The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is the main U.S. law governing hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste management. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for enforcing the law, handing out $200 billion in criminal fines in 2016 over RCRA and other violations.

The problem for manufacturers is that, despite many companies’ hopes of a more relaxed regulatory environment, the potential EPA penalties are more costly than ever. In this post, we’re looking at some of the most common RCRA pitfalls, including how to avoid errors in waste determinations, labeling and storage.

Industrial Hygiene (IH) software helps perform qualitative assessments utilizing Similar Exposure Group (SEG) methodologies for the categorization of hazard types, job roles, processes, locations, demographics and more. 

TechTarget defines an Internet of Things device as “any nonstandard computing device that connects wirelessly to a network and has the ability to transmit data.”

The Industrial Internet of things (IIoT) has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing, not least of all when it comes to health and safety. What’s equally clear is that implementing IIoT is a huge undertaking, and not without its risks.

In today’s post, we’ll look at what environmental, health and safety (EHS) professionals can expect with the evolution towards IIoT, both in terms of risks and benefits.

More than 1 in 3 U.S. manufacturers are using smart sensors to collect and analyze data to improve their processes. The Internet of Things (IoT), which simply means connecting non-computing devices via the Internet, is rapidly evolving and shaping how companies do business.

One of the most meaningful impacts IoT technology can have is in the realm of safety, helping reduce the 2.9 million workplace injuries and illnesses that occur every year.

With that in mind, let’s look at how companies are using IoT to address workplace safety, including areas like equipment safety, personal protective equipment (PPE) and emergency response.

Training your employees should be more than just having them memorize processes and testing them on safety procedures. The latest developments in EHS training software for employees revolve around engagement and utilizing today’s latest technology. Tools like mobile devices and virtual reality have completely changed how managers can create effective and engaging safety training programs.

Here are some of the upcoming trends for EHS Management Software that leaders should be paying attention to in order to ensure environmental health and safety training success:

Once upon a time, few people gave any thought to the fate of what happened to light bulbs, paint cans, computers and leftover medications after they were done with them. Use them up, throw them away and leave it to the city to figure out how to dispose of them.

Today, that paradigm has been flipped on its head, with companies engaging in product stewardship initiatives that make disposal the responsibility of the manufacturer.  

In today’s post, we’ll look at the business case for product stewardship, including how it directly impacts Environment, Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) performance.

Why ISO 45001? What Does It Mean to EHS Leaders?

Did you know that over 7,600 people die each day from work-related accidents or diseases—that’s over 2.78 million every year as stated by the International Labour Organization. Clearly, this number (or any number besides zero) is too high. The burden of occupational injuries and diseases is significant, both for employers and the wider economy, resulting in losses from early retirements, absenteeism and rising insurance premiums. Even worse, employee productivity and morale suffer directly which affects an organization’s bottom line.

To combat the issue, ISO has developed a new standard, ISO 45001 for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.

In 2015, the Code of Federal Regulations totaled nearly 180,000 pages of requirements. While not all of these will apply to any single manufacturer, regulatory compliance is still a major challenge for companies. In fact, many of them aren’t even aware of certain regulatory risks until it’s too late.

This fact is especially true when companies use manual or paper-based methods for quality or environmental management, which make it difficult to effectively track compliance activities.

With that in mind, today’s post looks at a practical, risk-based approach manufacturers can use to identify and assess compliance gaps.

Look at leading organizations with low incidence rates, and you’ll notice one thing many of them have in common: behavior based safety (BBS) programs.

BBS is a best practices strategy for improving safety performance, but without the right tools in place, companies face a high risk of failure. That’s because BBS is all about changing human habits, which are often ingrained over years of habit. You can’t manage what you don’t measure, which is why soft programs that live outside the EHS Management System often fail.

In this post, we’ll look at what BBS is and how technology can help support your BBS program, including tips on how to construct powerful BBS checklists.

Emergency Preparedness Plans (EPPs) let you record personnel, equipment and external parties associated with emergency procedures.

This document is equally as important to members of the EHS and emergency response teams that must create it, as it is to other employees of the organization that must follow it.

Here are three steps to utilize your EHS software to build an effective EPP.