Future Proofing Safety | CONFORMiT’s CTO Envisions the Next Era of EHS Software

In the age of AI, the path from compliance to prevention hinges on combining cutting-edge technology with real industry expertise. CONFORMiT’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Julien Vandewynckel, is designing the next generation of AI-driven EHS software – one that doesn’t just automate processes but autonomously learns, adapts, and multiplies the impact of safety professionals.

Strategic Vision Meets Technical Execution

Vandewynckel’s role as CTO spans every facet of our product—from cloud architecture and security to AI driven innovation and user experience. Inspired by an academic passion for problem solving and a relentless focus on “right tool, right time” solutions, he leads a team that prototypes aggressively, validates rigorously, and scales responsibly.

“Every decision I make asks one question: how can we craft optimal solutions that make our users’ work safer, smarter, and more impactful?”, states Vandewynckel.  

In partnership with Eric Desbiens, CEO of CONFORMiT, Vandewynckel codifies that vision through structured incubation cycles. By rapidly exploring emerging technologies and feeding validated breakthroughs into our development cadence, CONFORMiT doesn’t just adapt to market shifts, it defines them.

Architecting AI-Driven Prevention

Since the debut of Transformer models in 2017, large scale language understanding has reshaped what’s possible. However, where mission critical safety applications are in play, Vandewynckel argues, “general purpose” AI falls short without extensive domain tailoring.

• Agentic AI | At CONFORMiT, “agentic AI” means autonomous systems that perceive, decide, and act while exposing a clear reasoning chain for every recommendation. These agents don’t sit idle; they orchestrate safety controls and dynamically update procedures in real time.
• Closed Loop Learning | Every field execution (each lockout/tagout sequence, permit execution, inspection, near miss, and incident) is fed back into the AI. Over time, the platform learns which protocols prevent incidents most effectively and which shortcuts introduce risk, creating an ever smarter‑ safety ecosystem.

“We’re moving beyond ‘compliance plus’ into uncharted territories—surfacing risks no regulation has yet addressed and writing tomorrow’s playbook for prevention”, says Vandewynckel.

The AI Stack | Modular, Explainable, and Secure

Under Vandewynckel’s guidance, CONFORMiT’s AI architecture is engineered to respond quickly and safely to change.

• Foundation Model Agnosticism | An abstraction layer enables us to seamlessly integrate and plug in the best LLMs (general or specialized), AI models, or in-house AI techniques – leveraging the full breadth of available artificial intelligence solutions rather than being limited by any single vendor’s portfolio.
• Explainability by Design | Every AI suggestion comes with a traceable logic path: data sources, pattern analyses, and risk factors. This transparency transforms AI from a black box into a trusted advisor.
• Security and Ethics | CONFORMiT.ai is independently ISO 27001, GDPR, and SOC 2 Type II certified to ensure data privacy, robust access controls, and bias mitigation. As we expand our AI capabilities, we’re actively pursuing ISO 42001 compliance, the first international standard specifically addressing AI management systems. Clients control exactly which documents feed their personalized knowledge bases, preserving confidentiality while benefiting from collective intelligence.

Augmentation Over Replacement

For Vandewynckel, the ultimate promise of AI-Driven EHS software isn’t to replace human expertise but to amplify it.

• Time Saved ≠ Jobs Lost | Intelligent agents handle root cause analyses, pattern mining, and report drafting. These free up safety professionals to focus on strategy, culture, and high stakes decision making.
• Learning Through Every Interaction | AI not only guides workers through complex procedures but imparts the underlying safety principles, turning every LOTO step or permit execution into a training moment.

Vandewynckel puts it simply, “Our goal is elevation, transforming safety from a reactive administrative burden into a proactive strategic discipline driven by human judgment and machine intelligence.”

What’s Next in CONFORMiT AI-Driven EHS

• 0–12 Months
  • Launch of risk identification agents that detect hidden patterns in incidents and near misses.
  • Introduction of AI-powered Control of Work to CONFORMiT’s mobile app.
  • Dynamic inspection forms that evolve with real‑world effectiveness data.
• 18–24 Months
  • Field ready AI guidance directly on mobile devices for live permit execution and lockout/tagout.
  • Cross industry intelligence sharing (anonymized) to surface best practices from high-risk industries (ex. Mining, Pulp & Paper, Construction, and Chemicals) to lower-risk industries (ex. Manufacturing, Services, and Food & Beverage).
• 24–36 Months
  • Deploying multi-objective AI-optimization for Control of Work, balancing safety and productivity by orchestrating entire workflows (sequencing control measures across permits, generating minimal-step LOTO procedures, and intelligently scheduling controls) to reduce exposure time, minimize fatigue, and align maintenance with production priorities.
• 3-5 Years
  • Emergence of expert level AI agents that anticipate new risk classes before they materialize, adapt safety protocols in real time, and turn compliance into effortless, intelligent prevention.

Preparing for the AI-Driven Future

Vandewynckel’s advice for leaders ready to embrace this paradigm shift:

• Treat Data as an Asset | Audit and structure your safety data today. It’s tomorrow’s training fuel for predictive models.
• Foster a Culture of Experimentation | Give IT and EHS teams dedicated time to prototype AI use cases. Early wins (and failures) build organizational literacy.
• Leverage Strategic Partnerships | Collaborate with domain experts at CONFORMiT to co‑create solutions tailored to your operations, ensuring AI adoption is both practical and impactful.

“The future of safety combines data discipline, human expertise, and AI capability. Organizations that master this trinity won’t just operate more safely—they’ll gain a decisive competitive edge.”, Vandewynckel advises.

In Vandewynckel’s vision, CONFORMiT’s role is clear: to deliver an AI ‑powered safety intelligence layer that learns from every operation, empowers every professional, and redefines prevention for the modern era. The result? A safety ecosystem that’s not just reactive or compliant, but supremely proactive -anticipating risks, optimizing controls, and protecting people like never before.

As we bring AI out of the data center and onto the job site, its impact hinges not just on algorithms but on trust. Safety professionals in high-stakes environments need tools they can rely on, not opaque black boxes.

It is apparent that AI must be built and tested in the field and judged by its outcomes. In other words, trust is earned through openness, rigorous field validation, and clear results – the foundation of any safer, smarter workplace.

About CONFORMiT 

For over 35 years, CONFORMiT’s Lockout Tagout system has been optimizing production, minimizing worker risks, and maximizing profits for high-risk industries across North America. Our zero-training-required, AI-powered enterprise solution frees employees from clumsy, chaotic processes. Unlocking safety excellence has never been so simple.

CONFORMiT enables its clients and their communities to provide a healthy and safe workplace while improving their productivity and profitability to build a more sustainable future.