Technology Takes Over

How the Internet and computer power is changing your job

A survey mailed to 1,000 Industrial Safety & Hygiene News subscribers finds Internet use exploding. Software programs are proliferating. It's not unusual for pros to spend 3-4 hours a day in front of a screen. Has computer power created an army of 'desktop safety and health pros?'

Can't live without 'em?

Do you use a personal computer for job-related activity?

Yes 98 %
No 2 %

Desk bound?

How many hours per week do you spend on your computer at the office?

11-20 hours 30 %
21-30 hours 24 %
6-10 hours 19 %
3-5 hours 15 %
30+ hours 8 %
1-2 hours 4 %

Almost one in every three EHS pros spend at least half of their time in front of a screen. 62% spend at least 2 hours a day on the computer.

Bringing it home

Do you use a computer at home for work-related activity?

Yes 65%
No 35%

These are certainly fast times for EHS professionals. Two-thirds (66%) of the survey respondents say they spend up to 1 hour per day at their computer at home doing job-related activities. 59% say they spend 3 to 10 hours per week working on job-related activities on their home computers.

Constantly upgrading

Will you purchase job-related hardware or software in 1999?

Yes 74%
No 27%

Buying hardware

What job-related hardware will you purchase in 1999?

Desktop computer 18%
Laptop computer 18%

Selecting software

What job-related software will you purchase in 1999?

Employee training materials software 42%
Safety & health database software 31%
Recordkeeping software 28%
MSDS management software 27%
Word processing 21%
Presentation software 19%
Budgeting/accounting software 12%
Audit tracking software 11%
Desktop publishing software 10%
Workers' comp case management software 7%

As fewer health and safety professionals take on more responsibility, they're turning to computer software to give them the efficiency and speed necessary to do their jobs.

Into the Internet . . . Big time

Do you use the Internet?

1995
Yes - 36%
No - 17 %

1997
Yes - 71%
No - n/a

1999
Yes - 83%
No - n/a

Cruising along

How many hours per week do you use the Internet?

1-2 hours 33%
6-10 hours 30%
3-5 hours 27%
11-20 hours 9%
20+ hours 1%

New tools of the trade

How do you currently use the Internet?

E-mail 86%
Regulatory compliance 60%
Researching Projects 59%
Random surfing 55%
Reading on-line versions of magazines and newspapers 31%
Peer group chat forums 10%
Purchasing EHS training materials 6%
Purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) 6%

Communication and regulatory information and research are the most frequent uses of the Net for EHS pros. In a professional environment where time is scarce, and resources are dwindling, e-mail and the Internet represent convenience plus a savings in both, cost and time.

Future opportunities

In which ways do you expect your Internet usage to increase in the next year?

E-mail 68%
Regulatory compliance 59%
Researching projects 59%
Random surfing 35%
Reading on-line versions of magazines and newspapers 32%
Peer group chat forums 13%
Purchasing EHS training materials 11%
Purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) 8%

Over the years . . .

Of all ISHN survey respondents,