Audit, Compliance and Risk Blog

Complying With ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 Requirements

Posted by Jon Elliott on Wed, Nov 19, 2014

STP Launches New Online Gap Analysis Tool

Auditors and Quality Managers across all manufacturing and service industries use ISO and OHSAS standards to put their Environmental and Health and Safety Management Systems into practice. These standards help implement effective and efficient EHS requirements, or VPP Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. In this blog I review and summarize the two standards, their aims and obligations.

Read More

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

Effective Traffic Control Management Assures Worker Safety

Posted by STP Editorial Team on Thu, Oct 30, 2014

We drive by the “Be Work Zone Alert” billboards all the time, reminding us to slow down and drive safe through road construction zones, with compassion-provoking reminders like, “Be alert, our mom’s at work.” And indeed, rather than feel annoyed at the roadwork construction that delays our driving progress, let’s continue to be mindful of the real risks that the workers face every day on the job.

Read More

Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Employer Best Practices, Health & Safety, Training, EHS, Transportation

Environmental State Differences Checklists Expanded to Include Operator Certification Requirements

Posted by Melanie Powers on Thu, Oct 16, 2014

Striving to meet wastewater compliance limits? Your treatment processes are only as good as the operators running your facilities—which is why every state and Puerto Rico have set specific operator certification standards for wastewater treatment plants. Do you know your state's requirements for:

Read More

Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, STC

OSHA: Providing Lockout/Tagout to Protect Workers from Equipment

Posted by Jon Elliott on Wed, Oct 08, 2014

Most Occupational safety and Health Administration (OSHA) electrical safety and machine guarding standards apply to protect employees from electrical and kinetic energy hazards during routine operations. But OSHA also requires protection during equipment servicing and maintenance, lest employees be injured by “unexpected” equipment energization, start up, or release of stored energy. OSHA’s Control of Hazardous Energy Standard—more often called the Lockout/Tagout or “LOTO” Standard after its primary compliance requirements—requires employers to establish and implement safety procedures to control such hazardous energy.

Read More

Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Employer Best Practices, Health & Safety, OSHA, Employee Rights, Environmental risks, EHS, Hazcom

OSHA Expands Catastrophe Reporting

Posted by Jon Elliott on Mon, Oct 06, 2014

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has long required all employers to report work-related accidents that result in three or more deaths or serious injuries (what OSHA calls "catastrophes"). On September 18 OSHA published changes to these requirements that expand employers’ reporting requirements effective January 1, 2015 (I blogged about OSHA’s proposal here).

Read More

Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Employer Best Practices, Health & Safety, OSHA, Employee Rights, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS

Vehicle Maintenance: Your Owner’s Manual…Read It Or Weep

Posted by STP Editorial Team on Wed, Oct 01, 2014

The Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) wants you to know that taking the time to review your owner’s manual can ultimately save you time and money...and maybe even a few tears! These manuals contain maintenance and service guidelines that will help ensure the longevity of your vehicle. BAR explains the following reasons why you should read your owner’s manual:

Read More

Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Health & Safety, Training, EHS, Transportation

OSHA: Protecting Workers From Workplace Air Contaminants

Posted by Jon Elliott on Mon, Sep 29, 2014

OSHA regulates workplace air contaminants to protect employees from exposures to airborne chemical and particulate contaminants in workplace air. Generally, employee exposures are limited by permissible exposure limits (PEL) based on a time-weighted average (TWA) over an 8-hour workday. OSHA also allows exposure to some contaminants at greater “excursion limits” for short periods of time, subject to “ceiling values.” Many of these limits are based on voluntary standards developed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

Read More

Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Employer Best Practices, Health & Safety, OSHA, Employee Rights, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, Hazcom

BC’s Water Sustainability Act: What’s Coming Down the Pipe?

Posted by Zach Romano on Mon, Sep 22, 2014

Increasing demand on British Columbia’s water systems has highlighted the need for a flexible yet robust legislative framework that balances ecosystem health, water supply, and competition for resources. The BC government has taken a major step toward adaptive water governance with the introduction of Bill 18, the Water Sustainability Act (WSA).1 Although WSA is only a broad framework and the government deferred many important details to future regulations, water users should be aware of the key changes it makes to the existing Water Act2 and prepare for compliance with WSA when it comes into force during spring 2015.

Read More

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

Tornadoes Happen…Are you Prepared?

Posted by STP Editorial Team on Wed, Sep 17, 2014

Tornadoes can occur with little or no warning. Taking precautions in advance of the storms, such as developing an emergency plan, learning the warning signs, and monitoring tornado watches and warnings, can help you stay safe if a tornado occurs in your area.

Read More

Tags: Corporate Governance, Business & Legal, Health & Safety, OSHA, Training, EHS

EPA Reports Progress On Urban Air Toxics

Posted by Jon Elliott on Mon, Sep 15, 2014

Important Clean Air Act (CAA) elements direct the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Unlike the conventional pollutants associated with regional problems such as smog or acid rain, HAPs represent a list of 187 specific air toxics that can be harmful in low concentrations in much smaller areas. HAPs are subject to tighter controls and lower permitting thresholds.

Read More

Tags: Business & Legal, Health & Safety, Environmental risks, Environmental, EHS, EPA, Greenhouse Gas, ghg, Hazcom, mact