EHS data management lessons learned from the solar eclipse

August 21st, 2017

On August 21st, the United States experienced its first total solar eclipse since 1979 and it’s first coast-to-coast viewing of a total solar eclipse since 1918. The event created excitement throughout the country. Researchers and scientists used the occasion to further study the sun's outer atmosphere and some astrophiles, not content with a partial eclipse, traveled great distances to observe from the path of totality.

It’s likely that many of these observers discovered that proper eye protection allowed them to enjoy the grandeur of the eclipse while filtering out the sun’s harmful rays. In this way, observing a solar eclipse is similar to managing large amounts of EHS data; proper filtering can provide spectacular views and insights; inadequate filtering can be overwhelming and potentially dangerous.

Whether you realize it or not, you are constantly filtering data anytime you navigate a software product. In ProActivity, basic filtering allows users to quickly and easily display just the rows of information they want to see. This may include things like Unassigned Tasks (Responsible Person = Blank, Status ≠ Complete or Verified), this year’s OSHA Recordable Incidents (Date and Time = 2017, OSHA Recordable = Yes), or Open Corrective Actions from an audit (Source = Auditor, Status ≠ Complete). Additionally, managers can use Organization filters to drill down by division, department, or facility location.

ProActivity’s dashboards are a form of filtering that provides visual indicators for subsets of data. Out-of-the-box dashboards include Open Items by Organization, Incidents by Body Part, and Red Flags by Domain. Users can also easily create their own dashboards focused on their unique EHS key performance indicators. The ultimate filtering method is Dakota’s patented Parametric Filtering™ which provides an "elegantly simple" method for exploring data, analyzing trends, and identifying areas of operational risks. These interactive dashboards provide graphical representations of data for on-the-fly analysis and roll-up reporting across the enterprise. By saving and sharing these filters, users can provide advanced insights to managent and corporate decision makers.

So, while comparing data filtering to the solar eclipse may be a bit of a stretch, most will agree that the concept of data management is essential to EHS management and that Dakota users have powerful tools for gaining the insights they need. Did you miss the total solar eclipse? U.S. residence will have another chance to see one in 2024. Not taking full advantage of ProActivity’s filtering capabilities? Contact the Dakota Support team at support@dakotasoft.com.