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.
Every facility needs permits – some more than others. That’s not news. But your job is not done when you simply obtain your permit. And that’s where we’ve seen many facilities fall out of compliance – an outcome that could have been easily avoided if they had taken a few easy, necessary steps.
As a facility/plant manager, you know that documentation is required for certain permits and by many regulations covering your facility. Completing certain documents required by law, to avoid facing penalties, shouldn’t be the only reason you practice good documentation.
