There is no question that certain types of permits and programs must be obtained to operate a large manufacturing business. It can be confusing trying to understand which permits and programs are right for your facility. OSHA provides guidelines for worker safety and the EPA have guidelines for environmental safety. While sometimes these interests do correlate with each other, each agency has their own inspectors and each agency has a long list of complicated and ever changing regulations.
There is no question that certain types of permits and programs must be obtained to operate a large manufacturing business. It can be confusing trying to understand which permits and programs are right for your facility. OSHA provides guidelines for worker safety and the EPA have guidelines for environmental safety. While sometimes these interests do correlate with each other, each agency has their own inspectors and each agency has a long list of complicated and ever changing regulations.
In 2011 the EPA made 4 new final rulings on regulations and in April of this year 6 new items had actions initiated to them. What this means to all business owners is the EPA like OSHA is constantly re-evaluating their current guidelines and making changes to them. How many permits can there be and which ones do you need? To know specifically which permits are right for your business you would need to hire an Environmental Consultant. They would audit your facility and make recommendations, but below we have discussed a few of the most common permits for the EPA.
The most common violation across different business types is waste and waste management, or really the mismanagement of waste. Waste can be broken into several categories, the top two being Hazardous and Non-Hazardous. The hazardous waste must be treated in a different manner than the non-hazardous waste. The EPA has found that now only is there a huge lack in proper disposal but there is also a huge deficit in people properly determining if waste is actually hazardous or not. To help curb this problem the EPA created the RCRA.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulates and ensures the safe treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. The process tracks hazardous waste through procedures, reports and forms from the time it was produced, until the waste is transported to an off-site management facility that will treat, store, and dispose of the hazardous waste.
The second most violated EPA regulation deals with the air. Having the proper air permits and making certain that the process of manufacturing your product does not release harmful pollutants into the air is huge. The Clean Air Act has three main areas for permits: operating, preconstruction and acid rain.
The Operating Permit is typically issued to large sources or air pollution and streamlines the way authorities regulate by condensing requirements into an encompassing operating permit. The Preconstruction Permits serve as mandates for any limits that must be met by emissions and typically how to operate the emission sources. And the Acid Rain Permit requires compliance with two types of emissions to mitigate the cause of acid rain.
These are just the top two most violated EPA regulations. Environmental Permits are needed not only to keep our environment a safe place to work, but also a safe place to live. Contact an Environmental Consulting Service in your area by clicking hereto take the next step in the permitting process.
Occupational Health Overcomes Everyday Hazards
Many workers face different types of hazards on a daily basis. Each company has a responsibility to proactively protect their employees from hazards encountered in the workplace. Accidents or injuries can bring production to a halt, reduce the workforce while the employee is recovering and lead to costly worker compensation claims. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can help your company improve the Occupational Health present at your facility.
The Risk from Asbestos
Asbestos poses a major health risk in many office buildings and homes due to the wide adoption and usage of asbestos as an insulator in the construction process. Asbestos can be found in the glue beneath vinyl flooring or in material applied to concrete to regulate the temperature between floors in an office building. These buildings and homes are being remodeled and modernized as an update to the space, but the demolition process can be hazardous if asbestos is present. Test for asbestos prior to starting your next remodeling project to ensure workers are safe.
Communicating the Dangers with HazCom
Hazard Communication focuses on explaining the dangers present at the workplace. The employees have a right to understand the hazards present and how to remain safe on the jobsite. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can work with your company to fulfill the HazCom requirement set forth by OSHA.
