EHS compliance refers to the adherence to Environmental, Health, and Safety regulations, standards, and laws that govern how organizations manage environmental impacts, workplace safety, and employee health. Ensuring EHS compliance means following legal guidelines at local, national, and international levels to reduce risks to people and the environment.
This includes a range of behaviors, such as:
- Managing hazardous materials
- Reducing emissions
- Ensuring safe work environments
- Providing proper training
- Conducting risk assessments
- Maintaining equipment to prevent accidents.
Organizations must also document their compliance efforts, including maintaining permits, completing audits, and reporting incidents. Non-compliance can lead to legal penalties, fines, operational shutdowns, and damage to your company’s reputation.
Although compliance may be seen by many businesses as an extra cost that they’re unable to afford, running afoul of compliance laws may be more expensive. While penalties and fees from failing EHS compliance may be high, it is often more difficult to measure the intangible costs, such as a loss of reputation and good public image.
EHS Compliance Regulation in California
Maintaining EHS compliance in California requires adherence to various safety regulations aimed at protecting workers and the environment. These regulations are overseen by a variety of institutions and standards:
- Cal OSHA Standards. California’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal OSHA) is in charge of establishing safety measures like hazard communication, injury prevention programs, and specific guidelines for industries such as construction, manufacturing, and healthcare.
- Hazardous Materials and Waste. The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) enforces rules on the proper storage, labeling, handling, and disposal of hazardous materials and waste, including electronic and medical waste.
- Air Quality. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) sets stringent standards on emissions and air pollutants, requiring businesses to minimize pollution from industrial processes, vehicles, and equipment.
- Water Quality. Regulations under the California State Water Resources Control Board govern discharges into water bodies, ensuring businesses control runoff and water contamination.
- Emergency Response and Reporting. Businesses must develop emergency action plans, including hazardous spill response, fire safety, and accident reporting.
Effective Strategies to Ensure EHS Compliance
Businesses in California should formulate well-thought out and calculated strategies to ensure EHS compliance. This includes being fully familiar with EHS regulations, training workers, and keeping proper documentation.
We provide a more detailed list of effective compliance strategies to practice in the state:
Stay Current with Regulations
Continuously monitor changes in California’s environmental and workplace safety laws, like Cal OSHA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards. These laws are subject to constant change. If you have difficulty understanding these changes, think of hiring external EHS experts for consultation.
Train Employees
Regularly train employees on safety protocols, hazardous material handling, and emergency response procedures to ensure awareness and readiness. California has right-to-know laws that mandates that workers are informed of all the hazards that they are exposed to.
Implement Risk Assessments
Conduct frequent risk assessments and audits to identify potential hazards and areas for improvement, addressing issues before they become problems. You could carry out internal audits with your own internal experts or you could hire outside professionals to carry out external audits. External audits are recommended because they may be more objective and stringent.
Keep Proper Documentation
Maintain detailed records of permits, safety procedures, inspections, and incident reports to demonstrate compliance. These records can serve as proof that you are doing things above board. Also, audits are a continuous process. Documents from the last audit may be necessary to properly conduct any new audits.
Establish Hazardous Waste Management
You should develop systems for proper disposal and management of hazardous materials according to California’s strict environmental regulations.
Establish Incident Reporting Systems
Implement a streamlined system for reporting accidents, injuries, and environmental incidents in a timely manner. An accurate report of these incidents provides you with the necessary data to help you recognize patterns and issues that can then later be fixed.
Conclusion
EHS compliance may seem complicated and even overwhelming for the average business in California. California EHS compliance regulations are already often much more stringent than federal standards. This is why we recommend making use of professional EHS compliance services.
By delegating EHS compliance to experts, you and your team can focus on the main priority of your business — making profit. At CDMS, we can help put your mind at ease with EHS compliance. We have highly qualified expertise and over twenty years of experience navigating California’s unique regulatory landscape.
We know it like the back of our hands. Get in touch with one of our experts at CDMS to see how we can help with our EHS compliance management services.
