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ISAT 422: Environmental Management Guiding Principle: Integrated Environmental Management requires Integrated Environmental Information Management.
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Integrated Environmental Information Systems
for Industrial Environmental Management
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
Information and Environmental Information and Environmental ManagementManagement
Virtually all aspects of environmental management are information-intensive– Compliance Management rests upon a
foundation of record-keeping, tracking, and reporting
– “Beyond compliance” efforts are predicated on decisions supported by adequate information
An integrated view is crucial
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
Guiding Principle:Guiding Principle:
Integrated Environmental Management
requires
Integrated Environmental Information Management.
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
The ProblemThe Problem
EH&S Management Systems typically include many processes supported by diverse information systems.
These systems evolve in response to individual needs, ignoring interdependencies – Many are “home-grown” by non-IT people
The result is redundancy and inconsistency– Example: Several EH&S Information Systems
may use facilities data from different databases, potentially in conflict with one another.
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
EH&S’ Unique Dilemma
EH&S is considered an “overhead” function– No support for software system revisions that
even temporarily impact operations– Lack of participation “at the table” where
corporate data management system strategies are determined
Any solution must therefore be achieved “in the margin”
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
Case Study of an IEISCase Study of an IEIS
Developed by the EH&S organization of a large utility company
An integrated, object-oriented EH&S data model
Rather than an integrated software system, the goal is information integration
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
The ApproachThe Approach Conduct a top-down information systems
analysis for the entire EH&S Organization Define the requirements for an integrated
information systems architecture Design and implement the integrated system
using an appropriate combination of existing and new platforms– Not a single piece of software
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
The PremiseThe Premise
EH&S data are descriptive of objects– e.g. Facilities, Employees, Materials
Management processes focus on these objects– e.g. SARA Title III reporting, OSHA HazCom
These processes are supported by software applications– e.g. Inventory systems, personnel databases
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
DataObject
SoftwareApplication
Process Process Process
SoftwareApplication
SoftwareApplication
DataObject
DataObject
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
EmployeeData
PersonnelDatabase
Application
HazCom EPCRAReporting
EmissionsMonitoring
PurchasingDatabase
Application
Flue Gas Sensor
Application
Facility Data
MaterialData
Example
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
Complicating IssuesComplicating Issues
Data important to EH&S are often owned by other organizations within the firm
Other organizations also own information systems critical to EH&S
Such outside systems themselves undergo re-engineering
EH&S must be well prepared if it hopes to influence the evolution of these systems
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
Other ConstraintsOther Constraints
Existing EH&S systems must be supported while defining the integrated system
Critical enhancements must be made to some systems during the definition period
Implementation of the integrated system must be evolutionary – neither EH&S nor line operations cannot be interrupted
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
The Analytical Approach
Characterize EH&S processes Build data models for each process Merge data models into an Integrated
EH&S Data Model Revise process data models to reflect shared
data
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
The Implementation Approach
Use integrated data models to plan eventual architecture of individual systems.
Devise migration plans for individual systems Give special consideration to synergies and
interdependencies: plan for sharing Roll-out implementation over a realistic time
span Use “cache” approach to corporate data
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
The Rewards of Analysis
A clear understanding of the EH&S information requirements and assets
Baseline knowledge necessary to lobby the “mainstream” organizations in the firm for a seat at the table
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
The Rewards of Implementation
EH&S operations will be based on more robust and current data sources
Enhancements to software applications will be streamlined
Cost of compliance will be reduced:– No need to survey or re-inventory– Reporting accomplished by “harvesting”
ISAT 422: Environmental Management
Overall Benefits of Approach
Rollout of IEIS can proceed without disruption to “line” operations
Data redundancy is eliminated, and data capture is much more efficient
The upshot:Integrated EH&S Management depends not on
Integrated Software but on Integrated Information
