Barriers to using EHS mobile applications

According to research, organizations face numerous challenges when it comes to implementing mobile technologies. new Verdantix and Intelex study.

The reasons for this are the lack of devices provided by the company (82%), saturation with other applications (80%) and connectivity issues (76%).

“Our research shows that mobile devices are still used primarily for compliance purposes, despite their enormous potential to drive transformational safety initiatives,” said Melissa Hammerle, president of Intelex, in a statement. “There is an urgent need to move beyond compliance to a more engaged and proactive safety culture. EHS mobile apps are key to this effort—delivering real-time data and supporting better communication between frontline workers and EHS professionals.” “Organizations that effectively implement mobile tools see improved security engagement, streamlined processes, and a stronger overall security culture.”

The study also found that mobile devices are primarily used reactively to improve compliance and reporting, leaving untapped potential to drive security transformation through greater engagement and culture.

While 70% of organizations have centralized digital tools, 18% still rely on inefficient traditional methods like paper and spreadsheets. Only 12% have fully adopted advanced digital security tools.

The survey found that the most frequently implemented EHS mobile processes were incident reporting (54%) and audits and inspections (30%), with the primary goal of streamlining compliance activities.

Easy access to risk assessments (100%), emergency alerts (96%), and approvals and procedures (90%) were identified as key elements of mobile security management apps – enabling organizations to quickly respond to emergencies, obtain appropriate authorizations for various actions, and assess potential threats.

Respondents said that for mobile tools to be widely adopted, the most important requirement was an easy user interface (64%), followed by configurability (30%). An intuitive user interface ensures that employees can easily navigate the tools without extensive training, while configurability allows organizations to tailor the tools to specific needs, increasing effectiveness and usability.

Looking ahead, research indicates that AI has the potential to significantly impact EHS processes by providing user support (34%), predicting risk (27%) and organizing data (20%). By leveraging AI, organizations can proactively identify potential risks, stay up-to-date with regulatory changes and offer real-time assistance to users, improving overall safety and compliance.