Seven Tech Tools that Simplify Safety Gear and Equipment Procurement

Supply chain disruptions have become the new normal in today’s business world, where intertwined global networks are vulnerable to unpredictable events, such as geopolitical instability, natural disasters, and cyber threats. These disruptions may cause production delays, revenue losses, and even reputational damage. To help procurement teams navigate supply chain challenges, Amazon Business provides an expansive network of vetted, reliable sellers and certified products.

Here are seven tech tools that can help safety procurement teams manage business complexities, save money, gain efficiencies, and keep their companies’ employees safe on the job:

1.IAccess to managed inventory and vending for crucial safety equipment and MRO supplies.

In specific geographies and U.S. cities, Amazon Business Restock serves as a managed inventory and vending option that can save companies significant time, money, and staff resources. The program helps with consistent access to essential safety gear and maintenance, helping manufacturers and suppliers manage inventory management complexities for standard items and critical safety equipment. Additionally, it supports bulk ordering process efficiency for MRO supplies and helps manufacturers reach a wider business customer base.

By leveraging Amazon's logistics network and data analytics capabilities, Amazon Business Restock simplifies inventory replenishment, reduces stockouts, and improves overall operational efficiency for suppliers and business buyers. This program provides tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of business customers while equipping manufacturers with tools to expand their operations.

2. Better control over selection and spend.

To help customers comply with safety regulations and standards, Amazon Business offers a reliable delivery experience, multiple delivery options (including same-day service), and compliance tools. Manufacturers can use these tools to stay compliant and save money. For example, the Business Giving tool helps organizations control item selection and spending, even if those items are purchased for and distributed to others.

Procurement teams can curate a catalog of eligible safety items and equipment using Business Giving, enabling recipients to choose their own preferred item along with any potential variations, including style, color, and size. Companies can also use this tool to donate excess or near-expiry safety equipment and supplies to nonprofits, effectively reducing waste while supporting organizations that need safety gear.

3. MRO and Safety Curated Catalog.

Amazon Business offers a pre-vetted, streamlined selection of safety products from trusted suppliers. The catalog features business-relevant products with detailed specifications, competitive pricing, and quality assurance standards that meet industry compliance requirements.

Through smart filtering and category-specific search capabilities, procurement teams can quickly locate approved items while maintaining standardization across their organization’s purchasing practices. The curated catalog also helps organizations control spending through built-in approval workflows, business-specific pricing, and the ability to set purchasing guidelines for specific product categories and user groups.

4. Improved cost management and control.

Amazon Business provides compliance tools, Guided Buying (a paid feature), and business analytics that help ensure that the right products are being procured for the right application and that the items will arrive on time and ready to use.

For example, Guided Buying allows organizations to manage and control purchasing processes more effectively by letting administrators set up specific purchasing policies, restrict or promote certain products, sellers, or categories, and initiate approval requests to designated approvers.

5. Data-driven safety procurement insights.

Amazon Business Analytics offers procurement teams insights into their organizations’ purchasing patterns, spending trends, and supplier performance — all of which are valuable for safety procurement. The analytics tool tracks compliance with approved safety equipment standards, monitors the usage and replacement cycles of personal protective equipment (PPE), and identifies cost-saving opportunities without compromising safety standards.

The analytics tool generates detailed reports on product categories, suppliers, and departmental spending. Safety managers can use this information to make data-driven decisions, ensure adequate stock levels of critical safety items, and demonstrate regulatory compliance.

6. Better deals on high-volume orders.

The Amazon Business Bulk Buying tool allows safety buyers to purchase large quantities of items at discounted prices, often with additional savings for higher volume orders. The system provides a streamlined process for ordering multiple units or cases of products, with clear pricing tiers and quantity discounts displayed to help buyers make cost-effective decisions.

Bulk buying also helps solve inventory management challenges by ensuring adequate stock levels of frequently used safety items like PPE.

7. Pay by invoice.

With Amazon Business Pay by Invoice, customers get 45- or 60-day payment terms with eligible Business Prime membership plans upon approval. This helps manufacturing and industrial organizations improve cash flow management and align payment timing with their revenue cycles. It eliminates the need for individual purchase orders and consolidates multiple orders into a single monthly invoice while also providing detailed transaction data for easier reconciliation and accounting.

Manufacturers can order necessary supplies and materials when needed without immediate payment, helping them better manage working capital during production cycles and match payments to their own customer payment terms. The system also provides enhanced purchasing controls through approval workflows, spending limits, and detailed reporting features and integrates seamlessly with many enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Today’s procurement teams must balance the consistent availability of the right safety gear and equipment with cost considerations, compliance, and quality. Using Amazon Business’ suite of procurement tools, companies can improve safety outcomes, keep their valued employees safe, and ensure a reliable supply of safety gear and protective equipment.