In this series on hazardous waste we have discussed: defining hazardous waste; managing hazardous waste at home; determining generator status; hazardous waste accumulation and storage requirements. This article will review training requirements, one of the biggest violations that companies incur. The amount and type of training required is based upon the generator status of the company. …
The Devil is in the Details…Hazardous Waste Accumulation Areas
I have discussed identifying hazardous waste in What is Hazardous Waste? and determining hazardous waste generator status in The Devil is in the Details…What Type of Generator are You? Today we will tackle the issue accumulation time–the amount of time a hazardous waste generator is allowed to store hazardous waste on site. These requirements are…
The Devil is in the Details…What Type of Generator are You?
In What is Hazardous Waste? I talked about properly identifying hazardous waste by asking 10 key questions. Now that you have tools to identify hazardous wastes what are the next steps in managing hazardous waste in compliance with federal regulatory requirements? The RCRA regulations applicable to a particular business are based upon the amount of…
Managing Hazardous Waste at Home
Much discussion is centered around toxicity in our homes—chemicals in our cleaning products; cancer-causing materials in our cosmetics and skin care products. I recently read an article published in Globe and Mail entitled “Your manicure looks beautiful. But the health effects are ugly” about the occupational hazards associated with nail salons. The article highlighted…
What is Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous waste is one of the most regulated arenas within environmental compliance. Many industries and service providers utilize chemicals in their processes and the disposal of these materials is what creates hazardous wastes. Proper disposal is an important part of ensuring the cleanliness of our waters, soil, and air. Hazardous wastes are dangerous to the…
The ABCs of EHS Compliance–Part Two
Part One of The ABCs of EHS Compliance discussed the role of an environmental, health & safety (EHS) Professional. This article will review where to begin when implementing an EHS program or when improving an existing program. EHS is a broad field that encompasses many areas, a compliance evaluation or audit often reveals issues in…
Are Radical Changes Required to Implement An Effective Safety Culture?
I recently read an article entitled The CEO of Anglo American on Getting Serious About Safety featured in the Harvard Business Review about tough decisions Cynthia Carroll made to begin shifting the culture of her company. The article was thought provoking and I admire Cynthia for her ability to shut down a platinum mining operation to announce to…
What is the Pulse of Your EHS Program?
The pulse of an Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Program is the measurement of how quickly it responds to the changes in regulatory requirements, new processes and equipment, or modifications to existing processes and equipment. Does your organization’s EHS Program monitor changing regulatory requirements? If an air permit or regulatory reporting requirement were modified is…
The ABCs of EHS Compliance–Part One
As an Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Professional and Consultant, I am often asked to describe the responsibilities or functions of this profession. Prior to answering this question let’s begin with a review of some general definitions. The term environment typically references the impact and interaction of a business’s activities on the surrounding land, air,…
Dollars and Sense: The Value of Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance
Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) compliance is often perceived as non-value added legal requirements; however there is data that supports the exact opposite. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) most recent annual report indicates that regulatory non-compliances in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 cost businesses over $200 Million; this figure does not include fines resulting from non-compliances…