Category Archives: EHSQ Community

Coronavirus – Leading EHS During Crisis

Posted on by
Reply

Have your priorities as an EHS leader changed during the current Coronavirus crisis?

Organizations are experiencing an unprecedented situation. Now more than ever, EHS professionals can help lead their organizations through the crisis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve spent all my time working as an EHS professional in local and corporate level positions, determined to improve business processes and performance. Throughout my career, I’ve noticed one consistent theme: organizations optimize their efforts when they provide robust and well-balanced leadership.

This means that they do not focus on a single factor but consider the work system, employee capability and capacity, how the organization is led, and the management system. During times of crisis such as what we’re now experiencing with Coronavirus, it is vital to lead your organization more effectively.

Simply, the dividing line between managing things and leading them is measured by the ability to affect … Read more...

Adopting ‘Lean’ Safety Takes You Beyond Compliance

Posted on by
Reply
How to embed safety into every minute of every day—and continuously improve it.

Robert Hafey, a 25-year lean practitioner and consultant with 10 years specializing in safety, is working to change how business leaders think about workplace safety. He’s trying to help them understand how much more effective “lean safety” is, compared to “compliance safety.”

Writing in a recent issue of Target magazine, the quarterly publication of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), he explains the difference. Compliance safety, he writes, “focuses almost exclusively on following OSHA or other regulatory agency rules.” In organizations that focus on compliance safety, he explains, “practices are ‘pushed’ from regulatory agencies to safety professionals, who then take the new or changed requirements to their management team and eventually to those who perform the work.”

While this approach is right as far as it goes, Hafey asserts that this top-down directive approach often causes safety … Read more...

Are You an Unsung Hero of Safety, Quality and the Environment?

Posted on by
Reply

They’re inspired and inspiring.

Those who choose a career in Environmental, Health & Safety and Quality (EHSQ) practices in organizations around the world are people often called to that task. They do the work because of a genuine compassion and empathy for others, and often because a life circumstance or life-changing influence may have inspired them to the cause.

It’s not a job for fame-seekers. Service as an EHSQ professional usually goes largely unnoticed and is far from a high-profile existence. It’s certainly no aspirational path to monetary success. EHSQ professionals aren’t often lauded or … Read more...

A Passion for Collaboration Drives New EHSQ Alliance Lead

Posted on by
Reply

Scott Gaddis has built his long and accomplished career as an Environmental, Health and Safety leader on the belief that collaboration and communication are essential ingredients for success in protecting people in the workplace.

It’s this people-based approach that makes him a natural fit for his new role as the Health and Safety Practice leader for the EHSQ Alliance, powered by Intelex.

After all, the Alliance is an evolving vision to construct a one-stop repository of great insights and knowledge for EHSQ professionals, and to also build a cooperative virtual community and meeting place for information-sharing and collaboration.

In his role, Gaddis will lead integration of the EHSQ Alliance in thought leadership and building partnerships with key clients and other top influencers in EHS. He will be responsible for the engagement of EHS professionals across the globe to provide a platform for sharing information and collectively driving solutions that … Read more...

Compliance Strategies – Like an Uncharted Race to a Finish Line

Posted on by
Reply

Even during relatively calm times, U.S. environmental policy is constantly evolving as new regulations are continually proposed, possibly held up in litigation, and eventually finalized, revised, or withdrawn.

These days, especially, a state of flux exists within environmental regulations as the current presidential administration charts a new course from that of previous leadership. Although this type of political shift is not novel, we are in a time where proposed changes appear more drastic and stakeholders are faced with moving regulatory targets and unsettled compliance obligations. For some, this is leading to ambiguity and, dare I say, a bit of angst.

We might be well served to pause, step back, and try to put things into perspective. I’d like to suggest that the shifting path of environmental regulations might be analogous to a marathon race that trails along an ever-changing route. It’s a long journey that requires preparation and determination to … Read more...

EHSQ Community | OSHA and ISO 45001 Updates

Posted on by
Reply

Community Expert member Eric J Conn shares an update on the OSHA’s Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Data Submission and Anti-Retaliation Rule.  We invite you to join our Environmental, Health and Safety, and Quality professional community, and share your knowledge with other members.

  • OSHA’s Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Data Submission and Anti-Retaliation Rule with member Eric J Conn
  • Musculoskeletal Disorders: Is Your Workforce Protected? by Michael Kim and Matthew Marino
  • Next steps for ISO 45001 September 2017 by member Chris J Ward
  • Ask you ISO 45001 questions in our ISO 45001 OHSMS group

… Read more...

EHSQ Community | Organizational Behavior

Posted on by
1

Our EHSQ members Dr. Judith Erickson, Jim Loud and Dave Rebbitt share their insights on how Organizational Behavior and Corporate Culture impact safety management and practices. We invite you to join our Environmental, Health and Safety, and Quality professional community, and share your knowledge with other members.

  • Organizational Behavior and Corporate Culture: The impact on Safety Management and Practices member by Dr. Judith Erickson, Jim Loud and Dave Rebbitt
  • DIS 45001 2 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems by member Zulfiqar Dhakan
  • Ask you ISO 45001 questions in our ISO 45001 OHSMS group with member Chris Ward
  • Trump Admin. Pumps the Brakes on New OSHA Rules in its First Regulatory Agenda member Eric J Conn

… Read more...

EHSQ Community | ISO 45001

Posted on by
Reply

Our EHSQ members Chris J Ward and Jane Standerwick share an update from the ISO 45001 draft – update July 20th results ballot announcement. We invite you to join our Environmental, Health and Safety, and Quality professional community, and share your knowledge with other members.

  • ISO 45001 draft – update from July 20th results ballot announcement by Chris J Ward and Jane Standerwick
  • Organizational Behavior and Corporate Culture: The impact on Safety Management and Practices by Dr. Judith Erickson, Dave Rebbitt and our member Jim Loud
  • 3 Ways to Improve Your Company’s Safety and Employee Morale member Nicky Gomez
  • The Power of Change- MidWest EHS MIS User Group Event member Kay Eileraas

… Read more...

EHSQ Community | ISO 45001 draft Update, and Organizational Behavior and Corporate Culture

Posted on by
4

ISO 45001 draft – update join members  Chris J Ward and Jane Standerwick as they share an update from the discussion on July 20th results ballot announcement. We invite you to join our Environmental, Health and Safety, and Quality professional community, and share your knowledge with other members.

  • ISO 45001 draft – update from July 20th results ballot announcement by Chris J Ward and Jane Standerwick
  • Organizational Behavior and Corporate Culture: The impact on Safety Management and Practices by Dr. Judith Erickson, Dave Rebbitt  and our member Jim Loud
  • Learnings from Safety Professionals: Refrigerant Rule Revisions member Tamara Parris
  • Can Relationship-Centered Safety Decrease Fatalities? by member Rosa Antonia Carrillo

… Read more...

EHSQ Community | Rule Revisions

Posted on by
Reply

Refrigerant Rule Revisions: Is Your Facility Prepared? join member Kirk Lowery as he discusses recent amendments to the Montreal Protocol and U.S. EPA refrigerant management regulations. We invite you to join our Environmental, Health and Safety, and Quality professional community, and share your knowledge with other members.

  • Refrigerant Rule Revisions: Is Your Facility Prepared? by Kirk Lowery
  • Best Practices to Improve Team Engagement, and Problem Solve Conflicts by member Michael Toebe
  • Why are organizations not including IAQ assessments within their H&S programs? by member Tamara Parris
  • EPA Website – Refrigerant blend compositions by member Carie Mathison

… Read more...