Using AI in EHS to Reduce Risk
Sandra Neale
February 11, 2025
Natasha Porter
February 11, 2025
Below, Sandra Neale, EHS Executive Leader at GE Vernova, and Natasha Porter, Chief Customer Officer at Benchmark Gensuite, share their insights about the opportunities and challenges presented by AI in EHS.
Where can AI make the biggest impact in EHS?
Many EHS teams may find it challenging to prevent risks based on stagnant and dispersed data. Now, with AI’s ability to quickly synthesize thousands of data points, EHS leaders are empowered to make more efficient and effective decisions while also identifying and mitigating risks more accurately and promptly.
Like any industry, EHS teams have limited resources. By using AI to help pinpoint where the highest risks are, resource allocation can become more strategic by addressing significant risks rather than spreading efforts thinly. This targeted approach maximizes the impact of EHS initiatives by improving overall safety and compliance.
What are barriers to adopting AI in EHS?
Many people start their AI journey by expecting output to be 100% accurate, leading to trust being a big barrier to adoption. If we wait for perfection, we will never start. In today’s world, AI should be viewed as a tool for providing directionally correct insights rather than flawless answers. Its role is to support decision-making by uncovering risks and opportunities that may be overlooked due to human bias. Rather than replacing human judgment, AI enhances it—empowering EHS professionals to make better-informed decisions.
What are common concerns about AI?
A great quote from Harvard professor Karim Lakhani sums it up: "AI won’t replace humans—but humans with AI will replace humans without AI." AI is designed to augment human capabilities, not replace them. By enhancing efficiency and improving decision-making, AI allows EHS professionals to focus on high-value tasks while reducing the burden of manual data analysis.
What's an easy way to get started with AI?
The best way to start with AI is to experiment with simple, low-stakes applications. For example, using ChatGPT to find a restaurant or plan a vacation itinerary can help build familiarity and confidence in AI tools.
Once you see value demonstrated, you can explore AI-driven efficiencies in your daily work. A great starting point in EHS could be using AI to review your policies—asking it to suggest improvements or alternative ways to communicate key messages. You may uncover new insights that enhance compliance and engagement.
Continue this discussion with Sandra and Natasha by downloading the recording of NAEM’s webinar, “AI in EHS: Practical Applications & Risk Reduction,” from Feb. 18, 2025.
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About the Author
Sandra Neale
GE Vernova
Sandra Neale has over 25 years of experience leading EHS in diverse manufacturing and service industries. She joined GE over 20 years ago and has held various regional and global EHS roles in GE Power, Healthcare, Appliances, Consumer & Industrial,
Lighting, and Corporate EHS. She is currently part of the GE Vernova Corporate EHS team responsible for the EHS management system and learning innovation.
Sandra holds a B.Sc. in Biomedical Toxicology and Chemistry and a M.Eng in Chemical Engineering. She has been a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) with the American Board of Industrial Hygiene since 1999.
She and her husband Brian have three daughters who are avid outdoor enthusiasts and live on a carbon-neutral hobby farm in rural Rockwood, Ontario. She is passionate about giving back to her community in the areas of volunteering, refugee sponsorship and mental health.
Sandra holds a B.Sc. in Biomedical Toxicology and Chemistry and a M.Eng in Chemical Engineering. She has been a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) with the American Board of Industrial Hygiene since 1999.
She and her husband Brian have three daughters who are avid outdoor enthusiasts and live on a carbon-neutral hobby farm in rural Rockwood, Ontario. She is passionate about giving back to her community in the areas of volunteering, refugee sponsorship and mental health.
Natasha Porter
Benchmark Gensuite
Natasha Porter is the Chief Customer Officer at Benchmark Gensuite, with over 25 years in EHS and digital solutions. She's been pivotal in developing Benchmark Gensuite applications, now aiding over 425 companies globally. Her work in AI and ML has significantly advanced workplace safety technology, leading to her recognition in the Environment+Energy Leader 100 Honorees list of 2021. Natasha holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering and an M.S.E. from Johns Hopkins University.