Environmental health and safety (EHS) compliance is not optional in the corporate world. EHS exists to protect employees against workplace hazards such as accidents and protect the environment from harm. Keep in mind that EHS compliance is not an option but a requirement.
In the united states, the law stipulates that every employer should ensure maximum protection and safety of their employees in the workplace. Some of the consequences for failing to comply include penalties, increased insurance, employee turnover, shutdowns, and damaged reputation.
Here are some tips to ensure environmental health and safety compliance in your company.
1. Understand applicable acts, laws, standards, and directives
Interpreting EHS laws and regulations can be challenging, but you cannot overlook them. It is important to know and understand the laws, standards, directives, and regulations that apply to your specific industry on a municipal, state, and federal level. Note that every act or rule is unique, so the interpretation may differ. You can engage an EHS consultant to help you understand how different EHS laws apply to your company and ensure compliance.
2. Note the applicable requirements
The good thing is that not all EHS regulations will apply to your operation or organization. However, you must note all the key applicable ones to avoid making mistakes that may cost you heavy penalties or the closure of your business. Again you don’t want to spend your time and money complying with the wrong requirements, so you must research extensively. In this case, collaborating with your EHS manager or team is valuable.
3. Stay up to date with changes
EHS requirements evolve and change constantly, and you have to stay updated. You have to find an effective way to monitor these changes to act promptly and avoid legal issues. You can rely on industry associations, emails from law firms, or government associations. However, it may be challenging to keep track of all these things because you still have to monitor other aspects of your company. Having an in-house EHS department helps, or you can outsource the support from an EHS consultant.
4. Evaluate the applicability of changes
EHS laws are also subject to change, and you have to evaluate how the changes affect your operations. if a change affects your organization, you must implement training and procedures to ensure compliance.EHS can be challenging, so outsourcing EHS support or services can save you more time and money while you benefit from outside expertise. It can also give you a certain level of quality assurance.
5. Record your compliance reviews
In some jurisdictions, you are required to maintain evidence of your compliance reviews whether or not you have an EHS management system. The proof of review comes in handy during the tough auditing moments, saving you unnecessary headaches. You can adopt a software solution integrated with EHS regulatory data and tools to save you the trouble of piecing back together data after successful audits.
In Conclusion
EHS compliance requires accurate analysis of your requirements, comprehensiveness, and attention to detail. You can overcome your compliance challenges by engaging an EHS expert, integrating an easy-to-use EHS management system, and dedicated staff members.
Article Submitted By Community Writer