B 787 Copyright © 2015, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Category: Business Information Systems DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-5888-2.ch075 ICT as a Tool in Industrial Networks for Assessing HSEQ Capabilities in a Collaborative Way INTRODUCTION There may still be many companies and organizations that use information and communication technology (ICT) for employees’ work conditions and systems, particularly only for collecting and presenting yearly figures of their absences from work due to sickness and accidental injuries. The employees, meanwhile, prob- ably frequently use text messages or e-mails to inform their bosses that they are not well enough to come to work. In many companies, computer applications can use, produce, or present the results of job satisfaction surveys. This article presents other much wider poten- tial applications of ICT. It describes in detail a system developed and used by a process industry network in Finland and provides a general review of contemporary needs and possibilities. The potential contributions of ICT to work organizations and personnel is much larger and more diverse than commonly realized. Networking is a typical solution for companies of different sizes to combine and manage their contribu- tions competitively in a contemporary business environ- ment. It is typical for employees from several supplying companies or contractors to work simultaneously for the same production, such as in the process industry (e.g., purchasing organization, customer of suppliers). This method of production, using so-called shared workplaces, has become more common. This situa- tion has set up new requirements for managing health, safety, environment, and quality (HSEQ), causing issues and achieving desired results within that framework. These requirements are partly regulation-based, but are also voluntary, business-driven, and promotional. Large-scale process industry companies in Finland have developed and have started to apply the HSEQ Assessment Procedure (HSEQ AP) for measuring and evaluating suppliers (Väyrynen, Koivupalo, & Latva- Ranta, 2012). The objective of HSEQ AP is to ensure that outside employees in shared workplaces have sufficient knowledge and skills for HSEQ to operate in the principal customer companies’ premises. Generally, HSEQ issues concern the key factors of a company’s contemporary holistic control, assurance, and management measures. The integration of all “ad- ditional” aspects of quality (Q) is a practical, rational, feasible, and cost-effective model (see Hutchison, 1997; Dale, van der Wiele, & Iwaarden, 2007). This is in line with the UK definition of an accident covering “any unplanned event that resulted in injury or ill health of people, or damage or loss to property, plant, materials or the environment or a loss of business opportunity” (Hugnes & Ferrett, 2003). Integrated management systems (IMS) (see Wilkinson & Dale, 2007) are used to assure customers that products and services satisfy requirements for “basic” Q. Responsible organiza- tions also have to be concerned about the working environment and well-being of their employees (HS), the impact of operations on the local community, and the long-term effects of their products and activities (E). HSEQ management involves planning, organizing, controlling, monitoring, and reviewing the measures. Multi-employer HSEQ management can be effec- tively arranged through the proper participation of all employers, including contractors, and employees. Seppo Väyrynen University of Oulu, Finland Henri Jounila University of Oulu, Finland Jukka Latva-Ranta University of Oulu, Finland