Audit, Compliance and Risk Blog

STP Launches New Industry-Specific MACT Standards Guides

Posted by Lorraine O'Donovan on Fri, Jul 12, 2013

Organizations increasingly need specialized guidance in order to self-audit and show efforts to comply with legislation, and demonstrate due diligence.

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Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Audit Standards, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, mact

Environmental Compliance: TRI Reports Due

Posted by Jon Elliott on Fri, Jul 05, 2013

July 1 was the deadline for subject facilities to file their annual toxic chemical release inventory (TRI) reports with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and their state, on one of two EPA-mandated forms, Form R or Form A.  These TRI reports are mandated by Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), which was adopted as the first Congressional response to the December 1984 toxic gas disaster in Bhopal, India.

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Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Health & Safety, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, Hazcom

ISO 14001 and the ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility

Posted by Allison Campbell on Fri, Jun 07, 2013

Organizations with a well-established ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) are discovering a new advantage as the issue of “social responsibility” becomes more widespread throughout business communities. EMS managers are finding that techniques and methodology from their EMS can be used to identify and prioritize social responsibility issues and efficiently integrate them into their organization. Furthermore, managers building an EMS system are able to develop it in concert with social responsibility initiatives.

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Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Employer Best Practices, Environmental, EHS, EPA

Mandatory GHG EPA Reports Due April 1, 2013

Posted by Jon Elliott on Mon, Feb 04, 2013

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to expand and refine environmental compliance requirements, including those related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In particular, facilities and organizations subject to EPA's mandatory GHG emission reporting rules should be preparing to submit reports covering calendar year 2012. Even an entity that reported 2010 or 2011 emissions will still have to adjust its data collection and information reporting efforts. Although reports typically are due March 31, that’s a Sunday this year so April 1 is the date.

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Tags: Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, EPA, ghg, fracking, climate change

Hospital Training Requirements: OSHA Training Regulations Revised

Posted by Viola Funk on Fri, Feb 01, 2013

If you’re responsible for hospital training requirements, and/or have responsibility for planning and carrying out a training program for your staff, you should know that OSHA regulations—such as the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)—have been revised to conform to the UN’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.

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Tags: Corporate Governance, Employer Best Practices, Health & Safety, OSHA, Training, EHS, Hazcom

Hazardous Material Regulations: Don't Forget Your 2012 Hazmat Inventory

Posted by Jon Elliott on Fri, Jan 18, 2013

If your facility handles sufficient quantities of hazardous materials (“hazmat”), then federal laws and regulations—specifically the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA)—requires you to compile and submit an annual inventory of qualifying hazmats to state and local agencies. Although EPCRA allows for abbreviated reporting (“Tier 1”) and full reporting (“Tier 2”), all states presently require Tier 2 reporting. Most agencies require facilities to use EPA’s “Tier 2” reporting forms and/or “Tier2/Submit” software, but some states have promulgated their own variants. Inventory reports are due on March 1 for the preceding calendar year, so January is a great time to confirm that your facility has collected and stored the appropriate data.

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Tags: Health & Safety, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, EPA, Hazcom

Opportunities For Learning: Free STC Webinar Open To All

Posted by Melanie Powers on Fri, Jan 11, 2013

Essentials of Stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE) MACT Compliance

Date: Thursday, January 24, 2013
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT
Free! All are welcome

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Tags: Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, EPA, mact, Webinar, NSPS

Environmental Compliance: Health & Safety Review 2012

Posted by Jon Elliott on Tue, Dec 18, 2012

2012 has been a relatively quiet one for environmental health and safety (EH&S) compliance personnel.  Fewer new laws are enacted in election years, because some or all of the lawmakers are busy running for election or re-election.                                       

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Tags: Health & Safety, OSHA, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, EPA, Greenhouse Gas, ghg, Hazcom

MAP-21 Impacts on Current Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

Posted by Russ Boesch on Wed, Sep 05, 2012

On July 6, 2012, President Obama signed into law the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21)”.The 584-page legislation revises and adds many sections to the U.S. Code, intending to “create a streamlined, performance-based, and multi-modal program to address the many challenges faced by the US transportation system, including improving safety, maintaining infrastructure condition, reducing traffic congestion, improving efficiency of the system and freight movement, and protecting the environment” (USDOT, Federal Highway Administration).

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Tags: Health & Safety, OSHA, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, EPA, Hazcom, EEOC

Environmental Compliance: Hazardous Waste "Program in Place"?

Posted by Jon Elliott on Wed, Aug 29, 2012

If your business generates "hazardous" wastes, then you must manage them in compliance with applicable federal and state environmental laws and regulations. But did you know that the same regulations also require you to take steps to avoid generating such wastes in the first place? Regulations refer to these as "waste minimization" efforts.

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Tags: California Legislation, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, EPA, Hazcom, effluent, EEOC