Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) is the abbreviation for two elements which are often stringed together under ‘safety’ umbrella of audits, inspections and observations – but have distinct identities, purpose and means of implementation. The common thread which weaves them together at the site of operations across all workplaces – nonconformity.

Here is a simple guide to establish the said identity, purpose and how nonconformities at workplaces are cited, tracked and resolved via the means of CAPA.

In the days erstwhile, it would be a fairly common practice to document these together in perhaps neatly separated rows and column on paper and in memory off the audit or inspection authority.

Now, however, organizations rely on digital tools that allow better recall, ease of use and swift execution. EHS management software have built-in capabilities to activate, track, monitor and close on such CAPA requests generated. What is quite neat about digital platforms is the data trackability, available information of its origin and vigilance.

According to the latest Gartner press release “69% of work currently done by managers will be automated by 2024” – which crucially means that talent diversity, knowledge skills built on digital foundations and actively embracing technology-driven innovation would be the key difference between leaders and laggards.

Therefore, modern organizations and industrial workplaces of all kinds prefer a digital EHS management platform rather than using pen and paper methods.

It provides the key trait of accountability to all (3) levels of workforce who are involved at the site of operations when a CAPA is generated:

1. The performing party or workers,

2. The citing authority or auditors or safety team who’ve triggered the CAPA action item

3. And finally, the managers and floor in-charge who need to ensure the suggested CAPA is being implemented and executed.

Digital EHS management tools or EHS management software powered by the right technology partner can assist your organization to execute the Corrective and Preventive Action(s) in a sustainable manner – which means that even organizations with operations at different locations or multiple sites can now be managed from a single window of EHS management.

EHS management automation therefore introduces accountability and raises the quality of communication, transparency in information shared and delivered along with uniform visibility for all parties at the site of operations.

It clearly helps define the teams, the process owners and outlines the common shared objectives of superior, seamless and largely trouble-free operations for each member of the workforce.

Added advantages that arrive with EHS management software CAPA management apart from accountability include:

• Better record keeping and recall
• Swifter work execution and escalation of requests
• Push and pop-up notifications via private network
• Data security and reliability in terms of quality
• Unified process methods ensure congruence
• Gathered data can be used for comparison and insight generation

Collectively speaking, in some of our previous blogs we have mentioned about asset performance management and Operational Equipment effectiveness – digital EHS automation tools have the inherent capability of complementing each other and thus leverage, compound and effectively increase the derivative benefits of shifting your EHS management and operations onto the digital platform.

So how can safety of your organization rest on the century old model of passing chits and handing paper notes – 2020 should offer you the right opportunity in exploring the digital pivot with the help of right technology partner.