Lean, Mean and Green
Environmental excellence and process safety go hand-in-hand
Link to: http://www.fetinc.org/FeatureArticle/Lean,%20Mean%20Green.htm
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) recently approved several new recommendations to reduce the number of serious industrial accidents caused by uncontrolled chemical reactions. Both OSHA and EPA were called upon to issue new mandatory safety regulations under the Process Safety Management (PSM) standard and the Risk Management Program (RMP) rule, respectively. Some experts believe that the potential for a serious incident is higher today than ever before. In fact, the recordable injury rate of the top companies in the American Chemistry Council (ACC) has increased in recent years.*
The reality is that most company safety” programs are administered by Human Resource staff, plant managers and team leaders that have minimal hazardous chemical, risk management, incident experience or emergency training.
While most environmental professionals do not consider themselves to be safety managers, they receive more safety training during annual certification and review courses than anyone in their organization, making them safety expert by default.
In the FET organization we now see more and more professionals taking on the role of safety. These professionals are getting more involved in their own companies’ safety programs and decisions. This involvement is leading to a higher level of compliance and protection.
By relating the inherent principals applied to resolving environmental issues, these professionals are achieving equal Health and Safety results reducing injuries, risk exposure and incidents. The incentive is that this achievement is not only career rewarding, it is also personally rewarding knowing you have prevented people from injury, exposure and a potential lifetime of ailments.
This "Green chemistry" approach has been proven for years in the chemical industry to produce lower operating costs, reduce waste, eliminate injuries and increase profits.
Industry leading companies rely on this "Green chemistry" to become more cost effective, reduce complex operation and simplify procedures to make operations easier and more reliable, thus, keeping safety simple and obtainable on all levels.
What can you do?
Focus on strengths
Use the strengths of the current safety staff and focus on resolution and improvement. If current safety staff is technically underdeveloped, send them out for certification and training. If safety is not your area of expertise, the best involvement may be a “supportive role” offering regulatory information, guidance and direction.
Be involved
EHS professionals need to be involved in the early stages of training; if not, personnel and process changes or opportunities to apply valuable principals will be lost. Even a “supportive role” in safety can have dramatic impact on improving an organization.
Stay current
Keep up-to-date on current OSHA regulations and industry safety practices that can help you and your organization. If you aren’t able to stay current, make sure someone in your organization is.
FET can help
In March 2005, FET is holding an “Environmental Health & Safety Update” focused on these principals.
Who will be presenting? (Please see full announcement for details)
OSHA, a top insurance company, a global manufacturing company, a leading safety consultant, a national engineering firm, the Council of EHS Certification, a leading edge defense supplier and industrial manufacturing leaders. Did we leave anyone out?
What are they presenting?
Overview of Regulatory Changes, Employee Orientation Training, Emergency Medical and Incident Response, EHS Assessments, Loss Control and MOD Reduction, Certification and Accreditation Overview, Five Minute Safety Meetings, Site Security and Personnel Control, and Personal Protective Equipment.
Who should attend?
Environmental, human resource, and manufacture managers, owners and anyone who is involved or wants to become involved in safety training, certification, leadership, and improvement.
Summary
Environmental professionals must become much more actively involved in the future of safety in order to achieve common goals.
We still don't know all the answers, but we do know that root causes of both environmental and safety issues go hand in hand, putting the resolution to those problems in your hands.
Christopher Haase
FET Health & Safety Chair
Seminar Details:
http://www.environmentconference.org/ located at the Midway Hotel Milwaukee/Brookfield, 1005 S. Moorland Road, Brookfield, WI. This is a full day workshop dedicated to improving the safety of our membership.
Published by:
Christopher Haase
Email: haase@neutralsolution.com
Voice (262) 238-5576 Fax (262) 238-5586
ESS, Winner of the "Excellence in Environmental Performance Award"
Environmentally Sensitive Solutions, Inc.
6320 Eastwood Court Mequon, WI 53092
Visit ESS at: www.neutralsolution.com www.neudishcare.com www.neutralcleaning.com