PPE Service: How a Mobile App Changed the PPE Provision Process

From Complex Systems to Mobile Convenience

Traditional ERP systems, such as SAP, have powerful functionality but often prove complex and unintuitive for ordinary employees. In an environment where most daily tasks are solved via smartphones, moving the personal protective equipment (PPE) provision process to the mobile space becomes a logical step. Natalya Pryadnikova, Head of the PPE Provision Department at Nornickel, shares the experience of implementing the "PPE Service" mobile application, which combined HR and accounting, making the process transparent and convenient for all participants.

Architecture and Functionality of the "PPE Service"

Developed within the corporate system, the application integrates the HR and material accounting modules of SAP ERP. Personal data security is ensured by end-to-end double encryption within the company's closed perimeter. The service is divided into two key modules:

• Manager Module: provides an online tool to monitor the team's PPE provision in real time. The manager sees employee profiles, issuance status, and replacement deadlines, allowing for a prompt response to the team's needs.
• Employee Module: functions as a personal account, where issuance history, information on required standards, and replacement deadlines are available. Employees can update clothing sizes (limited to plus or minus one size), leave feedback on PPE quality, and contact support directly.

Impact on Production Culture and Efficiency

The implementation of the digital service transformed the attitude towards safety, making it not a formal requirement, but an understandable daily process. The speaker notes that the application increased personal responsibility and employee engagement by providing them with a simple feedback channel. Management, in turn, received not just dry statistics, but real feedback from the field.

The practical results of the implementation confirm the effectiveness of the approach:

• Waiting time for receiving PPE at the warehouse was reduced by almost half due to the possibility of pre-generating the issuance sheet.
• Employee system usage activity increased by 30%, indicating higher motivation.
• The volume of problematic stock in warehouses decreased by 68% due to optimized accounting and management.
• Satisfaction level with the PPE provision process reached 4.2 out of 5 points.

Development and Scaling Plans

At the time of the presentation, 10,000 active users were connected to the service, with plans to cover 80,000 employees across all company divisions. Further functional development involves implementing self-training modules on proper PPE usage, a warehouse pre-booking system to minimize queues, and tools for forecasting PPE needs by size to optimize warehouse stocks.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to integrate a mobile app with an existing ERP system (using SAP as an example) without data loss?
• How does the digitalization of the PPE issuance process reduce warehouse waiting times and decrease illiquid stock?
• How to organize effective employee feedback on PPE quality and comfort?
• What mobile app features help managers control their team's provision with protective equipment?
• How to solve the problem of lacking smartphones or internet at workplaces when implementing digital services?