Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) professionals are under increasing pressure to do more with less—manage compliance, reduce incidents, train teams, and communicate clearly across departments. That’s where AI-powered tools like ChatGPT are stepping in to transform how safety leaders work every day.
Whether it’s drafting policies, analyzing incidents, or preparing for audits, AI prompt engines are quickly becoming must-have assistants in the EHS toolkit.
Here are 10 real-world ways EHS pros are using ChatGPT and similar AI tools to streamline their workflows, improve safety outcomes, and stay ahead of compliance risks.
1. Writing and Updating Safety Policies and SOPs 📝
Creating or revising safety procedures can be tedious. AI makes it faster and easier by drafting clear, consistent, and regulation-aligned policies from scratch—or refining your existing ones.
Examples of useful prompts:
- “Write a forklift safety policy for a warehouse, including training, inspection, and operation guidelines.”
- “Create a lockout/tagout (LOTO) policy for a facility with CNC machines and robotic arms.”
2. Conducting Regulatory Research 📚
Need to decipher OSHA or ISO requirements? AI can break down complex language, highlight key takeaways, and even help you avoid common compliance pitfalls.
Prompts to try:
- “Summarize OSHA’s confined space entry requirements for general industry.”
- “What are the machine guarding standards for punch presses in a metal shop?”
Pro Tip: Try customizing prompts with your industry, site conditions, or workforce characteristics to get the most relevant and actionable results.
3. Supporting Incident Investigations 🔍
After an incident, time is of the essence. AI can guide you through tools like the 5 Whys or Fishbone diagrams, helping structure reports and uncover root causes faster.
Prompts that help:
- “Use the 5 Whys to analyze a slip incident on an oily loading dock floor.”
- “Guide a root cause analysis for a hand injury during conveyor maintenance.”
4. Creating Safety Training Content 📢
From toolbox talks to quiz questions, AI tools help EHS managers develop training that’s timely, relevant, and engaging—without starting from scratch.
Effective prompt ideas:
- “Write a 10-minute toolbox talk on proper PPE use for corrosive chemicals.”
- “Create a toolbox talk about the safe use of compressed air in machinery cleaning.”
5. Simplifying Safety Data Sheets (SDS) 📄
SDS documents can be overwhelming. AI can summarize key hazards, PPE needs, and emergency procedures in plain language for frontline workers.
Try prompts like:
- “Summarize this SDS for hydrochloric acid for non-technical staff.”
- “What are the hazards and storage instructions for acetone used in parts cleaning?”
6. Assisting with Risk Assessments and JHAs ⚠️
AI makes it easier to develop Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), identify hazards, and recommend controls based on industry best practices.
Examples include:
- “Draft a JHA for changing a valve on a high-pressure steam line.”
- “List hazards and controls for operating a hydraulic press in manufacturing.”
7. Streamlining Safety Communication and Reporting 🗞️
Need to share updates across your plant or leadership team? AI can help write newsletters, incident summaries, or leadership reports that are clear and concise.
Prompt inspiration:
- “Write a monthly safety newsletter for a mid-sized manufacturing facility, including a recent near miss and upcoming training reminders.”
8. Preparing for Audits and Compliance Reviews ✅
AI can generate checklists based on ISO, OSHA, or EPA standards and help identify areas where your site may be falling short.
Prompts worth trying:
- “Create a self-audit checklist based on ISO 14001:2015 environmental requirements.”
- “Generate an OSHA audit prep checklist for a metal stamping facility.”
9. Supporting Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) Programs 👥
From coaching conversations to campaign slogans, AI can help drive engagement in BBS programs with positive reinforcement and practical tools.
Prompt examples:
- “Write a coaching script to praise an employee who reported a near miss.”
- “Help me create a conversation guide after observing poor lifting technique.”
10. Developing KPIs and Dashboards 📊
Want to visualize performance trends? AI tools can recommend key safety metrics and guide you in presenting them in compelling, easy-to-read dashboards.
Use prompts like:
- “Suggest 5 leading and 5 lagging safety KPIs for manufacturing operations.”
- “How should I display near-miss trends and incident rates for plant leadership?”
Final Thoughts
As AI technology continues to evolve, EHS professionals who embrace tools like ChatGPT are gaining a serious edge—working smarter, communicating better, and driving a stronger culture of safety.
Whether you’re building a safety training from scratch, preparing for an audit, or crafting your next policy update, there’s likely a prompt that can help.
In addition to tools like ChatGPT, there are also AI solutions that are purpose-built for EHS & Sustainability tasks. Benchmark Gensuite’s Genny AI was developed by EHS leaders, for EHS leaders to help practitioners with tasks just like the scenarios we walked through above. Contact us to see Genny AI in action and learn what AI can do for your program.
