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VIRTUAL EHS CONSULTANT
Welcome
to VRCN…your Virtual EHS Consultant!
VRCN is your one-stop, electronic resource brought to you at the
virtual speed of light. Now
that’s V-r-r-room Service!
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Although we’ve maintained the “Cliff Notes” approach to the “Plain English Guide” to follow, this section of Vanguard’s website is cast in a truly industrial strength style. It is provided as an exclusive service to the serious-minded EHS Compliance Manager. It’s dedicated to keeping the EHS Manager ahead of the compliance learning curve. The EHS professional must strive to be a craftsman. And like any craftsmen, he must have right tools at his disposal. VRCN is devoted to continually being that power tool in the EHS professional’s arsenal to complement his expertise, experience, and know-how. Incidentally, don’t hesitate to refer other EHS professionals throughout North America to VRCN. In addition to the eight high powered elements of VRCN, you may want to avail yourself of one or more internet-based subscription services in the next section. As you know, technology allows people with all their limitations to step beyond their own capabilities to achieve extremely important goals that would otherwise be impossible. The key to technology relative to EHS compliance is to convert compliance lemons into management lemonade. Technology allows the EHS professional to utilize a systems management approach to place daily compliance activity on automatic pilot. Click into each topic to see just how Vanguard’s technology can benefit you and your company. You’ll be amazed! 1. PLAIN ENGLISH GUIDE TO EHS COMPLIANCE LAWS Knowledge is power! But the ability to assimilate large volumes of technical information borders on genius. The first major obstacle the EHS professional must overcome is that of demystifying the sheer mass of confusion with environmental, health, and safety compliance legislation at the federal, state, county, and local jurisdictions of government. Yet, it’s the responsibility of every company to satisfy all laws that require compliance, so there’s no choice but to understand and implement every mandate. Once a firm foundation of legislative prowess is established, the EHS professional must then crystallize his thinking just as to what compliance activity must be generated. This element of VRCN carries a two-fold purpose: 1. provide the EHS professional with the substantive issues on virtually every law without covering him up with the proverbial “data dump” associated with exhaustive sources like the U.S. Federal Register or the Canada Gazette. This is certainly not an indictment against either source, just a comparison of what this element of VRCN is and what it is not. [For exhaustive research, please go to Element 5 to follow. You’ll find a wealth of websites.] Legislative Updating through Amendments and Newly-Enacted Laws. As you know, the field of regulatory compliance law is dynamic. It is continually evolving and expanding exponentially. Vanguard is committed to providing you with the fruits of our research on just how that evolution and expansion is transpiring on a continual basis through the reporting of legislative updating. Of course, each rendition of regulatory change will be conveyed in our standard Plain English style, utilizing a format, as well, of casting each requirement in a synopsis format. APB for your assistance. No one can know everything. And as good as Vanguard’s staff strives to be, we don’t claim perfection or the ability to know all. So we need your help and assistance from time to time. We value your feedback and the time you take to help us improve this website. If you’re aware of an EHS law, an amendment, or newly-enacted law at any jurisdiction, please feel free to e-mail or fax your information us. A principle of VRCN is to leverage the expertise, experience, and skill of many for the betterment of all. Especially, we wish to encourage submittals of state, county, local, and even international EHS regulations. Be sure to provide your name, city, and state so we can thank you by giving you credit for your submittal. If you notice a void in our information here, submit, submit, submit. 2. THE REGULATORY CALENDAR – EHS COMPLIANCE DEADLINES Note 1. Many OSHA Compliance Deadlines are recognized as that day selected by an OSHA inspector for facility visitation with the expectation that compliance requirements have been satisfied. Note 2. This calendar has been developed with compliance deadlines from selected Federal and state legislation in mind and does not reflect all laws, jurisdictions, facilities, situations, and circumstances. Please feel free to submit deadlines (even local) for future calendars to webmaster@vanguardenvl.com. 3. EHS COMPLIANCE AUDITING It was once said, “Wise
men gain knowledge, but the wisest begin by asking the right questions.” Here is an excellent power tool - industrial
strength for sure - in order to explore those challenges facing your
facility’s compliance relative to the five critical introductory
questions offered below and the subsequent diagnostic survey comprised of
over 40 major compliance issues that will put even the best EHS
professionals to the ultimate test. Following
the extremely thought-provoking diagnostic, you are also provided with
some ancillary, but valuable, information on just how Vanguard serves its
clientele in satisfying compliance on the very questions posed. 4. ENFORCEMENT PENALTIES – TOO CLOSE TO HOME FOR COMFORT WEBSITES TO MANAGE THIS ELEMENT… 5. COMPLIANCE EXCELLENCE: PRESTIGIOUS
COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS 6. CHEMICAL GUIDE TO EHS COMPLIANCE – NFPA
PLACARDING – CONTAINER LABELING Many years ago when Vanguard was pioneering the compliance management field, we discovered a common thread pervading the massive body of EHS compliance laws, that is, “virtually all the laws are based on chemicals, driven by thresholds, and regulatory mandates (those rules that govern how compliance is satisfied). True, there are exceptions to this common denominator, such as forklift training, lockout-tagout, ergonomics, and others. But the EHS professional can easily concur as it regards the myriad of compliance challenges regarding chemical hazards. This element of VRCN provides the EHS professional with one of the most detailed and complex subjects in the regulatory field: chemical hazards and their relationship to EHS regulations. Of course, this conceivably can mount to millions of variables when it comes to chemicals, their thresholds (which change from law to law, or jurisdiction to jurisdiction, or both. This element is a high octane look at the very essence of 98% of compliance laws: chemicals hazards. Once you gain the capability of managing chemicals – materials management, as they say – you begin to finally gain control of your company’s compliance program. A feature here is the Chemical Spotlight o’ the Week. Relevant information will include common processes, regulatory frameworks, adverse impact on health and safety, environmental impact and other related data. 7. EHS
MENTORSHIP 8. EHS MANAGER’S GUIDE TO THE INTERNET
– LINKS TO COMPLIANCE MEGASITES
CONTACT US
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