here if you’re interested in how our innovative products can facilitate and support BBS observation cycles.

Inventory Management : Addressing A Complex Problem With A Simple Solution

The complex problem Inventory management is one of the most manual and operational workflows in the shipping industry. Lack of complete solution, time consuming processes and absence of standard operating procedures lead to inaccurate storage and consumption data. Insufficient or unavailable spare parts can lead to vessel downtimes that could cost the shipping company millions in delays and insurance claims. Holding excess inventory will incur significant carrying costs and spare part ageing and degradation problems. According to Clarkson’s Research, spares and maintenance costs in the shipping industry have been steadily on the rise and can constitute approximately 18% of a vessel’s Operating Expenses (OPEX). The manual processes cause additional burden to the crew’s productivity. The existing systems create redundant steps in carrying out the day-to-day operations and hours are wasted every day in finding and locating spare parts on ships. Moreover, the supply chain disruptions in the last two years have made the task of procurement even more challenging and cost intensive. The whole cycle of events is causing additional pressure on the operating costs and workload on both ship and shore employees. The challenge is to have the right ecosystem between the various stakeholders to optimise the inventory levels across the fleet and increase productivity for both ship and shore employees. PROPELLER: Simplifying complexity with innovation SCNX is partnering with shipping companies in digitising their inventories and creating a personalised ecosystem that suits their needs and solves their problems. The SCNX PROPELLER Internet of Things (IoT) solution enables company-wide visibility throughout the supply chain. The PROPELLER product suite integrates seamlessly with existing planned maintenance systems (PMS) / nterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms and consists of three integrated software and hardware modules: PROPELLER Ship: The portable onboard solution that enables engineers to carry out their inventory-related tasks and operations from any part of the ship or engine room. This system seamlessly works with the PMS system and helps to provide accurate inventory data and automate inventory management operations. This results in saving thousands of dollars in overstock and man hours. PROPELLER Shore: The high-end data engine for the shore buyer and procurement teams that aggregates vessel data and uses AI and ML to generate dashboards with actionable insight. Propeller Shore’s valuable recommendations include opportunities for bulk procurement, bundling opportunities and pricing trends to help customers manage and control budgets. PROPELLER Supply: Currently in pilot with selected suppliers, this module integrates the supplier ecosystem that allows pre-tagging of the spare parts and provides shipping status updates along the supply chain. This leads to better transparency of goods arriving on board How PROPELLER works: Onboard workflow is simplified through industry grade IoT tablets with integrated cameras and scanners and RFIQ/QR codes to facilitate accurate inventory updating on the go. Data automatically synchronises with PMS or ERP platforms. Even when tablets are offline or out of range, inventory reconciliation can still be completed once later synchronised – providing total vessel coverage. Captured data from PROPELLER Ship seamlessly feeds to onshore officers, fleet managers, and procurement teams via our highly secure cloud-based PROPELLER Shore portal. The information converts into actionable insights through AI and ML algorithms. Performance data and trends help vessel operators make better business decisions with fleetwide monitoring and analysis. Users can quickly gain highlighted inventory details from the ease of a dashboard, such as critical spares levels, parts that need restocking, purchase orders pending delivery & check-in, and equipment tagging/scanning activity. Accurate data and visibility provide competitive advantages while identifying opportunities for inventory optimization. The digitalization of inventory ensures: An accurate digital starting point for inventory data consisting of right inventory levels, spare-part pictures and digital manuals. Instant savings of over 25% of annual procurement spend proven by our experience of deployment over 50 vessels. Reduction in spare part ageing enabled by FIFO (First in First out) recommendations. Elimination of overstocking leading to reduction in operational expense. Strong boost in productivity by automating manual processes such as stock reconciliation. Establishment of standard SOP’s that ensures sustainable communication and data between ship and shore teams. Continuous cost saving opportunities across the fleet through intelligent recommendations. What our customer’s say: PROPELLER is improving well-being and vessel morale by simplifying onboard and shoreside workflow with fun and easy tools to use. “Crews say the PROPELLER portal and tablet are user-friendly, and it’s like playing with a game on their phone. Finding parts is like using a metal detector that pings the location. Engineers can become fluent with the app in a few hours. Even staff who are reluctant at first appreciate using it. They also love the digital equipment manuals stored on the tablets,” Conclusion: IoT technology has huge potential to unlock value in the shipping industry. According to Mckinsey&Company, over 10% of maintenance costs and 50% of downtime can be addressed with IoT systems. SCNX is challenging the status quo by building systems for frontline workers that focus on user-friendly experiences to improve working conditions and productivity. Utilising cutting-edge digital tools and mobile scanning technology, SCNX simplifies complex inventory management with benefits that scale up the entire value chain.

Turning Global Supply Chain Challenges Into Smart Ship Solutions

Originally published on BCG Digital Ventures Medium Blog With companies and governments increasingly pricing operational excellence, climate mitigation, and inventory resilience into their supply chain strategies, BCGDV and maritime services leader MISC Group are poised to revolutionize the international shipping industry with deep tech. After falling dramatically in Q2 2020 during the global pandemic, global trade has rebounded strongly and recorded a full-year drop of only 8%, well on the way to reaching 2019 levels again by 2022-2023. But while demand is back, global supply chains have been greatly disrupted by a lack of structural self-sufficiency, ever-increasing climate concerns, and supply/demand mismatches. BCGDV’s 2020 coinvestment with international shipping line MISC in three game-changing ventures in marine safety, emissions efficiency, and digitalized inventory management is setting up the shipping trade—which lags in innovation compared to other industries—to achieve the supply chain of the future. Reflecting on the transformational power of strategically applying digital and deep tech like AI, ML, and IIoT to create massive operational efficiencies across the shipping value chain in a way that has never been done before, Managing Director & Partner and Global Leader of BCGDV’s Energy Practice Sid Shah commented, “With 90% of the world’s goods transported by ships, and considering the fragmented attempts at innovation, we believe these investments are going to be absolutely transformative to the maritime industry, as well as to industries such as mining, energy, and industrial goods.” All three separate ventures are based in Singapore, a critical hub for BCGDV that was recently placed at the top of the IMD World Competitive Center’s ranking in digital competitiveness. We foresee them being key drivers for the smart ship, which leverages automation and assistive technologies to ensure safety, environmental sustainability, and efficiency. SOL-X: Redefining Maritime Safety As an industry-first Safety 4.0 company centered on human factors, SOL-X combines deep industry knowledge with IIoT and predictive AI to improve safety and compliance outcomes, increase operational productivity, and enhance crew well-being. With 66% of maritime incidents caused by human error, SAFEVUE.ai, the company’s flagship solution, addresses the core of human factors by combining the Control of Work with crew well-being data to deliver near real-time safety intelligence on the edge. SOL-X recently signed a multiyear fleetwide agreement to partner with Eaglestar and meet the maritime industry’s ever-increasing demands for operational and safety excellence. Chord X: Advancing Ship Management Maritime data analytics company Chord X employs sensors, data integration and analytics, machine learning, and human experts to achieve operational and emission efficiency in large maritime assets. It measures emission footprints to support regulatory reporting compliance, enabling increased oversight over carbon tax with greater accuracy than current methods. And the company’s offerings will soon expand to combine analytics with other data sources and a wider range of propulsion fuel types to provide predictive insights for maritime asset operators to weigh decisions, take corrective actions, and optimize performance. Chord X achieves reduced operating expenditures, enhanced reliability, and cleaner combustion. SparesCNX: Reinventing the Shipping Supply Chain Automated inventory management solution Spares CNX tracks the life cycle of spare parts on shore and across the fleet. PROPELLER Ship uses RFID, QR, and other imaging technologies to monitor the location and consumption of spares via a tablet that interacts with pretagged spare parts, ensuring the capture and dissemination of accurate and complete information. The accompanying AI-driven analytics platform, PROPELLER Shore, empowers managers and procurement officers with insights and recommendations for stock level optimization, rebalancing, and forward bulk procurement. Spares CNX addresses inventory inaccuracies that cost the global shipping industry up to $2 billion annually, and it is building capabilities to address frictions around FIFO, consumable goods, onshore warehouse partner integrations, and other areas. “The challenges faced by the shipping industry brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic have forced us to rethink our approaches and operational practices,” added Mr. Yee Yang Chien, President/Group CEO of MISC. “We must be bold in exploring the endless opportunities to further improve operational excellence in various areas including safety and process efficiency.” Supply chain resilience goes beyond raising inventory levels: companies should build capabilities to absorb disruptions and recover quickly. Leveraging digital tools and deep tech can protect against near-term volatility by adding scenario planning and supply chain transparency.

We Literally Put Ourselves In The Shoes (Protective Boots) Of The Users To Make A Product That Really Works

We have built -and are continuously developing- something for a very unique industrial setting. This is an undertaking that requires us not only to have very specific insights about the environment for which we are building, but also a great deal of hands-on experience. When a team designs a product that is for the typical user and mass market, they can very easily picture someone sitting in an office, using a laptop, or using a smartphone on their morning commute. The usage environment can be comprehensively understood from the collective personal experience of the product team. There are plenty of assumptions about the usage of the product about which you can have a high degree of certainty will apply across most users, use cases, and use environments. In contrast, what we are doing at SCNX is bringing technology into a very particular and peculiar industry. The way that the primary end-user will be interacting with our system is not something that we are naturally very familiar with (unless you have worked onboard a commercial shipping vessel). As such, what we are trying to do as a company – and especially within the product team – is to allow everybody who is involved in the ideation and execution of the product to get first-hand experience of the conditions under which the users of our solution are working. To give an idea of what this involves, the marine engineers that use our solution are wearing safety boots, boiler-suits, protective gloves, a helmet, and goggles. These items are built for safety, rather than comfort, and in some instances might result in a limited field of view, a degree of restriction to movement, and a reduction in manual dexterity. These aspects of the working conditions on board need to be taken into consideration when we work on the product. Rite of Passage It is with this in mind that we decided to ensure that everyone on the product team spends a meaningful amount of time onboard. This also applies to all new hires. Within a few weeks of starting, they will get to experience the conditions on board, right down to wearing all the same PPE that the onboard engineering teams are required to wear. This is something that we are very proud of at SCNX. We are putting our product team literally in the same shoes (or rather, safety boots) as the intended users, in order to ensure that our solution serves the users’ needs as well as possible. Only after experiencing firsthand what working in this environment entails can we put our hands on our hearts and claim that we can build the right solution. Another insight from our time onboard is that we need to allow engineers to interact with a high volume of spare parts, and quickly. This is how we landed on the combination of RFID on top of QR codes, which is another unique aspect of our solution. Our handheld devices can capture information about thousands of spare parts simply by being waved over the relevant shelves. We also make it easy to know what a whole vessel is holding (or the whole fleet if you are a fleet director or superintendent, looking in from the onshore portal). Right now you can go into a cluttered spares room and within just a couple of seconds you can have the details of the full current inventory in your hands. You don’t need to carry paper printouts of inventory levels, or checklists (for reconciliations), and you don’t need to go back and forth to a computer station that is typically housed in a different room to the spare parts (these are things that the majority of legacy ERP systems require). This allows engineers to save a lot of time, and in turn enables them to focus on other more important responsibilities, like maintenance, safety training, and more. There have been many examples of people trying to build products for industries in a vacuum; in the best cases these products do not really end up not being used, in the worst, they have had catastrophic results. From a major car manufacturer moving the location of the fuel tank without rigorous testing ending up causing explosions, or poor radiography equipment UI leading to tragedy in the healthcare industry, building products in a vacuum has been shown to result in failure. We are confident that we are doing what needs to be done to get the solution right. Maintaining a birds-eye view Another important idea that we like to keep front of mind is the potential knock-on effects of individual product or feature updates on the whole product/user ecosystem. We are trying to solve a problem for the engineers, but the engineers are not in a vacuum themselves. What they do has an impact on their supervisors, the company’s financial department, procurement department, all of the people who will also be interacting with PROPELLER. We are tackling this by consulting our in-house SparesCNX specialists, while at the same time gathering a great deal of information from interviews with our customers (at all levels of the business) and relevant industry leaders, in order to piece together this puzzle and ensure that as the solution continues to improve, and that all users continue to benefit. This approach has been critical for us to effectively build the integration between the onboard and onshore platforms, in order to maximise visibility and utility across all departments, without creating any misalignment. Knowing Our Place This last point is perhaps a little controversial, but if PROPELLER is being used in the right way, it won’t have to be used very frequently, or for very long each time. I will be delving into this area in more depth in the coming weeks, but I felt that I would be remiss not to at least mention it in this piece. Unlike Facebook, Netflix, or Grab, where the more time people spend on the platform the better (for the owners of the platform at least), we don’t measure our success in that way. Our solution is designed to enable companies to speed up their processes around spare parts management, while increasing visibility and accuracy. So if people are spending lots of time using the product, we will take a look at why, and where we can tighten up to be more efficient. It’s similar to Occam’s razor, in that the simplest, quickest solution is the right one. Fundamentally, taking cargo from point to point is the primary goal of the vessels for which PROPELLER is designed. Spares management is a second-order process, part of a second-order set of responsibilities that enables engineering teams to keep these enormous and complex vessels running optimally. Our solution provides support so that these teams can execute on maintenance in a timely fashion, and help drive revenue for the business. For the whole team at SCNX it is a red flag if we see people on the system for more time than is necessary to complete a particular task, whereas if Facebook sees that you’re wasting your whole day looking at cat memes, for them that’s a good thing. We are developing our product to do what it needs to do as efficiently as possible, in order to support the onboard teams working on the tasks that keep the whole operation moving. We are building a tool, not an activity. As we are constantly iterating our product, I would love to discuss the challenges your organisation faces and invite you to a hands-on demo. You can book a session here.

How will SOL-X deliver Business Value to customers? [Infographic 2021]

SOL-X by SOL-X, is an industry leading Behavioral Based Safety system that combines an enhanced control of work with a holistic approach to crew wellbeing, in order to improve worker health and safety culture. A primary benefit of SOL-X is improved operational efficiency of Permit To Work (PTW) workflows. It is estimated that our customers experience an average of US$60,000 to US$180,000 in crew productivity gains annually per vessel after switching from paper-based solutions. Along with the fully integrated PTW system, the work on the go capabilities and paperless system have streamlined workflows, improving overall turnaround times. Furthermore, SOL-X’s near real-time capabilities have enhanced safety operations monitoring, and procedural compliance to work processes. ‍ Operational Excellence Reduces the time and effort required to complete the forms and to obtain authorization, as well as automatically save such documents in searchable formats. The time savings free up crew resources for higher value hands-on tool time, such as machinery and equipment maintenance. Enables better management of their work rest hours. ‍ Preparing Documents Automatically sets up the necessary documentation and workflows once the job is selected from the digital database of permits, reducing downtime spent on document management. ‍ Permit Request And Risk Assessment ‍‍Integrates Risk Assessment with Permit Requests, making it possible to prepare and submit them concurrently. This reduces repeated information, removes clerical errors, and provides a standardized and uniform risk assessment across the fleet. Furthermore, workflow protocols within the digital system ensure that all required fields have been completed, facilitating efficiencies on the subsequent approval process. Additional features such as pre-filled fields and pre-identified risks based on historical references and best practices, the system contributes to time savings – a 50% reduction, and a more robust risk assessment and permit request. ‍ On-site Checklists and Isolation Certificate SOL-X’s work on the go solution totally changes the way the crew approaches safety checklists onsite. The built-in validation and the step-by-step guide further assure managers of safety compliance as well as ease of completion – reducing more than a third of the time usually spent on these steps, while providing all crew visibility of real-time data across the vessel. ‍ Permit Approval An electronic review and approval system improves this process by eliminating the need to manually transport, scan and email the form. A well-implemented solution also automatically communicates the required approval requests directly to the Master and Office Superintendent, following a set of approval matrices aligned with each type of PTW requested. As it is a fully integrated PTW system, the review process is simplified for cross-references. Furthermore, a digital format makes it possible to incorporate pre-defined rules and alerts, and notifies the approver if any inputs exceed certain thresholds. This provides the Approving Authority near real-time access to relevant information for appropriate risk management and decision-making. SOL-X has reduced permit approval times by an average of 20 minutes when office approval is not required, and an hour when it is. This has shortened the waiting time between permit completion and crew execution of the actual job, while ensuring that the shore team is kept up-to-date when the vessel needs to communicate with them. ‍ Document Filing, Storage And Retrieval Documents are instantly stored and archived on the local server, and automatically tagged with searchable keywords – freeing up the crew to focus on higher value-added jobs. Cumulative effect on audit or inspection preparation, as documents can be easily retrieved and searched. ‍ Audit Preparation Since digital PTWs can be replicated from the vessel’s local server to onshore databases, they further facilitate audit preparation by compressing time and distance. This allows auditors to commence their review of permits and other documents remotely, without any interruption to the vessel crew. Furthermore, the available data can encompass the complete range of operational documents, thus providing a more comprehensive view of vessel operations. By eliminating the physical paperwork, ships can operate more sustainably on an environmental and operational level. The digital PTW system helps reduce the amount of paper required to process the PTW tasks each day and during audit/inspection, as well as improve space and document management onboard. It is estimated that a vessel uses an average of 39,000 sheets of paper annually for PTW-related documents onboard and in the office. This is equivalent to 5 trees per year, therefore converting to the digital format significantly reduces the carbon footprint of each vessel. ‍ For more details, please refer to our infographics on the distinctions between Digital PTW from SOL-X and Manual PTW.

Key Benefits of a Fully Integrated Digital Permits Management System [Infographic 2021]

SOL-X by SOL-X, combines an integrated digital Permit To Work (PTW) platform with near real-time visibility to critical frontline vessel operations. This can improve crew safety, enhance compliance to control of work practices, and increase operational excellence through streamlined workflows. ‍The purpose is to provide a framework to the crew, ship managers and owners for evaluating the benefits of a fully integrated digital permits management system enabled by real-time control of work data offered by our solution. ‍Key Benefits Increases crew productivity by freeing up an estimated 12 manhours per day per vessel. With SOL-X, PTW planning and execution are now more streamlined and standardized. This has resulted in quicker completion turnaround times for permits-to-work, risk assessments and safety checklists forms. The mobile work-on-the-go capability further extends crew flexibility shipwide, ensuring that the crew can focus on critical time on tool and not be burdened by administrative paperwork. ‍ Reduces PTW audit preparations to mere minutes Completed permits-to-work, risk assessments and safety checklist documents are now consolidated and stored in a single system. These documents are automatically synchronized from ship to shore onto the cloud in near real-time for easy access, further enabling new remote auditing capabilities for the shore team. Enhances compliance and safety With an integrated step-by-step PTW workflow system coupled with near real-time line of sight into ongoing safety operations, the crew and shore teams now have greater assurance that safety processes are being followed throughout the vessel. This visibility of ongoing safety operations has encouraged positive crew behavior change and improved procedural compliance for high-hazard work.In addition, operational reporting and data analytics through the SOL-X Office Portal enables the shore team to actively monitor vessel and crew performance. Over time, these actionable insights and leading indicators will enable key stakeholders to drive continuous process improvements, leading to increased safety standards fleetwide. Contributes to sustainability SOL-X integrated PTWs eliminate paper-based forms and, more importantly, are less labour-intensive. The crew is spared having to expend much time and effort in producing voluminous paper forms, which involves filling up many fields, proofreading and manually checking for errors before submitting for approval. With the validation protocols of its built-in forms, SOL-X can likewise reduce clerical errors and standardize fleetwide workflows over time. This will contribute to an improved crew safety culture.

Human Factors contributed to 2 out of 3 marine incidents and casualties [Infographic 2021]

Why do incidents concerning Permit To Work tasks recur?According to the EMSA 2019 report on “Annual overview of marine casualties and incidents 2019”, 2 out of 3 all incidents (between 2011 to 2018) were contributed by human factors. The top factors include (1) lack of safety awareness, (2) inadequate work methods, and (3) poor planning and coordination. The Permit to Work (PTW) system is an essential part of any Ship Management System (SMS) for high-risk work onboard vessels, in compliance with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. PTWs are used to manage many aspects of the ship’s operations, such as ensuring procedural compliance for high-hazard jobs, reducing safety incidents, and mitigating overall risk exposure. Even with these safeguards, incidents related to PTW tasks continue to happen at an alarming rate. ‍ Captain Daniel Alcantara Head of HSSE and Solution Delivery 30Y+ experience in leadership positions with NOL and AET Ship Management Head of Documents & Systems, Marine Superintendent & HSSEQ Master COC, Class 1

Bringing The Right Cloud Technology Into Maritime Inventory Management

It has been an exciting journey with SCNX. From the beginning it has been our mission to build a solution to support the shipping industry’s goals of operating lean, and mitigating risk. I have been working in technology for many years, with a specialisation in IoT, and the maritime industry has provided me with an exciting set of challenges. It has reaffirmed my belief that building a product to have maximum utility is not about using the most advanced technology, but the most suitable technology. The Unique Vessel Environment When we started building the solution, the first thing we tackled was the inconsistent connectivity onboard. Vessels sailing the world rely on satellites for their access to the internet, and the reliability of this can be impacted by a number of conditions (most of which are beyond anyone’s control). To build a robust solution, we had to take into account the fact that there may be periods lasting from a few seconds to a few days where there is no connectivity. At the same time, we needed to allow for the fact that even at the best of times, the bandwidth available would be low, so our solution needed to be as lean as possible in terms of its data requirements. The product with which we have gone to market includes all the hardware necessary to be self-sufficient on a vessel: we provide the server to host our software applications, the portable Propeller tablets which are the onboard users’ primary touchpoint to be used in most areas of the vessel, and our own onboard wifi network to connect the tablets with the server. Bringing The Cloud To The Ocean The traditional software used on vessels is single machine based, and there is limited data exchange with the outside world. Our product architecture brings the best of standalone software and cloud technology together. We decided to use the IoT hub and edge concept to build the solution. Every server on the vessel is an edge device, managed by the IoT hub. As such, we convert whole fleets into a huge ocean faring IoT networks. By leveraging cloud technology, we bring manageability and scalability to the solution. Everything is configurable through the cloud. The data synchronization and software updates are managed by the infrastructure layer to offload excess burden from the application itself. Cloud implementations allow us to leverage most fitting modern technology. Our software is fully built on micro-services, so each module can be updated separately for individual vessels, a group of vessels, or the whole fleet, depending on the requirements. We also have implemented serverless modules as part of our solution, in order to maximize the flexibility within the system. A Few Key Considerations Using cloud technology doesn’t solve all our challenges automatically, but it creates a framework for more innovative and effective combinations of tech components. We carefully chose the most appropriate technology combinations, and I believe made smart decisions about the SCNX architecture in order to ensure that we are using the available technology in the way that brings the most value for our customers and users. As I mentioned above, data synchronization is a big consideration. By choosing a suitable database and synchronization scheme, we managed to encapsulate the complexity in the data layer. The only thing we need to manage at the level of the application layer is error handling when there any data integrity issue. Data bandwidth also needed to be investigated carefully. Cloud technologies tend to assume a good internet environment, and strong bandwidth. It is not usually an issue for a broadband environment, but with satellite internet, connectivity often suffers. We optimized the edge and IoT hub in order to reduce the volume of data transmission. Only critical data are exchanged between the edge and the cloud to maintain as low a bandwidth usage as possible. This had the additional effect of improving system stability, even during periods of internet blackout. Being tolerant to being offline is a must for the vessel environment. For all the features we have implemented, we are always mindful that the internet connection might be not available for days at a time. Therefore, whenever possible we always use the local data source available on the vessel instead of asking for data from the cloud. For the information that has to be acquired from the cloud, we always make the information ready early enough, together with an error handling case to prevent data inconsistency. Most importantly, our solution handles all this without interfering with the usage of the Propeller tablet by the Engineers on board. Bring The Data To Life One of the key benefits of the cloud is the capacity for powerful data analysis and visualization tools. With the data available on the cloud, the on shore teams (Procurement Directors, Fleet Directors, Superintendents) can easily look into their fleet’s inventory data through our browser based interface. They are able to drill down from the fleet level, to a group of vessels, and to the inventory information of individual vessels. This empowers the team with an accurate understanding of their inventory on hand, and gives them the ability to optimize their procurement, maintenance, and logistics activities accordingly. Summary Looking at our solution as it now stands, we have very much achieved our original goal for a stable, scalable solution on the vessel. We are using the cloud wherever suitable, but have combined this with various other elements, old and new, in order to fulfil the requirements of the project within the limitations presented by the specific and difficult environment on board commercial vessels. There are always a lot of exciting new technologies around to be used to solve problems such as these, but the devils are in the details in terms of how to optimise them to make a great solution.
Crude Oil Extraction and Natural Gas industries

Sustainability in the Oil & Gas Industry: Why It Matters in 2023

The global focus on climate change and renewable energy has made sustainability in the oil and gas industry grow in importance in recent years. The oil and gas industry is well-known for negatively impacting the environment, with a 2.5% increase in emissions in 2022.As such, more and more leaders are trying to guide their organisations towards a greener future. 79% of energy and utilities executives stated that sustainability processes are a major concern, and 47% are dedicated to hitting net-zero emissions.A key tool driving sustainable transformation is Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) technologies. EHS technologies can be used to monitor the environmental and safety performance of equipment and processes, which helps companies adhere to regulations while promoting safety.However, the oil and gas industry has been comparatively slow in embracing these technologies. 50% of executives from energy and utilities companies note the complexity of meeting these goals and implementing the technology. Bridging this gap will allow the Oil & Gas sector to catch up to other industries, and help them meet their goals of creating a more sustainable world.Understanding the Environmental and Societal Impacts of the Oil and Gas SectorOil and gas operations have a substantial environmental impact due to their reliance on fossil fuels. This industry contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, with estimates suggesting that it's responsible for about 15% of the global total. In addition to its environmental implications, the industry also faces challenges related to social issues and regulations.Shipping Costs and EmissionsShipping constitutes a significant proportion of global oil transportation, and exhaust gas emissions are a large contributor to pollution. A single large ship can emit as much sulphur dioxide as millions of cars, leading to air and water pollution and affecting human health. Shipping emissions were also equal to 2.2% of the global total in 2012, and are projected to rise by 50 to 250% by 2050 at our current rate.With countless types of pollutants being produced by ships, the maritime industry is one of the largest causes of pollution in the world. As such, in order to pursue environmental sustainability, oil and gas activities need to become more sustainable.Carbon Footprint and Greenhouse GasesThe carbon footprint of the Oil & Gas industry is enormous. Operations release substantial amounts of carbon dioxide and methane, which are both potent greenhouse gases. The industry's activities contribute to roughly 50% of all global methane emissions. Methane is over 25 times more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, making the industry a major contributor to global warming.These emissions lead to climate change and highlight the urgent need for the Oil & Gas industry to adopt sustainable practices. The industry's overall impact on the planet's ecosystems and communities has to be reduced, and this is where sustainable solutions come in.Harnessing Technology for Sustainable SolutionsAs the need for sustainability grows, organisations are seeking innovative solutions to minimise their environmental costs and liabilities.From improving energy efficiency to reducing emissions and waste, EHS technology like Magellan X is a powerful tool in helping oil and gas production become more sustainable.Manage Inventory with TechnologyEfficient inventory management leads to wasted resources and overproduction. With technology, unnecessary strain on supply chain operations and the environment can be avoided.PROPELLER is a Real-Time Location System (RTLS) that helps companies optimise their inventory management with Asset Performance Management (APM) and keep track of spare parts. PROPELLER can assist with up to $20k in savings per year by eliminating downtime and reducing excess stock by 30%. By providing visibility of crucial data at the user's fingertips, PROPELLER helps organisations monitor their inventory status and manage their logistics efficiently.Furthermore, the use of AI/ML-powered analytics can help companies locate bulk-order opportunities, and reduce excessive shipments, cutting down carbon emissions.Learn more about PROPELLER and what it can offer your organisation.Reducing Emissions with TechnologyAnother transformative technology that we offer at Magellan X is ecoMax, an industrial decarbonisation solution.ecoMax is designed to measure and analyse fleet emissions, monitor machine and engine performance, and provide near real-time insights. This comprehensive monitoring and analysis can help organisations identify areas where they can reduce their carbon footprint. ecoMax is also an AI-powered system that can carry out predictive analysis, automated reporting, and produce tamper-proof Carbon Emission certification.Similar to PROPELLER, ecoMax can be custom-tailored to vessels and industries. Our experienced team of engineers guide you throughout the onboarding process, and implement the systems that power ecoMax's monitoring.Find out more about how ecoMax can benefit your industry.Embracing Sustainability with Magellan X SolutionsIn order to address the critical challenges of sustainability in the oil and gas industry, companies must adopt innovative solutions that prioritise EHS performance. The role of technology in driving sustainable measures cannot be overstated, with solutions like Magellan X that can significantly transform heavy industry practices.PROPELLER's focus on energy efficiency and ecoMax's ability to monitor emissions can contribute to a cleaner environment, while boosting a company's reputation among stakeholders, investors, and the public. By making the decision to embrace Magellan X's solutions, oil and gas companies can achieve their sustainability goals and meet growing expectations for responsible business practices.Contact us to explore how our sustainable solutions can help your business.
ESG and EHS integration in industries

EHS and Sustainability: Best Practices for Heavy Industries

Environment, health, and safety (EHS) is a concept that is strongly intertwined with sustainability. These two ideas are essential to minimise environmental impact, promote responsible resource usage, and maintain safe working conditions.This is especially crucial for companies in heavy industries, where they face immense pressures in terms of environmental liability and rigorous health and safety laws. In order to overcome these problems, cutting-edge EHS solutions have emerged as a vital tool. By adopting these modern technologies, companies can definitely perform better when it comes to achieving their EHS and sustainability goals.Defining EHS and SustainabilityWhat is EHS?Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) is a multidisciplinary field that preserves and promotes the well-being of people and the environment, while ensuring compliance with legal regulations and standards in the workplace. It involves implementing and managing policies, procedures, and programmes to minimise risks and create a safe and healthy work environment.What is Sustainability?Sustainability is the concept of supporting a process over a long period of time. It's most commonly associated with environmental conservation, and relies on not depleting resources for future generations.Sustainability also includes the health and safety of people and communities. As such, sustainable practices consider not only the environmental impact but also the social and economic consequences of company actions.For example, a company aiming for sustainability may prioritise energy-efficient measures, such as using renewable energy sources. They may also sustain employee well-being by implementing robust safety protocols and providing training on occupational hazards.By addressing both EHS and sustainability, businesses demonstrate their commitment to fostering a healthier, safer, and more sustainable work environment for everyone involved. Consequently, this helps companies to build trust with employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and the broader community.Is EHS part of Sustainability?Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) is undoubtedly linked to Sustainability. EHS focuses on protecting employees, the public, and the environment from risks associated with various business operations. EHS initiatives often include compliance with laws, regulations, and the implementation of workplace safety programmes.The connection between EHS and sustainability lies in aligning the organisation's goals with the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. Organisations that prioritise workplace safety and the well-being of their employees are more likely to achieve long-term success and remain sustainable. The same goes for prioritising environmental sustainability, where 90% of 200 studies found that EHS standards lowered the cost of capital and led to success.Aligning business practices with EHS principles demonstrates an organisation's dedication to the long-term health and well-being of its workforce, as well as a commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.Best Practices for Integrating EHS and Sustainability ProgrammesIntegrating EHS and sustainability programmes can provide numerous benefits to organisations, such as reduced risk, cost savings, and support/grants for achieving sustainability goals. These are some of the best practices that integrate both EHS and Sustainability goals.1. Leveraging TechnologyTechnology plays a pivotal role in integrating EHS and sustainability programmes. Organisations that make use of Connected Worker Platforms and IIoT technology can progress further in their EHS goals.For instance, SOL-X and ecoMax, offered by Magellan X, enhance worker safety and contribute to decarbonisation efforts respectively. SOL-X's Crew Protect provides a holistic approach to workers' well-being, with health tracking and near real-time situational awareness. Our cutting-edge system utilises a SmartWatch to manage workers' well-being in hazardous work zones. This technology enhances part of an existing Safety Management Systems by providing health and safety benefits, near real-time visibility, and enhanced situational awareness.Another example, ecoMax, is a decarbonisation technology that provides data-driven reporting and analysis solutions aimed at improving greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory accounting and reducing emissions. It offers near real-time machine and engine monitoring, performance insights and alerts, certification of tamper-proof carbon emissions, and automated reporting. This technology is designed to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions and achieve net-zero goals.2. Measuring and Reporting PerformanceAccurate measurement and reporting of EHS and sustainability performance are essential for tracking progress, identifying areas for improvement, and demonstrating compliance with regulatory standards.One way to accomplish this is through Magellan X's PROPELLER with Asset Performance Management (APM) and Inventory Optimisation. It is, a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) inventory management solution. This digital solution provides real-time visibility of inventory, enabling better demand forecasting and minimising inventory holding costs. AI-powered insights and analysis of EHS data can also assist in identifying potential areas for improvement. This type of self-directed sustainability reporting reduces waste and optimises resource use, making it a gold standard in the industry.3. Involving StakeholdersInvolving stakeholders (e.g., management, supervisors, workers, and investors) early in the planning and strategy processes can help develop practical and feasible solutions that are aligned with the organisation's overall objectives. The National Association for EHS&S Management (NAEM) emphasises the importance of involving stakeholders to promote global sustainability. environmental factorsAs a platform that emphasises worker safety and well-being, SOL-X helps organisations coordinate with their workers, keeping them on the same page regarding EHS objectives. SOL-X has been used to increase situational awareness in workers, ensuring that they stay alert in hazardous environments.By following these best practices, organisations can effectively integrate EHS and sustainability programmes into their operations.Case Studies: Successful Integration of EHS and Sustainability ProgrammesMagellan X played a pivotal role in helping companies further their EHS efforts and meet sustainability requirements. One such company was a Major Energy & Petrochemical Company, which adopted Magellan X's solutions for their shipping needs.The Problem: The company's shipping division faced challenges in improving crew well-being, human reliability, and safety outcomes.The Solution: The company implements the SOL-X solution by Magellan X. First, they equipped their workers with our wearable SmartWatch, providing near real-time situational awareness to the crew and supervisors. Second, SOL-X enabled safety leaders to apply data-driven interventions and process/policy improvements. The SmartWatch gave contextual notifications and alerts, helped to manage workloads, detect falls, and monitor environmental exposure such as heat and noise.​ Finally, SOL-X provided a means to accurately collect and standardise health data, via a virtual Dashboard. This data helped to create safety performance metrics, allowing them to measure and report on the status of workers.The Outcome: The company takes a step forward in its EHS and sustainability goals. By leveraging technology to improve communications, Magellan X's solution helped to strengthen collaboration between stakeholders. With a better way to track safety metrics, the company could implement data-driven policies and procedures to manage and mitigate fatigue-related risks.The Future of EHS and Sustainability Integration with Magellan XThe integration of EHS and sustainability efforts is becoming increasingly important. Organisations are recognising the need to address current challenges and anticipate future trends. Through these 3 best practices, companies can stand out in the field and create a culture of safety, responsibility, and sustainability that benefits everyone.Magellan X offers solutions that can help streamline this process, providing organisations with the tools and insights they need to make a lasting positive impact in the world. Contact us now to find out more today.
EHS and Corporate social responsibility

What is EHS in 2023? The Essence of Environment, Health & Safety

In today's era of increasing awareness of environmental sustainability and workers’ rights, organisations are recognising the significance of Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) in creating a sustainable and responsible workplace. In this article, we cover the significance of EHS and examine its key components. What is Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) is a multidisciplinary field that preserves and promotes the well-being of people and the environment, while ensuring compliance with legal regulations and standards in the workplace. It involves implementing and managing policies, procedures, and programmes to minimise risks and create a safe and healthy work environment.What does EHS stand for? EHS stands for Environment, Health, and Safety. EHS regulations aim to protect workers, the general public, and the environment from potential hazards.ComponentDescriptionEnvironmentFocuses on preventing harm to surrounding ecosystems, reducing pollution, and promoting sustainable practices to minimise environmental impact.HealthEnsures the well-being of workers and the public by identifying and managing risks, such as exposure to hazardous substances, ergonomic challenges, and excessive noise levelsSafetyInvolves the implementation of protocols, training, and procedures to prevent accidents, injuries, and illnesses in the workplace, ensuring a safe and cost-effective work environment for all parties involved.Employing EHS principles in an organisation allows for more efficient operations, reduced liability, and a positive reputation, while complying with relevant legal regulations.What are Examples of Environment, Health, and Safety?Environment component focuses on minimising the impact of industrial activities on the environment, ensuring compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations and promoting sustainable practices. For instance, a company might invest in energy-efficient machinery and renewable energy sources to decrease their carbon footprint.Health refers to the measures taken to protect the well-being of employees and comply with Ministry of Manpower (MOM) standards. For example, a company operating in a noisy environment, such as a construction site or a factory, might conduct regular noise assessments and provide employees with appropriate personal protective equipment like earplugs or earmuffs.Safety involves managing and preventing workplace accidents, injuries, and illnesses. For instance, a company operating heavy machinery might establish a comprehensive safety training program or management system to educate employees about potential hazards and safe operating procedures.Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) compliance plays a critical role in protecting the environment and the well-being of employees. The increasing number of fatalities in Singapore's hazardous industries just last year shows the importance of EHS management. Organisations must take measures to reduce risks and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.What are EHS Policies in Singapore like?In Singapore, EHS policies are set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and various governmental departments, including the National Environmental Agency (NEA).These agencies ensure that organisations comply with the regulations set out in the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) and the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) respectively. WSHA focuses on the health and occupational safety aspects of EHS, ensuring that workplaces are safe and healthy for all employees. It requires employers to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of their employees. This includes conducting risk assessments, implementing safety management systems, and providing adequate training for employees. EPMA, on the other hand, focuses on the environmental aspect of EHS. It regulates activities that may cause environmental pollution and sets out measures for the prevention, reduction, and control of pollution. This includes regulations on air and water pollution, noise pollution, and the handling and disposal of hazardous substances. Why is EHS Important? A comprehensive EHS programme safeguards the health and safety of employees, fosters a secure work setting, and reduces accidents By monitoring pollution-causing activities, EHS policies contribute to a decrease in carbon emissions and pollution caused by business operations. Non-compliance with EHS regulations can lead to substantial fines, reputational damage, and in severe instances, criminal charges. Therefore, a robust EHS policy is not merely a moral and legal obligation but also a strategic business approach. By integrating best practices, businesses operating in high-risk industries can enhance their overall performance while mitigating potential risks. EHS is not just about adhering to regulations—it's about creating a safer, healthier, and more sustainable business environment. What is the Difference Between EHS and Other Terms? ESG vs EHS ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and EHS are both frameworks to assess a company in terms of sustainability and ethical practices. EHS focuses specifically on environmental protection and workplace safety and health, while ESG covers a broader range of issues, including corporate governance, human rights, and social inequality. HSE vs EHS HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) shares the same core components with EHS, but prioritises different aspects. HSE prioritises employee health and safety first, while EHS places ecological concerns at the forefront, followed by health and safety. Nonetheless, both HSE and EHS share common goals, such as striving for sustainable practices, minimising pollution, and promoting water conservation. OHS vs EHS OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) is a subset of EHS. OHS focuses specifically on the prevention of work-related injuries and diseases, while EHS covers environmental protection, health, and safety in the workplace. Overall, while each of these terms can overlap in their objectives, they differ in their priorities. EHS, ESG, HSE, and OHS all strive to promote better environmental, health, and safety practices. What is EHS Software? EHS software consists of technological solutions that allow companies to effectively manage their EHS processes and information. This software helps organisations adhere to industry regulations, minimise hazards, and maintain a safe work environment. Environment Software One aspect of EHS software is environmental management, which focuses on mitigating the impact of business operations on the environment. This includes addressing pollution, reducing carbon emissions, and implementing sustainable practices. Magellan X provides cutting-edge software such as ecoMax, an industrial decarbonisation solution. With a focus on achieving net-zero goals, ecoMax's compatibility spans various industry sectors, providing near real-time insights through IIoT monitoring and predictive AI analytics. Due to the high amounts of emissions produced by ships, this EHS software can help a business reduce emissions and attain sustainability goals. Another solution offered by Magellan X is PROPELLER, an inventory management software that helps managers significantly by saving time and costs, and reducing carbon emissions. Through AI analytics, bulk-order opportunities can be located, saving organisations extra shipping trips. Up to 30% of excess stock can be eliminated, and the overall carbon footprint can be greatly reduced. Health & Safety Software Another critical area of EHS software is health and safety adherence. This encompasses managing risks in the workplace. Implementing safety management systems in hazardous industries is crucial to ensure employees' safety and well-being. Our SOL-X solution introduces Crew Protect software that helps protect workers on the job. SOL-X analyses environmental exposure risks, as well as worker health and well-being data. Through the Wearable SmartWatch system, it monitors the heart rate, heat stress, and fatigue levels of workers, allowing supervisors to keep track of their well-being through a Dashboard. Moreover, SOL-X Crew Protect enables connected wellness programmes by analysing live data, allowing for near real-time feedback from worksites. EHS software is indispensable in today's challenging marketplace. As a provider of these solutions, we offer expert guidance to help businesses excel in managing environmental, health, and safety aspects. With solutions like SOL-X, ecoMax, and PROPELLER, organisations can ensure a safe and sustainable future. Meet Your EHS Goals With Magellan X Solutions Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) form the bedrock of a responsible and sustainable workplace. By embracing best EHS practices, organisations can make a profound impact on the environment, safeguard employee health, and ensure a safe working environment—while reaping the benefits of increased productivity and reduced costs. Magellan X provides a comprehensive suite of EHS management solutions that empower businesses to tackle various challenges head on. By using our EHS software, companies can implement robust safety and health management programmes that set the gold standard in the industry. Take the first step towards a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future—contact us today! Frequently Asked Questions What is the Purpose of EHS in Business? EHS ensures the safety of workers, minimises the damage done to the environment by operations, and protects the company’s reputation while meeting compliance requirements. What is an EHS Hazard? An EHS hazard refers to any source of potential damage to the environment, workers’ health, or safety. Some examples of common EHS concerns include:Exposure to hazardous materialsEnvironmental pollutionHeat ExertionFire risks What is EHS in Compliance? EHS compliance refers to the adherence to laws, regulations, and standards related to Environment, Health, and Safety. This involves implementing and managing EHS policies and procedures, conducting regular audits and inspections, and ensuring that the organisation meets all legal and regulatory requirements. What are EHS Guidelines and Procedures? EHS guidelines and procedures are a set of rules and instructions designed to help organisations manage their EHS responsibilities. They provide a framework for identifying and controlling hazards, managing risks, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions with sustainable technology

Sustainable Technology Solutions: Pioneering a Greener Future

As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, organisations are embracing sustainable technology solutions to contribute to a greener future.Heavy industries, such as the oil and gas sector, are facing various Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) problems. These concerns are already affecting how companies operate and interact with the public, making sustainable technologies vital in this day and age.Organisations like Magellan X are spearheading sustainable technology and revolutionising industries and worksites through their Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) solutions. From reducing waste and conserving energy, to optimising operations and promoting employee safety, these sustainable technology solutions are integrative and innovative in their approach.Key Takeaways: Sustainable technology solutions are of growing importance in the modern world, and are used to meet EHS standards in the Oil, Gas, Maritime, and other heavy industries. Solutions such as Magellan X enable organisations to optimise their operations and reduce waste, leading to better sustainability. Adopting sustainable technology can help companies increase their reputation as sustainable industry leaders, and gain trust from customers, investors, and the public. What is Sustainable Technology? Sustainable technology is technology that promotes environmental and social responsibility. It prioritises the well-being of individuals and communities, and involves the use of technological developments that attempt to minimise the impact of human activities on the environment.For example, initiatives such as renewable energy or electric vehicles fall under sustainable technology, and are intended to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impacts.The concept of "sustainability" involves close cooperation between multiple industries, blending health, safety, security, environment, and social performance, combined with technical and commercial considerations.In Singapore, sustainability efforts are a high priority, with multiple government initiatives such as the Singapore Green Plan 2030 being present across industries. The usage of technology to support this sustainability strategy is of utmost importance.How does technology help sustainability?Technology plays a crucial role in achieving sustainability goals by providing tools and systems that promote responsible practices, reduce environmental impact, and foster continuous improvement in various industries. Embracing sustainable technology solutions such as those by Magellan X offers several significant advantages:1. Improves operational efficiencySustainable technology solutions, such as those offered by Magellan X, are instrumental in helping organizations optimize their operations. By minimizing resource consumption, reducing waste, and streamlining processes, these solutions drive operational efficiency to new heights. These improvements not only contribute to a reduced environmental footprint but also translate into cost savings and enhanced productivity.2. Ensure Compliance with EHS standards & regulationsIn today's business landscape, adherence to Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) is tightening constantly. It's essential for organizations to maintain a safe working environment and minimize their impact on the natural world. Sustainable technology plays a pivotal role in helping businesses meet these standards. By implementing effective monitoring and control systems, such as SOL-X's Crew Protect by Magellan X, business leaders can ensure compliance with EHS regulations. These systems provide near real-time visibility into safety metrics, enabling businesses to identify and address potential issues before they escalate.3. Enhancing reputation as a sustainable industry leaderAs public awareness and demand for sustainable practices grow, organisations are increasingly scrutinised for their environmental performance. By leveraging solutions like those offered by Magellan X, businesses can not only meet but exceed stakeholder expectations. This commitment to sustainability can differentiate them as industry leaders, enhancing their reputation and fostering trust among customers, investors, and the broader public.Environmentally sustainable technology also serves as a catalyst for organisations to achieve their sustainability objectives by providing innovative solutions that contribute to environmental protection, social responsibility, and economic growth. By embracing these technologies, businesses can reap the benefits and stand out as industry leaders.3 Great Examples of Sustainable Technology1. ecoMax: The Best of Industrial DecarbonisationAs the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, industrial decarbonisation plays a critical role in achieving global emission reduction targets. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption is paramount to achieving net-zero goals. 80% of shipowners agree that net-zero-emission vessels are a necessary development, and Magellan X's ecoMax solution can help owners move towards this goal.Our solutions tackle this challenge using AI, by enabling businesses to analyse their emissions across various industrial sectors. It is designed to enhance environmental management practices and reduce their carbon footprint. By leveraging data-driven analytics and reporting capabilities, ecoMax enables businesses to measure, monitor, and report on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accurately.In particular, ecoMax enhances operational efficiency by providing a single-page interface for self-diagnostic asset monitoring. The system offers automated reporting, advisory services, and optimisation analysis, empowering organisations to benchmark their performance, identify areas for improvement, and streamline operations. Furthermore, ecoMax's tamper-proof carbon emissions certification ensures data integrity and compliance with environmental regulations.2. PROPELLER: Transforming Fleet ManagementEffective inventory management is essential for reducing waste and optimising resource utilisation.Magellan X's PROPELLER solution utilises mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) technology, combined with mobile scanning capabilities, IIoT tracking, and RFID radar technology to streamline inventory management processes.With PROPELLER, organisations can achieve near real-time inventory visibility at their fingertips, significantly reducing the time spent on stock reconciliation and minimising the risk of misplaced or missing parts. Accurate inventory views, ERP synchronisation, and unique IDs linked to all spares reduce excess stock and ensure complete accountability and streamlined operations. Our AI-powered analytics can also find opportunities for bulk orders and inventory aggregation, reducing the need for excess trips and cutting down on emissions.By providing such near real-time inventory data, actionable insights, and smart procurement features, PROPELLER helps organisations minimise waste, improve efficiency, and adhere to sustainability best practices.3. SOL-X: Digitalising Workers’ Health and SafetyDigitalisation and automation can bring both safety and efficiency. With Control Of Work, organisations can make the switch to a digital Permit to Work system. An average vessel uses 39,000 sheets of paper annually for PTW-related tasks. By eliminating the physical paperwork, ships can operate more sustainably on an environmental and operational level, and save 4600 man hours annually on a streamlined work process.Additionally, a major part of sustainability is keeping people in mind. It's necessary for organisations to avoid putting people at risk and impacting lives negatively. There's a level of social responsibility that companies have to meet. As such, health and safety is the responsibility of employers. Using SOL-X's Wearable SmartWatch systems, employees can be safeguarded reliably, fulfilling these obligations.By integrating Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), SOL-X enhances regulatory compliance workflows, incident management capabilities, and near real-time data monitoring. This empowers workers to make informed decisions, reduces risks, and fosters a safer and more sustainable work environment.Challenges & Solutions in Sustainable Digitalisation: How to Approach It at an Enterprise LevelImplementing Sustainable Technology at Scale Problem: When it comes to heavy industries such as Oil & Gas, Maritime, Chemicals, Mining, and Construction, the worksite often spans a massive space that requires professional guidance. Solution: Companies like Magellan X provide onboarding and on-site support. Our dedicated team of engineers support organisations throughout their sustainability journey. Technology solutions such as our PROPELLER service come with professional support. We conduct pre-audits, install the hardware, establish an inventory, and take the time to provide comprehensive training to the users. Providing professional guidance along with the service goes a long way towards creating a sustainable tech solution. Data Privacy and Security Problem: There is a need to balance digitalisation with data privacy and cybersecurity risk management. Cybersecurity risks associated with EHS technology include unauthorised access to sensitive data, software vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers, and potential data breaches that may expose confidential information. Solution: Companies like Magellan X place a strong emphasis on data privacy and security. Our commitment to protecting user data and client confidentiality ensures that sensitive information is safeguarded. User information is encrypted for privacy, and our usage of world-class secure cloud service providers ensures that data has the highest degree of protection. By adhering to the highest standards of information security, and obeying GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) compliance, Magellan X enables organisations to confidently embrace sustainable technology solutions without compromising data integrity or privacy. Sustainable Technology Examples: Implementation in Action Sustainable IT Solutions in the Maritime Industry A Leading Shipping Multinational Company that adopted Magellan X's SOL-X solution was able to cut down on wastage and increase efficiency. They initially suffered from a lack of visibility of workers and the misplacement of physical documents that greatly slowed down work. Manual paperwork was prone to human error and disorganised. Through SOL-X's Control Of Work system, we helped them create a sustainable solution by eliminating the need for paper consumption and enhancing EHS compliance.Additionally, the transition to a digital planning system reduced the average time to work by 44 minutes per Permit To Work (PTW). Workers were able to easily monitor and report on the status of jobs on-site through digital tablets, allowing for faster appraisals and stronger accountability.The SOL-X SmartWatch gave supervisors the ability to monitor the health status of workers, and the Crew Assist feature helped protect them in the event of emergencies. Through innovative SOL-X solutions, the company was able to become more sustainable and look out for the health of workers.Worker Safety in the Energy & Petrochemical IndustriesThe energy and petrochemical industries are constantly striving for sustainable practices to reduce their impact on the environment. Many struggle to meet EHS obligations, and a gap exists between their targets and practices. Sustainable technology can be implemented to resolve this.An example is the Shipping Division of a Major Energy & Petrochemical Company that implemented SOL-X solution by Magellan X. Their initial challenges were difficulty in managing and implementing digitalisation, and promoting worker well-being.We recognised that implementing a Digital Safety Framework might face resistance, so we developed an MoC (Management of Change) strategy with the company to highlight the benefits of this transformation to workers.We also supported Crew Situational Awareness using SOL-X Crew Protect, which provided a monitoring platform that could protect workers and meet EHS obligations. By making use of the Wearable SmartWatch system to monitor the individual status of workers, the heart rate, heat exertion, and noise exposure of workers could be tracked, allowing better situational awareness.Through these means, our sustainable technology solution helped the company take care of worker health and prioritise it under their EHS goals.Join the Sustainable Technology Revolution with Magellan X Solutions Sustainable technology is no longer just a trend, but a necessity for heavy industries. By partnering with Magellan X, your organisation can leverage the power of ecoMax, SOL-X, and PROPELLER to fulfil your Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) obligations and position yourselves as a forward-thinking industry leader committed to building a sustainable future today.
Extracting oil and natural gas products

Optimise Oil and Gas Upstream, Downstream, Midstream Processes

The oil and gas industry is a vital component of the global economy, and is responsible for providing the energy resources that power various aspects of daily life. Due to its unique nature, this industry faces numerous challenges in operational efficiency, safety, and environmental impact.By taking a closer look at each of the Upstream, Downstream, and Midstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, the article aims to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of how these segments can be transformed by innovative EHS solutions. 3 Stages of Oil & Gas: Upstream, Midstream, Downstream The oil and gas (O&G) industry is made out of a complex network. This network can be split into the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors. Upstream refers to the production of oil and gas reserves. This stage involves activities such as the drilling and extraction of petroleum (crude oil) from the ground. Upstream operations play a crucial role in determining the availability of oil and gas resources in global energy markets. Midstream refers to the transportation and inventory management of O&G products. Midstream services include pipeline networks, transport services, and storage facilities. The midstream industry supports the efficient and effective transfer of commodities while mitigating potential bottlenecks. Downstream refers to the final stage that processes raw materials into valuable end products. It involves the production process of refining crude oil and processing natural gas. This stage creates products such as petrol and diesel. Downstream activities are crucial for meeting consumer demand and providing essential materials for other industries. Each stage of the O&G industry faces distinct challenges related to safety, regulatory compliance, environmental impact, and operational efficiency.With the help of comprehensive EHS solutions, companies like Magellan X are providing custom-tailored approaches to address these challenges and bring about positive change in these industries. Upstream Operations: Navigating Hazardous Worksites The upstream sector, responsible for producing crude oil in hazardous environments such as oil refineries, often involves strenuous physical activity and heavy machinery.The hazards and risks in this sector cannot be overstated. In 2021, the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers reported that fatalities and injuries on such worksites were on the rise, with 20 fatalities and a 10% increase (compared to 2020) in recordable injury rate.Magellan X's connected worker platform, SOL-X, can greatly enhance safety in these high-pressure environments. By combining advanced IIoT technology with AI analytics, the SOL-X platform provides near real-time visibility into the status of workers by using the SmartWatch wearable. Specifically, our SmartWatch can measure fatigue, monitor heat stress, and can be used by the workers to call for assistance.By implementing digital solutions such as SOL-X in heavy industries, upstream oil and gas operations can create a safer environment for the workers.Read more: How SOL-X Protects Workers Globally with their Industrial Safety Solutions Midstream Operations: Enhancing Efficiency The midstream sector involves transportation, storage, and distribution, and companies in this sector can greatly benefit from adopting inventory management solutions to increase efficiency.One such solution is Magellan X's PROPELLER, a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) inventory management solution, powered by IIoT technology.PROPELLER uses an RFID tagging system to catalogue spare parts and inventory contents. In the oil and gas industry, this can greatly reduce downtime and improve asset visibility. Other features such as mobile scanning, RFID tracking, and AI-powered analytics empower organisations to streamline inventory management using big data and reduce costs.Read more: The Future of Inventory Management – How IIoT is Changing the GameAnother solution by Magellan X is ecoMax, an analysis tool for industrial decarbonisation. ecoMax is highly compatible with midstream operations, as it aids organisations in engine monitoring, reporting CO2 emissions, and overall sustainability performance. AI-powered analytics help optimise and reduce fuel emissions on the vessel, leading to a lower carbon footprint as part of sustainable business practices. Downstream Operations: Promoting Safety and Compliance The downstream sector involves refining and distributing oil and gas products to end consumers. Safety, compliance, and operational risk management are crucial in downstream operations. As such, advanced technologies can play a big part in ensuring security and regulatory adherence.SOL-X provides robust tools to identify worksite hazards, minimise accidents, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. The Control Of Work system provides a digital platform for task management and data collection. Its simple, streamlined approach encourages workers to comply with rules, manage permits, and check inventories.SOL-X also produces AI-powered, data-driven analytics, which helps organisations identify trends and areas that require improvement. It promotes safer work practices by allowing workers and supervisors to communicate with each other, helping to ensure safety standards are met. Improved worker accountability and situational awareness also help to cut down on safety incidents in the downstream oil and gas sector. Sustainable Solutions in the Oil and Gas Industry with Magellan X Magellan X understands the complexity of the oil and gas industry, and our solutions are designed to seamlessly integrate with existing systems and architecture. Our experienced engineers work together with you to make sure that the systems can fit smoothly into your operations, with tailored solutions for each industry.With our cutting-edge solutions, organisations can navigate industry challenges, achieve their EHS commitments, and contribute to a sustainable and efficient future. From mining in the upstream sector, and transportation in the midstream sector, to oil refining in the downstream sector, Magellan X supports clients at every stage.Explore Magellan X's solutions and contact us today, to witness the transformation of your organisation into a more sustainable, efficient, and responsible industry leader.
AI for Workplace Safety

AI for Workplace Safety: How to Prevent Industrial Hazards in 2023

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has opened up new possibilities for enhancing safety measures and mitigating risks in today's hazardous industrial environments.Today, AI is revolutionising workplace safety by leveraging connected worker platforms, intelligent safety compliance, and data-driven insights to create safer and more efficient industrial ecosystems. By empowering companies to proactively address safety concerns and streamline their operations, AI promises a future where workers can perform their tasks with enhanced security and peace of mind.One such example is the SOL-X solution by Magellan X. By utilising advanced algorithms and sophisticated machine learning techniques, this solution analyses large amounts of data to detect potential hazards, predict equipment failures, and aid in decision-making processes that can improve overall safety standards.In this article, we cover the ways AI can help ensure safety in the workplace, and make sure that workplace accidents are kept to a minimum.Key Takeaways: The emergence of AI technologies offers new possibilities for safety within heavy industries. Through features such as predictive risk mitigation, connected worker platforms, real-time monitoring, and insight-gathering, AI provides safety solutions for various companies. AI use has already helped heavy industries improve their safety procedures and establish a positive culture around employee well-being. What is the Role of AI in Safety Management? AI has been gaining significant attention for its ability to improve workplace safety. Modern features like task automation, data analysis, and the ability to identify potential risks can help organisations cut down on human error.As reported by EMSA and other safety professionals, this human error causes 66% of marine incidents and casualties. Even more severe is the finding that 80% of accidents in the petrochemical industry are caused by human error. AI can therefore be the key to reducing workplace injuries— handling and monitoring dangerous tasks, and contributing to the training and skill development of employees. How Can AI Enable a Safer Industrial Workplace? 1. AI-Driven Predictive Risk MitigationIn the pursuit of a safer industrial workplace, AI technology is playing a pivotal role. By integrating AI with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors and wearable devices such as the SOL-X Smartwatch, organisations can predict and prevent workplace hazards before they occur. AI-powered systems can take in huge amounts of data, identify patterns, and detect anomalies, allowing safety managers to proactively address potential risks. The usage of these risk mitigation services contributes greatly towards occupational safety and health by reducing human error and forecasting threats.2. AI-Powered Connected Worker PlatformsConnected worker platforms are collections of technology that keep workers linked to systems in near real time. They're able to provide employees with the latest safety insights and guide them while on the job. Solutions like SOL-X are integrated with various connectivity platforms such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Long-Range Bluetooth, which facilitates seamless communication between workers and supervisors. Workers are able to connect to the Live Dashboards that we provide, and receive safety alerts to enhance their situational awareness at all times. This ability to collaborate with colleagues can greatly reduce response time in emergency situations, leading to increased safety.3. AI-Assisted Intelligent Safety ComplianceSafety risks are inevitable in hazardous industries, but organisations and regulatory bodies are doing their best to create a safe environment for workers. As of September 2022, there were 36 fatalities in workplaces, and Singapore's Ministry of Manpower held a safety timeout for organisations to review their procedures, which highlights the growing importance of establishing better worksite safety standards. Using AI-enabled systems like SOL-X Control Of Work, organisations can simplify their compliance processes through automated data collection, analysis, and reporting, which reduces human error that might otherwise occur while conducting manual compliance processes.4. Advanced Incident Response and ManagementAI technologies enable near real-time monitoring of workplace activities through computer vision and smart sensors. These systems can detect unsafe behaviour, unauthorised access, and potential hazards, triggering immediate alerts to relevant personnel. One example is our SOL-X Geofencing system, where dangerous areas can be marked out virtually. Workers who enter these areas are immediately alerted, allowing them to maintain caution, and allowing their supervisors to keep track of them in lone worker scenarios. AI-enabled incident response and management systems also optimise emergency response efforts, expedite evacuation procedures, and ensure efficient coordination among response teams.5. Data-Driven Insights for Continuous ImprovementAI algorithms can analyse large datasets collected from various sources. These algorithms can take in incident reports, records from safety inspections, and worker feedback. By extracting actionable insights, organisations can identify trends, root causes of accidents, and areas for improvement, and even help preempt accidents or incidents from happening. These data-driven insights help develop targeted safety training programs, implement preventive measures, and continuously enhance safety protocols for long-term risk reduction. Industry-Specific AI Use Cases Employee Safety in the Maritime Industry The integration of AI in the maritime industry has led to significant improvements in safety and efficiency. SOL-X by Magellan X is a solution that utilises AI-powered wearable technology, and has already enhanced the safety and productivity of several enterprises.One Leading Ship Manager was faced with the need to enhance its Safety Management System (SMS) assurance and compliance. They faced lagging safety indicators and an excessive amount of paperwork that led to constant errors. Fortunately, our system provided them with the improved and automated workflow that they required, leveraging AI-powered solutions to improve their health and safety management.After implementing SOL-X, about 60 minutes per Permit To Work (PTW) were saved, adding up to 12 hours a day, and 4000 hours a year. The addition of a Crew Assist feature has been able to aid workers in emergency situations and assures their safety when working alone. By implementing the SOL-X solution, industrial businesses can now streamline their processes and conduct more efficient risk assessments, allowing their vessels to meet occupational health and safety compliance requirements. Keeping Workers Safe in the Petrochemical Industry SOL-X has also partnered with a Leading ESG company that manages wastewater and promotes sustainability. Our safety solution was integrated into their treatment plant, in order to utilise AI in workplace safety and resolve some of the pressing issues they were experiencing. Issues faced by the treatment plant included a suboptimal safety culture, low situational awareness and visibility among workers, and a lack of workflow control. By using SOL-X to improve safety, the treatment plant benefited from Worker Well-being Tracking and GeoFence tracking. Our SmartWatch technology kept track of worker fitness by monitoring their heart rate and exposure to heat stress, allowing workers and supervisors to keep track of their status. The GeoFence alert improves situational awareness by letting workers know whenever they've entered hazardous environments, allowing them to stay vigilant These AI-driven solutions created a safer workplace and helped prevent accidents within the treatment plant. Applying such technology to the Petrochemical Industry can help prevent accidents and serious injuries. Discover the Future of Workplace Safety with SOL-X The landscape of workplace safety is undergoing a significant transformation, thanks to AI technology, as exemplified by SOL-X by Magellan X. We're using cutting-edge tech to help organisations actively create safer working environments, whilst ensuring the well-being of their employees. By implementing intelligent solutions in hazardous industries, AI is proving to be an invaluable tool in industrial risk mitigation.Don't miss out on an opportunity to equip your organisation with the advanced AI capabilities our systems offer, and pave the way for an efficient and secure work environment. Step into a safer future—explore SOL-X today.
connected worker technology, connected worker software

Connected Worker Platform for Hazardous Industries (2023)

The heavy industry has been steadily evolving to keep up with new technologies. During this advancement, the rise of the connected worker is becoming increasingly apparent. A connected worker is an employee who makes use of technology to integrate themselves into their work environment. They engage with devices and software that can keep them linked to systems and facilitate work. By leveraging new technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), workers can perform their duties more safely and efficiently. For instance, workers on a maritime vessel or factory could use a wearable mobile device to monitor their health and safety conditions in near real-time. The device then feeds information back to a larger system, creating a connected worker platform. A connected workforce is rapidly becoming integral to the heavy industries sector, and establishing a connected worker platform can have a huge impact on your business productivity and safety. What is a Connected Worker Platform? A connected worker platform is a digital infrastructure that integrates various technologies to support connected workers in their duties. Common features of a connected worker platform include: Near Real-Time Data Monitoring: Enables immediate insights into operational conditions, supporting quick decision-making. Health and Safety Tracking: Uses IIoT devices to monitor worker vitals and environmental hazards, ensuring a safer workspace. Remote Communication: Facilitates seamless information exchange between workers and management, fostering collaboration. Predictive Analytics: Applies AI to predict potential issues or risks, allowing proactive management and continuous improvement. Location Tracking: Offers near real-time location data for workers and assets, improving resource allocation and emergency response. Why Use a Connected Worker Platform? Challenges of Standalone Devices Standalone mobile devices, while holding their own benefits, fall short when it comes to providing a holistic view of data. They lack seamless integration and easy communication, since they have to be managed on a per-device basis. On the other hand, a connected worker platform aggregates all its benefits into one comprehensive solution. Here are five key use cases for employing such a platform: Enhanced Safety: Workplace injuries and deaths cost nearly $165 billion a year. Platforms like SOL-X offer near real-time health and safety tracking, reducing the risk of workplace accidents and improving worker well-being. Multi-Protocol Connectivity: Compatibility with major connectivity protocols like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Long-Range Bluetooth is a key feature of connected worker technology like SOL-X. This compatibility enables seamless data transmission, real-time monitoring, and efficient communication between devices and systems. With these capabilities, modern solutions like SOL-X is able to provide health and safety tracking, facilitate remote communication, and enable predictive risk management—all with minimal disruptions. Lastly, critical information can be shared in near real time, and supervisors can deploy digital work instructions with ease. Operational Efficiency: By enabling near real-time data monitoring and predictive analytics, these platforms allow companies to optimise their operations and reduce wastage. Avoiding inefficiency and optimising operations can save a business $300 million a year. Predictive Risk Management: Through the application of AI, connected worker platforms can predict potential issues or risks. This foresight allows for proactive management and mitigation of risks, enhancing overall operational reliability. Effective Asset Management: Location tracking capabilities of a connected worker platform provide near real-time location data for workers and assets. This not only improves resource allocation but also allows for swift emergency response, further ensuring the safety and efficiency of operations. This type of enhancement can reduce contractor costs and maintenance spending by 10 to 15%. Top Trending Connected Worker Technology & Software Connected worker technology is a rapidly growing trend in various industries. Hazardous environments such as oil rigs, mines, and construction sites benefit the most from it. Such technology involves the use of digital interfaces, IIoT devices, and other advanced tools to enhance worker safety, productivity, and communication. Demand for this trending technology is soaring due to its potential to increase the efficiency and safety of operations significantly. Here are some devices that are seeing more and more use in recent years, and helping businesses reach new heights. 1. Digital Interfaces Digital interfaces are a key trend in connected worker technology. These interfaces include live Dashboards and mobile tablet interfaces. They provide a user-friendly platform for workers to interact with the system, access near real-time data, and perform their tasks more efficiently. A prime example of this trend is the SOL-X Control Of Work system. We developed this system with a range of digital interfaces designed to streamline workflows, ensure on-site compliance, enhance efficiency, and improve safety. Our Live Dashboards offer a near real-time overview of the work site, allowing our supervisors to monitor operations and make informed decisions. The mobile tablet interface we have implemented enables our workers to access the necessary information and perform their tasks from anywhere on the work site. Moreover, we have incorporated automation tools into our system that removes the need for paper-based processes. This not only reduces the risk of errors but also saves time and resources, contributing to our overall operational efficiency. 2. IIoT Devices IIoT devices are a crucial component of connected worker technology. These devices usually take the form of wireless Bluetooth beacons, and are placed at strategic points in the workplace to pick up signals. This forms a web of connections that transmit to other smart devices like smartwatches. These IIoT devices are becoming increasingly popular in various industries due to their ability to enhance safety and efficiency. For instance, in a ship, SOL-X Connected Worker Health and Safety Solution uses beacons to provide near real-time location tracking of workers, helping to prevent accidents and ensure a quicker response in case of emergencies. These devices also facilitate data sharing among workers, supervisors, and other stakeholders. This can lead to improved decision-making, better coordination of tasks, and ultimately, enhanced productivity and safety outcomes. 3. Wearables Mobile and wearable devices are becoming increasingly popular due to the ease with which they can upgrade a worker's connectivity. Products such as SOL-X's Intrinsically Safe SmartWatch can provide an individual user with a wide range of functions. These devices can collect data on workers' health, send alerts regarding their surroundings, and allow them to contact others. Additionally, the SmartWatch is ATEX certified and equipped with a wide range of health vitals and environmental sensors. The SOL-X SmartWatch is a powerful tool for enhancing worker safety and productivity in energy, industrial, and maritime sectors. By providing near real-time health and environmental data, our device allows for proactive safety measures and immediate response to potential health risks. 4. Cloud Computing Systems Cloud computing systems are a key trend in the connected worker technology landscape. These systems store and process large amounts of data in a secure and efficient manner, enabling real-time analytics and decision-making. SOL-X is delivered to customers through a Software as a Service (SaaS) Cloud model and an On-Premise Edge Server model. This means that our system can be accessed and managed remotely, making it a flexible solution for diverse industrial settings. Additionally, SOL-X uses world-class secure cloud service providers such as Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. These providers have implemented comprehensive security measures to ensure and maintain the security of their infrastructure, and have committed to adhering to rigorous security and compliance standards. This quality assurance ensures the security and reliability of our SOL-X system. Case Studies of a Connected Workforce Integrating our connected worker solutions into their production processes has helped several large companies achieve operational excellence. Here are some ways businesses use connected technologies to improve worker safety and increase productivity. Maritime In the maritime sector, SOL-X Connected Worker Health and Safety Solution was implemented by a leading shipping multinational company. The company faced challenges such as: A lack of visibility of individual crew members The loss of important documents due to human error Difficulty in finding the right party for task approval onboard SOL-X's Control Of Work system streamlined and optimised the overall workflow, reducing the average time to work by about 44 minutes per Permit To Work (PTW). Through establishing a Connected Worker Platform, the system improved quality control and execution of tasks onboard, enhanced compliance, and promoted proactive crew behaviour and accountability. The SOL-X SmartWatch provided GeoFencing capabilities, enabling hazardous areas to be marked out, and alerting workers when they were in danger zones. The SmartWatch also improved worker well-being, providing ambient heat index readings and heart rate alerts, and encouraging personal fitness tracking. Petrochemical In the petrochemical industry, SOL-X was implemented in a leading wastewater treatment plant. The plant faced challenges such as: An inadequate safety culture Low operational visibility and lone worker monitoring A lack of situational awareness among workers SOL-X provided near real-time visibility of worker location and Control Of Work operations monitoring. Through GeoFence alerts, workers were kept aware of their surroundings, enabling them to remain in a fit state through connected wellness features and fatigue management. The wearable SOL-X SmartWatch allowed workers to stay aware of the heat, keep track of their heart rate, and manage their work-rest hours. The SmartWatch also detected higher incidences of heat stress in zones like the Dryer Room. It then provided insights into infrastructure improvements such as where Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) should be placed. Embrace the Future of Safety with SOL-X Connected worker technology is revolutionising the way heavy industries operate. By integrating digital interfaces, IIoT devices, wearable technology, and cloud computing systems, our solutions are empowering workers to make use of digital transformation on the work site. SOL-X, our connected worker platform, is at the forefront of this revolution. It has a comprehensive suite of features, including our Control Of Work, Crew Protect, and SmartWatch systems. Whether you operate in the maritime, petrochemical, mining, or offshore industries, we can help you meet your health, safety, and environmental obligations using our connected worker approach. Don't wait to make your workplace safer and more efficient. Establish a connected worker platform with our SOL-X Connected Worker Health and Safety Solution today. Download this article here.
Inventory management best practices in 2023

5 Essential Inventory Management Best Practices in 2023

Inventory management plays a critical role in the overall success of heavy industries.In recent times, more businesses are going digital with their inventory management process. Companies are now leveraging advanced technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices for real-time tracking of inventory. Moreover, methods such as predictive analytics are being used to forecast demand and optimise inventory levels, helping to ensure that resources are efficiently allocated.In order to keep up with these developing technologies, businesses need to remain up-to-date and ensure they carry out these best practices.Standing at the forefront of this is Magellan X, a company that offers purpose-built DeepTech solutions to help companies in heavy industries that are struggling to digitalise. By harnessing the power of IIoT devices and AI-powered analytics, we help businesses gain real-time insights into their inventory levels. This allows them to make data-driven decisions that optimise their supply chains while minimising their environmental impact.What is Inventory Management?Inventory management is the process of ordering, storing, tracking, and accounting for a company's goods. The intent is to meet customer demands efficiently and effectively. Industries such as maritime, petrochemical, mining, and offshore operations rely heavily on effective inventory management for smooth operations.Benefits of Inventory ManagementCost Reduction: Effective inventory management allows companies to reduce carrying costs, avoid running out of stock, and minimise lost margins from markdowns and expedited shipping. These cost savings are crucial in heavy industries like oil & gas, maritime, chemicals, and mining.Enhanced Efficiency: With proper inventory management, companies can streamline operations. In industries like offshore facilities, timing is critical, and properly managed stock will prevent disruptions. This ensures the efficiency of high-value operations.Improved Customer Satisfaction: In maritime and petrochemical sectors, effective inventory management ensures prompt fulfilment of customer orders, thus enhancing customer satisfaction. Better satisfaction leads to increased customer demand, and larger profits for a business.Challenges of Inventory ManagementDemand Forecasting: Accurate demand forecasting is essential to avoid stock shortages or an excess of inventory. In industries like mining and offshore operations, this can be especially challenging due to volatile market conditions or weather disruptions affecting the demand and supply chain.Maintaining Inventory Visibility: Maintaining real-time visibility into inventory levels is critical for industries that operate globally. Shipping internationally can complicate tracking goods as they are moved across facilities. Inventory visibility is a constant issue among suppliers, but this can be solved using best practices and modern technology systems.Supply Chain Management: Ensuring efficient supply chain management is vital for heavy industries like mining, where disruptions in the supply chain can lead to delays in production and increased costs. Effective inventory management plays a significant role in mitigating these risks.What are the Best Practices for Inventory Management?Best practices in inventory management enable companies to have accurate stock records, improve efficiency and become more competitive, reducing unnecessary expenses. It also helps to track inventory figures and enables easy warehouse management, as long as you make the right software investment choices.1. Invest in Inventory Management TechnologyInvesting in robust inventory management technology is essential for successful inventory management. Using tools to eliminate paper processes and increase efficiency can lead to huge returns for your business.PROPELLER by Magellan X is a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) inventory management solution that brings Intrinsically Safe portable scanning tablets to your warehouse. Our AI/ML-powered cloud solution provides near real-time inventory data and actionable insights, allowing for inventory to be tracked remotely.2. Use Inventory Management Tools that Integrate with Your Other SolutionsSeamless integration with your existing business tools is a necessity for effective inventory management. This allows you to improve your systems with minimal disruptions to your business operations.PROPELLER's RFID Mobile Scanner is compatible with a range of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, enabling standardisation across inventory management platforms. In addition, our mobile tablet synchronises data with your PMS automatically, facilitating smoother and more efficient inventory tracking.Your existing infrastructure doesn't become obsolete with PROPELLER. Instead, our inventory management software adds to the groundwork you have already laid.3. Track All Product InformationAccurately tracking product information is necessary for effective stock control.PROPELLER offers AI-powered analytics that monitors consumption and usage. Our service also provides a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS), allowing you to ensure transparency throughout the ordering process.By monitoring your inventory and remaining aware of your products, you can avoid losing track of items and causing inefficiency.4. Audit InventoryRegular inventory audits are essential to maintain accurate records and detect potential discrepancies in your inventory.PROPELLER has a range of features that simplify the auditing process. Our RFID Mobile Scanner helps you keep track of parts and prevents misplacement. Through IIoT technology, parts can be reliably found within minutes.For shorter-range operations, QR tags are available to be placed on items. These provide unique IDs and storage locations for 100% of your inventory, ensuring that your next audit goes on without a hitch.For even longer-range usage, PROPELLER has long-range RFID beacons that can monitor cargo when it is in transit. These tools can help you remain aware of your own stock, and you can manage inventory without any fuss.5. Comply with Best Environmental PracticesIn today's eco-conscious world, adhering to environmental best practices is more important than ever. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is making efforts to battle climate change, and global efforts are underway to curb emissions in the shipping industry.With PROPELLER, you can participate in carbon-conscious inventory management by reducing the need for unnecessary transport and orders. Our system reduces an average of 30% of excess stock when used, and our AI analytics are constantly on the lookout for bulk-order opportunities, saving you an extra shipment that might enlarge your carbon footprint.How to Choose the Right Inventory Management SystemWhen selecting the right inventory management system for your business, it is important to consider several factors that align with your industry-specific needs. Here are a few tips to help you make the best choice.Assess whether the system is scalable and customisable to your sector. Various industries have different needs, so be sure to pursue a solution that can fit your requirements. For example, PROPELLER has various functions that can benefit the petrochemical, maritime, offshore, and mining sectors, using different combinations of its scanners, RFID tablets, and analytics Dashboards.Prioritise functionality. Ensure that the inventory management system offers features that directly address the emerging trends and pain points within your industry. In the case of PROPELLER, it includes features that aid in general inventory management, such as real-time stock visibility, order consolidation, and smart procurement. These capabilities prioritise efficiency, cost optimisation, and compliance with industry regulations.Ensure it can integrate with existing systems and data sources. Verify that the inventory management software is compatible with your current technology infrastructure and can be integrated into your workflows without much hassle. PROPELLER, for instance, is designed to be compatible with various systems in the maritime sector, so integration becomes a seamless process.Lastly, consider the quality of customer support and future upgrades provided by the system vendor. A responsive and knowledgeable support team will help ensure that any issues encountered with the software are resolved promptly. Furthermore, regular software updates addressing new industry trends and requirements play a vital role in maintaining the long-term effectiveness of the system.By keeping these factors in mind, you can select an inventory management system like PROPELLER, which offers a range of features tailored to meet the unique challenges of this sector.Elevate Your Inventory Management with PROPELLER by Magellan XIn an ever-changing world, businesses operating in heavy industries face increasing challenges in inventory management. The need for up-to-date, efficient, and sustainable solutions is undeniably crucial. By adopting innovative technologies that align with best practices, organisations can streamline their inventory management processes and enhance overall performance.Platforms like PROPELLER can help companies improve their efficiency, reduce waste, adhere to these best practices, and promote environmentally responsible operations. Don't let your inventory management fall behind—find out more about PROPELLER to elevate your organisation's inventory management practices today.Download this article here.
Important inventory management trends to keep up with customer demand

The Future of Inventory Management – How IIoT is Changing the Game

Inventory management has always been a crucial aspect of successful business operations. Its importance has been magnified like never before in the wake of the global pandemic. Losses from improper inventory management cost retailers $1.75 trillion of losses annually, due to over-stocking and under-stocking.With unprecedented disruptions to supply chains, businesses across industries have been forced to reevaluate and innovate their inventory management practices. One thing is clear—the future of inventory management lies in leveraging advanced technologies, particularly the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).IIoT is transforming the very fabric of inventory management, introducing new levels of efficiency, accuracy, and visibility. One tool at the forefront of this technological revolution is Magellan X's PROPELLER.PROPELLER offers real-time tracking and AI-driven insights, enabling businesses to better anticipate demand, reduce waste, and ensure the smooth running of their supply chains. As the rate of change accelerates, our solutions aren't just enhancing inventory management; they are reinventing it.Here are some ways businesses have been pursuing sustainability and efficiency, and how PROPELLER has been helping in the process.The Latest Advancements in Inventory ManagementImpact of IIoT on Real-Time Tracking and Inventory VisibilityIn the ever-complex landscape of inventory management, making use of IIoT can simplify things significantly. Solutions like PROPELLER are utilising these methods to transform the way businesses track and manage their inventory. With our unique RFID tagging system, we enable businesses to monitor the status of spare parts and assets in real time.For short-range usage, PROPELLER provides QR tags that can be uniquely linked to items in an inventory. Long-range usage comes in the form of an attached beacon, which can be tracked remotely to make sure it is never lost.Engineers can then quickly identify, tag, and check-in parts with a mobile tablet, reducing time spent searching for misplaced items. By offering a bird's eye view of assets through a unified IIoT, our solution streamlines inventory management, improves visibility, and enhances operational efficiency. Properly managing inventory is key to keeping your operations successful.Leveraging AI and ML AnalyticsOur research has found that 80% of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) have inaccurate data analytics, and commonly stock excess spare parts. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) has ushered in a new era of data-driven decision making, which can easily resolve these inaccuracies.With PROPELLER, companies can leverage AI and ML analytics to not only track assets, but also anticipate future demand. By interpreting patterns and trends in data, it can forecast inventory needs accurately, helping businesses maintain optimal stock levels, reduce holding costs, and avoid downtime. Businesses have found that using AI forecasting, such as what PROPELLER offers, can reduce supply chain errors by 30-40%, preventing disruptions and monetary loss in industries like warehousing and shipping.Advantages of Cloud-Based Inventory Management The cloud has revolutionised many facets of business operations, and inventory management is no exception. Singapore is already ahead of the curve, possessing the largest public cloud market size in Southeast Asia in 2021.Cloud-based systems offer the advantage of anytime-anywhere access to real-time inventory data. This, coupled with the ability to integrate with other business systems, allows for informed decision-making and efficient operations.PROPELLER offers a comprehensive, on-the-go view of inventory across multiple locations through our cloud connection. By placing inventory data right at the fingertips of decision-makers, we help you ensure timely and effective responses to changing inventory dynamics, further driving efficiency and sustainability.Sustainability and Efficiency in Business OperationsEnvironmental consciousness is being heightened constantly, and businesses are aiming to integrate sustainability into their operations. As such, many organisations are trying to implement green practices and create sustainable cycles for industries such as maritime shipping.Inventory management, often linked to considerable carbon emissions due to transportation and overstocking, suffers from a lack of sustainability. Our research has found that Heavy Industries miss roughly $100k worth of procurement opportunities per site annually.This is where IIoT solutions like PROPELLER come into play. By providing real-time visibility and predictive analytics, PROPELLER enables businesses to maintain optimal inventory levels. This reduces the need for emergency shipments and cuts down on waste from obsolete or excess stock.Our data analytics also help detect bulk ordering opportunities, helping to ensure that fewer shipments are made. This can significantly reduce your business' carbon footprint and contribute to global sustainability goals, all while realising cost savings and efficiency gains.Addressing Industry-Specific ChallengesEach industry comes with its unique challenges in pursuing digital solutions. We have found that many businesses suffer from a lack of standardisation in inventory management systems, and have inaccurate data. The mining industry has seen a global decline in productivity, which is attributed to the slow rate of digital adoption, and the maritime industry is faced with environmental concerns over carbon emissions caused by shipping.As a service that utilises IIoT, PROPELLER is specifically designed to address these industry-specific challenges. We offer tailored solutions that cater to the unique needs and operational contexts of different sectors, including maritime, oil and gas, warehouse, and mining.Through an onboarding and training process, we ensure that our digital solutions are installed on worksites and vessels, and that crews are comprehensively trained by our experts. The carbon footprint of maritime shipping is reduced by our data analytics, which display opportunities to reduce transportation costs and maintain efficiency.By providing real-time tracking, efficient spare parts management, and AI-driven demand forecasting, PROPELLER helps industries keep up with advanced solutions, lower their carbon footprint, and ensure accuracy of their inventory management.PROPELLER - The Future of Inventory Management through IIoT In the rapidly evolving world of inventory management, keeping pace with emerging trends and technological developments is a necessity. IIoT solutions like PROPELLER are at the forefront of this digital transformation, helping businesses stay efficient, sustainable, and competitive.We offer an array of benefits, from real-time tracking and predictive analytics, to cloud-based access and industry-specific solutions that address the critical needs of businesses in the modern age.The importance of efficient inventory management will only continue to grow. Leverage the power of IIoT and solutions like PROPELLER to stay ahead, and step into the future of inventory management today. Download this article here.
ship, vessel, marine environment, marine industry

What is a Vessel Safety Management System? (Maritime & Shipping)

In 2012, the Costa Concordia ship was grounded in an accident that resulted in the deaths of 26 passengers and 4 crew members. In 2007, marine vessel Cosco Busan experienced an collision that released approximately 54,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay. The common grounds for these accidents were inadequate Safety Management Systems and failure to comply with the ISM code. As such, proper procedures must be in place to mitigate such incidents. Vessel Safety Management Systems play a crucial role in risk management and environmental protection. This article covers how they can reduce potential risks and improve safety for maritime workers. What is a Ship Safety Management System? A ship Safety Management System is an organised system of operational procedures and mandatory safety rules which safeguard the vessel and the maritime environment. It ensures that ship owners and crew comply with international safety regulations and those established by relevant government authorities. Safety Management Systems should document health and safety considerations, important policies, and emergency response procedures. It should also cover crew member training and proper vessel maintenance. Safety management involves determining the root causes of all maritime incidents, near misses, and non-conformities, whether major or minor. From there, a company should take corrective and proactive actions to prevent any recurrences of accidents. Is a Safety Management System Required Under ISM Code? The International Safety Management Code is the standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention. Under the ISM code, a Safety Management System is a legal requirement for every ship, both private and commercial vessels. The ISM code requires shipping companies to conduct internal and external audits for each vessel. The audits are to verify whether the Safety Management System of the ship complies with ISM requirements and that routines on board match the implemented procedures. If all the necessary criteria are met, the vessel receives a safety management certificate which verifies that a proper system is in place to ensure safety. What are the Common Features of a Safety Management System? The majority of EMSA safety recommendations comprise ship-related procedures and human factors—45.5% and 21.6%, respectively. Safety Management Systems thus emphasise safe operations and practices as well as emergency procedures. Here are 3 standard features of a vessel Safety Management System: 1. Implements safety standards and procedures on the worksite A Safety Management System sets the standards for operations and communications on a worksite. Establishing guidelines for workplace safety culture can reduce the occurrence of preventable accidents. These can include supervision of tasks and skills training. As part of a Safety Management System, SOL-X Control Of Work allows easy worker supervision with user, time, and location stamp verification. It ensures that supervisors can identify the RIGHT person, at the RIGHT time, in the RIGHT location.​ Furthermore, with SOL-X Crew Protect, companies can set better safety standards by enabling workers to access health analytics such as their work/rest hours. With this data, they can proactively manage their workload and resources, providing preemptive intervention against worker fatigue. 2. Improves operation safety within maritime facilities Safe operations reduce the risks of accidents to safeguard the vessel and each and every crew member. On an individual level, wearing protective clothing and personal protective equipment is necessary. There is also a need for safety equipment, proper anchoring of heavy loads, and procedures to ensure safe movement around the vessel. On top of physical equipment, companies can explore digital solutions. SOL-X Control Of Work boosts existing Safety Management Systems by including an integrated mobile interface that streamlines Permits To Work. This feature zooms in on specific workers who are working in confined spaces, physically isolated, or engaging in hot work such as welding. It ensures workers are authorised for specific tasks in those potentially hazardous conditions. 3. Includes concrete emergency plans and procedures A Safety Management System ensures crew members receive regular training through drills and exercises for emergencies. A ship should also have its safety and environmental policies displayed in an accessible location on board, where they can be easily seen and reviewed. Familiarising themselves with emergency procedures enables crew members to respond effectively to potential incidents. A quick emergency response time can save lives in a crisis situation such as a fire, abandon ship, or man overboard. With SOL-X Crew Protect, existing Safety Management Systems can now be enhanced with Broadcast Message alerts that enable the crew to communicate with workers on the ground in case of an emergency. This solution also equips workers with their own SmartWatch with a “Crew Assist” function which they can use to alert their supervisors if they are in any danger. What is the Purpose of Safety Management Systems in Maritime Sectors? There were a total of 2,637 marine casualties in 2021. Maritime workers face unpredictable, high-risk environments out at sea. The job also involves working with dangerous equipment and chemicals that could cause fatal injuries if improperly handled. The safety and security of crew members are essential not just for individual well-being but also for the protection of the vessel and everyone on board. A Safety Management System focuses on tackling the root cause of maritime accidents, emphasising risk prevention rather than 'cure.' Here are 3 benefits of having a proper vessel Safety Management System: 1. Improves communication and efficiency Safety Management Systems ensure information is disseminated efficiently to update workers on worksite procedures and conditions. Good workplace communications are essential to manage risks and facilitate collaboration between workers on board, regardless of location. For instance, the ISM code requires every ship to have a designated person ashore (DPA). The DPA provides a direct link between the company and those on board to support safe operations on the vessel. As part of a Safety Management System, SOL-X Control Of Work also takes the groundwork out of Permits To Work. With automated workflows and a portable interface to Work On The Go, it eliminates the need for manual paperwork, encouraging compliance and increasing work efficiency. 2. Saves costs While implementing more safety procedures might involve more expenses, Safety Management Systems ultimately save costs for shipping companies by improving productivity and resource management. An organised system of operations ensures that trained workers uphold high standards of quality and safety. By avoiding potential safety risks, companies also avoid incurring uninsured financial losses. In 2020, the costs of work injuries added up to $163.9 billion. This figure included wage and productivity loss, medical expenses, and administrative costs. 3. Predict dangers On top of alerting dangers, Safety Management Systems can also predict possible risks. When out at sea for long periods of time, it is important to monitor if a worker is medically fit to work so as to prevent occupational diseases. For instance, as part of a Safety Management System, the SOL-X SmartWatch tracks health vitals, including heat stress exposure, coronary stress, heart rates, and more. This data collected can help to predict which workers' well-being is in potential danger. Boost Your Vessel Safety Management with SOL-X Worker Safety Solution With the hazardous nature of the industry, maritime companies must not leave the safety of their workers up to chance. Proper technology and software can get you up to speed on modern maritime safety standards. As part of a Safety Management System, SOL-X solution can provide the resources to enhance maritime operations and procedures. Ensuring a vessel runs smoothly helps create a safer environment for everyone on board.
learn the benefits of esg

The 3 Big Reasons Why Your Company Should Care About ESG

ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategy is not a niche or a fad. McKinsey reports that more than 90% of S&P 500 companies now publish ESG reports, as do approximately 70% of Russell 1000 companies. Companies that pay attention to ESG factors do not experience a drag on value creation—quite the opposite. If your company does not have an ESG strategy yet, you miss significant opportunities for growth. You might also expose yourself to higher risks of regulatory scrutiny, stakeholder backlash and market disruption. With the right technology and solutions, businesses can achieve their ESG goals effectively and efficiently. Technology can enable you to measure your performance and engage with stakeholders. In this article, we will explain why ESG matters for your business. What is ESG explained in simple terms? ESG can be defined as environmental, social and governance factors that measure a company's sustainability and ethical impact. To be more specific, ESG is a common way to evaluate how a company performs across different aspects. These aspects may directly or indirectly impact a company's sustainability and ethical impact. For example, environmental issues include how a company affects the natural resources and environment. Social issues include how a company interacts with its stakeholders, such as its employees, customers, suppliers and communities. Finally, governance issues include how a company is run and controlled, such as its board structure, executive compensation, shareholder rights, business ethics and transparency. ESG is not just a moral or ethical concept. It is also a financial one. ESG can help investors and stakeholders understand how a company manages the risks and opportunities created by changing environmental, social, and governance conditions. What is the Difference Between ESG & EHS? ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, while EHS stands for Environment, Health, and Safety. ESG principles and EHS refer to different aspects of corporate responsibility. The ESG approach is focused on future planning and policies to align with environmental, social, and governance demands. EHS is more about the operational function of a business and reporting on current practices. EHS policies and practices aim to prevent or mitigate harm by ensuring compliance with environmental criteria and laws. Compliance with EHS regulations is mandatory, but companies can choose whether or not to adopt ESG policies. In terms of implementation, EHS policies focus on environmental protection (such as reducing emissions) and employee safety to avoid penalties. In contrast, ESG strategies aim to make positive changes, such as improving working conditions and increasing diversity. Why is ESG More Important than Ever? 3 Big Reasons For Your Business ESG considerations are on the rise, especially in the Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Mining, and Shipping industries. For example, Deloitte reports that even though the shipping industry represents only 1.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, companies are taking several actions to reduce their carbon footprint out at sea. Here are the three big reasons why these businesses are now focusing on ESG: 1. Competitive advantage ESG can help you gain a competitive edge by attracting investors, customers, and talent who value sustainability and ethics. ESG can also help you tap into new markets, products and services that address environmental and social needs, such as clean energy, circular economy or social impact investing. According to Bureau Veritas, companies that engage with their local communities can deliver a win-win outcome that supports their ESG goals and provides long-term value creation. By offering sustainable investing, you also give customers a reason to invest in your business. 2. Risk management ESG can help you anticipate and comply with evolving regulations and standards on environmental and social issues, avoiding fines, lawsuits or reputational damage. For example, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering new rules that would require more detailed disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions. To comply with such regulations, companies can tap into the latest decarbonisation technologies such as Magellan X's ecoMax software to measure and report ESG performance, track progress, identify gaps and opportunities, and communicate impact to their stakeholders. 3. Innovation ESG can stimulate innovation when companies invest in new technologies that reduce environmental impact or improve efficiency. Andrew Poreda, an ESG research analyst, shares that ESG investing will likely encourage many oil and gas companies to spend more money on research and development (on technologies involving AI, machine learning, renewable energy, and more), which will enable them to survive even when the world transitions away from fossil fuels. In addition, technologies like SOL-X, a connected worker platform, contribute to innovation by reducing paper waste and ensuring safety compliance. Are There Disadvantages of ESG? While ESG practices have clear benefits for the company, there are also some disadvantages. 1. Greenwashing One downside is the prevalence of "greenwashing," which can make it challenging to identify genuinely sustainable companies. Many companies use dishonest marketing tactics to persuade consumers and investors that they have a positive impact, making it the investor's responsibility to research public records and evaluate the company's sustainability. 2. Focusing only on compliance The compliance-oriented approach is when companies only highlight their adherence to regulations and critical issues in their ESG programme. This approach gives an impression of reactivity and a lack of initiative to surpass the minimum requirements. Instead, companies should showcase proactive measures to get a competitive advantage and establish themselves as ESG business leaders. Companies must explain their sustainable practices in regions with solid regulations to gain recognition for their high operating standards. 3. Difficulties in measuring international ESG performance Unfortunately, it can be difficult for companies to assess their ESG performance across a global benchmark. Despite the vast amount of other ESG disclosures and data, there are data quality challenges in different regions, particularly emerging markets. For example, while sustainability metric declarations by companies in the S&P 500 index have risen from 20% to over 80%, Asia still lags with varying sustainability disclosures across countries. There are also variations in corporate governance practices within regions such as China and Taiwan. How to Realise Your Company’s ESG Strategy? According to McKinsey & Company, companies can realise ESG goals in these ways: 1. Mapping the business model against each ESG dimension ESG mapping is essential for organisations to analyse and improve their performance. Effective mapping requires a thorough examination of how an organisation's business model aligns with each ESG dimension (environmental, social, and governance). This analysis should examine how the organisation's activities, products, and services impact each dimension and identify gaps between current performance and desired outcomes. Once the analysis is complete, organisations can use the insights gained to develop a plan for improving their ESG performance, and at the same time, enhance their reputation, reduce risks, and create long-term value for stakeholders. To facilitate ESG mapping, companies can use an ESG analytics platform like ecoMax for comprehensive data analysis, near real-time monitoring, benchmarking, and stakeholder engagement capabilities. It enables organisations to make data-driven decisions to enhance their ESG performance and create long-term value for stakeholders. 2. Setting targets and tracking progress To set ESG targets, organisations should first conduct a comprehensive ESG assessment to identify areas for improvement. This involves a detailed analysis of the organisation's ESG performance across all relevant social factors and dimensions, including environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance practices. Once the assessment is complete, the organisation can use the insights to set specific, measurable, and time-bound ESG targets. For example, for sustainability initiatives, an organisation may set a target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2025. Organisations should establish a robust ESG reporting and monitoring system. Regular reporting on ESG metrics demonstrating progress and performance can help organisations build credibility and trust. It can also provide valuable insights into areas for improvement and help the organisation refine its ESG strategy over time. 3. Engaging with stakeholders Considering stakeholder interests are fundamental to any ESG strategy. This involves identifying important stakeholders (e.g. employees, customers) and understanding what they value. Forward-looking companies actively engage with various stakeholders to unlock opportunities for all. Technologies like SOL-X can improve engagement with workers by facilitating the evidence-gathering phase during an incident investigation. SOL-X can provide near real-time insights into the causes of incidents, enabling companies to take proactive measures to prevent similar incidents. Harness the Benefits of EHS with Magellan X By implementing ESG frameworks and EHS practices, you create value for yourself and your stakeholders in the short and long term. Magellan X ecoMax and SOL-X can help businesses harness the benefits of both EHS and ESG standards. ecoMax helps companies meet their sustainability obligations through purpose-built technological solutions that monitor carbon emissions. SOL-X provides an industry solution that improves worker safety, helping to anticipate incidents and improves compliance workflows. By using these solutions, businesses can ultimately build better ESG and EHS strategies. Ready to reap the benefits and propel your business? Reach out to our experts at Magellan X for more information today.

Leveraging IIoT for Worker Health & Safety

"You have the required Safety and Sustainability Strategy in place. That is the WHY. It is thus vital that we redirect attention to achieve the Generative Culture in Safety to accelerate Core Values and Sustainability results within the organisation – which will bring us to the WHAT and HOW.” Captain Daniel Alcantara In recent times, there has been an increase in worker health and safety awareness across industries. Many employees have lost their lives due to worksite incidents and occupational illnesses. These fatalities and serious injuries are devastating and can have a long-term effect on employees, their families, and colleagues. Therefore, it is the responsibility of everyone in an organisation to understand the potential factors associated with worksite accidents and take preventive measures. The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) issued guidelines since 2018 to develop sustainability journeys and reporting for health and safety. GSSB is the independent standard-setting body of GRI and has developed best practices in occupational health and safety management and reporting. Despite these efforts, there is a very little change over the past decade. Worksite incidents and injuries continue to plague several sectors, resulting in a huge loss of resources. While Mining, Chemicals, Maritime are the few sectors which are prone to such worksite accidents, the Oil and Gas industry, a vital part of the world economy, is one of the most affected sectors among all. A report by The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) revealed that workplace injuries were about 10% higher in 2021 as compared to 2020. The prospering industry is not immune to serious injuries or fatalities. Cause of accident reoccurrence No matter how safe a worksite is, accidents are inevitable. Unforeseen events and incidents can lead to an injury or casualty. Despite their efforts, companies have not been able to improve safety records involving its employees and contractors. In fact, worksite incidents have been on the rise for the past decade and their effects may be devastating and result in huge human and economic costs. Human reliability is one of the primary factors of workplace safety. In general, human reliability means successful performance within specific timeframes and environmental conditions. Lack of Human Reliability information on process efficacy and work environment increases the likelihood of accident’s reoccurring. Experts believe that by improving general awareness and understanding of the risks involved in human reliability, the rate of accidents can be brought down significantly. This can be achieved by leveraging IIoT analytics to better inform the design of employee safety awareness programmes and conducting targeted, proactive training sessions. Most companies are unable to uncover underlying cause of the accidents and tend to concentrate on direct causes. The main reason for accident recurrence is insufficient real time information towards underlying causes and pre-conditions. It is crucial to obtain real time human reliability data in order to assess the cause of an incident; and subsequently execute preventative measures effectively. Leveraging IIoT and AI technology to improve visibility and situational awareness for workers involved in hazardous operations can help to improve accidents and incidents and reduce overall frequency. Through data and analytics, leading indicators can help management and HSSE (Health, Safety, Security, and Environment) teams identify early trends and take proactive action, resulting in positive behaviour change. Unpredictable and unsafe behaviour The unsafe behaviour of the workers is one of the underlying causes of worksite accidents. Employees tend to neglect safety protocols by taking shortcuts. Also, it is common for employees to not be always conscious of their surroundings. Such unsafe behaviour and hazardous working environment can exist concurrently and cause serious accidents. Early detection of unsafe behaviour is important to execute interventions and targeted trainings. Technology plays a crucial role in detecting unsafe behaviour of workers at hazardous locations. Therefore, it is imperative that the management has safety solutions backed by digital frameworks in the worksite to minimise accidents. Transforming safety with the digital framework using wearable technology With Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and software, companies can improve workers’ situational awareness. Wearable technologies help in optimising worker data and improving the work environment and processes. Utilising wearable technology as a tool to curb worksite accidents is becoming popular and is adopted by various industries to create a safer work environment. They can minimise such accidents at the worksite by helping the organisation with real-time alerts during an incident. Some wearables not only prevent accidents but also assist employees in their day-to-day work. Today, wearables like smartwatches have the capability to detect anomalies and prevent accidents. Through wearables, organisations can track lone worker in remote or dangerous locations. Benefits of the Safety SmartWatch in the Oil and Gas Industry Location Tracking The Oil and Gas industry involves specialised equipment and employees working at oil rigs and plants. Processes like the extraction of natural gas from ocean beds involve hundreds of labourers and engineers. Tracking workers who are spread across the site on the ocean bed is a tedious task that calls for digital solutions to connect workers and their supervisors. Location tracking technology in smartwatches enables supervisors to track employees’ location in real time at a worksite, no matter how remote it is or how hazardous the working conditions are. A human movement overview on the dashboard and the ability to pinpoint the indicative location of worker during an emergency will accelerate rescue operations and provide swift medical aid. Virtual Geofencing It is impossible for management to monitor individual employee’s situational awareness with the current manual tools available and furthermore the topic of Situational Awareness has generally been misperceived as the injured person’s shortcomings (for not being situationally aware of the tasks they have been engaged on). So, with virtual geofencing technology, smartwatches can detect and alert the worker when approaching a hazardous area. Over and beyond notifying the worker of direct hazards, technology can provide the supervisors with additional insights to evaluate sufficient manpower on site, workers work and rest hours, heat exposures etc. We strongly believe Situational Awareness can be accelerated when human reliability insights become more visible or prominent. Workforce Optimisation Unsafe acts are difficult to predict at a worksite. It is natural for workers who are on 9 to 12-hour shifts on rigs to get tired or stressed. This increases the tendency for such workers to get injured due to fatigue and poor concentration. Also, the monotonous nature of certain jobs may result in such workers ignoring safety protocols or behaving recklessly, causing harm to themselves and others. As such, it is important to recognise and correct such behaviours to prevent serious accidents. Smartwatches can assist in delivering insights into worker behaviour and providing the basis for guided intervention. With these insights, supervisors can make the necessary tweaks to the deployment of their workers to achieve both safety and resource optimisation. Vitals Monitoring It is common for oil and gas industry workers to lack real-time situational awareness on hazardous worksites. Workers are unaware of pre-conditioned environmental risk exposures, and they may not receive contextual alerts that inform them of surrounding risk. External environmental factors and harsh working conditions may result in adverse physical and psychological effects. Guided Intervention It is natural for the workers who are on 9-to-12-hour shifts on rigs to get tired and stressed. They tend to get injured due to fatigue and poor concentration. Also, the monotonous nature of the job makes workers ignore safety protocols and behave recklessly, causing harm to themselves and others. Unsafe acts are difficult to predict at a worksite. However, it is imperative to recognise and correct such behaviours to prevent serious accidents. Leveraging on IIoT with a digital safety framework can deliver workers behavioural insights and provide guided intervention. Social Commitments in Workers Health and Safety - Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Expectations for organisational social commitments have started to shift to focus on outcomes and not just inputs or investments. Increasingly, safety and wellbeing are becoming more important for in an organisation’s sustainability agenda. Wearables is a game-changing technology when it comes to worker safety. Equipping employees with such cutting-edge solutions can assist companies in fulfilling their Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) obligations in safety, through enhancing working conditions for the employees and reducing the occurrence of accidents and injuries. Apart from ESG considerations, the quantum of accident claims, insurance premiums and regulatory fines for workplace injuries have increased over the years. Organisations that invest in safety technologies may well end up experiencing overall cost savings with reduced accident rates and associated costs. For organisations looking to enhance the safety and well-being of their employees, safety wearables could be the perfect tool.

How SOL-X Protects Workers Globally with their Industrial Safety Solutions

It is no secret that the Heavy Industries, Oil and Gas, Mining, Construction and Maritime industries are potentially the most hazardous sectors worldwide. The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers’ annual safety report shows a startling rise in fatalities in 2021 and an overall total recordable injury rate of 0.77. This is 10% higher than in 2020. The combination of powerful machinery, combustible substances, and high-pressure procedures can result in dangerous and even fatal situations. That is why organisations need to have the best industrial safety solutions in place and enable every worker to practise the recommended safety controls on their worksites. As technological advances continue to shape the industrial sector, more companies recognise the need for better safety systems and are transitioning towards modern safety solutions. SOL-X is at the forefront of this movement by pioneering innovative IIoT technology designed for hazardous worksites – allowing businesses worldwide to boost their operational excellence while simultaneously ensuring worker health and security. The Importance of Industrial Safety Solutions Industrial safety is the term used to describe safety management procedures in the industrial sector. An industrial safety solution prevents potential mishaps on the worksite and helps to detect dangerous situations in a hazardous environment. Certain factors can increase the chance of a worksite accident if an organisation has yet to employ industrial safety solutions. For instance, extreme noise or heat can cause workers to feel unwell and make mistakes. Other hazards include injuries due to over-exertion or malfunctioning equipment. An industrial safety solution is therefore a vital system to keep people, industrial equipment, and the environment safe. How Oil and Gas and Maritime Companies Benefit from SOL-X Industrial Safety Solutions SOL-X industrial safety solutions can benefit Oil and Gas, and Maritime companies through its innovative technologies. Their integrated Control Of Work software ensures on-site compliance, and their Crew Protect system and SmartWatch tap on IIoT and AI technology to improve workers’ visibility and situational awareness. These solutions provide companies with advanced worksite management, increasing productivity and overall well-being. Here are how these solutions can further help businesses in hazardous industries. 01.Increases Productivity Productivity is a result of safety. Workers can devote more time to their work output when they are not concerned about the safety and security of their workplace. Through the SOL-X Control Of Work system, organisations can enhance operational productivity levels with alert notifications and real-time monitoring. For example, their smart worksite-connected platform and live dashboard provide a holistic overview of cumulative risk and high-risk work activities. This enables near real-time operational monitoring, allowing for faster response if safety is compromised. By standardising best practices using SOL-X innovative technology, it can also improve fleetwide operational excellence, helping businesses save approximately 4,600+* man hours per vessel annually. *Number is approximate and may differ depending on customer’s current practices. Based on data collected from customer usage of SOL-X. 02.Saves Costs Direct and indirect costs from accidents, such as hospitalisation and treatment costs, can be avoided and with insurance claims. All these are prevented with proper safety and control systems. There are also hidden costs, such as slower production rates by other employees, downtime from the employee involved in the accident, and labour costs associated with cleaning. These can add up and should not be ignored by the organisation. Organisations can reduce such costs by detecting potential pitfalls early using wearable technology to send crucial information and reminders about the working environment. For instance, the SOL-X SmartWatch tracks workers’ active heart rates. Companies can use such data to determine which employees require more assistance. These can improve well-being reporting and reduce accident rates, which can lead to higher costs if left unchecked. 03.Ensures Legal Compliance Safety regulations have been created emphasising occupational health and safety. Breaking these rules can result in severe fines. Companies can utilise the SOL-X Control Of Work system to avoid paying hefty fines to ensure legal compliance. This innovative technology facilitates Permits to Work using Smart Forms. The system also aligns with global standards used to protect human rights, working conditions, employee welfare, pay and compensation, and labour laws. Such critical steps help to enhance compliance assurance. 04.Improves Workplace Relations A work environment that is safe and free from any accident promotes positive employee attitudes towards the company. SOL-X Crew Protect system provides the infrastructure for better workplace relations. One example is how workers receive GeoFence notifications on the SOL-X SmartWatch. These are contextual alerts which inform workers of surrounding risks in the work environment. The wearable also has active sensors to capture worker insights and leading indicators. Companies can use such data to craft corporate wellness programs, health, and safety plans. These features also empower employees to take ownership of their well-being. The Real-World Impact of SOL-X’s Technology Global companies like Shell and Eaglestar have started to guard against different industrial safety hazards with SOL-X Industrial Safety Solutions. Eaglestar, headquartered in Malaysia, has deployed the SOL-X solutions for crew management across its fleet of over 67 vessels. Global energy company Shell has also partnered with SOL-X in a successful trial of a breakthrough safety solution on an LNG tanker. The aim was to further enhance crew safety management practices. The ship’s staff were enthusiastic about the system’s functionality to meet their specific needs. Some highlighted system features include virtual barrier management and the ability to account for crew faster before the revlease of CO2 and during emergency drill mustering. Promoting Global Worksite Safety with SOL-X One catastrophic mistake can stop Heavy Industries, Oil and Gas, Mining, and Maritime operations. That is why our team of seasoned technologists, maritime, and safety experts continue to research and develop innovative SOL-X IIoT technology to improve operational excellence, promote a safety culture, and reduce potential risks on worksites. With efficient industrial safety solutions, organisations can now engage in new and elevated standards of safety to promote a better workplace for industrial workers across the world.

How to Avoid Near Misses on the Worksite with SOL-X IIoT Solutions

How many times have you narrowly avoided slipping on a wet floor?At the worksite, this is referred to as a near miss. In simple terms, a near miss is an unexpected event that did not cause any harm, injury, or damage but had the potential to.The concept of near misses gained traction in the 20th Century because of the Accident Triangle, a theory proposed by Herbert W. Heinrich and later expanded on by the research of Frank E. Bird, who studied a total of 1.7 million accident reports from 297 companies. This extensive research revealed that for every 600 near misses, there is an estimation of 30 minor injuries, 10 severe injuries, and 1 fatality.This finding revolutionised how companies viewed worksite safety. The idea that reducing near misses could potentially lead to a fall in the number of serious accidents encouraged organisations to build more reliable reporting systems to record and address near miss incidents.As part of those efforts, the SOL-X IIoT industrial safety solution strives to create safer worksites by ensuring that workers, particularly those in the oil and gas and maritime industries, have access to better systems to report and prevent near misses. By reducing the potential for injuries or fatalities wherever possible, our solution stands at the forefront of protection for hazardous worksites.What Should We Pay Attention to Near Misses?Near misses are unintentional or unexpected incidents that could have caused minor or severe injuries, or even death, but were narrowly avoided. A near miss could occur due to human error or inadequate safety systems or procedures. Near misses should not be confused with an incident or hazard. A hazard is any potential for harm to a person, equipment, or property, and an incident occurs when there is an unplanned event that results in injury, damage, or death. On the other hand, a near miss describes an unplanned event that had the potential to cause injury, illness or damage but did not do so.Although near misses are not positive experiences, they are important learning opportunities. Hearing about your co-worker’s experience can provide insight that makes you even more aware of your surroundings. Additionally, reporting them can potentially lead to improvements in safety procedures.However, America’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that half of the serious workplace injuries are still unreported. Additionally, for 62% of worksite incidents, OSHA responded by “asking employers to conduct their own incident investigations and propose remedies to prevent future injuries.”With workers choosing not to report even severe injuries, the likelihood of them reporting a near miss is even lower. Furthermore, relevant authorities might not step in to inspect worksite incidents. These factors make it even more important for employers to find better solutions to identify near misses and eliminate risks.How SOL-X IIoT Solutions Actively Prevent Near Misses01. Increases Worksite VisibilityThe SOL-X Control Of Work system improves workflow management with a smart worksite-connected platform with live dashboards that allow for worksite visibility for workers and supervisors.With a digitalised Control Of Work, users can track high-risk activities alongside peripheral information (including workers, location, and time) which offers an added layer of security of who, what, where and when knowledge, giving managers access to behaviour-based safety information.Additionally, with the benefit of gaining situation awareness through the SOL-X Control Of Work system, superiors can take immediate corrective action when reviewing the present situation or upcoming trends.Using near real-time monitoring of operations and having a holistic overview of the worksite to increase situational awareness not only prevents near misses, but may also motivate the worker to feel more accountable and engaged throughout the process.02.Analyses Workers’ Well BeingBy conducting regular reports of workers’ well-being, your organisation can uncover high-risk activities and health data that were previously unknown.Using the well-being data, companies can implement targeted control measures, such as training and equipping specific workers for heat stress management and hearing conservation. They can easily identify high hazard zones that require infrastructural improvements and improve the efficacy of worker well-being programmes using near real-time feedback.To gather such data, the SOL-X Crew Protect leverages digital technologies, such as AI, big data, cloud computing and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in day-to-day hazardous work operations. These technologies will deliver actionable insights to the organisation on how to improve the situational awareness of workers.As part of the Crew Protect system, the SOL-X SmartWatch provides workers with important information and data regarding their working conditions, such as risk exposure times and other potential work-related dangers.The features on the SmartWatch include timely reminders to stay hydrated when in high-risk environments so that workers can better manage heat stress symptoms. On top of that, it detects heart rate trends which gives insights into where physically demanding activities are being performed and who is performing them.The wearable also tracks Work Rest Hours which provides rich analytics about rest periods for better workload management. All this information can help to better monitor workers’ health and prevent near misses.03.Improves ComplianceFor any high-risk work in hazardous environments, on-site checklists and cumbersome paperwork are part and parcel of the job. The hassle of taking these steps onsite may at times disincentivise workers from following safety processes. Workers may end up taking shortcuts to complete tasks which increases the risk of non-compliance and near misses.But with digital IIoT solutions, like the SOL-X Control Of Work system, workers no longer have to rely on inefficient manual and paper-based systems. These digital solutions are fully integrated, easy to use, and encourage workers to follow the correct procedures.In addition, with end-to-end mobile systems that provide near real-time line of sight into ongoing safety operations, the SOL-X Control Of Work system further assures workers and onshore teams that safety processes are being followed throughout the worksite.These digitalised systems and visibility of ongoing safety operations encourage positive worker behaviour change, improve procedural compliance for high-hazard work, and can ultimately reduce the instances of near misses.Prevent Near Miss Incidents with SOL-X solutionsWhen human lives are at stake, companies have a responsibility to their workers to implement comprehensive safety protocols. With the latest IIoT technology by SOL-X, companies can establish a proactive safety culture and empower workers with solutions that ensure no near miss goes unnoticed or uncorrected, thereby enhancing the safety and well-being of their workers.

The Future of Wearable Technology: Magellan X Introduces 3 Brand New Features for SOL-X Intrinsically Safe SmartWatch

According to the International Labour Organisation, approximately 2.3 million workers die from work-related incidents yearly –this shocking statistic corresponds to over 6000 deaths every day. Many of these deaths could have been prevented if proper measures were in place. Yet there are still companies that lack the necessary visibility into worksite operations for effective risk management. Today, the modern solution is to employ cloud connected wearable technology. These devices share real time data insights so workers can quickly assess and respond to hazards and accidents. To meet the rising need for advanced safety technology, Magellan X developed the SOL-X SmartWatch, a wearable IIoT device that helps to send emergency alerts, manage workloads, and track health and environment data. In furtherance of its commitment to advancing the state of the art in personal safety technology, Magellan X recently introduced 3 all-new features to enhance the already robust capabilities of the SOL-X SmartWatch: Fall Detection, Noise Monitoring and Alerts, and Broadcast Message. 01. Fall Detection Falls from heights are one of the most common work-related accidents in industrial worksites. These types of accidents are not merely the results of slips or missteps. Site design and conditions, such as lack of physical barriers, fall protection systems, or proper maintenance of the working space, are key factors in determining the probability of such falls. When a fall from height incident occurs, the severity of the consequences of the fall will be dependent on the response time and quality of response. In order to create an effective fall detection feature, Magellan X first identified these 3 pain points when it comes to detecting falls: a. Speed of Response A swift and effective response can mitigate the harm inflicted by falls. However, various circumstances may prevent a fall victim from receiving help in a timely manner. Workers may not be aware of the dangers a fellow colleague is in, and an isolated victim may be unable to call for help independently due to the injuries sustained. Workers who witnessed the fall may be in shock, resulting in a delayed or inadequate response. b. Issues With Reporting Critical information must be relayed in a timely and accurate manner. However, there can often be obstacles to communication. For instance, the lack of first-hand knowledge can lead to a misinterpretation of the severity of events. Workers may also be reluctant to report a fall if it was due to human error/incorrect behaviour. c. Deliberate Falls A worker may intentionally drop from a height to reach their destination faster. Such events are more likely if worksite configuration and layout make taking the designated pathways inconvenient. Of course, a worker should not disregard their safety for the sake of efficiency. However, they may miscalculate the fall risk factor due to human error. What is in This Feature The SOL-X SmartWatch’s new fall detection feature was developed to address these 3 pain points. If a fall is detected by the SmartWatch’s accelerometer, the device automatically sends an alert to the Dashboard with the worker’s identity and last known location. This information will enable a more efficient and precise response from a site manager to address the situation, potentially reducing the severity of the harm inflicted. 02. Noise Monitoring and Alerts Singapore’s WSH Council reports noise to be a common occupational health hazard. Excessive or prolonged exposure to noise can cause acoustic trauma or hearing loss. It may also interfere with workers’ speech communication and their perception of warning signs. All of these can lead to disrupted job performance. Equipment, machinery, and processes in industrial worksites often generate high noise levels. Most companies in hazardous industries establish a Hearing Conservation Programme to prevent noise-induced deafness (NID), which usually involves a professional noise survey performed by a specialist. However, establishing such a programme and performing a noise survey report are typically labourious and time-consuming. Noise surveys are performed infrequently, often with lapses of a year or even years between each. Furthermore, they only take certain personnel into consideration and thus do not mitigate the risk for all workers. What is in This Feature In contrast to the Hearing Conservation Programme, the SOL-X SmartWatch’s new noise monitoring and alert feature provides continuous data points and more immediate and relevant feedback to counter noise-related issues. The SmartWatch provides noise level readings in near real time so users can take the necessary safety precautions. If a user is exposed to harmful noise levels, the SmartWatch alerts them so that they can respond to this potential hazard accordingly. Noise levels are measured 4 times per hour for each user. This data is then displaced on the SOL-X analytics platform and compared across different work groups at various locations within the worksite. When surfaced to HSSE and operations teams, these insights can be used to evaluate operations policies and tweak training programmes in a more focused manner. The collected data also helps to identify specific groups at higher risk of developing NID and identify areas of improvement to better ensure compliance with safety precautions on the worksite. 03. Broadcast Alerts Timely communication is critical to ensure the safety and effectiveness of operations. Suppose a hazardous gas leak is discovered somewhere on the worksite. Such critical information will need to be rapidly disseminated to all at-risk personnel to prevent or limit exposure to the toxic gases. This will also allow first responders spread across the site to quickly provide the necessary mitigation measure to the situation. Digital or analogue walkie-talkies are commonly used to relay information within industrial worksites. However, this form of communication has various limitations, which may result in the recipient not receiving the message in its entirety or at all. Transmission of the information on the ground may also result in broken messages that fail to convey the original intent and purpose. What is in This Feature The new message broadcast feature allows for the dissemination of information regardless of each worker’s location within a worksite. As such, supervisors and first responders can quickly implement and enforce the necessary measures to contain the situation. It also provides added assurance that workers on the ground will receive timely and accurate updates. Supervisors in control rooms can send precise text messages to specific SmartWatch users via the Dashboard to improve situational awareness or to perform a specific task. In the case of an emergency, this will allow for a faster and more targeted safety response. Through the SmartWatch, worksites will be able to provide periodical reminders on operations and health and safety matters. Sending these reminders will help SmartWatch users keep pertinent safety information fresh in their minds and to comply with the latest Standard Operating Procedures and health and safety requirements. Enhance Worksite Safety With The SOL-X SmartWatch When placed in a hazardous and unpredictable environment, effective communication and timely information can be vital to saving lives and preventing injuries. By increasing awareness of where workers are at all times and any hazards they may face, the SOL-X SmartWatch is a modern solution that can greatly transform the safety culture of worksites in hazardous industries.
oil and gas operations, gas extraction industry

Safety in Oil and Gas Industry: Common Hazards & Prevention

Occupational safety is a key concern in any line of work, but especially so in high-risk industries such as the energy sector. Oil and gas workers face a host of potential dangers in their work environment, like falling equipment and hazardous chemicals.With a higher possibility of being struck by hazards, workplace safety becomes all the more crucial — organisations should place the well-being of their workers at the heart of their culture and values.In an interview with McKinsey & Company, Bernadette Spinoy — then senior vice president of health, safety, and environment (HSE) from the major global oil and gas player Total—talks about how inculcating a collective mindset in which workers choose the right behaviour even when no one is watching can lead to a successful safety culture transformation.To encourage this collective behaviour, this article will cover 5 ways on how safety can be achieved in the oil and gas industry.Safety Hazards and Risks in Oil and Gas IndustryAccording to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), these are just a few of the many workplace hazards that can occur in the oil and gas extraction industry.1. FallsWorkers often must work from elevated platforms or equipment. This poses a risk of slips, trips, and falls that could cause serious bodily harm. Accessing these places via a ladder, would thus require more precautions to safely guide workers. Vigilance and proper safety training are essential.2. Confined SpacesWorkers often must work within confined spaces, where there is a higher risk of health hazards such as asphyxiation or exposure to toxic chemicals. The ignition of flammable vapours or gases is also a possibility, in the event of small or narrow areas which would position workers directly in the danger zone.3. Machine HazardsOil and gas extraction involves working with or around dangerous machinery. Workers could get struck by or caught between unguarded machines, which may result in cuts, burns, or other serious injuries. This is why routine checks and regular machine maintenance are important, as well as alertness to one’s surroundings in high-risk areas.4. Explosions & FiresThe ignition of flammable gases or vapours can also result in explosions or fires, which can wreak damage on a large scale in such a hazardous environment. Some causes include electrical energy sources, open flames, and frictional heat. High-pressure lines may also leak or burst if not properly maintained.5. Physical StrainOil and gas extraction is a physically demanding job that, even with the surplus of machines, often requires manual labour. Certain tasks, such as the lifting of heavy loads or equipment, can continuously exert a strain on workers’ bodies over time. Poor workplace ergonomics negatively affects safety in this area and can increase the risk of injury. Tips to Prevent and Reduce Hazards in Oil and Gas IndustryWhile safety risks cannot be completely eliminated, they can be significantly reduced through awareness of potential hazards and how they can be avoided. Use these 5 safety tips to help improve worksite safety.Tip #1 Establish Good Safety CultureWorkplace safety culture is a collective set of values and attitudes towards safety, which goes beyond the individual to the overall safety of the organisation. This sense of solidarity would encourage workers to obey rules and communicate hazards to keep themselves and their fellow workers safe.A good safety culture begins with strong leadership, as workers would feel more reassured knowing that their well-being is being cared for from the top down. Aside from having processes that are tailored to your company, it is important that these are clearly stated and reinforced in the worksiteNot only does this ensure that safety precautions are observed, it will also give workers added peace of mind knowing the processes are in place for their occupational safety. Furthermore, the mental health of workers will go a long way in keeping them vigilant and alert on the job.Tip #2 Learn to Embrace Automation & DigitalisationWhile there are manual steps that can be taken to ensure overall safety, such as installing safety signs or having highly visible floor marking, we live in an age where technology can provide useful tools for detecting and minimising hazards.SOL-X solutions provide valuable data and leading indicators through AI and IIoT. SOL-X is a management system focused on behavioural safety. By collating data on risk assessment and permits within the work environment, it provides real-time data to increase worker situational awareness, enhancing both safety and efficiency.Through smart wearables and AI technology, SOL-X solution addresses human factors — the most common cause of workplace accidents such as inaccurate fatigue management. By tracking conditions such as heat stress levels, heart rate trends, and work rest hours, it also helps workers monitor their symptoms to ensure that they are physically fit for the tasks at hand.Tip #3 Use the Process Safety ApproachThe International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) defines the Process Safety approach as the safe management of oil and gas operations and processes, with the aim of preventing hazardous emissions or structural failures that could lead to more severe consequences.While the traditional approach to accident prevention is based on trial and error, Process Safety attempts to identify trends and so more accurately predict events based on probability. The implementation of relevant safety precautions can thus protect workers from situations that can be easily avoided.According to the IOGP, there were 56 process safety events between 2007 and 2017 that led to 128 deaths. Combined with safety management systems like SOL-X and culture programmes, having process safety will greatly reduce the occurrence of oil and gas hazards.Tip #4 Communicate with Emergency Response OrganisationsAlthough prevention should always come first, unforeseen events may still occur from time to time. In such cases, a quick response could save a life. It is thus important for oil and gas companies to maintain good communication with their local emergency response community.This includes emergency responders and health professionals who will be able to take action and help minimise the consequences in the event of an accident. Developing a collaborative relationship with these organisations can also be beneficial to the workers by increasing awareness of emergency and safety equipment.Tip #5 Having Consistent Maintenance Activities & Safety ProgrammesAs with anything, consistency is key. Conducting regular maintenance checks and occupational safety training programmes can help to reinforce safety messages, especially for new workers entering a company. Since the job is highly focused on working with various equipment, routine maintenance is also mandatory to prevent premature machine failure.Risks and hazards can look different from day to day, especially if a project begins that requires working with new materials or equipment. By encouraging consistent training, this also ensures that workers are prepared for any situation that may come their way.Enhance Safety of Oil and Gas Workers with SOL-X SolutionsIn such a high-risk environment, the safety of oil and gas workers should never be left to chance. The safety solutions provided by SOL-X can not only reduce hazards in the worksite, but also enable quicker responses and boost overall productivity.Contact us to learn more about risk management and accident prevention today.
lone and remote workers, lone worker policy, lone worker safety devices

Lone Worker Monitoring: Safety Solutions for High-Risk Jobs

A recent study by Tracplus found that nearly 20% of lone workers working in remote areas have difficulty getting help after an accident. That is a shocking number of workers at risk of an injury since it’s entirely preventable.Imagine what would happen if 1 in 5 of your workers were suddenly unavailable for work? Your business would have a loss of productivity, a decrease in sales, low staff morale, and a loss of reputation. In the worst case, the closure of the business is also possible. With such high stakes at play, businesses need to prioritise their lone worker’s safety.So how can we reduce the risk of lone working? Read on to learn more about the pain points of lone workers and the best ways to ensure their safety.Common Injury Risks Faced by Lone WorkersFor lone workers, the risk of injury is much higher as there is no supervisor or team member to assist them when they are in danger.This makes it even more important to identify and thoroughly understand the hazards in detail so you can take the necessary precautions to mitigate risks and keep your lone workers as safe as possible.1. Slips, trips, or falls on the same levelSlips, trips, or falls are the most common type of accidents yet are often the simplest and most cost-effective to prevent. Multiple factors can cause these accidents. Some of it includes the workers’ footwear and environmental hazards such as bad weather conditions and low visibility due to fog.2. Handling, lifting, or carryingHandling, lifting, or carrying objects can lead to immediate or long-term musculoskeletal injuries. The risk of injury increases when workers bend, twist, have awkward postures or deal with heavy loads.3. Struck by a moving objectMoving objects include things such as knives or any objects falling from height. Injuries caused by moving objects can be fatal, especially for lone workers, since they cannot get help quickly.4. Acts of violenceActs of violence are “any occurrence in which a person is mistreated, intimidated, or attacked in the circumstances relevant to their employment”. Learn more about acts of violence and maritime crime here.5. Falling from a heightFalling overboard. A fall from a port or ship into the open ocean is a prevalent cause of maritime worker deaths. Even if workers are pulled from the water; hypothermia, hypoxia, and other near-drowning symptoms may occur. It’s much more dangerous for lone workers as they must account for their safety and can only rely on themselves should they fall overboard.Falls from platforms. Ship workers may fall from ropes and scaffolds while completing repairs, while harbour workers may trip when working equipment on storage facility roofs. A fall from many storeys can result in permanent brain damage, physical and mental problems, or spinal injuries resulting in partial or total paralysis.What is Lone Worker Protection?Lone worker protection means having proper policies, risk assessments, processes, and safeguards in place to ensure the safety and security of any lone workers.For many lone worker employers, this entails carefully considered risk assessments, a comprehensive lone worker policy, and investing in a lone worker safety solution that allows employees to call emergency services or others for help quickly.These safety solutions usually come with monitoring systems and location-tracking functions to help employers provide safety to all staff members in the work environment.Reasons Why You Need Lone Worker Safety Solutions 1. Government ComplianceEmploying a safety solution lowers liability, keeps track of employee actions, dangers, and incidents, and helps businesses comply with workplace health and safety regulations. For this reason, businesses have increasingly turned to smarter solutions to keep their workers safe and avoid legal troubles.2. Safety Practices and ProceduresEmploying an effective lone worker protection solution makes it simple for businesses to create and implement robust safety policies, protocols and procedures that can ensure the safety and well-being of lone workers.3. Ever-Changing Lone Worker HazardsThe nature of every lone working role is different. This means that every role has its fair share of hazards that could differ from other roles, which makes it necessary and important for employees to be trained in carrying out dynamic lone worker risk assessments.5 Ways to Reduce Risks of Lone working1. Use a Lone Worker Device with AlertsLone worker devices are applications that allow workers to communicate quickly with their employers and emergency services. In addition, they help reassure lone workers that they can get help if needed while they work without supervision.Specialist lone worker solutions like the SOL-X Control Of Work System enable real-time visibility of front-line operations from a live dashboard, displaying workers’ identities along with their live location and active tasks.The system alerts the supervisors through Crew Assist notifications when workers have difficulties performing their tasks or feel unwell.2. Use Wearables to Monitor WorkersSmart wearables are used for tracking information and are usually linked to a safety system that allows for real-time monitoring to ensure the safety of workers. The SOL-X Crew Protect System, which provides each individual with a SOL-X SmartWatch, is a superb system that accomplishes this.These smartwatches are equipped with modern hardware and extensive data processing software to generate physical activity profiles that provide users with helpful health and safety preventative information. At the same time, they provide their supervisors with real-time health and activity levels for monitoring.When workers need assistance, they can access a Crew Assist function on the SmartWatch that helps them contact their supervisor. The Crew Assist function automatically sends the worker’s location and task details which speeds up response time.3. Conduct Lone Worker Risk AssessmentsA lone worker risk assessment allows supervisors and workers to identify and address risks associated with a job role by considering the possible hazards and the environment the lone worker is working in.Organisations can create a lone worker risk assessment to use, and the assessment should contain and address the following:Hazards identified/presentWho and how a lone worker may be harmedProcedures in place to reduce risks and prevent harmFurther actions are required to reduce the riskIt is also useful to include the names and dates of when the risk assessment was carried out, along with any necessary details.4. Train Lone Workers and SupervisorsTraining is an essential part of any successful business or organisation.It increases workers’ confidence by allowing them to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle problems and get things done. Furthermore, it shows the workers that the business prioritises their safety.By training lone workers, supervisors ensure that they are aware of workplace hazards and how to carry out first aid for themselves or other workers in an emergency. Other core components of a training course for lone workers may include:Work behaviour and best practices to avoid dangerous situationsHow to use lone working monitoring systemsHow to use personal protective equipment5. Encourage Cooperation between Lone Workers and Managing StaffThe managing staff of a business with lone workers should always be aware of the activities, locations, and schedules of lone workers, especially if the company has not adopted a lone worker monitoring system.Without a lone worker monitoring system in place, a constant communication channel must be activated between lone workers and supervisors to ensure they are safe and can receive instructions from their supervisors when needed.Protect Lone Workers with SOL-XThe easiest and best way to monitor your lone workers in real-time is through IIoT technology from SOL-X for lone worker monitoring.Check out our Control of Work Systems and Crew Protect System at SOL-X today!
reporting near misses, near miss system

Near Misses in the Workplace: How to Avoid These Accidents

Have you ever nearly slipped on a wet floor but managed to catch yourself in time? In the work site, this is referred to as a near miss.In simple terms, a near miss is an unexpected event that did not cause any harm, injury, or damage but had the potential to.Accidentally tripping or slipping may not seem like the cause of a serious injury at first, but the Ministry of Labor’s Workplace Safety and Health Report states that slips, trips, and falls are one of the top three workplace significant injury causes, alongside machinery accidents and falls from heights.That’s why it is important to have a proper reporting system to record and address near-miss incidents and prevent workplace accidents.This article will cover everything you need to know about near misses, incidents, hazards, and how near misses can be reported and prevented.What is a Near Miss?A near miss is an unexpected or unintentional incident that could have caused harm, minor or severe injuries, or even death, but was narrowly avoided. A near miss could have been caused by human error or inadequate safety procedures or systems at a company.Differences between Near Miss, Incident, and HazardAn incident refers to any unplanned event resulting in injury, damage, or other types of loss.The key is that something has occurred and caused injury, illness, damage, or even death. “Accident” is another word commonly used to describe an incident resulting in severe consequences and may be used interchangeably with “Incident.”A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm to a person, equipment, or property.The difference between a hazard and a near miss is that a “hazard” describes the potential for something to occur, while a “near miss” indicates that something unplanned has happened but did not result in an injury/illness or damage but had the potential to do so.For example, a puddle on the floor from a spilled drink is a hazard since it could potentially cause harm. On the other hand, a worker experiences a near miss when he nearly slips but regains his balance and avoids getting injured.In summary:Incident — something has happened and resulted in injury, illness, damage, or death. (a worker trips on an unmarked step, falls, and hits his head).Hazard — something that could cause a dangerous event (an unmarked step).Near Miss — something has happened but did not result in any injury, illness, damage, or death (a worker trips on an unmarked step but regained his balance which did not result in injury).What are Examples of Near Misses?Some near-miss examples include:A crew member working without a safety helmet falls but is saved by a fellow employee nearby.A crew member is working to fix a ship’s hull on a platform when suddenly, the board breaks, but his life belt saves him.A site manager working with poor lighting almost falls over an undetected extension cord but avoids a fall by grabbing a nearby railing.A worker accidentally touched an exposed cable from high-voltage equipment but did not get electrocuted as it was already turned off.A person jumps out of the way to avoid a collision with a swinging suspended load.How to Report Near Misses (With Examples)Regardless of the industry or size of the business, near misses occur frequently. They may be viewed as warning signs of unidentified work site issues. Companies should track near misses to prevent accidents rather than waiting for one to happen.At its core, a near-miss report should lead to hazard resolutions and preventative action by allowing your management to review the situation and take proper action to prevent future accidents.A near-miss reporting system typically consists of 5 steps — Identify, Report, Investigate, Intervene, and Review.Identify: employees should be trained to recognise a near-miss event when it happens and understand the importance of near-miss reports in preventing workplace accidents.Report: To help employees, they should have a convenient and easy-to-understand system, along with near-miss reporting templates that allow them to fill in the near-miss details without too much additional work.Investigate: The company’s management should investigate every near-miss report to prevent near misses and future accidents.Intervene: After reviewing the near-miss incident, the company’s management should take the proper actions to prevent potential accidents.Review: At this stage, any similar near-miss incidents should be prevented, and the company’s management would review the safety practices or safety programme and adjust if necessary.Even if there isn’t an existing near miss reporting system in your work site, near misses can still be reported informally. Text messages to your employer are an example of an informal near-miss report.The National Safety Council can also provide solutions and assistance if the proper steps are unavailable to ensure work site safety.How can Near Misses be prevented?1. Keep an eye out for hazardsStaying alert for hazards while moving around the workplace is one way to prevent near misses. Near misses are accidents waiting to happen, and the more you take the initiative in recognising and reporting near misses, the less likely an accident will happen.2. Follow safety rulesSafety rules set in your work site are important because they are meant to protect employees. Following safety rules, such as wearing the required Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), dress code, and following proper work procedures, are all rules that should be always followed, even if you think that performing a task differently may save you time.When rules are followed, employees can work more efficiently and smoothly, knowing they won’t have any work site accidents. This creates a positive atmosphere, and everyone can be more comfortable at work.3. Use a Control Of Work systemThe SOL-X Control of Work system provides a smart worksite-connected platform with live dashboards that allow for real-time worksite visibility of front-line operations by presenting live worker locations, their identities, and the activities they are working on.This ensures near real-time monitoring of operations and a holistic overview of cumulative risk and high-risk activities happening in the work site.With situational awareness on the ground, superiors can take fast corrective action at any time when reviewing the present situation or upcoming trends.4. Use wearables and IIoT technologyThe SOL-X Crew Protect leverages IIoT and AI technology to increase visibility and situational awareness for workers.Through connected wearable features on the SOL-X SmartWatch, workers are given crucial information about their working conditions, hazard exposure periods, and other work-related hazards.In addition, real-time interventions like GeoFence notifications are delivered on their wearables when they get close to dangerous zones. Avoiding that location immediately lowers the likelihood of an incident and gives employees more control over how they carry out their preventive measures.Finally, the SmartWatch encourages positive behavior by sending notifications telling workers to drink water and take breaks as necessary when they are in a high temperature setting or heart rate.5. Regularly analyse dataRegularly analysing data via trend analysis reporting allows your organisation to uncover high-risk areas and activities that may be previously unknown. Using this data, mitigation and safety programmes can be revised to lower the risk of incidents.It is also equally important to ensure that all areas of the organisation are aware of the findings and analyses, and corrective procedures are in place to raise awareness of the recent risks that were found in the work site and new proper safety procedures.Prevent Near Miss Accidents with SOL-XNear-miss accidents can be tricky to catch, but with the latest IIoT technology by SOL-X, you can better prevent and protect your workers from near misses. Contact us to learn more about our safety solutions today.
Achieve safety outcomes by reducing potential risks.

Workplace Safety Culture: 5 Tips to Help Create and Maintain It

Workers in the maritime and oil & gas sectors have had some of the riskiest jobs for centuries. The mortality rate of workers on offshore platforms is disturbingly high. Although it has declined greatly over recent decades, these jobs continue to remain amongst the most hazardous of occupations.While out at sea, even slippery, uneven, or cluttered vessel decks can lead to slip-and-fall accidents. Other common accidents include falling from elevated heights, exposure to harmful chemicals, fires and explosions, and more. As a result, workers can suffer devastating injuries, and even death.This is where workplace safety culture comes in.Creating a strong safety culture can protect and save many lives. By promoting a positive attitude toward safety, workers are more likely to follow the rules they know will keep them safe. Also, by encouraging employees to report hazards before they become injuries or even fatalities, you can avoid having any accidents occur in the first place.To build a workplace safety culture, this article will help you understand the components of a strong safety culture, and 5 tips to help create and maintain it.How do you define a good safety culture?A safety culture can be defined as an organisation’s shared values and beliefs that influence employee behavior. This includes people’s attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors about safety on a ship or in an oil and gas environment. It’s important because it can help prevent accidents from occurring—or at least mitigate their impact. A workplace with a positive safety culture will have procedures for ensuring adequate safety and preventing accidents and making sure that employees feel comfortable reporting problems or concerns.Why is it important?Here are three key reasons why a company’s safety culture is so important:1. It prevents injuries and accidents from occurringA successful safety culture helps create an environment where employees feel comfortable reporting issues on the job, leading to more timely fixes and preventative action. It also allows employees to feel empowered to make decisions about their safety and that of their coworkers.2. An effective safety culture improves overall productivityA strong safety culture ensures that a high standard is routinely expected for all safety processes. Therefore, the company is always prepared to deal with safety performance audits, reducing the time taken to prepare for compliance checks.3. Better employee engagementWhen you have established an effective safety culture, employees will require less supervision to adopt safe working habits. In addition, over time, employees feel more committed to preventing safety hazards as they are well aware of their participation and role in the workplace.What are the 4 key components of a workplace safety culture?To create a workplace safety culture, these four key characteristics must be in place:1. Your leaders are committed and invested in successful safety cultureStrong safety culture starts at the top. Your senior leadership team must set the tone by prioritising safety, factor it into bottom-line goals, and ensure their commitment is visible. The company must be willing to invest resources such as time, money, training, and personnel to achieve safety outcomes.Senior management should also be actively involved in the safety programme activities alongside frontline employees. Leadership must be led by example, and all workers should have opportunities to be trained and certified. Here’s an example of how Total, a leading company in the oil and gas industry, set up a successful workplace safety culture by involving top management.2. Your employees feel safe to speak upAll employees must feel comfortable reporting unsafe conditions. In addition, they should feel accountable for their own and their coworkers’ safety. To do so, the environment must be safe enough for them to provide suggestions for improvement without fear. Therefore, an efficient and effective communication system must be in place to support the organisation’s safety culture.3. There are clear processes to identify & control hazardsA straightforward, proactive process to locate and repair workplace hazards is crucial to a safety culture. Start by performing a comprehensive safety assessment. Employees can also conduct a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) for individual tasks. This will help them perform JSA inspections routinely or whenever there is an equipment modification or procedure that could impact safety.4. State safety goals, purpose, policies & proceduresYour safety programme should have a purpose and goals suited to your workplace. Once those are in place, you can design policies and procedures that reflect your organisation’s particular needs. They must be plainly expressed, in clear terms, and reviewed as necessary.To ensure the safety culture is sustainable, everyone, from leadership to frontline workers, must remain informed. Ongoing education and training will also improve workplace safety. Even seasoned workers should undergo training, so they know how to make health and safety decisions, especially when new systems are introduced.What are examples of a good safety culture?So, you think your organisation’s safety training culture is insufficient, but you are unsure what makes a good safety culture. While there are many examples you can reference, here are three top signs that you are doing it right:1. All employees demonstrate a working knowledge of health and safety topicsIn great workplace safety cultures, all employees have a working knowledge of health and safety topics. In other words — they’re competent in safety practices. They are not afraid to report safety concerns and seek continuous improvement.2. No competing priorities – safety comes first every timeYour organisation chooses safety every time when it comes to productivity versus safety. In some organisations, risk assessments are neglected as the company tries to increase production. This leads to unnecessary workplace injuries. If your company chooses safety first, even when it costs money, you have a good safety culture.3. The organisation is willing to invest in health and safetySafety slogans are excellent, but developing a winning safety culture requires resources. Safety concerns and potential hazards need to be addressed. Investing in safety so that necessary action is taken creates a positive safety culture.5 Tips to Create and Maintain Safety Workplace CultureTip #1: Use a Control Of Work systemControl Of Work is a safety management system ensuring that hazardous job tasks, such as confined space entry or “hot work” like welding and brazing, do not happen unless and until the necessary authorities have reviewed and authorised them.A system such as SOL-X Control Of Work System helps maintain safe workplace culture as all workflow tasks are streamlined and integrated into one software. All hazardous tasks can be reviewed and monitored seamlessly, which improves efficiency.For example, our system has a fully integrated end-to-end mobile Permit To Work which is easy to use and encourages the workers to follow the correct procedures, increasing operational safety and compliance.It also provides greater assurance that Control Of Work processes are observed. This enables Behavior-Based Safety as managers can access peripheral information such as the workers’ location and activity time stamps. Increased situational awareness of the job also motivates the workers to feel more accountable and engaged.On top of that, SOL-X Control Of Work provides real-time data and continuously analyses high-risk operations through leading indicators and worker safety behavior. This further enhances visibility and promotes a safer workplace culture in dangerous work environments.Tip #2: Empower workers to participateEngaging every worker in enhancing workplace safety culture is essential because when you have a culture that makes employees feel valued, they are more likely to participate in creating and maintaining a safe environment.The SOL-X Crew Protect System helps maintain safe workplace culture while encouraging positive behavior change. Through our SmartWatch, workers can proactively manage their health and well-being. For instance, workers are also empowered to take ownership of their broader health and activity levels. Timely notifications are sent to workers, advising them to hydrate and rest when possible. If feeling unwell, the individual is advised further to seek proper medical advice.With the SmartWatch, when workers need assistance, they can also activate the Crew Assist function which alerts their supervisor and immediately provides the worker location and task details, speeding up response times.Workers can also track their activities with the daily step goals feature in the wearable. This promotes healthy living, and the data can be used to measure and track the efficacy of Corporate Wellness programmes. The SmartWatch also allows workers to record and track their Work Rest hours conveniently. By managing working hours and workloads more effectively, the SOL-X SmartWatch reduces the risks of worker fatigue.Tip #3: Enable employees’ access to critical informationFrontline workers face the most increased risk of injury at work. They spend much of their time on job sites outside the offices and rarely have computer access.Organisations can improve safety by investing resources so that employees have instant access to necessary documentation and safety materials. Supervisors and safety representatives also need a way to send instant safety updates and alerts. To communicate this information, front-line workers should have access to designated offices or be equipped with mobile technologies such as mobile phones and smart devices. That way, information can be easily made available to them.Tip #4: Appoint and support safety supervisorsSome organisations may benefit from appointing a health and safety representative because employees hesitate to voice their safety concerns with their direct supervisors. Doing so will empower employees to confidently discuss their safety concerns with representatives who can act as a trusted go-between for frontline employees and managers.However, it is still the employer’s responsibility to support safety supervisors, allowing them to stay closely connected with employees. Such an appointment can ensure frontline workers feel that they can reach out to someone to report safety hazards.Tip #5: Keep investing in safety training sessionsNot only does training hold workers accountable for their own safety, but it also gets employees together as a team to learn and practise new skills. Educational programmes are wonderful opportunities to foster a safety culture, whether conducted online or remotely. In addition, it gets participants out of a daily routine, and you can easily include lunch, guest speakers, or other exciting components that are related to your safety and wellness programme.And because training is conducted regularly, safety remains at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Moreover, your employees will look forward to gatherings where they can engage with coworkers around safety topics.Boost Your Workplace Safety Culture with SOL-XTo improve your company’s workplace safety culture, harness advanced IIoT technology from SOL-X. Our Control Of Work and Crew Protect systems can help you reduce safety incidents and promote safety in your workforce.Contact us to learn how you kickstart a safety culture in your workplace today.
Industrial Safety Systems and Solutions

Industrial Safety Systems and Industrial Safety Solutions: How They Protect Workers

It’s no secret that the maritime and oil & gas industries are potentially the most hazardous sectors worldwide.The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers’ annual safety report shows a startling rise in fatalities in 2021 and an overall total recordable injury rate (fatalities, lost workday cases, restricted workday cases, and medical treatment cases) of 0.77. This is 10% higher than in 2020.The combination of powerful machinery, combustible substances, and high-pressure procedures can result in dangerous and even fatal situations. That’s why organizations need to have the best industrial safety systems in place and enable every worker to understand the recommended safety controls and hazards on each work site before work begins.You can improve worker safety by being aware of industrial safety systems’ benefits, and the solutions companies can adopt.What Are Industrial Safety & Industrial Safety Systems?Industrial safety is the term used to describe safety management procedures in the industrial sector. These procedures safeguard the environment, industrial personnel, equipment, buildings, and structures.An industrial safety system is typically a safeguard that is essential in any dangerous plants, such as nuclear power plants and oil and gas processing facilities.They are employed to safeguard people, industrial equipment, and the environment if a process deviates from the acceptable control margins.Benefits of Industrial Safety SystemsIncreased ProductivityProductivity is a result of safety. Workers can devote more time to their work output when they are not concerned about the safety and security of their workplace.Costs SavingsDirect and indirect costs from accidents, such as hospitalization and treatment costs, can be avoided and prevented with proper safety and control systems.However, there are hidden costs such as slower production rates by other employees, downtime from the employee involved in the accident, equipment damage, and labor costs associated with cleaning. These can add up and should not be ignored by the organization.Moral ResponsibilityYou have a moral duty as an employer to protect your employees from harm, for the benefit of themselves, their families, and the long-term prosperity of your company.Furthermore, creating a safe working environment for workers affirms the basic morale of a workplace. After all, you depend on your employees to maintain your operations.Legal ComplianceSafety regulations have been created emphasizing occupational health and safety, and breaking these rules can result in severe fines.These include the global standards used to protect human rights, including working conditions, employee welfare, safe work practices, pay & compensation, and labor laws.Better Workplace RelationsA work environment that is safe and free from any accident promotes positive employee attitudes towards the company.In addition, if there are no significant industrial accidents within the organization, a pleasant working relationship can be attained over the long term and helps with employee retention. Types of Industrial Safety HazardsPhysicalNoise exposure can result in increased stress levels, decreased productivity, and, in extreme circumstances, irreversible ear damage. The sound levels do not only affect hearing; unprotected noise exposure can result in greater stress levels and decreased productivity. Workplace noise exposure is also related to cardiovascular health.Radiation can cause skin damage and, in high doses, cancer later in life. Therefore, accidental exposure to radioactive substances requires emergency actions to minimize damage from radiation.Extreme temperatures can disrupt the body’s thermoregulation systems and cause rashes, exhaustion, and heatstroke. Therefore, it is advised to allow workers time to acclimatize to high temperatures with plenty of breaks and access to cold water to keep them safe in the heat.ChemicalChemical risks are a result of exposure to dangerous substances. This includes anything that could transmit disease through contact or inhalation.ErgonomicThe human body needs frequent movement and exercise. Overusing a particular set of movements, mainly when done incorrectly or without support, can cause overuse injuries. Pain can result even from prolonged inappropriate standing or sitting.BiologicalBiological dangers are caused by living things, whether small, like viruses, or large, like animals. These ailments could spread among the workforce and be contagious.SafetySafety risks arise while an employee is at work. Safety risks include electrical shocks from malfunctioning equipment, slips and falls from heights, head injuries from flying debris, and cuts or worse from improper use of machinery.How to Protect Workers from Industrial Safety HazardsTypes of Industrial Safety SystemsFunctional Safety SystemA functional safety system is the most critical safety system. It involves electronic, programmable, and the system’s capacity to respond appropriately to an initial electrical signal.Electrical Safety SystemElectrical safety can be attained by designing and installing electrical equipment. For instance, designing equipment so users won’t come into contact with electrically conductive components.Process Control SystemProcess control systems are employed to monitor and manage the production environment electronically. Process control systems can detect gases or liquids present in the environment.Process Safety SystemProcess safety systems manage the robustness of processes and operating systems that handle hazardous substances. It mainly prevents and handles events that have the potential to release hazardous substances and energy.Process Shutdown SystemProcess shutdown systems help to rapidly detect and safely handle process upsets. It can shutdown parts or whole processes where necessary.Safety Shutdown SystemSafety shutdown systems aid in the creation of a safe workplace by automatically shutting down and stopping any systems that are deemed unsafe.Emergency Shutdown SystemEmergency shutdown systems are higher-grade protection intended to safeguard personnel and equipment while minimizing any adverse effects of process activities on the environment.Fire and Gas SystemFire and gas systems are an incredibly sensitive and sophisticated mitigation safety layer that can identify danger early and broadcast visual and auditory warnings to warn others.Intrinsic Safety SystemThe intrinsic safety system is a technical principle that eliminates the risk of explosion or fire from electrical equipment and electronic instrumentation. Galvanic isolation or Zener barriers at the level of the power circuitry give this safety.Latest Industrial Safety Systems with IIoT TechnologySOL-X Control Of Work systemControl Of Work is a system of safety management that serves as a gate for your worksite, ensuring that dangerous job tasks, including restricted space access or “hot work” like welding and brazing, won’t happen unless and until you’ve evaluated and authorized them.Streamlined Step by Step Safety workflowsSOL-X Control Of Work streamlines step-by-step smart safety processes to enhance Control Of Work planning and execution and compliance assurance. For example, when preparing a permit at key stages, the worker needs to input location and time stamp verification such as Electrical Isolation Certificate (EIC) and sign-offs. This ensures compliance safeguards.AccountabilityThe workers are empowered to take ownership, and accountability is assured for tasks performed.Near real-time operational monitoringThe smart worksite-connected platform using a live dashboard enables near real-time operational monitoring and provides a holistic overview of cumulative risk and high-risk work activities.Alert NotificationsAlerts Responsible Authority with Crew Assist notifications if workers encounter difficulties performing their tasks or feel unwell. This results in improved response, better worker communications, and turnaround time on critical tasks.SOL-X Crew Protect systemCrew Protect uses IIoT and AI technology to enhance workers’ visibility and situational awareness during risky tasks. Integrated wellness features and fatigue management also ensure that employees stay in good physical condition.Communicate Crucial InformationWearables can detect important information about the working circumstances, risk exposure times, and other job-related dangers experienced by workers in confined spaces, other workplaces, etc.Empower WorkersWorkers are empowered to perform their own preventive actions in time when they are approaching hazardous zones, and they receive GeoFence alerts on their wearables.Reinforces Positive BehaviorPositive behavior is encouraged by sending reminders to notify workers to hydrate and take short breaks when exposed to stressful heat environments.Capturing Worker FeedbackActive sensors on the wearable enable the capture of workers’ insights and leading indicators that bring about the efficacy of corporate wellness programs and health and safety plans. This information empowers workers with near real-time data to manage immediate risks, such as important health signs, notifications, and recommendations.Explore Our IIoT SolutionsOne catastrophic mistake can stop maritime and oil & gas operations. Guard against different industrial safety hazards with SOL-X Control Of Work and Crew Protect now.To learn more about our solutions, look at our Control Of Work and Crew Protect systems and how they can solve your problems.
SOL-X Human Factors in Safety

Human Factors in Safety: Types, Examples, and Solutions

In the world of work, problems that occur due to human factors are common. After all, we are not robots, and we can make judgment errors when making a decision. Human limitations mean that such errors are more common than you might think. However, while they are natural, it’s a problem when the number becomes so high that accidents keep happening in the workplace.In fact, according to SOL-X, 66% of all incidents and casualties are caused by human factors. That’s why understanding human factors is so important for employers. Improving overall system performance is about managing such errors, especially in hazardous industries where a risk of human error can lead to severe consequences.The good news is that human factors can be managed with the right technology, which is key for hazardous industries. When you have suitable technology in place, you can protect your workers’ health and safety. Let’s assess examples of human factors in safety and solutions that work.What are Human Factors?Simply put, human factors are conditions that affect an employee’s interaction with their workplace, equipment, work procedures, or even their team. These conditions might arise from physical, psychological, or social reasons, but ultimately, they affect employees’ human abilities to perform their work safely.What are Examples of Human Factors?From the above definition, it’s clear that people, management, and workplaces contribute to human factors. Let’s take a look at specific examples of these factors:People: Your employee’s knowledge, abilities and limitations, and expectations will affect how they interact with others around them. Their individual differences such as their age and culture, also matter. If employees are stressed or distracted, these are predictors that safety performance might be affected.Management: The overarching organizational factors, such as management systems, also play an essential role. Managerial policies and decisions about the job design as well as how the information is communicated to the employee, will also impact human factors. This means that safety professionals must consider things such as work schedule, workload, task design, and requirements, besides written and spoken communications to convey instructions and data to employees.Work environments: Finally, work environments also affect safety in the workplace. The facilities, workstation configuration and accessibility, as well as workplace controls, warning systems, and other physical aspects that affect human well-being such as noise, temperature, and heat exposure all matter. Human factors specialists must consider workplace and employment design together while assessing the work environment.How Do Human Factors Affect Workplace Safety?The maritime and oil & gas industries are high-risk environments. The workers who operate in this field are exposed to various hazards, from extreme temperatures to the possibility of explosions. As such, companies in this field must have rigorous safety procedures in place to account for human factors.Human factors affect workplace safety because it leads to severe external consequences.Human factors are one of the most significant factors affecting workplace safety in this industry. The critical word to recognize in “human factors” is “human”. Humans make mistakes. Unfortunately, the price of human error is quite high. In October 2020, for example, an admin error by the Public Health of England caused nearly 16,000 COVID-19 cases to go unreported. In healthcare safety, it is estimated that the global cost of medication error is US$42 billion annually. The fact is that everyone is human, and those human mistakes come with major costs in safety.In the maritime industry, human factors cause severe casualties, leading to collisions, stranded ships, and even fire. Research shows that 80 per cent of maritime casualties are caused by human factors which lead to collisions, and collisions account for 85 per cent of maritime casualties. The collision among ships may cause damage to not only ships but also cargo.According to researchers (Mengwei, 2020), some human factors include fatigue which cause many driving accidents, the breakdown of machines, lack of professional knowledge, and negligence of potential risks. All these lead to an unavoidable collision.While it is difficult to establish a correlation as to which human factors lead to what type of consequences, suffice to say that such collisions have brought about disastrous consequences on the environment as well as negative effects on quality of life. In 1990, the Changjiang 0802 fleet collided with the Chongqing fleet, capsizing other ships and leaking concentrated sulfuric acid into the Yangtze River.In 2018, the oil tanker Sanchi caused significant impacts on the environment. The tanker carried about 1 million barrels of condensate, and a collision spread the fuel into the East China Sea. This is a catastrophe for the marine environment.Human factors impact safety since employees use experience rather than logic to judge the jobAnother reason why human factors can be challenging to minimize is that risky behaviors are sometimes driven by experience.Experience can prevent significant accidents because this process occurs intuitively and automatically and does not involve analytical, data-driven risk assessments. Each time the benefit is realized without a negative consequence, the behavior becomes automatic. But injuries can also occur when experience becomes a habit, influencing behavior. The act of doing in the workplace becomes careless when people think that the job is safe.Indeed, a study found that injuries were 88 per cent more likely to occur in a perceived safe job than those considered the most dangerous. Secondly, when people make repeated choices that reward their risky behaviors, they tend to underestimate the actual risks. Finally, the study concludes that we tend to rely on intuitive responses to make decisions and act upon them between logic and intuition. This partially explains why just telling someone that a job is risky may have little influence on someone’s behavior.Human factors impact safety due to complex environments with little informationHuman factors also result from employees’ lack of awareness of what is happening in complex and dynamic operating environments. Safety systems and risk models often do not describe safety risks or environmental change.An explosion at a Torrance, California, refinery in 2015 illustrates this problem. As the workers focused on completing the refinery shutdown, they became unaware of the changing environment around them. As a result, they neglected the importance of the critical safety barriers around them.Many companies might also not understand all the hazards they have and the conditions of their safeguards to prevent an incident—especially company operations associated with infrequent modes of operations, like startups and shutdowns. When accidents happen, the impact goes beyond assessing safety performance. ARC Advisory Group estimates that the unplanned downtime on process industry revenue and profitability costs companies $1 trillion yearly.How to Reduce Risks from Human Factors?Adopting a system and technology approach is the way to reduce risks from human factors. This means understanding the strengths and limitations of humans. It also means studying the interaction of people with equipment, technology, systems, workplace, environment, etc. Lastly, safety professionals must evaluate and design better technology, systems, workplace, and environment.Here are some solutions that can help you in a technology approach:Utilizing a Control Of Work SystemA Control Of Work is a Safety Management System that ensures that hazardous job tasks, such as confined space entry or “hot work” like welding and brazing, do not occur unless and until they have been reviewed and authorized.SOL-X’s Control Of Work can manage human factors by streamlining step-by-step smart safety workflows to improve compliance assurance, planning, and execution.For example, when a worker is preparing a permit at crucial stages, he must enter location and time stamp verification like sign-offs in the system. The roles and approval controls are customized to various authority levels for specific workflows, using unique worker identification. It also allows for surveying real-time operations from the live dashboard. This provides a complete overview of cumulative risk and high-risk work activities. Crew Protection SystemA crew protection system helps companies to manage risk and enhance current safety systems by addressing low situational awareness, incomplete workers’ health and wellbeing data, and environmental exposure risk.SOL-X’s Crew Protect can lower risks by providing crucial information on the working conditions, hazard exposure periods, ill health, and other work-related hazards faced by workers when detected by our SmartWatch. It also sends out Crew Assist alerts from their wearables when workers encounter difficulties performing their tasks or feel unwell, therefore alerting Responsible Authority.Furthermore, it reinforces positive behavior by sending out GeoFence alerts on their wearables so workers will avoid hazardous zones.Solutions to Manage Human FactorsHuman factors can add significant time pressures to your workflow when not managed well. To find out more about how human factors can impact your workplace safety, read our whitepaper to find out more.If you want to know how to better enhance your existing systems, see our SOL-X Behavior Based management systems and how our smart wearables work together to create a safe working environment.
Improve industrial processes with IIoT technology, industrial IoT

Industrial IoT (IIoT) Solutions: 5 Examples and Applications

What is IIoT?With the ever-growing number of smart devices, the Internet of Things (IoT) is more relevant than ever. Defined as a network of physical objects that contain embedded technology, IoT helps people and businesses communicate and collect real-time data so they can get actionable insights into the world around them.Similar to the concept of IoT, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the technology that connects machines, devices, sensors, and other equipment in industrial sectors with IT applications or cloud services. This allows businesses to collect and analyze data from IIoT-enabled products and services while they are being used in order to improve efficiency, uptime, and productivity levels over time. Find out how these technologies can improve industrial automation for smart factories in our modern age.IoT vs IIoT: How Are They DifferentThe Internet of Things (IoT) and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) are both exciting technologies that have the potential to transform industrial automation in many ways.The main differences between IIoT and IoT include:Scale: IoT is an ecosystem that connects machines and devices over a network. It can be an interconnected system of consumer wearables that are used to monitor a small number of devices. In comparison, IIoT is the process of using data from connected devices to improve the efficiency, quality, and cost of an industrial business. Therefore, it is usually designed to manage large amounts of information.Focus: IIoT focuses on streamlining business operations, while the IoT focuses on creating new applications and services that improve consumer lives. Many IoT devices are designed to be used by consumers in their everyday lives, while most IIoT devices are designed to help businesses run more efficiently.Systems: The IoT relies on cloud computing, while the IIoT does not need cloud computing because it uses local servers instead of remote servers. Additionally, IIoT platform is more secure than the IoT because it uses more established hardware and software platforms that have been tested thoroughly to prevent hackers from breaking into systems.5 Examples & Applications of IIoTWhile they may differ slightly in industrial application, most industries with challenging environments (such as shipping, oil and gas, energy, chemical industries etc.) will benefit from an IIoT platform. Here are five applications:Application 1 – Manage Human ErrorHuman factors are the physical, psychological, and social characteristics that affect human intersection with equipment, systems, processes, other individuals, and work teams(s). Human error is when a person makes a mistake due to human factors, which can lead to issues in time, cost, and quality. We all make mistakes. It’s in our nature. But when you are talking about the workplace, human error can cause major issues.With the introduction of IIoT applications, human factors are better managed. These applications allow for better coordination of staff, which significantly reduces errors made in the workplace.Smart machines help us manage human error by automating some of the processes that could lead to human error.For example, a logistics company may require an employee to manually input inventory data into Excel spreadsheets every day. That can lead to mistakes that are hard to track down later on. But now that you have implemented an IIoT application for your warehouse management system, the computer can automatically input data, and you can get alerts from the application if something goes wrong and fix it quickly.Of course, the type of IIoT technology you employ in your workplace depends on your industry.For instance, let’s assume your goal is to reduce human errors in the maritime industry and improve worker safety. Smart devices can be very handy in this case. For instance, a smartwatch can allow every crew member stationed in different areas to quickly alert the entire team of any work-related incidents that may occur while on the job.This is especially so for ship workers. Take, for instance, the Pump Room on a ship. Using an IIoT device with remote access allows key personnel to monitor if a team member is in the Pump Room. Likewise, crew members in the pump room can alert others if something’s amiss. The SOL-X Atex certified SmartWatch is a mobile device that allows one to do that. This device also informs the crew about restricted work zones. Such timely reminders will improve your worker safety, as they receive notifications and gain awareness about these hazardous areas.According to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), 66% of incidents and casualties are caused by “human factors”. Therefore, you should implement IIoT technology like the SOL-X SmartWatch so that you can employ remote monitoring of your crew, issue timely reminders, and minimize workplace casualties.Application 2 – Manage CostsEmployees are a company’s greatest asset, and keeping them safe is a priority for any business. But workplace accidents can be costly—in terms of money spent on repairs and equipment, as well as time spent on recovering from injuries, filing claims, and hiring new employees.And that’s not even the worst part: if an accident is severe enough to cause permanent disability, it can have devastating effects on a company’s reputation.If you’re in the construction, manufacturing, or maritime industries, you know that workplace accidents can cost your company money in lost time and productivity, as well as medical expenses and insurance fees.In today’s world of interconnected machines and systems, it has never been easier to improve industrial protocols. IIoT allows companies to monitor their frontline operations and equipment from an off-site location, so they can identify potential problems before they happen and respond quickly when problems do occur. This means fewer injuries for your employees (and less time spent treating those injuries).It also means fewer delays on projects because you don’t have to wait for someone to notice something is wrong before getting it fixed—you can fix it yourself!Apart from the above features, wearable IIoT technology is now advanced enough to provide managers with updated information on workers’ wellness.For instance, SOL-X’s Crew Protect is a holistic solution using smart devices that can track and monitor workers’ workload, heat stress levels, and heart rate monitoring. Workers can also tap on a ‘Crew Assist’ button to seek help quickly.Particularly for workers on a ship who are exposed to high heat, the SmartWatch allows safety engineers to monitor workers’ heat exposure. Plus, reminders are automatically sent to prompt employees to rest when the heat gets to a dangerous level.This data allows your company to effectively plan corporate wellness programs so that your workers feel valued and safe. When workers are not fatigued, they can also perform at their peak capacity. Overall, it can drastically improve a work site’s productivity and operational efficiency.Application 3 – Gather Deeper Data InsightsWe are entering a new era of data analytics, where the traditional silos of business data are being replaced by real-time and relevant insights.Companies are now able to collate and tap meaningful and real-time data on worker performance—something that is made possible with IIoT technology. This can cover the entire worksite, giving us a much deeper understanding of the challenges their staff faces. It also allows them to react flexibly, carrying out predictive maintenance to reduce workplace danger.With digitalized improvements led by industry leader SOL-X, AI models are constructed to collect data and provide enhanced insights. Such information helps companies identify key factors and leading indicators in achieving operational excellence. Through this data, companies can carry out pre-emptive measures and make continual improvements to work processes.For instance, the SOL-X SmartWatch tracks work rest data, so safety engineers can evaluate their team’s workload and take the right steps to manage their fatigue levels.Overall, with modern IIoT solutions such as SOL-X’s Control Of Work and Crew Protect system, you gain peace of mind. Especially so for companies in hazardous industries, you need the data to streamline operations and manage key safety compliance factors so as to achieve maximum operational excellence.Application 4 – Near Real-time Remote MonitoringFor the shipping industry, incidents related to cargo loading occur for many reasons, as detailed by several case studies. Often, it is a lack of remote monitoring that leads to such accidents. It could be a worker entering an enclosed area that has been marked off limits. Or perhaps the wrong or outdated platform or ladders are used.These incidents often occur because there isn’t timely information that keeps everyone working aligned. Imagine a world where you can see what’s happening on your vessel in real-time. You can see where your crew members are, and what they’re doing. You can make sure that everyone is working safely and responsibly.Even at the blind spots for crane or forklift operators, you can monitor the work going on and quickly update workers on safety reminders. That’s the level of security IIoT technologies such as SOL-X’s Control Of Work can offer you.Workplace incidents can happen due to many reasons. While human factors, as mentioned above, can be a contributory cause, other factors such as the layout of the work area or equipment failure can cause an issue.For instance, poor ventilation or lighting in the area needs to be highlighted to the workers immediately so that nobody goes there while it is under maintenance.Using the live dashboard in SOL-X, your superiors can obtain a wide-angle view of all ongoing operations in real time. They are able to see what each worker is doing and whether they are at the right place. With SOL-X, you can reduce safety risks and improve workflow management.Application 5 – Increase Worker ProductivityIIoT technology is rapidly changing the way businesses operate by automating manual and repetitive tasks.With industrial automation, you can reduce paperwork, which means less time spent on tedious tasks and more time spent working with your team to improve processes and increase performance.For instance, SOL-X’s solutions allow for enhanced digital document management. There is no need to print, scan, and manually update documents with the all-in-one dashboard that archives all relevant data.Besides, it’s an integrated turn-key system with wireless communication, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to communicate essential data while onboard a ship. An additional plus is that all this information is archived, and you can easily retrieve it for company audits.In fact, getting permits signed is much easier with SOL-X. The system automatically routes a permit to work (a necessary permit in hazardous industries to formally authorize work done on-site) to the ship master for approval.That reduces the time spent for the second officer to look for the ship master, freeing them to concentrate on other tasks. Ultimately, less paperwork also means more time for workers to focus on what matters on the job site.Explore SOL-X IIoT SolutionsIn high-hazard environments such as the maritime industry, one fatal error can cause work to suspend. Don’t risk your employee’s safety and the company’s reputation. Instead, harness advanced IIoT technologies to improve risk management in your company.With the expertise of our internal safety experts, SOL-X solutions are designed to meet the unique requirements of high-hazard environments. Our expert team can also configure and customize systems suited for your workplace environments when required. Contact us for a free demo to find out how to optimize your workplace safety and efficiency today.
A behavior based safety approach is a scientific method to reduce unsafe behaviors

What is Behavior Based Safety and Why It’s Important

What is Behavior Based Safety?Behavior Based Safety (BBS) is a proactive method of implementing safety programs. By analyzing the risk factors that are created due to employee behavior, it aims to minimize safety hazards and reduce unsafe behaviors by analyzing the risk factors created by employee behavior. BBS studies how factors such as work procedures, measures, training, or equipment design, influence a person to perform the task safely.The objective behind BBS is to create an organizational culture where data-supported interventions are used to assess and improve the safety measures put into place continually.How Does Behavior Based Safety Work?Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) is a management approach that uses data, analysis, and learning to improve safety performance. It is based on the idea that safety is a behavior, not a condition. Through training, coaching, and feedback, BBS focuses on increasing employees’ awareness of safety behaviors.The goal of BBS is to reduce unsafe behaviors performed by employees. To do this, you must first identify the unsafe acts that are taking place in your organization. Then you can take steps to change unsafe behavior and prevent them from happening again.To identify the unsafe acts, the methodology relies on third-person observation data. As employees continue to work, an observer stays as a passive participant. This observer can be a human participant or a system that collects data.The tasks can include safety-related tasks such as a discussion on permit applications or workplace safety reviews using a checklist. When the job is completed, or at suitable points, the observer will share observations made, without judgment. This data triggers a discussion about why certain safety practices are carried out. In that way, the feedback loop creates a reflective safety culture.Why is Behavior Based Safety Important?One of the main benefits of BBS is that it puts more emphasis on prevention rather than just corrective actions after an injury has occurred. This means that employers can identify potential hazards before they become serious injuries or illnesses.With the observation data, the discussion can center on the effectiveness of the current safety program. It can also highlight safe and unsafe behaviors as well as conditions that the employees face, which might be overlooked by management.Overall, it creates a safety culture where workers feel empowered to report danger zones. It also increases the engagement between leadership and frontline workers, reducing human errors. In that way, the company can avoid severe consequences before accidents happen.Is Behavior Based Safety needed based on Singapore Laws (OSHD)?While there is no legal requirement in Singapore to implement BBS, the method improves worksite safety. The Workplace and Health Council, the statuary board under the Ministry of Manpower that regulates workplace safety in Singapore, also highly recommends BBS as a way to perform site inspections.What are the Principles of Behavior Based Safety?Here are five principles you should use to guideline your BBS program:First, recognize that historical assessments of previous injuries and accidents provide data-driven results. Start by identifying problematic behaviors that are unsafe or risky. Then, determine the root causes of the behaviors.Pay attention to small careless behaviors that result in significant accidents and injuries.Manage these risky and unsafe behaviors by developing critical behavior checklists to document examples of target behaviorsMaintain a safety culture. Design intervention programs to improve/avert unsafe or risky behavior. Such interventions can include training workers to lead as safety monitors.Fully engage all employees in the importance of behavioral safety. Encourage active observation and reporting to boost employee engagement and compliance.How to Promote Behavior Based Safety?1. Develop Safety Culture:Strong safety culture is supported by senior leadership, has clear policies and procedures, and encourages employees to speak up if they see something that could be unsafe.Safety culture is important to BBS for two reasons: employee morale and employee engagement. When people feel safe at work, they’re more likely to engage with their jobs and take pride in their workmanship. In addition to this, having a strong safety culture can help you avoid accidents on the job. This increases overall productivity in the organization.The SOL-X Control of Work process designed by SOL-X is a way that organizations can implement behavior-based safe work practices. The integrated technology ensures workers follow the safety procedures at the right place and time while carrying out their assigned scope of work. Such transparency also helps workers to feel in control over their work environment, motivating them to be more productive.2. Observe BehaviorsReal-time monitoring is beneficial for BBS because it allows organizations to identify gaps in safety processes. As mentioned, one of the fundamental principles of BBS is to pay attention to careless behaviors that result in accidents.When we use real-time monitoring, we can see where our safety processes are breaking down and identify where we need to make changes. This allows us to improve our work systems and ensure that operations are carried out safely.Using SOL-X’s safety solutions, your organization can observe risky behaviors in real-time. The live dashboard allows near real-time visibility of all operations. For example, crew managers can see a live update of their team’s location and tasks. Should any team member feel unwell, notifications will also alert relevant officers to take action.3. Get Real-Time FeedbackOne of the important aspects of BBS is real-time feedback. Real-time feedback refers to providing feedback to workers promptly so they can make adjustments as soon as possible.The intervention allows workers to be accountable for their actions in the present moment and encourages a sense of responsibility among members of the team. In addition, such feedback makes them more likely to take ownership of their actions.SOL-X’s advanced technological solutions, such as smart wearables for workers, will facilitate the provision of such real-time feedback. Workers are notified immediately if the system senses any possible danger. For example, if the place is too hot, the SOL-X SmartWatch can sense heat exposure and remind the worker to rest and hydrate. Workers can also alert their officers in charge via notifications from their smart wearables if they realize they cannot carry out their tasks safely. This reinforces positive safety behaviors, which is a cornerstone of BBS.4. Analyze Quality DataBBS safety processes are successful because they are based on direct observations of front-line workers doing their jobs. Unfortunately, the organization cannot see what people are thinking or understand their beliefs and attitudes. This qualitative data is undoubtedly necessary, but measuring them without exerting time and resources is impossible. On the other hand, it’s easy to observe what people do. The actions they take to ensure they are not injured and the actions they take that may put them at risk for injury are data that a company can collect.Once the unsafe behaviors are identified, you can create targeted solutions to remove them. Again, using data means no need for speculation since the process generates evidence we can see and measure.You can rely on SOL-X’s products to obtain such real-time data to collect important information. For example, its integrated SOL-X collects timely data on worksite safety. The SmartWatch also collects near real-time data on workers’ safety and well-being. Both data collection points from the work environment and workers’ health conditions support safety managers in crafting a comprehensive safety program.5. Use a Behavior Based Safety ChecklistA behavior based safety checklist is a direct-observation instrument that is used to record safe behavior and recognize the reason behind an unsafe act.A BBS checklist is important and valuable because it helps the observer to identify the areas of concern. The observer can then provide timely feedback to prompt a discussion from the checklist. The checklist also helps ensure that employees follow the correct procedures when performing their work, creating a behavior based safety system.Even a simple checklist like this example can also help encourage a workplace culture that promotes safety since it ensures everyone is on the same page.6. Reinforce Positive BehaviorsUltimately, BBS is not a framework for negative criticism. Instead, it aims to provide a feedback loop where safe behaviors are recognized. At the same time, unsafe behaviors are discussed so workers can reflect and adjust their processes. As part of a safety culture, monitoring, managing, and giving positive feedback to reinforce safe behavior is essential.SOL-X solutions use ready-made analytics that helps to create positive behavioral feedback loops. This technology is aided by AI and is built by an experienced safety personnel team that is well-informed about workplace safety. This professional solution means SOL-X can gather real-time ground data for actionable insights. These insights allow the company to identify positive behaviors, share best practices, and find leading indicators for continuous improvement.Behavior Based Safety SolutionsFor more information on how SOL-X can support BBS methods, read our white paper to learn more. You can read more here if you’re interested in how our innovative products can facilitate and support BBS observation cycles.

Inventory Management : Addressing A Complex Problem With A Simple Solution

The complex problem Inventory management is one of the most manual and operational workflows in the shipping industry. Lack of complete solution, time consuming processes and absence of standard operating procedures lead to inaccurate storage and consumption data. Insufficient or unavailable spare parts can lead to vessel downtimes that could cost the shipping company millions in delays and insurance claims. Holding excess inventory will incur significant carrying costs and spare part ageing and degradation problems. According to Clarkson’s Research, spares and maintenance costs in the shipping industry have been steadily on the rise and can constitute approximately 18% of a vessel’s Operating Expenses (OPEX). The manual processes cause additional burden to the crew’s productivity. The existing systems create redundant steps in carrying out the day-to-day operations and hours are wasted every day in finding and locating spare parts on ships. Moreover, the supply chain disruptions in the last two years have made the task of procurement even more challenging and cost intensive. The whole cycle of events is causing additional pressure on the operating costs and workload on both ship and shore employees. The challenge is to have the right ecosystem between the various stakeholders to optimise the inventory levels across the fleet and increase productivity for both ship and shore employees. PROPELLER: Simplifying complexity with innovation SCNX is partnering with shipping companies in digitising their inventories and creating a personalised ecosystem that suits their needs and solves their problems. The SCNX PROPELLER Internet of Things (IoT) solution enables company-wide visibility throughout the supply chain. The PROPELLER product suite integrates seamlessly with existing planned maintenance systems (PMS) / nterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms and consists of three integrated software and hardware modules: PROPELLER Ship: The portable onboard solution that enables engineers to carry out their inventory-related tasks and operations from any part of the ship or engine room. This system seamlessly works with the PMS system and helps to provide accurate inventory data and automate inventory management operations. This results in saving thousands of dollars in overstock and man hours. PROPELLER Shore: The high-end data engine for the shore buyer and procurement teams that aggregates vessel data and uses AI and ML to generate dashboards with actionable insight. Propeller Shore’s valuable recommendations include opportunities for bulk procurement, bundling opportunities and pricing trends to help customers manage and control budgets. PROPELLER Supply: Currently in pilot with selected suppliers, this module integrates the supplier ecosystem that allows pre-tagging of the spare parts and provides shipping status updates along the supply chain. This leads to better transparency of goods arriving on board How PROPELLER works: Onboard workflow is simplified through industry grade IoT tablets with integrated cameras and scanners and RFIQ/QR codes to facilitate accurate inventory updating on the go. Data automatically synchronises with PMS or ERP platforms. Even when tablets are offline or out of range, inventory reconciliation can still be completed once later synchronised – providing total vessel coverage. Captured data from PROPELLER Ship seamlessly feeds to onshore officers, fleet managers, and procurement teams via our highly secure cloud-based PROPELLER Shore portal. The information converts into actionable insights through AI and ML algorithms. Performance data and trends help vessel operators make better business decisions with fleetwide monitoring and analysis. Users can quickly gain highlighted inventory details from the ease of a dashboard, such as critical spares levels, parts that need restocking, purchase orders pending delivery & check-in, and equipment tagging/scanning activity. Accurate data and visibility provide competitive advantages while identifying opportunities for inventory optimization. The digitalization of inventory ensures: An accurate digital starting point for inventory data consisting of right inventory levels, spare-part pictures and digital manuals. Instant savings of over 25% of annual procurement spend proven by our experience of deployment over 50 vessels. Reduction in spare part ageing enabled by FIFO (First in First out) recommendations. Elimination of overstocking leading to reduction in operational expense. Strong boost in productivity by automating manual processes such as stock reconciliation. Establishment of standard SOP’s that ensures sustainable communication and data between ship and shore teams. Continuous cost saving opportunities across the fleet through intelligent recommendations. What our customer’s say: PROPELLER is improving well-being and vessel morale by simplifying onboard and shoreside workflow with fun and easy tools to use. “Crews say the PROPELLER portal and tablet are user-friendly, and it’s like playing with a game on their phone. Finding parts is like using a metal detector that pings the location. Engineers can become fluent with the app in a few hours. Even staff who are reluctant at first appreciate using it. They also love the digital equipment manuals stored on the tablets,” Conclusion: IoT technology has huge potential to unlock value in the shipping industry. According to Mckinsey&Company, over 10% of maintenance costs and 50% of downtime can be addressed with IoT systems. SCNX is challenging the status quo by building systems for frontline workers that focus on user-friendly experiences to improve working conditions and productivity. Utilising cutting-edge digital tools and mobile scanning technology, SCNX simplifies complex inventory management with benefits that scale up the entire value chain.

Turning Global Supply Chain Challenges Into Smart Ship Solutions

Originally published on BCG Digital Ventures Medium Blog With companies and governments increasingly pricing operational excellence, climate mitigation, and inventory resilience into their supply chain strategies, BCGDV and maritime services leader MISC Group are poised to revolutionize the international shipping industry with deep tech. After falling dramatically in Q2 2020 during the global pandemic, global trade has rebounded strongly and recorded a full-year drop of only 8%, well on the way to reaching 2019 levels again by 2022-2023. But while demand is back, global supply chains have been greatly disrupted by a lack of structural self-sufficiency, ever-increasing climate concerns, and supply/demand mismatches. BCGDV’s 2020 coinvestment with international shipping line MISC in three game-changing ventures in marine safety, emissions efficiency, and digitalized inventory management is setting up the shipping trade—which lags in innovation compared to other industries—to achieve the supply chain of the future. Reflecting on the transformational power of strategically applying digital and deep tech like AI, ML, and IIoT to create massive operational efficiencies across the shipping value chain in a way that has never been done before, Managing Director & Partner and Global Leader of BCGDV’s Energy Practice Sid Shah commented, “With 90% of the world’s goods transported by ships, and considering the fragmented attempts at innovation, we believe these investments are going to be absolutely transformative to the maritime industry, as well as to industries such as mining, energy, and industrial goods.” All three separate ventures are based in Singapore, a critical hub for BCGDV that was recently placed at the top of the IMD World Competitive Center’s ranking in digital competitiveness. We foresee them being key drivers for the smart ship, which leverages automation and assistive technologies to ensure safety, environmental sustainability, and efficiency. SOL-X: Redefining Maritime Safety As an industry-first Safety 4.0 company centered on human factors, SOL-X combines deep industry knowledge with IIoT and predictive AI to improve safety and compliance outcomes, increase operational productivity, and enhance crew well-being. With 66% of maritime incidents caused by human error, SAFEVUE.ai, the company’s flagship solution, addresses the core of human factors by combining the Control of Work with crew well-being data to deliver near real-time safety intelligence on the edge. SOL-X recently signed a multiyear fleetwide agreement to partner with Eaglestar and meet the maritime industry’s ever-increasing demands for operational and safety excellence. Chord X: Advancing Ship Management Maritime data analytics company Chord X employs sensors, data integration and analytics, machine learning, and human experts to achieve operational and emission efficiency in large maritime assets. It measures emission footprints to support regulatory reporting compliance, enabling increased oversight over carbon tax with greater accuracy than current methods. And the company’s offerings will soon expand to combine analytics with other data sources and a wider range of propulsion fuel types to provide predictive insights for maritime asset operators to weigh decisions, take corrective actions, and optimize performance. Chord X achieves reduced operating expenditures, enhanced reliability, and cleaner combustion. SparesCNX: Reinventing the Shipping Supply Chain Automated inventory management solution Spares CNX tracks the life cycle of spare parts on shore and across the fleet. PROPELLER Ship uses RFID, QR, and other imaging technologies to monitor the location and consumption of spares via a tablet that interacts with pretagged spare parts, ensuring the capture and dissemination of accurate and complete information. The accompanying AI-driven analytics platform, PROPELLER Shore, empowers managers and procurement officers with insights and recommendations for stock level optimization, rebalancing, and forward bulk procurement. Spares CNX addresses inventory inaccuracies that cost the global shipping industry up to $2 billion annually, and it is building capabilities to address frictions around FIFO, consumable goods, onshore warehouse partner integrations, and other areas. “The challenges faced by the shipping industry brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic have forced us to rethink our approaches and operational practices,” added Mr. Yee Yang Chien, President/Group CEO of MISC. “We must be bold in exploring the endless opportunities to further improve operational excellence in various areas including safety and process efficiency.” Supply chain resilience goes beyond raising inventory levels: companies should build capabilities to absorb disruptions and recover quickly. Leveraging digital tools and deep tech can protect against near-term volatility by adding scenario planning and supply chain transparency.

We Literally Put Ourselves In The Shoes (Protective Boots) Of The Users To Make A Product That Really Works

We have built -and are continuously developing- something for a very unique industrial setting. This is an undertaking that requires us not only to have very specific insights about the environment for which we are building, but also a great deal of hands-on experience. When a team designs a product that is for the typical user and mass market, they can very easily picture someone sitting in an office, using a laptop, or using a smartphone on their morning commute. The usage environment can be comprehensively understood from the collective personal experience of the product team. There are plenty of assumptions about the usage of the product about which you can have a high degree of certainty will apply across most users, use cases, and use environments. In contrast, what we are doing at SCNX is bringing technology into a very particular and peculiar industry. The way that the primary end-user will be interacting with our system is not something that we are naturally very familiar with (unless you have worked onboard a commercial shipping vessel). As such, what we are trying to do as a company – and especially within the product team – is to allow everybody who is involved in the ideation and execution of the product to get first-hand experience of the conditions under which the users of our solution are working. To give an idea of what this involves, the marine engineers that use our solution are wearing safety boots, boiler-suits, protective gloves, a helmet, and goggles. These items are built for safety, rather than comfort, and in some instances might result in a limited field of view, a degree of restriction to movement, and a reduction in manual dexterity. These aspects of the working conditions on board need to be taken into consideration when we work on the product. Rite of Passage It is with this in mind that we decided to ensure that everyone on the product team spends a meaningful amount of time onboard. This also applies to all new hires. Within a few weeks of starting, they will get to experience the conditions on board, right down to wearing all the same PPE that the onboard engineering teams are required to wear. This is something that we are very proud of at SCNX. We are putting our product team literally in the same shoes (or rather, safety boots) as the intended users, in order to ensure that our solution serves the users’ needs as well as possible. Only after experiencing firsthand what working in this environment entails can we put our hands on our hearts and claim that we can build the right solution. Another insight from our time onboard is that we need to allow engineers to interact with a high volume of spare parts, and quickly. This is how we landed on the combination of RFID on top of QR codes, which is another unique aspect of our solution. Our handheld devices can capture information about thousands of spare parts simply by being waved over the relevant shelves. We also make it easy to know what a whole vessel is holding (or the whole fleet if you are a fleet director or superintendent, looking in from the onshore portal). Right now you can go into a cluttered spares room and within just a couple of seconds you can have the details of the full current inventory in your hands. You don’t need to carry paper printouts of inventory levels, or checklists (for reconciliations), and you don’t need to go back and forth to a computer station that is typically housed in a different room to the spare parts (these are things that the majority of legacy ERP systems require). This allows engineers to save a lot of time, and in turn enables them to focus on other more important responsibilities, like maintenance, safety training, and more. There have been many examples of people trying to build products for industries in a vacuum; in the best cases these products do not really end up not being used, in the worst, they have had catastrophic results. From a major car manufacturer moving the location of the fuel tank without rigorous testing ending up causing explosions, or poor radiography equipment UI leading to tragedy in the healthcare industry, building products in a vacuum has been shown to result in failure. We are confident that we are doing what needs to be done to get the solution right. Maintaining a birds-eye view Another important idea that we like to keep front of mind is the potential knock-on effects of individual product or feature updates on the whole product/user ecosystem. We are trying to solve a problem for the engineers, but the engineers are not in a vacuum themselves. What they do has an impact on their supervisors, the company’s financial department, procurement department, all of the people who will also be interacting with PROPELLER. We are tackling this by consulting our in-house SparesCNX specialists, while at the same time gathering a great deal of information from interviews with our customers (at all levels of the business) and relevant industry leaders, in order to piece together this puzzle and ensure that as the solution continues to improve, and that all users continue to benefit. This approach has been critical for us to effectively build the integration between the onboard and onshore platforms, in order to maximise visibility and utility across all departments, without creating any misalignment. Knowing Our Place This last point is perhaps a little controversial, but if PROPELLER is being used in the right way, it won’t have to be used very frequently, or for very long each time. I will be delving into this area in more depth in the coming weeks, but I felt that I would be remiss not to at least mention it in this piece. Unlike Facebook, Netflix, or Grab, where the more time people spend on the platform the better (for the owners of the platform at least), we don’t measure our success in that way. Our solution is designed to enable companies to speed up their processes around spare parts management, while increasing visibility and accuracy. So if people are spending lots of time using the product, we will take a look at why, and where we can tighten up to be more efficient. It’s similar to Occam’s razor, in that the simplest, quickest solution is the right one. Fundamentally, taking cargo from point to point is the primary goal of the vessels for which PROPELLER is designed. Spares management is a second-order process, part of a second-order set of responsibilities that enables engineering teams to keep these enormous and complex vessels running optimally. Our solution provides support so that these teams can execute on maintenance in a timely fashion, and help drive revenue for the business. For the whole team at SCNX it is a red flag if we see people on the system for more time than is necessary to complete a particular task, whereas if Facebook sees that you’re wasting your whole day looking at cat memes, for them that’s a good thing. We are developing our product to do what it needs to do as efficiently as possible, in order to support the onboard teams working on the tasks that keep the whole operation moving. We are building a tool, not an activity. As we are constantly iterating our product, I would love to discuss the challenges your organisation faces and invite you to a hands-on demo. You can book a session here.

How will SOL-X deliver Business Value to customers? [Infographic 2021]

SOL-X by SOL-X, is an industry leading Behavioral Based Safety system that combines an enhanced control of work with a holistic approach to crew wellbeing, in order to improve worker health and safety culture. A primary benefit of SOL-X is improved operational efficiency of Permit To Work (PTW) workflows. It is estimated that our customers experience an average of US$60,000 to US$180,000 in crew productivity gains annually per vessel after switching from paper-based solutions. Along with the fully integrated PTW system, the work on the go capabilities and paperless system have streamlined workflows, improving overall turnaround times. Furthermore, SOL-X’s near real-time capabilities have enhanced safety operations monitoring, and procedural compliance to work processes. ‍ Operational Excellence Reduces the time and effort required to complete the forms and to obtain authorization, as well as automatically save such documents in searchable formats. The time savings free up crew resources for higher value hands-on tool time, such as machinery and equipment maintenance. Enables better management of their work rest hours. ‍ Preparing Documents Automatically sets up the necessary documentation and workflows once the job is selected from the digital database of permits, reducing downtime spent on document management. ‍ Permit Request And Risk Assessment ‍‍Integrates Risk Assessment with Permit Requests, making it possible to prepare and submit them concurrently. This reduces repeated information, removes clerical errors, and provides a standardized and uniform risk assessment across the fleet. Furthermore, workflow protocols within the digital system ensure that all required fields have been completed, facilitating efficiencies on the subsequent approval process. Additional features such as pre-filled fields and pre-identified risks based on historical references and best practices, the system contributes to time savings – a 50% reduction, and a more robust risk assessment and permit request. ‍ On-site Checklists and Isolation Certificate SOL-X’s work on the go solution totally changes the way the crew approaches safety checklists onsite. The built-in validation and the step-by-step guide further assure managers of safety compliance as well as ease of completion – reducing more than a third of the time usually spent on these steps, while providing all crew visibility of real-time data across the vessel. ‍ Permit Approval An electronic review and approval system improves this process by eliminating the need to manually transport, scan and email the form. A well-implemented solution also automatically communicates the required approval requests directly to the Master and Office Superintendent, following a set of approval matrices aligned with each type of PTW requested. As it is a fully integrated PTW system, the review process is simplified for cross-references. Furthermore, a digital format makes it possible to incorporate pre-defined rules and alerts, and notifies the approver if any inputs exceed certain thresholds. This provides the Approving Authority near real-time access to relevant information for appropriate risk management and decision-making. SOL-X has reduced permit approval times by an average of 20 minutes when office approval is not required, and an hour when it is. This has shortened the waiting time between permit completion and crew execution of the actual job, while ensuring that the shore team is kept up-to-date when the vessel needs to communicate with them. ‍ Document Filing, Storage And Retrieval Documents are instantly stored and archived on the local server, and automatically tagged with searchable keywords – freeing up the crew to focus on higher value-added jobs. Cumulative effect on audit or inspection preparation, as documents can be easily retrieved and searched. ‍ Audit Preparation Since digital PTWs can be replicated from the vessel’s local server to onshore databases, they further facilitate audit preparation by compressing time and distance. This allows auditors to commence their review of permits and other documents remotely, without any interruption to the vessel crew. Furthermore, the available data can encompass the complete range of operational documents, thus providing a more comprehensive view of vessel operations. By eliminating the physical paperwork, ships can operate more sustainably on an environmental and operational level. The digital PTW system helps reduce the amount of paper required to process the PTW tasks each day and during audit/inspection, as well as improve space and document management onboard. It is estimated that a vessel uses an average of 39,000 sheets of paper annually for PTW-related documents onboard and in the office. This is equivalent to 5 trees per year, therefore converting to the digital format significantly reduces the carbon footprint of each vessel. ‍ For more details, please refer to our infographics on the distinctions between Digital PTW from SOL-X and Manual PTW.

Key Benefits of a Fully Integrated Digital Permits Management System [Infographic 2021]

SOL-X by SOL-X, combines an integrated digital Permit To Work (PTW) platform with near real-time visibility to critical frontline vessel operations. This can improve crew safety, enhance compliance to control of work practices, and increase operational excellence through streamlined workflows. ‍The purpose is to provide a framework to the crew, ship managers and owners for evaluating the benefits of a fully integrated digital permits management system enabled by real-time control of work data offered by our solution. ‍Key Benefits Increases crew productivity by freeing up an estimated 12 manhours per day per vessel. With SOL-X, PTW planning and execution are now more streamlined and standardized. This has resulted in quicker completion turnaround times for permits-to-work, risk assessments and safety checklists forms. The mobile work-on-the-go capability further extends crew flexibility shipwide, ensuring that the crew can focus on critical time on tool and not be burdened by administrative paperwork. ‍ Reduces PTW audit preparations to mere minutes Completed permits-to-work, risk assessments and safety checklist documents are now consolidated and stored in a single system. These documents are automatically synchronized from ship to shore onto the cloud in near real-time for easy access, further enabling new remote auditing capabilities for the shore team. Enhances compliance and safety With an integrated step-by-step PTW workflow system coupled with near real-time line of sight into ongoing safety operations, the crew and shore teams now have greater assurance that safety processes are being followed throughout the vessel. This visibility of ongoing safety operations has encouraged positive crew behavior change and improved procedural compliance for high-hazard work.In addition, operational reporting and data analytics through the SOL-X Office Portal enables the shore team to actively monitor vessel and crew performance. Over time, these actionable insights and leading indicators will enable key stakeholders to drive continuous process improvements, leading to increased safety standards fleetwide. Contributes to sustainability SOL-X integrated PTWs eliminate paper-based forms and, more importantly, are less labour-intensive. The crew is spared having to expend much time and effort in producing voluminous paper forms, which involves filling up many fields, proofreading and manually checking for errors before submitting for approval. With the validation protocols of its built-in forms, SOL-X can likewise reduce clerical errors and standardize fleetwide workflows over time. This will contribute to an improved crew safety culture.

Human Factors contributed to 2 out of 3 marine incidents and casualties [Infographic 2021]

Why do incidents concerning Permit To Work tasks recur?According to the EMSA 2019 report on “Annual overview of marine casualties and incidents 2019”, 2 out of 3 all incidents (between 2011 to 2018) were contributed by human factors. The top factors include (1) lack of safety awareness, (2) inadequate work methods, and (3) poor planning and coordination. The Permit to Work (PTW) system is an essential part of any Ship Management System (SMS) for high-risk work onboard vessels, in compliance with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. PTWs are used to manage many aspects of the ship’s operations, such as ensuring procedural compliance for high-hazard jobs, reducing safety incidents, and mitigating overall risk exposure. Even with these safeguards, incidents related to PTW tasks continue to happen at an alarming rate. ‍ Captain Daniel Alcantara Head of HSSE and Solution Delivery 30Y+ experience in leadership positions with NOL and AET Ship Management Head of Documents & Systems, Marine Superintendent & HSSEQ Master COC, Class 1

Bringing The Right Cloud Technology Into Maritime Inventory Management

It has been an exciting journey with SCNX. From the beginning it has been our mission to build a solution to support the shipping industry’s goals of operating lean, and mitigating risk. I have been working in technology for many years, with a specialisation in IoT, and the maritime industry has provided me with an exciting set of challenges. It has reaffirmed my belief that building a product to have maximum utility is not about using the most advanced technology, but the most suitable technology. The Unique Vessel Environment When we started building the solution, the first thing we tackled was the inconsistent connectivity onboard. Vessels sailing the world rely on satellites for their access to the internet, and the reliability of this can be impacted by a number of conditions (most of which are beyond anyone’s control). To build a robust solution, we had to take into account the fact that there may be periods lasting from a few seconds to a few days where there is no connectivity. At the same time, we needed to allow for the fact that even at the best of times, the bandwidth available would be low, so our solution needed to be as lean as possible in terms of its data requirements. The product with which we have gone to market includes all the hardware necessary to be self-sufficient on a vessel: we provide the server to host our software applications, the portable Propeller tablets which are the onboard users’ primary touchpoint to be used in most areas of the vessel, and our own onboard wifi network to connect the tablets with the server. Bringing The Cloud To The Ocean The traditional software used on vessels is single machine based, and there is limited data exchange with the outside world. Our product architecture brings the best of standalone software and cloud technology together. We decided to use the IoT hub and edge concept to build the solution. Every server on the vessel is an edge device, managed by the IoT hub. As such, we convert whole fleets into a huge ocean faring IoT networks. By leveraging cloud technology, we bring manageability and scalability to the solution. Everything is configurable through the cloud. The data synchronization and software updates are managed by the infrastructure layer to offload excess burden from the application itself. Cloud implementations allow us to leverage most fitting modern technology. Our software is fully built on micro-services, so each module can be updated separately for individual vessels, a group of vessels, or the whole fleet, depending on the requirements. We also have implemented serverless modules as part of our solution, in order to maximize the flexibility within the system. A Few Key Considerations Using cloud technology doesn’t solve all our challenges automatically, but it creates a framework for more innovative and effective combinations of tech components. We carefully chose the most appropriate technology combinations, and I believe made smart decisions about the SCNX architecture in order to ensure that we are using the available technology in the way that brings the most value for our customers and users. As I mentioned above, data synchronization is a big consideration. By choosing a suitable database and synchronization scheme, we managed to encapsulate the complexity in the data layer. The only thing we need to manage at the level of the application layer is error handling when there any data integrity issue. Data bandwidth also needed to be investigated carefully. Cloud technologies tend to assume a good internet environment, and strong bandwidth. It is not usually an issue for a broadband environment, but with satellite internet, connectivity often suffers. We optimized the edge and IoT hub in order to reduce the volume of data transmission. Only critical data are exchanged between the edge and the cloud to maintain as low a bandwidth usage as possible. This had the additional effect of improving system stability, even during periods of internet blackout. Being tolerant to being offline is a must for the vessel environment. For all the features we have implemented, we are always mindful that the internet connection might be not available for days at a time. Therefore, whenever possible we always use the local data source available on the vessel instead of asking for data from the cloud. For the information that has to be acquired from the cloud, we always make the information ready early enough, together with an error handling case to prevent data inconsistency. Most importantly, our solution handles all this without interfering with the usage of the Propeller tablet by the Engineers on board. Bring The Data To Life One of the key benefits of the cloud is the capacity for powerful data analysis and visualization tools. With the data available on the cloud, the on shore teams (Procurement Directors, Fleet Directors, Superintendents) can easily look into their fleet’s inventory data through our browser based interface. They are able to drill down from the fleet level, to a group of vessels, and to the inventory information of individual vessels. This empowers the team with an accurate understanding of their inventory on hand, and gives them the ability to optimize their procurement, maintenance, and logistics activities accordingly. Summary Looking at our solution as it now stands, we have very much achieved our original goal for a stable, scalable solution on the vessel. We are using the cloud wherever suitable, but have combined this with various other elements, old and new, in order to fulfil the requirements of the project within the limitations presented by the specific and difficult environment on board commercial vessels. There are always a lot of exciting new technologies around to be used to solve problems such as these, but the devils are in the details in terms of how to optimise them to make a great solution.

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MAGELLAN X PTE. LTD.
PRIVACY POLICY

Magellan X Pte. Ltd., its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Magellan X”, “we”, “our” and/or “us”), are committed to safeguarding the Personal Information of our customers, vendors and users (“User” and/or “you”) who visit our website (“Website”). This privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”) sets out the ways in we collect your Personal Information, the purposes for which we use it and the instances where we share it with other individuals and organisations. “Personal Information” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.

If you are an existing customer or vendor of ours, or a representative of an existing customer or vendor of ours, further details about how we use your Personal Information are set out in your/your employer’s customer/vendor contract with us. We may provide further notices to you at the point we collect your Personal Information, which will highlight any further information relating to our use of that Personal Information and, where applicable, provide you with the ability to opt in or out of selected uses.

This Privacy Policy is intended to explain our privacy practices and covers the following areas:

  1. What Personal Information about you we may collect;
  2. How we may use your Personal Information;
  3. How we protect your Personal Information;
  4. Contacting us and your rights to access and update your Personal Information; and
  5. How changes to this Privacy Policy and the Cookie Policy will be made.

This Privacy Policy applies to the activities for which Magellan X is a “data controller” which means that Magellan X decides why and how Personal Information is processed. Magellan X may also process User’s Personal Information as a “data processor” in the context of the services we provide to our customers. When we process Personal Information on behalf of our customers, customers determine “why” and “how” the Personal Information is processed. To learn more about the processing of your Personal Information in this context, please refer to their respective privacy policies.

If you are based in the European Economic Area (“EEA”) or the United Kingdom (“UK”) during your interactions with us (other than solely for travel purposes), the laws in those countries require us to provide you with additional information about our processing activities. We have included this information in the European Appendix.

1. Personal Information we may collect about you

We will collect and process all or some of the following Personal Information about you:

1.1 Personal Information you provide to us ► Personal Information that you provide to us, such as when using the contact form on our Website, including your name, email address, other contact details;

1.2 Personal Information you provide when applying for a role at Magellan X► if you apply for a role at Magellan X through the Website, we may collect, where permitted by law and appropriate, your CV or résumé and contact details. We may also undertake criminal records or financial probity checks or other independent searches to assess your suitability for the position where permitted by, and in accordance with, applicable laws;

1.3 Our correspondence ► if you contact us, we will typically keep a record of that correspondence;

1.4  Your feedback ► we may ask you for feedback from time to time, that we use to help us to improve our service; and

1.5 Website and communication usage ► details of your visits to our Website and Personal Information collected through cookies and other tracking technologies including, but not limited to, your IP address and domain name, your browser version and operating system, information about your device, traffic data, location data, web logs and other communication data, and the resources that you access.

2. How We Use Your Personal Information

In this section, we set out the purposes for which we collect, process, store and use Personal Information described above:

2.1 To communicate effectively with you and conduct our business ► to conduct our business, including to respond to your queries, to otherwise communicate with you, or to carry out our obligations arising from any agreements entered into between you and us;

2.2 To assess your application for a role at Magellan X ► to assess your application prior to entering into an employment contract with us and pursuant to laws to which Magellan X is subject (e.g. in relation to equal opportunities). This processing is a necessary pre-condition of entering into any future contract with you and for Magellan X to fulfil its employment duties with respect to other employees and you (should you be employed by Magellan X). If you are unable to provide us with the Personal Information we request for this purpose, we may be unable to assess your appropriateness for the job applied for or to communicate with you.

2.3 To provide you with marketing materials ► to provide you with updates and offers, where you have chosen to receive these. We may also use your Personal Information for marketing our own products and services to you by post, email, and phone and, where required by law, we will ask for your consent at the time we collect your data to conduct any of these types of marketing.  We will provide an option to unsubscribe or opt-out of further communication on any electronic marketing communication sent to you or you may opt out by contacting us as set out in the “Contacting Us” Section 4.2 below.

2.4 For research and development purposes ► to analyse your Personal Information in order to better understand your and our clients’ business and marketing requirements, to better understand our business and develop our products and services;

2.5 To monitor certain activities ► to monitor queries and transactions to ensure service quality, compliance with procedures and to combat fraud;

2.6 To inform you of changes ► to notify you about changes to our services and products;

2.7 To ensure website content is relevant ► to ensure that content from our websites is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your device, which may include passing your data to business partners, suppliers and/or service providers;

2.8 To re-organise or make changes to our business ► in the event that we: (i) are subject to negotiations for the sale of our business or part thereof to a third party; (ii) are sold to a third party; or (iii) undergo a re-organisation, we may need to transfer some or all of your Personal Information to the relevant third party (or its advisors) as part of any due diligence process for the purpose of analysing any proposed sale or re-organisation. We may also need to transfer your Personal Information to that re-organised entity or third party after the sale or reorganisation for them to use for the same purposes as set out in this Privacy Policy.

2.9 In connection with legal or regulatory obligations ► We may process your Personal Information to comply with our regulatory requirements or dialogue with regulators as applicable which may include disclosing your Personal Information to third parties, the court service and/or regulators or law enforcement agencies in  connection  with  enquiries, proceedings or investigations by such parties anywhere in the world or where compelled to do so.  Where permitted, we will generally direct any such request to you or notify you before responding unless to do so would prejudice the prevention or detection of a crime.

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3.1 Security over the Internet

No data transmission over the Internet or website can be guaranteed to be secure from intrusion. However, we maintain commercially reasonable physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your Personal Information in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection laws.

All Personal Information you provide to us is stored on our or our subcontractors’ secure servers and accessed and used subject to applicable security policies and standards.

3.2 Sharing Your Personal Information

We may disclose Personal Information for the purposes we explain in this notice to service providers, contractors, agents, advisors (e.g. legal, financial, business or other advisors) that perform activities on our behalf and to other third parties in connection with our legal and regulatory obligations (as described above).

Our Website may contain links to other third-party websites. If you follow a link to any of those third-party websites, please note that they have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for their policies or processing of your Personal Information.  Please check these policies before you submit any Personal Information to such third-party websites.

3.3 Export to other countries

Your Personal Information may be accessed by staff or suppliers in, transferred to, and/or stored at, a destination outside the country in which you are located, whose data protection laws may be of a lower standard than those in your country. We will, in all circumstances, safeguard Personal Information as set out in this Privacy Policy.

3.4 Retention of Personal Information

Our retention periods for Personal Information are based on business needs and legal requirements. We retain Personal Information for as long as is necessary for the processing purpose(s) for which the Personal information was collected, and any other permissible, related purpose. For example, we may retain certain transaction details and correspondence until the time limit for claims arising from the transaction has expired, or to comply with regulatory requirements regarding the retention of such data. When Personal Information is no longer needed, we either irreversibly anonymise the data (and we may further retain and use the anonymised information) or securely destroy the data.

4. Your Rights and Contacting Us 

4.1 Updating Personal information

We will use reasonable endeavours to ensure that your Personal Information is accurate. In order to assist us with this, you may notify us of any changes to the Personal Information that you have provided to us by contacting us as set out in the “Contacting Us” Section 4.2 below.

4.2 Contacting Us

If you have any questions in relation to this Privacy Policy, please contact our data protection officer at info@magellanx.co or write to us at: 83 Clemenceau Avenue, #17-05/08, UE Square Singapore 239920.

4.3 Changes to our Privacy Policy

We may change the content of our Website and how we use your Personal Information from time to time. If we change this Privacy Policy, we will update the date it was last changed below.  If these changes are material, we will indicate this clearly on our Website.

European Appendix

The European Appendix to this Privacy Policy applies if you are based in the EEA or the UK during your interactions with us (other than solely for travel purposes) and Magellan X processes your Personal Information as a data controller.

It sets out the additional information that we are required to provide you under European data protection law (“EU DP Law”), including information about rights that you have in relation to your Personal Information that we handle.

Why we collect your data, and who we disclose it to

Under EU DP Law, we are required to inform you of the “lawful bases” on which we rely to process your Personal Information. Below we set out the purposes for which we collect and use Personal Information and the “lawful bases” that we use for each of the purposes mentioned in Section 2 of this Privacy Policy. You can find an explanation of each of the grounds relied on below:

EU Use Bases Table

Processing activity

Reference to Privacy Policy

Lawful bases

Purpose for which we collect and use personal information

To communicate effectively with you and conduct our business

2.1

–  contract performance

–  legitimate interests

(to enable us to perform our obligations and provide our services to you)

To assess your application for a role at Magellan X

2.2

–  contract performance

–  legal obligations

–  legitimate interests

(to enable us to fulfil our employment duties with respect to other employees and you (should you be employed by Magellan X))

To provide you with marketing materials about Magellan X’s products and services

2.3

–  consent

–  legitimate interest

(to keep you updated with news in relation to our products and services)

For research and development purposes

2.4

–  legitimate interests

(to allow us to improve our products and services)

To monitor certain activities

2.5

–  legal obligations

–  legal claims

–  legitimate interests

(to ensure that the quality and legality of our services)

To inform you of changes

2.6

–  legitimate interests

(to notify you about changes to our products and services)

To ensure website content is relevant

2.7

–  legitimate interests

(to allow us to provide you with the content and services on the websites)

To re-organise or make changes to our business

2.8

–  legitimate interests

(in order to allow us to change our business)

For compliance, including enforcing our rights, or as may be required by applicable laws and regulations or requested by any judicial process or governmental agency

2.9

–  legal obligations

–  legal claims

–  legitimate interests

(to defend, prosecute or make a claim against you, to cooperate with law enforcement and regulatory authorities)

 

Use Bases

These are the principal legal grounds that justify our use of your Personal Information:

Consent: where you have consented to our use of your Personal Information (you will have been presented with consent language in relation to any such use), You have the right to withdraw any consent you previously provided to us regarding the processing of your Personal Information, at any time and free of charge.  We will apply your preferences going forward and this will not affect the lawfulness of the processing before your consent withdrawal. You may withdraw your consent by contacting us as set out in Section 4.2 (Contacting Us) of this Privacy Policy.

Contract performance: where your Personal Information is necessary to enter into or perform our contract with you.

Legal obligation: where we need to use your Personal Information to comply with our legal obligations.

Legitimate interests: where we or a third party have a legitimate interest in using your Personal Information. We only rely on our or a third party’s legitimate interests to process your Personal Information when these interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.

Legal claims: where your information is necessary for us to defend, prosecute or make a claim against you, us or a third party.

Where applicable, we indicate whether and why you must provide us with your Personal Information, as well as the consequences of failing to do so. If you do not provide Personal Information when requested, you may not be able to benefit from our service if that information is necessary to provide you with it or if we are legally required to collect it.

Export outside the EEA

Your Personal Information may be accessed by staff or suppliers in, transferred to, and/or stored at, a destination outside the country in which you are located, including Singapore, whose data protection laws may be of a lower standard than those in your country. We will, in all circumstances, safeguard Personal Information as set out in this Privacy Policy.

Where we transfer Personal Information from inside the EEA to outside the EEA, we may be required to take specific additional measures to safeguard the relevant Personal Information. Certain countries outside the EEA have been approved by the European Commission as providing essentially equivalent protections to EEA data protection laws and therefore no additional safeguards are required to export Personal Information to these jurisdictions (please see the full list here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/international-dimension-data-protection/adequacy-decisions_en). In countries which have not had these approvals, we will establish legal grounds justifying such transfer, such as EU Commission-approved model contractual clauses, or other legal grounds permitted by applicable legal requirements.

Please contact us as set out in Section 4.2 (Contacting Us) of this Privacy Policy if you would like to see a copy of the specific safeguards applied to the export of your Personal Information.

Your Additional Rights

If you have any questions in relation to our use of your Personal Information, you should first contact us as Section 4.2 (Contacting Us) of this Privacy Policy. Under EU DP Law, you may have the following additional rights in relation to your personal information to those set out in this Privacy Policy. Under certain conditions, you may have the right to require us to: