What Is EHS Compliance and Why Do Businesses Need It?

EHS compliance refers to the standards that outline the rules, policies and protocols needed to maintain a safe, healthy and eco-friendly work environment.

So why does EHS matter? Complying with EHS regulations helps organizations prevent incidents, boost productivity and enhance employee morale. On the flip side, neglecting these standards can lead to long-term consequences for an organization.

Various bodies monitor EHS regulatory compliance across different regions: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) operates in the U.S., the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK and Safe Work Australia in Australia, ensuring that safety is upheld wherever you are.

Why Do You Need EHS Compliance?

Environmental health and safety compliance is a legal requirement, and failure to comply can result in a number of serious consequences, including:

• Financial penalties

• Injury, illness or death

• Loss of reputation

• Loss of customer support

• Lawsuits

• Imprisonment

• Environmental damage

Besides having a legal obligation to be compliant, adhering to EHS standards should be driven by a moral obligation on the part of your organization. Being EHS compliant provides your employees and the general public with solid evidence that you’re serious about their safety.

EHS compliance is no longer just “nice to have.” In today’s world, companies can get in trouble as a result of their lax EHS standards, which can greatly influence customer decision-making.

Disasters can happen as a direct result of EHS noncompliance. The West Fertilizer Co. plant explosion in West, Texas is a notable example of this. After failing to disclose unsafe stores of hazardous materials, as well as other safety violations, an explosion killed 14 people, including firefighters and rescue workers.

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico is another heartbreaking reminder of the disastrous consequence of noncompliance. Multiple hazards were overseen and ignored, leading to the death of 11 people.

An incident doesn’t have to be catastrophic to impact an organization. Even much less dramatic events can have detrimental consequences for a company’s productivity levels and reputation. Adhering to EHS regulatory requirements benefits your organization financially, as it enables you to dodge unnecessary downtimes, fines and lawsuits.

Employer Responsibilities 

Under health and safety laws, employers are legally responsible for the health and safety of their workplace. The organization’s activities shouldn’t negatively interfere with the health or safety of its employees or the environment around them. Some responsibilities include:

Regular audits and inspections

Employers have a legal duty to assess, control and eliminate workplace risks to protect their people. Audits and inspections identify potential problems and produce safety protocols to safeguard the organization’s people and working space.

Hiring an EHS manager

Employers, especially in high-risk work environments, are responsible for ensuring a professional is in place to oversee the company’s compliance with relevant regulations. EHS managers also focus on proactively implementing new practices that can further improve EHS performance at their organization.

Training

Necessary training should be provided to every employee. This should include training in line with relevant regulations, such as hazard communication and electrical safety. Employers are responsible for ensuring that regular and appropriate training is provided.

PPE

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there are approximately 9,000 PPE-related injuries and accidents in the workplace each year. It is the duty of the employer to provide appropriate safety equipment to their staff to ensure that each employee stays safe. Employees should also be trained on how to correctly use and remove PPE.  

EHS Compliance Regulations

EHS managers must ensure their organization is up to date with the latest health and safety regulations. Regulations are frequently updated, and it is important for organizations to check them regularly so they can ensure consistent compliance.

As an organization serious about workplace safety, your company should measure compliance against the current regulations and quickly seek to fix any problem areas. While it’s important to meet all the relevant EHS standards, the process is not simply just “checking a box,” it also steadily improves the EHS performance of the organization.

EHS Compliance Checklist 

This might sound like a lot to keep track of. Using a checklist is a great way to manage the process of measuring your EHS compliance.

Here is an example of a 4-step EHS compliance checklist:

1. Hazard communication: Ensure you have a hazard communication plan in place across your organization. This should include what to do in the occurrence of slips, trips and falls.

2. Emergency plan: Ensure you have a plan in place for emergencies, including fires, storms and workplace violence, with consideration to varying levels of seriousness.

3. PPE: Ensure your employees have the correct protective equipment to do their jobs safely. It’s also important they know how to assess the quality of a piece of protective equipment before it is used, and the appropriate time at which a piece of protective equipment should be taken out of use.

4. Chemical Safety Program: Ensure that workers are educated about the identities and hazards of the chemicals used in the workplace.

Keep in mind that this checklist is only an example. Each organization will have local, state and federal regulations to comply with, as well as its own specific organizational requirements.

How Can Software Help?

Staying compliant means your EHS department must stay on top of recordkeeping and manage paperwork and forms relating to regulations. EHS Compliance Software aims to alleviate the stress and admin behind collating records and information. Instead of relying on manual processes, paper forms and spreadsheets, Evotix offers an alternative solution: manage all your safety data and activities in one integrated health and safety solution.

Our software provides:

• Tools to prompt vital regulatory activities

• Easy creation and submission of reports to regulators (HSE/OSHA)

• Easy communication across your organization

• Access to reports and dashboards

• Audit and inspection tools

• Tracking of training

• Tracking of reporting

• Staff engagement tools

EHS compliance is a moral and legal obligation for all companies, not just an option. Yet, the path toward compliance is not linear nor straightforward. The adoption of EHS compliance software is a great option for simplifying the process and ensuring a safe working environment.

To kickstart your journey to EHS compliance, view our full suite of safety and compliance solutions below!