CGI helps deliver hazard communication and regulatory compliance information across the government

The success of HMIRS represents CGI's ability to apply its IT ingenuity and industry IQ to provide large-scale enterprise solutions that deliver results.

The Challenge
The U.S. government is responsible for providing Department of Defense, federal civilian agencies, and contractors who work with hazardous materials access to risk and incident response information designed to protect human health and safety. To support emerging needs for hazard communication, material safety data sheet (MSDS) management, and OSHA compliance, the government needed to modernize its legacy MSDS management application. It needed a central repository with automated processes and sought to enable distributors and suppliers to electronically submit MSDSs for timelier access.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) selected CGI as its partner because it offered deep expertise and COTS-based, industry-proven software called ProSteward^®, an enterprise chemical data management and hazard communications solution that was developed in partnership with Shell Oil Company.

The Strategy
ProSteward closely matched the government's requirements, and its success along with CGI's strong relationship with the chemical industry provided a proven solution for the government's new Hazardous Materials Information Resource System (HMIRS).

Built on the ProSteward Online module, HMIRS is a comprehensive repository of MSDSs, which contains product information, material composition and concentrations, hazards, handling and storage instructions, and emergency contacts, as well as related value-added data such as disposal, environmental, logistics, and transportation data. The image-based system helps collect and disseminate hazardous material information across the government, enabling timelier access to the product information required to protect the safety and health of personnel.

CGI developed and launched the system within the government's accelerated 18-month schedule. CGI conducted gap assessments and joint-application design and requirements definition sessions to ensure the design, development, integration, and deployment supported the government's modernization objectives.

Key features of HMIRS include:

MSDS submittal Web site — provides real-time capability for suppliers to electronically submit MSDS and related data, streamlining the data submittal process
XML integration — positions HMIRS to support an emerging MSDS XML data standard, revolutionizing MSDS exchange from supplier to purchaser
Web-based access — enables secure access to HMIRS to appropriate individuals, facilitating read-only access to MSDSs and value-added data
CD-ROM application — provides an offline version of the system for use by local authorities, first responders, and deployed personnel in support of emergency response and remote operations involving hazardous materials
Environmental information — supports environmental product data, enabling information to be easily accessible and cross-referenced in one central place

The Results
Leveraging ProSteward software, HMIRS is the government's authoritative source for MSDSs and related value-added data such as disposal, environmental, logistics, and transportation data. The success of HMIRS represents CGI's ability to apply its IT ingenuity and industry IQ to provide large-scale enterprise solutions that deliver results.

The development of HMIRS provides the government with a comprehensive online repository for over 300,000 MSDSs used by thousands of military and civilian agency personnel who work with hazardous materials. It is the primary feed of environmental, health, and safety compliance data, and a tool for commercial industry and government installations to electronically submit hazardous communication documentation.

Benefits include timely, one-stop access to multiple sources of relevant information; access to manufacturer MSDSs (not re-created); better consistency, accuracy, and quality of data; improved hazard communication; compliance with regulatory requirements; reduced duplicative and manual data collection efforts.

The government is also participating with industry in the ProSteward Users Group as part of the software maintenance program, allowing the government to influence enhancements to and benefit from the enhancements funded by other partners within the group. To learn more about HMIRS, visit www.dlis.dla.mil/hmirs.

After the first two years of production use, over 8,000 user licenses have been procured for HMIRS, and users report a 75 percent reduction in data capture time—enabling the government to provide timely access to new and revised products. The system continues to have a growing base of users since implementation in 2002, and the HMIRS Team received the DLA Team Performance Award at the 35th DLA Annual Recognition Program the year it was launched. The Defense Logistics Agency continues to invest in HMIRS by working with CGI to add new features and expand the user community.