5 Tips for EPA Enforcement and Compliance in the Workplace

Did you know that in 2020, sixty-eight million tons of pollution was emitted into the atmosphere? That's actually less pollution than there used to be. Emissions of air toxins decreased by seventy-four percent from 1990 to 2017.

The protocols that the Environmental Protection Agency has put in place are helpful for everybody. However, getting everybody to follow health and safety guidelines can be difficult.

Fortunately, you don't have to do it on your own. Keep reading to learn five tips for EPA enforcement and compliance that will provide a great starting point for you.

Why EPA Enforcement and Compliance Is Important

In 1970, President Nixon established the EPA with the intent to fix, monitor, and enforce national guidelines. The EPA's goal is to protect both the environment and human health and safety from the effects of pollution and hazardous waste.

By practicing EPA compliance, you are doing your part to protect the local environment as well as the health of the people who live in the surrounding area.

EPA enforcement is no joke. If someone decides to file an EPA complaint on your business, a thorough investigation is started that examines legal standards and the burden of proof.

Depending on whether the violation is a criminal or civil matter, if found guilty, you could face anything from a hefty fine to jail time. In addition, your business will be held responsible for repairing the harm done to the environment.

So in order to protect yourself from that and to follow EPA enforcement and compliance standards, take the following tips to heart.

1. Get EPA Training

The easiest way to maintain EPA compliance is to get more training in EPA standards. This way, you know exactly what to do and what to avoid.

It's easy, too. You can get trained and certified from any number of online courses.

You can receive training on any number of fronts. Whether it's in arsenic hazards and safety or RCRA hazardous waste safety, there's a course that will benefit your business.

Making sure that your employees are well-trained in EPA compliance will work to ensure that health and safety are always enforced in your company.

2. Keep Records up to Date

Keeping your own paper trail is a great idea, particularly in case you ever receive an EPA complaint.

It's an especially great idea when you consider that the EPA does regular record reviews. These reviews are done at government agency offices for the purposes of making sure all EPA compliance standards are being followed. In addition, they may be combined with on-site inspections.

By keeping your records current and organized, you will be able to establish a paper trail showing that health and safety have remained a priority for your company every step of the way.

3. Have Your Own Enforcement Policies

It's a hard truth to face, but sometimes employees might be tempted to forego EPA enforcement and compliance in order to make a job easier on themselves.

When this happens, it's smartest to have your own enforcement policies in place. If you don't hold them accountable, they won't learn.

Don't use excessive force right off the bat. However, using a graduated system of consequences will help them to avoid making that mistake again.

Aim for an educational approach so that employees understand that this is for their safety and not just to follow EPA guidelines.

For a first or second offense, a verbal warning works best. Written warnings can follow if the action does not stop. In some cases, you may have to escalate to suspension or even termination.

Make sure that you are consistent with these punishments. Don't give someone a pass for any arbitrary reasons.

4. Do Your Own Check-up

Making sure your place of business is following EPA compliance is important. It allows you to catch anything while it's still a small problem that can be corrected and not a major violation.

In order to do this, you can make your own list of things to check on.

Keeping up to date on how to dispose of certain materials your company has is one such great idea, and you can do this by examining the Safety Data Sheets that are provided.

Another thing to consider is hazardous waste clean up. Does everyone know the procedure for it? Do you have enough personal protective equipment on hand, and is that equipment in good condition?

If you want to be even more thorough so you can make sure all your bases are covered, take a look at the EPA compliance database to get more ideas on what to inspect.

5. Plan Ahead

They say that hindsight is 20/20, but what about foresight? Planning ahead can be your greatest tool when practicing EPA enforcement and compliance standards.

Plan everything out to the best of your ability: what training courses your employees take, having protective gear in case of an emergency, how to minimize harm on the environment, and anything else you can think of.

When you plan ahead, you are ensuring that you'll never end up caught off guard. You can watch out for occupational health at any given time.

Sign Up for Training Today

Now that you've been provided with a quick list of ways you can work on EPA enforcement and compliance, it's time for you to take initiative.

With our help, you'll be able to avoid any possible EPA complaints and make sure that your occupational health is the best it can be. Contact us to register for any of our EPA online training courses today.