Customer Story
Farming
Manufacturing
"Our industry is unique and not all EHS software is flexible enough to fit the bill. KPA EHS software provides a customizable solution that meets our needs across the board."
Client Profile
One of the country’s largest vertically integrated cannabis companies, PharmaCann provides safe, reliable, top-quality cannabis products. The growing enterprise is currently licensed in six states to grow, process, and/or dispense medical cannabis products for adult and pediatric patients, as well as for responsible adult use. PharmaCann’s investment in people, practices, and infrastructure helps position the company as a leader in the cannabis industry.
Challenge
Balancing Extreme Growth with Multi-faceted Operations
When he joined PharmaCann in 2019, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Manager Tony Conte was responsible for the safety of around 300 employees. By 2021, that number exploded to 1400, plus ongoing new positions and shifts being added in real-time.
“People don’t realize that at this level the cannabis business is multiple industries in one,” stated Conte. “We’re a farm, we’ve got milling, extraction, manufacturing, packaging, warehousing, transportation, plus fulfillment at the dispensary level and home delivery.”
“We have a tremendous volume of training to roll out and manage over time.”
With staff spread across seven production sites and 30 dispensaries, managing the EHS program through Google Docs became insufficient. “Our plants mature within two weeks, then they get processed right away,” he continued. “The plants aren’t going to sit and wait for me to get training completed. So, I also needed an online platform that would allow employees to take training on demand.”
Solution
KPA Provides Flexible Software for a Unique Industry
When Conte first met with KPA, he found an EHS partner willing and able to support his rapidly expanding industry. “Particularly with our production teams, we have unique risks we need to train staff around. These include exposure to UV, working with CO2, and other inherent hazards.”
“We needed a system that was customizable for adding our own training content.”
The software platform provided flexible learning management features for uploading, delivering and tracking training content. Additionally, KPA Flex helps Conte stay ahead of evolving regulations, manage OSHA reporting, and analyze EHS performance easily.
Result
A Comprehensive Online System Reduces Near Misses
Key improvements include:
- HR software integration for immediate new hire notification
- ISO-standard record keeping for smoother audits
- Faster response time for safety service requests
- Reduction in near-miss incidents through preventive analysis
- Kiosk implementation for employee system access
“KPA Flex integrates with our HR software, which is huge,” said Conte. “Using our old system, I was usually the last one to know when someone got hired, and now I can get on top of things immediately.”
“Now, we can look at leading factors through reports of unsafe conditions and safety observations to focus on prevention. Knocking near misses down–including even savings on basic, simple first aid–is significant in reducing budget,” Conte concluded.
“The more we can give our people access to the system, the more we expect to benefit by preventing unnecessary injuries and issues
