Custom GPT: Build a Facility-Specific EHS Safety Advisor

What This Builds

You'll build a Custom GPT that acts as an EHS advisor specifically configured for your facility — loaded with your safety programs, JHAs, OSHA requirements, and PPE matrix. Supervisors and workers can ask it "what PPE do I need for battery charging?" or "what does our LOTO procedure say for the conveyor?" and get instant, accurate, facility-specific answers — without calling you.

Instead of spending 30–60 minutes per week answering the same questions repeatedly, you field the complex situations that need human judgment while the Custom GPT handles routine queries.

Prerequisites

• {{tool:ChatGPT.plan}} subscription ({{tool:ChatGPT.price}}) — Custom GPTs require a paid plan
• 3–5 of your facility's key safety documents in PDF or Word format
• 30 minutes to configure; 30–60 minutes to test and refine

The Concept

A Custom GPT is like a new coworker who has read every safety document in your facility from cover to cover and has perfect recall. You configure it once with your specific documents and instructions, and anyone with the link can ask it questions and get answers grounded in YOUR programs — not generic OSHA advice. You set the guardrails so it never gives advice that contradicts your programs, and it always defers to you for complex situations.

Build It Step by Step

Part 1: Gather Your Documents

Collect 3–5 of your most-referenced safety documents. Good candidates:

• PPE hazard assessment / PPE matrix (most frequently asked: "what PPE for X task?")
• LOTO energy control procedures for top 5 machines (maintenance asks this constantly)
• Emergency response plan (who to call, assembly points, evacuation procedures)
• Confined space permit procedures (complex, high-stakes, high-query volume)
• Chemical inventory / SDS quick reference (what chemicals are where, what's the hazard)

Save each as a PDF. Keep files under 20MB. You'll upload these into the Custom GPT.

Part 2: Create the Custom GPT

1. Sign in at chatgpt.com with your {{tool:ChatGPT.plan}} subscription
2. Click your profile icon (top right) → My GPTs → Create a GPT
3. You'll see two tabs: Create (conversational builder) and Configure (manual setup). Click Configure for full control.

Part 3: Write the System Instructions

In the Instructions box, paste this system prompt (customize the bracketed sections):

You are the EHS Safety Advisor for [COMPANY NAME]'s [FACILITY NAME/LOCATION] facility. You have been given access to this facility's safety programs, JHAs, procedures, and PPE requirements.

Your role:
- Answer questions about safety requirements, PPE, procedures, and OSHA compliance AT THIS SPECIFIC FACILITY based on the uploaded documents
- Help supervisors determine the correct safety procedure for a task
- Help workers understand what PPE they need for specific tasks
- Explain OSHA requirements in plain language

Your boundaries:
- Base your answers on the uploaded facility documents first, then general OSHA knowledge
- If a question requires physical inspection or real-time judgment about actual conditions, say so and recommend they contact the EHS Specialist directly
- NEVER advise anyone to skip a safety step or reduce PPE requirements
- If you're not certain about a specific requirement, say "I'm not certain — contact your EHS Specialist for this one"
- For any medical, injury, or emergency situation: direct them to emergency services first, then the EHS Specialist

Tone: Clear, direct, practical. These are workers and supervisors who need actionable answers, not long explanations. Start with the direct answer, then provide context.

Contact for complex questions: [YOUR NAME, PHONE/EMAIL]

Part 4: Upload Your Documents

Scroll down to the Knowledge section in Configure. Click Upload files and upload your 3–5 safety documents. ChatGPT will index these documents and use them to ground all responses.

What you should see: Your files listed in the Knowledge section with a checkmark. The GPT will now search these documents when answering questions.

Part 5: Set the Name, Description, and Instructions

• Name: "[Facility Name] Safety Advisor" or "[Company] EHS Assistant"
• Description: "Ask me about PPE requirements, safety procedures, LOTO requirements, and OSHA compliance at [facility name]."
• Conversation starters: Add these so users know what to ask:

  • "What PPE do I need for [task]?"
  • "What does our LOTO procedure say for [equipment]?"
  • "Is [task] a permit-required confined space?"
  • "What's the emergency assembly point for [area]?"

Part 6: Test Before Sharing

Before sharing the link, test it yourself with 5–10 realistic questions supervisors ask you. Verify:

• Does it correctly reference your specific procedures?
• Does it recommend contacting you for complex situations?
• Does it ever give advice that contradicts your documents?

If you get a wrong answer, update the system instructions to add a specific correction: "When asked about [topic], always say [correct answer] based on our [procedure name]."

Real Example: [Facility-Specific Safety Advisor in Action]

Setup: An EHS Specialist at a food manufacturing plant uploads: their PPE matrix, LOTO procedures for 6 major machines, confined space permit procedures, and emergency action plan.

Input (from a supervisor via the shared link): "The maintenance tech needs to do a belt change on conveyor line 3. What's the LOTO procedure and what PPE is required?"

Output from the Custom GPT: "For Conveyor Line 3 belt replacement, the LOTO procedure requires: [steps from the uploaded procedure]. Required PPE: safety glasses, cut-resistant gloves, steel-toed boots, and hearing protection if working within 15 feet of running equipment. The energy isolation point is [location from document]. Estimated lockout duration: [from document]. If this is a first-time procedure for the tech, contact the EHS Specialist for a pre-task walkthrough."

Time saved: 15-minute phone call reduced to 2-minute self-service query — multiple times per week.

What to Do When It Breaks

• Gives answer not in your documents → Add more specific instructions: "When asked about [topic], refer only to the [specific document] I uploaded"
• Too verbose → Add to instructions: "Keep all answers under 150 words. Start with the direct answer."
• Misidentifies equipment or locations → Upload a document with a clear equipment naming convention or floor map description
• Workers can't find the shared link → Post the link on the safety board, add it to your EHS software welcome screen, or create a QR code to print on safety posters

Variations

• Simpler version: Skip document uploads and configure the GPT just to have your facility's general hazard context — useful for smaller programs
• Extended version: Add your OSHA 300 log data (anonymized) so it can help identify trends when asked "what types of incidents have we had in [department]?"

What to Do Next

• This week: Test with 5 real questions and refine the instructions based on any bad answers
• This month: Share the link with 2–3 frontline supervisors and get their feedback
• Advanced: Create a second Custom GPT specifically for training content — give it your training library and have it generate toolbox talks on demand

Advanced guide for EHS Specialist professionals. These techniques use more sophisticated AI features that may require paid subscriptions.