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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the most common questions about using Tellus EHS. Click any question to see the answer, and follow the links to learn more.

Getting Started​

How do I sign up for Tellus?​

Visit tellusehs.com and click Start Free Trial. You'll create an account with your email address, choose your industry, select a plan, and walk through the onboarding wizard. All plans include a 14-day free trial with no credit card required upfront. See Account Setup for the full walkthrough.

How do I invite my team?​

Go to AdminHQ and click Users. Click Invite User, enter their email address, select a role, assign them to one or more sites, and send the invitation. They'll receive an email with a link to create their account. See Users & Roles for details on roles and permissions.

What plan should I choose?​

Starter ($49/month) is best if you're a small business that needs basic chemical inventory and SDS management. Standard ($149/month) is best for growing companies that need full compliance management including Plan Builder, SafePath training, labels, and PPE recommendations. Pro ($349/month) is best for enterprises with multiple sites, needing the EHS Agent, API access, and unlimited users. See Subscription Tiers for the full comparison.

Can I try before I buy?​

Yes. Every plan includes a 14-day free trial with full access to all features in your selected tier. No credit card is required to start the trial.

How long does onboarding take?​

Most organizations complete the onboarding wizard in 15 to 30 minutes. This covers selecting your industry, configuring modules, entering company details, designating a Program Coordinator, adding sites, and inviting team members. See Onboarding Wizard for a step-by-step guide.

Chemical Management​

How do I add a chemical to my inventory?​

You have several options: add it manually by entering product details, scan a barcode, photograph the product label (AI extracts the details), upload a spreadsheet, or import from your SDS library. All methods are available through ChemIQ. See Quick Import for the fastest methods.

What if the AI doesn't recognize my SDS?​

Tellus's AI successfully parses the vast majority of SDS documents. If it can't extract certain fields, those fields will be flagged for manual review. You can fill in the missing information yourself and save. If the entire document fails to parse (rare), upload it anyway — the PDF is stored and accessible, and you can enter the chemical data manually.

How do I print labels?​

Open a chemical in ChemIQ, navigate to the Label Center, choose your label format (GHS, NFPA 704, or HMIS), customize it if needed, and click Print. You can print on standard label paper or generate a PDF to print later. Label printing is available on Standard and Pro plans.

Can I import chemicals from a spreadsheet?​

Yes. Go to ChemIQ, click Quick Import, and select Spreadsheet Upload. Upload a CSV or Excel file, map your columns to Tellus fields, and submit. Your chemicals will appear in the staging area for review before they enter your final inventory.

What happens when I delete a chemical?​

The chemical is removed from your active inventory. Its SDS and historical data are retained in your records for audit purposes. If the chemical was the last one at a site that carried a specific hazard, the EHS Agent (Pro) will automatically reassess your site's hazard profile.

Training​

How do I assign training to employees?​

In SafePath, go to Assignments, click Assign Training, select a course, choose the employees (individually, by site, or by role), set a due date, and click Assign. Employees will receive a notification that new training is available. See SafePath for details.

Can I create custom training courses?​

Yes. SafePath includes a full course builder. You can create courses with text lessons, video content, PDF/slide attachments, and quizzes. You can also use the AI Course Generator (Pro) to automatically create a course from your published HazCom plan.

What happens if someone fails a quiz?​

Employees can retake quizzes. The course settings determine how many attempts are allowed and what the passing score is. Their highest score is recorded. If an employee repeatedly fails, their manager and the Program Coordinator are notified so they can provide additional support or in-person training.

How do I track who has completed their training?​

Go to Insights and select Training Insights to see completion rates, overdue assignments, and individual employee progress. You can also view the Training Matrix in SafePath for a grid view mapping employees to required courses.

Can training be automatically assigned to new hires?​

Yes. SafePath supports auto-assignment rules. You can create rules that automatically assign specific courses when an employee joins a site, is assigned a particular role, or when a new chemical is added to your inventory. See the training automation features in SafePath.

Plans​

How do I create a HazCom plan?​

Go to Plan Builder and click Create Plan. The AI-assisted wizard asks you questions about your workplace, chemicals, and processes, then generates a Written Hazard Communication Program customized to your organization. You review and edit the draft, then submit it for approval. See Plan Builder for the full workflow.

How often should I update my plan?​

OSHA doesn't mandate a specific review interval, but industry best practice is to review your plan at least annually and whenever you have a significant change — such as adding new chemicals, changing work processes, or modifying your facility layout. Tellus sends automatic review reminders and tracks your plan's age in Plan Insights.

Who needs to approve my plan?​

Your organization determines its own approval workflow. Typically, the Program Coordinator reviews and approves the plan. Some organizations also require sign-off from site managers or senior leadership. Plan Builder tracks the approval chain and sends notifications to reviewers.

Can I export my plan as a PDF?​

Yes. From Plan Builder, open your plan and click Export PDF. The exported document is formatted as a professional Written Hazard Communication Program suitable for posting in the workplace or presenting to an OSHA inspector.

Billing & Subscription​

How do I upgrade my plan?​

Go to AdminHQ, click Billing, and select Change Plan. Choose your new tier and confirm. The upgrade takes effect immediately, and you'll be prorated for the remainder of your billing cycle. See Subscription Tiers for what each plan includes.

What happens if I downgrade?​

When you downgrade, you keep access to your higher-tier features until the end of your current billing cycle. After that, features not included in your new tier become read-only — your data is preserved, but you can't create new items or use advanced features until you upgrade again.

Can I export my data if I cancel?​

Yes. Before canceling, you can export your chemical inventory, SDS library, training records, and compliance reports as CSV or PDF files from any module. After cancellation, your data is retained for 90 days before being permanently deleted.

Is annual billing available?​

Yes. Annual billing is available for all plans at a 20% discount compared to monthly pricing. You can switch to annual billing at any time from the Billing page in AdminHQ.

Do you offer discounts for nonprofits or educational institutions?​

Contact our sales team at sales@tellusehs.com to discuss special pricing for nonprofits, educational institutions, and government organizations.

Account & Access​

How do I reset my password?​

On the login page, click Forgot Password and enter your email address. You'll receive a password reset link within a few minutes. If you're already logged in, you can change your password from your profile settings.

Can I belong to multiple companies?​

Yes. The Consultant role is designed for EHS professionals who manage multiple client organizations. Consultants see a company switcher in the header that lets them move between client accounts. Each company's data is completely separate and isolated.

How do I change my role?​

Only Admins can change user roles. Ask your Admin to go to AdminHQ, open Users, find your account, and update your role assignment. See the Roles & Permissions Matrix to understand what each role can access.

Can I use Tellus on my phone?​

Yes. The Tellus web application is fully responsive and works on mobile browsers. You can access your SDS library, view your chemical inventory, complete training, and scan barcodes from your phone. There is no separate mobile app — just open your browser and log in.

How is my data protected?​

Tellus uses industry-standard security practices including encrypted data transmission (TLS), encrypted data at rest, role-based access control, and tenant-isolated databases. Your organization's data is never accessible to other organizations on the platform.

Compliance & Regulatory​

Is Tellus EHS a workplace safety software platform?​

Yes. Tellus EHS is workplace safety software purpose-built for chemical safety and OSHA HazCom compliance. It combines chemical inventory software, SDS management, PPE management, safety training, compliance monitoring, and plan generation into a single platform. If you need chemical safety software that covers the full scope of OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, Tellus is designed for exactly that.

What OSHA standards does Tellus help with?​

Tellus is primarily designed around OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200), which requires employers to develop a written HazCom program, maintain SDSs, label containers, and train employees on chemical hazards. Additionally, SafePath supports training tracking for other OSHA standards including Fall Protection, LOTO, Respiratory Protection, and more.

Will Tellus make me OSHA-compliant?​

Tellus provides the tools, workflows, and monitoring to help you build and maintain a compliant program. However, compliance also requires your team to actively use the platform, follow your procedures, and maintain your records. Tellus makes compliance easier and more visible, but ultimate responsibility rests with your organization.

Does Tellus generate Tier II reports?​

Tellus tracks chemical quantities at the site level and calculates aggregated quantities by hazard class — which is the data needed for Tier II / EPCRA Section 312 reports. You can export this data in a format suitable for submission to your Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). Full automated Tier II filing is on our roadmap.