AST`s combined solution brings benefits to its customers

AST Solutions, a division of the AST Group, has announced new developments with regards to the safety, health, environment, risk and quality solutions within the division, which will bring together a total business solutions approach, which allows organisations to comply with the necessary health and safety regulations as stated in governance guidelines like King II, as well as international guidelines such as the Turnbull Guidelines and Dow Sustainability Indexes.

One of the new developments involves the change of name of Marknet Occupational Health and Safety Systems 2000 (Marknet) to Integrated Risk Management, which will form part of GMSI, the mining arm of the AST Group.

"The incorporation of Marknet within GMSI, ensures that our customers receive the full benefit of the combined solution," explains Dolf Prinsloo, MD of GMSI. "In addition, the integration will allow for a simplified management structure, continual improved service, a stronger customer focus as well as a larger integration portfolio particularly in the mining industry."

The Integrated Risk Management portfolio provides integrated safety, health, environment, risk and quality (SHERQ) systems, which combine industry-specific know-how and skills with an in-depth understanding of technology. This allows AST to implement their approach from the boardroom to operations level.

AST leverages its SHERQ industry knowledge and its insight into the challenges that customers face, to provide them with a competitive-edge. Their solutions are based on world-class SHERQ business and system best practices and reflect cost leadership and focused differentiation.

"Organisations that do not have effective SHERQ management systems are costing their companies and the South African industry millions each year," adds Prinsloo. "Companies need the correct software to identify risks, evaluate their impact and put the necessary mechanisms in place to prevent loss, as far as is reasonably or humanly possible. This pertains to the domains of hygiene, medicine, safety, environment and public health."

AST can assist in identifying risks and in ensuring they are managed responsibly and effectively by means of an Integrated Risk Management solution that not only complies with statutory requirements, but is also in line with international best practices. AST`s experience has shown that once a comprehensive, integrated risk management system is adopted that effectively incorporates hygiene, medicine, safety and environment principles, business becomes more productive and profitable in the long-term.

Technology is moving away from the scenario of islands of software that exist throughout an organisation; instead, a seamless environment in which all enterprise systems (relationship, enterprise, automation and control and SHERQ) are completely integrated is becoming the norm. AST`s experience of and insight into systems integration regarding SHERQ is of particular relevance in this.

SHERQ systems are generally viewed as part of the human resources domain, although they are crucial to the operations of a company. Traditionally there is no - or very little - communication or integration between the various disciplines of safety, health, environment, risk and quality. This lack of integration has resulted in "islands of technology and disciplines", while the objectives of the various disciplines normally overlap significantly. Bridging this communication and integration gap - by effectively integrating SHERQ with other IT systems - improves the dynamic and global optimisation of a business with all the attendant benefits.

AST has developed two SHERQ applications, called IRMS and Palladium, which are suitable for various market sectors, eg mining, minerals, metals, manufacturing, government, heath, etc. The software consists of various fully integrated modules and is customisable to suit the requirements of any customer in any business sector. Both IRMS and Palladium solutions have unique strong points and the intention is to over time to combine the two solutions into a single solution. The new solution will be modularised and customisable to accommodate the needs of existing and potential new customers according to different technology requirements.

A large portion of South African mining companies and some manufacturing companies are utilising the GMSI IRMS or Palladium solutions with great success. Growing the market share per industry will over time enable good benchmarking capabilities and enable the South African industry to improve overall risk management performance.