So why do so many facilities lack strong EH&S programs, even at facilities that have the required regulatory knowledge and resources, and understand the importance of having such a program in place? Two contributing factors are lack of buy-in from management and lack of participation from employees.
As the facility or plant manager, you’re caught right in the middle—and as you try to put your EH&S plan into action, you have to consider that you need to communicate in very different ways to these two populations for them to understand and act on your program.
Among all the regulations that facility managers must follow, those dealing with hazardous waste are some of the most important… and the easiest to fall afoul of. The main hazardous waste regulation that is often overlooked is the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), a.k.a. the “cradle-to-grave” law.
As a facility or plant manager you’re responsible for A to Z and that includes making sure your facility follows all the appropriate regulations dealing with environmental, health and safety. It seems like you never have enough time in the day to worry about regulations, let alone study them in detail so you fully understand how they apply to you.
