Your EHS platform should support real field execution,
not just configurable safety workflows.
Novara is a configurable safety and operational risk platform with strength in training, inspections, incidents, dashboards, mobile access, and compliance workflows. SBN is built for teams that need faster rollout, lower admin burden, chemical inventory depth, LOTO, permits, offline mobile execution, and practical reporting across daily operations.
At a glance
SBN
Novara
- ✓ SBN has the edge when chemicals, LOTO, permits, mobile/offline, assets, and reporting need to work together
- ✓ Usage-based model supports broad adoption without per-user pricing friction
- ✓ All users, all features — no tier gating or increased price
- ✓ Strong mobile/offline execution with auto-sync
- • Novara has strengths in configurable safety workflows, training, risk, dashboards, mobile access, and inspections
- • Former KPA Flex buyers should evaluate Novara’s current roadmap, pricing, and support model
SBN covers your complete EHS execution program
Show practical execution, not just system flexibility
From mobile inspections and permits to lockout/tagout and executive dashboards, SBN combines powerful field execution with the reporting and visibility needed to manage safety programs across the organization.
Mobile Inspections
Complete inspections in the field using any mobile device, even when offline. Capture photos, document findings, assign corrective actions, and synchronize automatically when connectivity returns.
Lockout/Tagout
Create, manage, and execute equipment-specific LOTO procedures with QR codes, asset context, verification steps, supporting images, and complete audit history.
Dashboards & Analytics
Give managers clear visibility into inspections, corrective actions, incidents, permits, compliance status, and trends with configurable dashboards and reports.
Permit to Work & Corrective Actions
Turn field findings into assigned work, approvals, follow-up tasks, and documented closeout so safety activity moves from observation to completion.
The difference is configurable safety software vs practical full-program execution
Novara is credible in safety management, training, risk, inspections, incidents, and configurable workflows. SBN is the sharper fit when the priority is fast rollout, broad EHS workflow coverage, chemical inventory, LOTO, permits, offline mobile work, reporting simplicity, and adoption across the whole operation.
Operational execution
Built around getting work done in the field.
EHS only works when teams use it
SBN is strongest when inspections, LOTO, permits, corrective actions, and reporting need to be performed and acted on by operating teams every day.
Health and enterprise breadth
Strong for large EHS programs.
Novara has credible enterprise depth
Novara deserves consideration when safety workflows, training and risk, broad enterprise EHS coverage, and centralized governance are the main buying criteria.
Teams that need adoption
Speed, usability, and access matter.
Broad adoption should be easy
SBN is a strong fit when all users need access, workflows change quickly, and frontline adoption is critical to success.
Enterprise health programs
Best when health and IH are central.
Different buyers need different strengths
Novara may be a better fit when the buying decision centers on enterprise health, training and risk, and centralized EHS program management.
Why teams move beyond Novara
The issue usually is not that Novara lacks capability. The issue is often complexity, implementation effort, and whether frontline teams can adopt the system easily.
Implementation takes more effort
Broad enterprise platforms can require more planning, configuration, and ongoing administration than teams expect.
“We needed the power, but the rollout felt heavier than our operating teams could absorb.”
Frontline adoption can lag
If a system is optimized for enterprise governance but not easy daily use, field adoption becomes harder.
“It was capable, but not simple enough for the people doing the work every day.”
Reporting becomes specialized
Powerful reporting is useful, but only if ordinary users can build and interpret what they need.
“We had data, but getting the view we wanted took more effort than expected.”
What switching to SBN can deliver
Most teams do not switch platforms just for features. They switch to reduce friction, improve adoption, lower total cost, and make safety workflows easier to execute.
Improve operational efficiency
Improve operational efficiency by reducing manual work, simplifying field execution, and increasing user adoption.
- Reduce duplicate work
- Improve consistency across teams
- Shorten adoption and learning curves
Reduce platform costs
Reduce software costs through usage-based pricing, all-feature access, and eliminating per-user licensing barriers.
- No per-user pricing model
- No premium feature upcharges
- No additional cost for additional users
Satisfaction guarantee
If you’re not completely satisfied, we’ll credit 100% of your first-year subscription toward year two.
- Lower switching risk
- Accountability for outcomes
- More confidence before you commit
Novara is strong. SBN is built differently.
Novara has credible strengths in safety management, training, risk, incidents, inspections, dashboards, and mobile access. SBN is built for teams that need strong operational EHS capability with less friction.
Where SBN leans in
- Operational execution: LOTO, permits, inspections, corrective actions, and QR workflows are core strengths.
- Adaptability: Workflows can be configured and changed without long enterprise change cycles.
- Reporting: Simpler, yet comprehensive reporting and dashboarding that is easier to use.
- Access model: All users get access to all features, making broad adoption easier to justify.
- Cost model: Usage-based pricing reduces user-count friction and avoids premium feature gates.
- Integration: Fully API enabled, making it easier to connect with other systems and BI platforms.
Where Novara is strong
- Training: Novara’s public positioning emphasizes safety training and employee engagement.
- Safety workflows: Strong stated fit for inspections, incidents, audits, and corrective actions.
- Operational risk: Public positioning leans into risk management and compliance workflows.
- Mobile access: Novara is positioned with mobile support for field activity.
- Continuity: Former KPA Flex users may value continuity with familiar workflow concepts.
How they actually compare
This table keeps the conclusion easy to scan while still showing how each platform is positioned for the capabilities that matter most.
| Capability | SBN Software | Novara | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Usage-based pricing with all features available to all users. No user-count penalty for broader adoption. | Pricing should be validated directly; public materials emphasize platform capability more than transparent self-serve pricing. | SBN Edge |
| Feature access | All users, all features — no tier gating or increased price. | Buyers should validate package, module, and training-content access. | SBN Edge |
| Implementation speed | Designed for rapid rollout and fast configuration. Strong fit when teams need value quickly. | Configurable platform; rollout effort depends on scope, content, workflows, and data migration. | SBN Edge |
| Implementation / admin burden | Faster to deploy with lower ongoing admin burden. | Highly configurable systems may require more structured administration depending on scope. | SBN Edge |
| Speed of change / adaptability | Rapid configuration and iteration without long enterprise change cycles. | Configurable workflows are a public strength; change effort depends on administration model. | Even |
| Configurability | Very high. Built to adapt workflows without enterprise change cycles. | Strong public positioning around configurable workflows, forms, and dashboards. | Even |
| Inspections | Site, equipment, fire, warehouse, and compliance inspections are deep and configurable. | Inspection checklists and audit processes are core stated capabilities. | Even |
| Audit management | OSHA, NFPA, ISO, facility, equipment, and compliance audit workflows. | Audit management is a stated Novara use case. | Even |
| Corrective action tracking | Corrective actions connect to inspections, incidents, permits, observations, and other workflows. | Corrective action management is a common stated safety-platform capability. | Even |
| Incident / near-miss tracking | Strong incident and near-miss tracking connected to corrective actions, reporting, and safety workflows. | Incident reporting is a core Novara capability. | Even |
| Safety observations | BBS, GEMBA, supervisor observations, photos, reporting, and corrective action linkage. | Safety workflow support is available; evaluate observation workflow depth. | SBN Edge |
| Training management | Training, certifications, reminders, skills matrix, and SCORM ingest. Content can be handled through partners. | Strong public emphasis on safety training, learning management, and employee engagement. | Novara Edge |
| Course library | Can support training programs and content partners. | Public positioning emphasizes training content as a major strength. | Novara Edge |
| Mobile app | iOS/Android mobile workflows built for field execution. | Mobile app support is part of Novara’s public positioning. | Even |
| Offline mobile execution | Strong offline mobile execution with auto-sync on reconnect. | Buyers should validate offline depth across each workflow. | SBN Edge |
| LOTO | Core product differentiator — procedures, approvals, equipment linkage, cloning, JHA/PPE tie-in, and mobile execution. | Evaluate LOTO depth and field procedure handling during demo. | SBN Edge |
| Permit to Work | Hot work, cold work, confined space, safe-work permits, approvals, and operational execution. | Evaluate fit for permit-heavy environments. | SBN Edge |
| JHA / JSA / safety procedures | JHA workflows can connect to LOTO, permits, PPE, assets, and inspections. | Risk management tools may support related workflows; verify JHA depth. | SBN Edge |
| Chemical inventory / compliance | Very strong for containers, mixtures, compounds, limits, tracking, SDS/GHS, SARA Tier II, HMBP/CERS, and reporting needs. | Public safety/risk positioning is broader; verify chemical inventory depth. | SBN Edge |
| SDS management | Strong. SDS and hazard information are integrated into chemical workflows. | Validate SDS workflow and inventory linkage. | SBN Edge |
| Laboratory fit | Strong fit for labs managing chemicals, locations, quantities, thresholds, and regulatory reporting. | Better known publicly for safety, training, and operational risk workflows. | SBN Edge |
| Regulatory reporting | SARA Tier II and CERS are explicitly part of SBN’s lab and chemical positioning. | Compliance tracking is a stated strength; verify specific regulatory reporting needs. | SBN Edge |
| Dashboards | Configurable dashboards designed to make operational data easier to understand and act on. | Dashboards and real-time visibility are public strengths. | Even |
| Scheduled reporting | Scheduled PDF, Excel, CSV, dashboard, and management reporting workflows. | Reporting is available; verify scheduled report flexibility. | SBN Edge |
| API / integration readiness | API-enabled and ready to connect with other systems and BI platforms. | API integration is publicly stated. | Even |
| QR / barcode workflows | QR-enabled inspections, safety posters, asset workflows, lock tracking, and scanning. | Verify QR/barcode workflow depth during demo. | SBN Edge |
| Asset-linked workflows | Procedures, inspections, LOTO, QR codes, and corrective actions can be tied to assets and equipment. | Evaluate equipment and asset linkage depth. | SBN Edge |
| Contractor / external stakeholder workflows | Useful for contractors, risk pools, customer sites, and partner reporting. | Novara has contractor risk assets in market materials; evaluate external workflow needs. | Even |
| Operational risk | Risk workflows connect through inspections, incidents, observations, permits, LOTO, chemicals, and reporting. | Strong public positioning around safety and operational risk management. | Novara Edge |
| Best-fit buyer | Teams that want fast rollout, field execution, chemicals, LOTO, permits, mobile/offline work, broad modules, and usage economics. | Teams focused on configurable safety workflows, training, inspections, incidents, risk, and former KPA Flex continuity. | Depends |
4 signs it may be time to move beyond Novara
Most switches happen when the platform is capable, but heavier than the organization needs to execute daily safety work.
Implementation is slowing the program down
If the rollout becomes a long internal project, time-to-value suffers.
Frontline users avoid the system
If adoption is limited to admins or specialists, operational safety visibility suffers.
Reporting requires too much expertise
If routine dashboards require specialized effort, managers lose speed.
The system is broader than the use case
If the team mainly needs execution workflows, heavy enterprise breadth may be overkill.
Capability without adaptability does not solve real-world problems
A platform can have a long feature list and still slow your team down if every meaningful change requires a long delivery cycle. SBN’s advantage is not only that it can support complex workflows. It is that those workflows can be configured, adjusted, and improved as quickly as your operation changes.
What this means in practice
- New inspections and workflows can be configured quickly.
- Operational changes do not need to wait for long enterprise change cycles.
- Reporting and dashboards can evolve as teams learn what they need.
- Mobile and offline workflows support the reality of field work.
Why buyers care
- Safety programs change as facilities, assets, and regulations change.
- Field teams need tools that match how work is actually done.
- Delayed configuration creates shadow processes and spreadsheet workarounds.
- Fast adaptation improves adoption because the system stays relevant.
Who each platform is right for
The right answer depends on where your EHS work actually happens and what problem you are trying to solve first.
EHS that executes, not just reports
- → LOTO, confined space permits, and inspection workflows that frontline workers can use without fighting the software
- → A platform you can deploy fast and reconfigure without long professional services cycles
- → Full feature access for every user — no tier debates, no add-on pricing
- → Strong analytics and regulatory reporting, including SARA Tier II and CERS
- → Offline-first mobile that works in the field, not just at a desk
- → A platform built for labs, utilities, manufacturing, chemicals, and equipment-heavy environments
- → A vendor who backs delivery with a 100% satisfaction guarantee
Enterprise health and EHS breadth are the primary need
- · Safety workflows and training and risk are central requirements
- · Enterprise EHS standardization is more important than speed
- · You have internal resources for implementation and administration
- · Central governance outweighs field execution simplicity
Why teams choose SBN
These are placeholder quotes for layout and messaging review. Replace with approved customer quotes before publishing if needed.
“We needed the platform to run our actual inspection, permit, and LOTO workflows — not just hold records. That changed the conversation.”
“The pricing model was easy to explain internally. All users, all features, no debate about who should get access.”
“The biggest difference was how quickly the system could be changed to match how our people actually work.”
SBN is proud to optimize safety for leading organizations
Frequently asked questions
Is Novara a strong product?
What is SBN’s clearest advantage over Novara?
What does the 100% satisfaction guarantee mean?
Can we compare our current workflows in a demo?
See how your workflows would run in SBN
Send your LOTO flows, permit process, inspection templates, or chemical inventory challenge. We will show how those workflows will work in SBN — not just show you a canned walkthrough.