EHS Compliance in manufacturing businesses in California is necessary for success in the state. California places a large priority on keeping the public and environment safe through stringent regulation. This is done through a series of laws and regulations, which are a combination of both Federal and State mandates.
Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) management goes beyond the numerous government rules and regulations that should be followed. Instead, it’s a necessary safeguard to guarantee the smooth operation of your business and protect both the physical and human assets of your company.
At CDMS, we believe that EHS compliance is not simply an extra cost or red tape that you are obliged to incur. Employers don’t have to choose between smoothly run and efficient operations and EHS compliance. Instead, we think the two are inseparable from each other.
An EHS-compliant enterprise is one that saves costs and downtime by keeping to regulation standards. Read on to learn more about how EHS compliance is essential for businesses based in California and how CDMS can help you achieve it.
What is EHS in the manufacturing industry?
EHS compliance in the manufacturing sector ensures that everyone from State and Local authorities to individual businesses is doing their part in keeping workplaces and the environment safe and healthy. The manufacturing industry has a wide scope and can range from food manufacturing to vehicle production. However, all manufacturing firms share one main goal — the safe and efficient production of goods and services.
In the state of California, EPA and Cal EPA set the environmental standards that businesses should follow. On the local level, Certified Unified Program Agencies (or CUPAs) enforce both their local mandates and Cal EPA standards. Cal OSHA deals specifically with occupational safety.
Several stakeholders are invested in making sure that products are safely manufactured, stored, and transported during the manufacturing process. The State has ultimate responsibility and would want to ensure that businesses operating within its purview or jurisdiction do not put the environment or population in harm’s way.
Damage to the environment can have long-term negative effects for health and safety, as well as put the lives of employees at risk. Then there’s also you, the employers. To stay in business, you have to make sure that your employees remain safe and that you don’t harm the environment and get slapped with hefty fines or fees.
EHS compliance encompasses a range of processes and activities. They include the following. These range from measures to ensure that the workplace is safe for workers to measures that help protect the environment from chemical release.
What EHS Compliance Covers?
There are several factors that should be considered for EHS compliance in manufacturing. These are factors that have the potential to either harm workers or the environment. Let’s take a look at some of them briefly.
- Chemical Hazards: Hazardous chemicals pose risks to workers’ health if not handled properly. These hazardous substances can take the forms of liquids, dust, or gases. Regulations govern the maximum levels of hazardous chemical substances that are legally allowed in water, air, soil, or even the bloodstream of individuals.
- Physical hazards: Common physical hazards in manufacturing plants include noise that can cause hearing loss. Other physical hazards include vibration and heat.
- Ergonomics: Ergonomics refers to the design or layout of a workspace or area, as well as the design of the equipment that workers use. Workspace layout could include things such as Cal OSHA guardrail requirements. Carelessly designed workspaces and equipment can put workers’s lives and bodies at risk.
- Safety systems and procedures: A responsible employer should have systems in place to reduce the risk of accidents and to mitigate the effects of accidents occurring. This means that workers should be trained on how to respond to chemical releases or other accidents, as well as trained in the proper use of equipment and protocol to prevent these accidents.
- Environmental protection: Manufacturing operations typically deal with substances or waste that can cause serious damage to the environment. As a result, there are strict regulations on how to store, transport, and dispose of hazardous chemicals or substances to ensure that they do not get released into the environment.
EHS Compliance In California
CDMS is a California-based EHS service, and as such, we have intimate knowledge of the requirements of California EHS compliance. EHS compliance falls under the mandate of Cal OSHA, which is the Californian branch of the Federal body.
Cal OSHA
The state of California oversees EHS regulations under its own OSHA programs, which has been approved by OSHA. CAL OSHA rules cover all private-sector employers (with some exceptions) and some State and Local employers.
Cal OSHA regulations are as valid and enforceable as those of Federal OSHA. As a matter of fact, they may be even stricter. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) — which falls under the purview of the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) — oversees and enforces Cal OSHA standards. In terms of legislation, Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations details specific
Cal/OSHA State regulations
Cal OSHA embraces the high standards of Federal OSHA regulations while adding its own unique requirements to suit the context of California. That is especially true for areas that Federal OSHA does not cover.
These areas include:
- Noise Exposure
- The drilling and production of petroleum
- The refining, transportation, and handling of petroleum
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Handling and exposure to toxic chemicals
- The prevention of workplace violence in healthcare
- Aerosol transmissible diseases
- Agriculture
- Child labor
- Heat exposure
- Injury and illness prevention programs
How to remain EHS-Compliant in California?
Based on our years of experience and service, here is a list of recommendations to make sure that you remain EHS-compliant:
- Develop and implement an effective EHS system: An effective EHS system is a set of processes and standards that are internal to your organization and is set up to minimize risks as much as possible. In addition, it also has a system in place to respond effectively to accidents in the manufacturing industry to reduce the damage caused by accidents. This may include written hazard communication plans and Safety Data Sheets (or SDSs).
- Train employees to meet California EHS standards: Training employees will equip them with the knowledge to both prevent accidents and respond to them effectively at manufacturing plants.
- Investing in EHS equipment and technology: It is always best to make use of the most cutting-edge equipment and technology to help monitor systems or the presence and levels of hazardous chemicals in the workplace. In addition to this, protective equipment, clothing, and ergonomic designs at manufacturing plants also contribute to overall safety.
- Conducting regular audits: Running regular audits means that you can spot areas that need to be addressed before any major issues or incidents, regarding EHS. It would be best to run internal audits to ensure that you can pass mandatory audits enforced by State regulation.
How CDMS Can Help You Become EHS-Compliant?
Manufacturers in California need to worry not just about Federal OSHA regulations, but local California specifications of EHS regulations. Staying on top of Cal OSHA and other Californian regulations may be difficult for the typical manufacturing business.
The manufacturing industry can be complicated. You may not have the expertise, manpower, or time to conduct your own EHS monitoring and compliance. That is where we step in at CDMS.
We are an EHS service company with unique insights into Californian regulation. CDMS has been in business for several years and we have the expertise, experience, and technology to ensure that your manufacturing business remains EHS-compliant without compromising operational efficiency and productivity. Get in touch with one of our experts for advice or help — Call Us Today.