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Environment, Health and Safety in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition 2402

Chr_Vogler
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert
‎03-01-2024 11:17 AM

Risk assessment is crucial in promoting workplace safety and protecting the environment. It helps identify and reduce potential hazards. While noise, manual handling or mechanical hazards have been the main focus of assessments, the significance of evaluating chemical hazards should not be underestimated.

See how SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition 2402 release for Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) brings a new possibility for conducting operational risk assessments for chemical agents.

In this blog post, I will walk you through the selected key highlights for Environment, Health and Safety:

To name just a few highlights:

  • User Notification in Task Management,
  • Operational Risk Assessment for Chemical Hazards
  • Waste Management
  • Ability to Declare and Report Emissions
  • … and more.

In case you do not need all the information below and just briefly want to get an overview of the release highlights, please watch this video with the top two key innovations:

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 Release video: SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition 2402 for Environment, Health and Safety: Top 2 key innovations here.

 

User Notification in Task Management

Business Background

Within our EHS in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, we integrate a specialized Task Management solution that enhances the functionalities of the SAP Workflow.

This system allows for the creation of both one-time and recurring tasks, offering comprehensive task management capabilities. The tasks are conveyed to end users as workflow items, accessible through the SAP Fiori My Inbox app.

However, numerous persons have significant EHS responsibilities in their roles that do not necessitate the use of the SAP system. This situation could present difficulties for them when trying to access their tasks exclusively using the My Inbox app.

Key Features

The solution to this problem is to includes the option to incorporate "alerting" events inside a task.

With this new release, you can now specify the events on which an automatic email notification is sent to the owner, the assignee or, in case of tasks needing approval, also the approver of a task.

These user notifications provide real-time updates to users about important events or changes in the system.

This ensures that users are always aware of any new tasks, task assignments, or task updates, enabling them to take appropriate action.

You can set up the notifications for standard tasks as well as for tasks with approval as desired, so that the respective person will receive an email as soon as the task fulfils a certain pre-specified condition, for example, when it is completed, rejected, has reached its due date, etc. This makes it easier for the persons assigned to keep track of their tasks.

Picture_01.png

 Picture 1: Remove need to actively check open tasks in the system.

For more information, see Manage Task Definition.

Additional Details

There are predefined email templates for notifying the persons assigned to a standard task or a task with approval. The required information (for example, task title, task description, location, and due date) is filled in automatically by the system, and the email will be sent as soon as the task fulfils the previously set condition. These templates are maintained by the system administrator in the Maintain Email Templates app. This app can also be used to create and adjust custom templates as a copy of the predelivery ones.

 

Operational Risk Assessment for Chemical Hazards

Business Background

The legal requirements for risk assessments, is based on individual countries regulations, and the goal is to protect employees' health and safety.

Companies are legally obligated to conduct assessments, identify potential risks, and implement measures to mitigate or eliminate them.

Picture_02.png

 Picture 2: Manage chemical hazards by creating, assessing, and mitigating chemical risks inside a risk assessment.

Chemical hazards can pose significant risks to the health and safety of workers.

By conducting operational risk assessments, organizations can identify potential hazards, evaluate their severity, and implement appropriate control measures to mitigate the risks.

For example, exposure to corrosive chemicals can cause chemical burns on the skin or eyes.

Some chemicals can react when they come into contact with other substances, heat, or humidity.

These reactions can release toxic gases, generate heat, or cause explosions, posing significant risks to workers.

To mitigate these risks, employers should

  • conduct risk assessments,
  • provide appropriate personal protective equipment,
  • implement proper engineering controls,
  • establish safe work practices,
  • and provide adequate training and education to workers.

Key Features

With this feature, you can create risk assessments for risks related to chemical agents. You can identify, analyze, and evaluate chemical risks to the health or safety of employees working at your company, and apply the necessary controls to treat these risks.

Demo_02.png

 Demo 1: Identify, analyze, and evaluate chemical risks with operational risk assessment for chemical hazards.

You can now:

  • Identify chemical hazards in workplaces,
  • Display relevant chemical information inside the risk assessment, such as Globally Harmonized System classification,
  • Assess chemical hazards along a risk matrix,
  • Assign controls for mitigation of chemical hazards,
  • Use the chemicals and chemical information also used in the SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition for product compliance.

For more information, see Manage Risk Assessments.

Effects on Configuration

In the Configure Hazard and Control Register configuration activity, go to Specify Hazard Categories to maintain a hazard category with Chemical Agent as Agent Type. In the Configure Risk Assessment Types configuration activity, assign this hazard category to a risk assessment type. Only this way risks with chemical agents will be visible to you in the “Manage Risk Assessments” app.

You use the Specify Methods of Use configuration activity to configure the different methods of use applied in your company. You can then select from the data specified in this activity when you want to identify risks with chemical agents in the “Manage Risk Assessments” app.

 

Configuration for Health and Safety Management

With this release, new configuration objects or configuration items for making settings related to Health and Safety Management have been added to your configuration environment. In addition, changes have been made to some previously delivered configuration objects or configuration items.

Additional Details

The following table provides an overview of new and changed configuration objects and items. Use the search function in your configuration environment to find a configuration object or item. For more information about the settings that must be made in each configuration object, access the documentation available for configuration objects in the configuration environment.

Table_01.png

 Table 1: Configuration objects.

 

Waste Management: Integration with Inventory Management

Business Background

The purpose of having a transportation document for a posted waste transfer request, along with a goods issue posted in Inventory Management, is to effectively track and document the waste transfer process within the context of inventory management and transportation logistics.

By linking the waste transfer request with a goods issue in Inventory Management, the organization can accurately reflect the reduction in inventory due to waste disposal, thus maintaining accurate inventory records.

Key Features

With this release, movements of waste are reflected in Inventory Management and recorded by creating the corresponding material documents (goods receipt and goods issue). In the “Manage Waste Transfer Requests” app, the Reference Documents section now also includes material documents that are posted in Inventory Management.

Picture_03.png

 Picture 3: Track stored waste on the inventory-management level.

Synchronization of Confirmed Quantities from Waste Transportation Documents to Waste Transfer Requests

For each waste transfer request in the “Manage Waste Transfer Requests” app (F6084) you can see the quantities of waste whose disposal has been confirmed. The data is taken from the waste shipment's transportation document after it is updated with the total confirmed quantity following the waste disposal.

If a transportation document was created from multiple waste transfer requests, the confirmed quantity for each request is calculated from the total confirmed quantity based on the ratio of the outgoing quantities in the individual requests. In the waste transportation document, you can also fill in the individual confirmed quantity for each request. Then, these values are displayed in the “Manage Waste Transfer Requests” app.

Additional Details

The following types of goods movement are recorded in Inventory Management:

Goods Receipt

  • When you post a waste transfer request, a goods receipt is posted in Inventory Management, and the stock change is reflected in the system.
  • When you cancel the posting of a waste transfer request (Cancel Post action), the transfer request reverts to new status. The goods receipt already posted in Inventory Management is reversed.

Goods Issue

  • When you submit a transportation document that is related to a posted waste transfer request, a goods issue is posted in Inventory Management, and the stock change is reflected in the system.
  • When you cancel a submitted waste transportation document, the goods issue is reversed.

Prerequisites

For the waste storage location defined in the waste stream (a location of the Storage Location type), the following data must be available:

  • In the Organizational Information section, the fields Plant ID and Cost Center must be filled in.
  • In the Storage Information section, the Storage Location field must be filled in.

For more information, see Manage Waste Transfer Requests - Waste Management.

Extensibility Options for Waste Transfer Requests

With this release, we also introduce extensibility possibility of the waste transfer request, allowing customers to implement additional functions and field statuses within the standard functionality of SAP solutions. As a key user, you can now extend the “Manage Waste Transfer Requests” app (F6084) according to your business needs.

For more information, see:

Custom Fields.

Adding Extension Fields to Apps with Different UI Technologies.

 

Waste Management: Regulatory Content for the United States

Business Background

The Land Disposal Restrictions (LDR) form is required to ensure compliance with the regulations outlined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which governs the management and disposal of hazardous waste. The form documents that the waste being transported complies with the LDR requirements, including treatment standards, before it can be disposed of in a landfill.

The LDR form serves as a tracking mechanism for hazardous waste that is being transported. It provides essential information about the waste, including its treatment history and characteristics, helping to ensure that it is managed and disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations.

Key Features

With this release, in the “My Waste Transportation Documents” app, a land disposal restrictions (LDR) form is generated when you schedule the transportation of hazardous waste. The LDR form is available in addition to a hazardous waste manifest (HWM).

Picture_04.png

 Picture 4: Improve compliance with waste regulations in the United States.

The key features are now:

Hazardous Waste Manifest (HWM) for the United States:

  • Official U.S. document outlining U.S. waste regulations for companies transporting dangerous and no dangerous waste materials,
  • Completion of the according PDF form with the necessary information included,
  • Display of additional fields to help comply with U.S. regulations and provide a better user experience.

Land Disposal Restrictions (LDR) for the United States:

  • Necessary document to accompany the above Hazardous Waste Manifest when it comes to dangerous waste materials,
  • Document listing the waste codes of the waste material together with the description of how this material will be treated before it can go to the landfill.

Pro more information, see:

 

Environment Management: Emission Declaration Enhancement

Business Background

The business background in relation to the submission of emission declaration reports for compliance with German environmental regulations includes various aspects. For example:

Emission declaration reports: Companies that produce certain pollutants or emissions must regularly prepare and submit emission declaration reports. These reports contain information on the type and quantity of emissions produced by the company as well as measures to reduce or control these emissions.

Compliance requirements: Compliance with German environmental regulations require companies to meet legal requirements and ensure that their emissions are within specified limits. This may include implementing environmental protection measures, monitoring emissions, and regularly reporting on these measures.

Key Features

With this new release, you can prepare emissions declaration reports to submit in compliance with German environmental regulations. In this report, you must declare the air pollutant emissions released by your plants, as well as the substance quantities relevant for such emissions that are used in your production processes.

Picture_05.png

 Picture 5: Enable customers to intuitively generate XML-based emissions reports, for example, for submission to government agencies.

You can generate an SAP EM Standard Emissions Declaration Report from the “Manage Environmental Reports” app. The report consists of an XML file of data collected from relevant locations in order to fulfill German regulatory requirements. As an environmental manager, you only need to specify the main (overarching) location and yearly reporting period.

The report compiles data on the following levels:

  • Main location (at the highest level)
  • All sublocations with active emissions declaration scenarios or handled substance scenarios. For each, the report pulls data from the Additional Reporting Information section in the Manage Locations app (see Additional Reporting Information for Locations).
  • Active handled substance scenarios in that location structure (SAP Fiori app “Manage Compliance Scenarios”)
  • Handled substance collections created for these scenarios (SAP Fiori app “Collect Handled Substances”). They must be in Ready for Reporting status.
  • Active emissions declaration scenarios in that location structure (SAP Fiori app “Manage Compliance Scenarios”)
  • Emissions declarations created for these scenarios (SAP Fiori app “My Emissions Declarations”). They must be in Ready for Reporting status.

After generating the report, you can navigate back to the search screen and refresh the results. The Report Status column will show Generation Scheduled until your report is ready to view.

For more information, see:

 

New Fields Added to My Emissions Declarations

Two new fields have been added to the “My Emissions Declarations” app to provide additional data on emitted substances: Determination Type and Physical State.

Remark: This feature is relevant for companies bound by certain German environmental regulations.

Business Background

The field "Physical State" in an emissions declaration for Germany is important because it provides information about the physical form of the emissions being reported. This information is crucial for understanding the behavior and impact of the emissions on the environment and human health.

For example, knowing whether the emissions are in the form of gases, liquids, or solids can help in assessing their dispersion, transport, and potential exposure pathways. This information is also relevant for determining the appropriate regulatory measures and mitigation strategies for different types of emissions.

Including the determination type in emissions reporting promotes transparency and accountability. It allows stakeholders, regulatory authorities, and the public to understand the basis of the reported emissions data and evaluate its credibility. Measurement-based data is generally considered more reliable than calculated or estimated values, as it directly reflects the actual emissions from the source.

Key Features

The Determination Type and Physical State fields are mandatory and must be filled before an emissions declaration can be approved. The fields have drop-down menus with existing values.

  • For the determination type, you can choose any of the delivered values: calculation, estimation, or measurement. You can also add new values in the Specify Off-Gas Determination Types activity in your configuration environment.
  • For the physical state, you must choose one of three possible values: gas, liquid, or solid.

The data you enter will appear in the emissions declaration reports which you can generate via the “Manage Environmental Reports” app, after the emissions declaration has been approved and set to Ready for Reporting by the environmental manager at the location.

Picture_06.png

 Picture 6: Specifying the determination type in an emissions declaration report increase data accuracy, regulatory compliance, transparency, and informed decision-making.

For more information, see:

 

How Customers and Partners Can Give Input to the Roadmap of Environment, Health and Safety in SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition

We are excited to announce the launch of the customer influence site dedicated to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, Environment, Health, and Safety Management. A warm welcome to all of you! This community platform will serve as a space for gathering your ideas to enhance the product experience of our SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition, Environment, Health, and Safety Management. We invite you to share your ideas and support proposals from fellow users by voting for those you find valuable.

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 Picture 7: SAP Continuous Influence provides you with the opportunity to suggest improvements on SAP products directly to the development teams.

In case you are new on Customer Influence you might want to check out the videos and documents introducing the topic of influencing SAP on our public homepage.

 

Watch the Replays of Our SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition 2402 Early Release Series!

Watch Our Live Sessions

In January 2024, we hosted a series of 19 compelling live sessions to highlight the exciting innovations shipped with the SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition 2402 release. Missed the live sessions? No problem! Take advantage of the entire series or pick and choose the sessions most relevant to you on demand.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Stay tuned!

Where to Find More Information: 

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Follow us on @SAP and #S4HANA, and myself via @VoglerChrist and LinkedIn

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