Choosing compliance software for your health and safety management system (HSMS) is a multifaceted decision. It involves picking a product that integrates seamlessly with your existing setup. It’s also important to choose software that fulfils other requirements, such as effective and engaging training, helping employees invest in the process.
Alongside an HSMS, your existing infrastructure may also include a talent management system (TMS) – software or applications businesses use to manage the employee lifecycle end-to-end. That includes everything from recruiting, onboarding and performance management to career development and retention. Your compliance software solution should integrate smoothly with your TMS, too.
To shed light on the topic of compliance software integration with your HSMS, let’s start with a few definitions, before moving on to a step-by-step how-to guide.
Selecting a compliance platform that supports integration with your health and safety management system (HSMS) is no mean feat. There are numerous factors to consider when making the decision.
A health and safety management system is a structured framework that helps businesses identify, evaluate, monitor and control risks associated with the health and safety (H&S) of their employees and workplace visitors. It also assists with planning, implementing, reviewing and improving health and safety measures.
An HSMS consists of policies, procedures and best practices. Per the UK Government's Health and Safety Executive (HSE), organisations aren't "required by law to implement a formal management system". However, they’re useful, helping protect workers, promote well-being, reduce costs, improve efficiency, and ensure adoption of standards like ISO 45001 and ISO 9001.
Due to inadequate health and safety policies and procedures, the operations of a family-run manufacturing company were under threat.
After implementing risk assessments, staff training and policy development, their insurance provider reassessed the situation, and the outcome was "overwhelmingly positive".
Highlights from the reformed health and safety management strategy:
Quick statThe highest fine issued in the UK under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is Amazon's fine of £25 million for unsafe working conditions, which resulted in the fatality of one of their employees. |
A health and safety management system helps:
Compliance software helps companies adhere to regulations, laws and standards that apply to their industry, as well as internal policies. It’s a structured and efficient digital tool that automates, centralises, tracks and manages processes such as risk management, auditing, reporting and incident management.
Compliance software also provides a training platform for employees, tracking understanding and completion.
Why is compliance software important?Overall, compliance software solutions aim to help organisations:
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Compliance software integration connects a company’s compliance tools with its existing workflows and systems – HSMS, TMS, customer relationship management (CRM), accounting, and so on.
Rather than using compliance software as a standalone tool, it links with your other platforms. By doing that, compliance activities are embedded into daily operations, meaning consistent monitoring, reporting and enforcement.
Picking a compliance software solution that integrates seamlessly with your health and safety management systems and/or your TMSs is a crucial strategic decision. To ensure you make the optimal choice regarding needs and long-term value, take a look at our how-to guide. Although it focuses on HSMSs, the same action points apply to talent management integration.
The first step focuses on your aims. As well as wanting software that integrates, consider the following:
Given integration is the primary goal, it's important to understand how your existing health and safety management systems are set up. That involves reviewing existing processes and looking for integration points: connections, synergies and overlaps between your HSMS and other business functions or management systems – for instance, quality (ISO 9001) and environmental (ISO 14001) management.
What is an API?As per IBM's definition: "An API, or application programming interface, is a set of rules or protocols that enables software applications to communicate with each other to exchange data, features and functionality." |
In turn, you can identify where policies, procedures, resources and data can be shared and coordinated, helping streamline operations, reduce duplication and increase efficiency.
On top of that, analyse the architecture of the HSMS. For example:
How does an API work?An API (Application Programming Interface) is like a waiter in a restaurant. You (the customer) don't go into the kitchen to cook your own meal. Instead, you tell the waiter what you want, and they bring it from the kitchen. In the same way, an API lets you request information or actions from another company's "kitchen" (their system/database). You don't need to know how their kitchen works; you just need to know how to place the order correctly. |
Having conversations with relevant employees is vital, from compliance managers and health and safety officers to IT and operations teams. Identify pain points, such as downsides of current compliance tools, and discuss priorities. For example, is compliance software solution usability more important than scalability or vice versa?
Step four involves evaluating the pros and cons of available providers. Focus on ones with proven H&S compliance software solutions. Given integration is important, check the following:
Additionally, research regulatory and security factors. For example, does the software offer compliance with data privacy laws, if required? Do reporting formats adhere to submission standards? Does the provider offer encryption, access controls and role-based permissions?
Look into each vendor's reputation, including industry certifications, customer reviews, awards, and case studies. Finally, decide on a shortlist.
With your narrowed-down pool of compliance software solutions, go into more detail: ask for demonstrations to see how the platform works in practice and request PoCs. As part of this step, ensure you validate integration capabilities, checking how well data exchanges with your existing health and safety management system. Additionally, test real workflows, involve future users and collate feedback.
For your shortlisted compliance software solutions, explore the licensing model, plus setup and integration costs. Consider the following, too:
Once you’ve picked your compliance software solution, carry out the following:
Which compliance software supports integration with health and safety management systems, and which is the best compliance training platform for talent management systems?
Quick statDid you know, figures show the annual cost of workplace injury and new cases of work-related ill health is around £21.6 billion? |
Below, we briefly outline a handful of companies you may want to consider that support integration.
On the topic of integration, while it’s true that Skillcast does not connect directly with HSMSs and TMSs at the moment, we do have a comprehensive REST API that allows companies to integrate these systems (and others) with us.
Similarly, Skillcast can integrate with many human resources (HR) and learning management systems using their REST APIs.
REST APIs programmatically (automatically) pull data from one system to use in another. This applies in theory almost universally, because REST API is a universal format, provided the client can write the code to interact with it and transform/store the data as needed on their end.
When selecting a compliance software solution that can connect smoothly with your health and safety management system, follow the seven steps we’ve outlined. Start by defining your objectives before assessing your current HSMS and discussing your plans with key members of staff.
Next, compare a selection of compliance software vendors, keeping integration capabilities top of mind. When you have a shortlist, ask for demos and PoCs and find out the TCO. Finally, plan how to implement the compliance software solution, then get started.
A health and safety management system ensures risk assessments and related procedures and policies meet legal and regulatory requirements.
Through inspections, audits, incident reports and tracking leading (preventive) and lagging (reactive) indicators.
Any business that operates under regulatory requirements (for example, healthcare, manufacturing or finance), or ones that want to reduce risk and improve oversight.
It improves accuracy, ensures real-time compliance tracking, reduces manual work and supports audit readiness.
Yes, most compliance software solutions leverage encryption, access controls and audit trails, meeting regulatory standards and protecting sensitive data.
Simple projects may take a few weeks, while enterprise-wide ones can take several months.
Our Essentials Library contains e-learning content designed to help organisations meet fundamental compliance requirements. If you’re looking for focused training, our training packages offer a complete solution for your compliance programme.
Our e-learning courses are designed to engage employees with our microlearning library, which was created to support knowledge retention.
Our Compliance Portal also features a range of tools to digitise and automate your compliance learning. These include our:
If you’d like to access leading insights and compliance tips, you can browse our free resources by topic to find guides, modules, compliance bites and more.
Atlassian, Your guide to proof of concept (POC) in product development
AuditBoard, compliance software solution homepage
British Assessment Bureau, What Is ISO 9001?
British Standards Institution, ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System (EMS)
Drata, compliance software solution homepage
Health and Safety Executive, Health and safety management systems
Health and Safety Executive, Health and safety management systems, ISO 45001
Health and Safety Executive, Benefits of good health and safety
Health and Safety Executive, Health and safety at work, Summary statistics for Great Britain 2024
Hyperproof, compliance software solution homepage
IBM, What is an API (application programming interface)?
IBM, What is REST API?
LogicGate, compliance software solution homepage
Microsoft, What is software as a service (SaaS)?
OneTrust, compliance software solution homepage
Salesforce, What Is CRM (Customer Relationship Management)?
SAP, What is a talent management system (TMS)?
Sprintlaw, Industry Regulations
TechTarget, What is a learning management system (LMS)?
Vanta, compliance software solution homepage