Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of man-made organic materials that are desirable because of the following characteristics: non-flammable, chemically stable, have a high boiling point and electrical insulation properties. Unfortunately the same characteristics cause them to persist and bioaccumulate in the environment. In addition, PCBs
Category: EHS Compliance
Not all bulbs are created equally
In the last post I summarized requirements for universal waste. One waste stream that falls into this category are bulbs (lamps). Did you know that not all lamps need to be managed as universal waste that, in fact, some are not even classified as hazardous waste or universal waste?
Universal Waste Requirements
Universal waste is a special category of hazardous waste that includes batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment and lamps. For the most part, these wastes are self-explanatory but often confusion arises from mercury-containing equipment which includes a device or part of a device (including thermostats, but excluding batteries and lamps) that contains elemental mercury integral to its function. Some…
FAQ: Which companies are required to track employee work-related injuries and illnesses?
Did you know the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires most US based companies to record and report work-related injuries and illnesses? Let’s discuss each requirement a little further:
Are You Shipping Batteries?
Based on my experience, one of the largest areas of non-compliance is the transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat). Many times logistics or warehouse personnel are unaware that hazardous materials are required to be packaged, unloaded, loaded, documented and shipped in a manner that is compliant with the Department of Transportation (DOT), the International Air Transportation…
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…
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,…