Does it feel like your corporate world is on “pause,” waiting for something beyond your control to be resolved? Many companies seem to be waiting for something, unwilling to expand or contract, go forward or backward.  Which raises the question — how do you lead your EHS/Sustainability (EHS/S) program if you don’t really know what
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The prospect of your facility undergoing a compliance audit is unlikely to evoke excited anticipation. There are certain things we do – such as going to the dentist or conducting compliance audits – because they benefit us in the long term. Despite often being viewed with dread, an audit is a valuable tool in a
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On December 27, 2012 the EHS Journal published an article of mine entitled “Lessons Learned on International Assignments”.  The feedback has been extremely positive, especially from young professionals who anticipate the eventual need to travel internationally during their careers.  As a consequence I have racked my brain to come up with a few more experiences
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I have visited several gas plants across the United States.  Gas plants are complex facilities.  They operate at high pressure with flammable materials and dangerous products. Gas plants are regulated by Process Safety Management standards to address the inherent hazards of operations.   When visiting gas plants, I make it a habit to stop in the
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At the September 2012 Auditing Roundtable national meeting in Baltimore I heard Terri Morrison, author of Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than Sixty Countries (Adams Media, 2006) captivate the audience for two hours on the tricks and traps of working internationally.  It made me reflect on my
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Diesel engine exhaust was classified on June 12, 2012 as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The reclassification of diesel engine exhaust from probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) to carcinogenic to humans was based on evidence showing that exposure to diesel exhaust is associated with an
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There has been a lot of talk over the past few years about environmental sustainability. Conferences are held on environmental sustainability, and everyone is talking about it. There are hundreds of definitions of sustainability and yet no one seems to understand what it really means. So-called experts are coming up with “metrics” and “indices” as
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My cell phone is 5 years old. It has a tiny screen, an awkward keyboard, and no applications at all, but I stubbornly refuse to trade it in for a new one. It still functions, and for the work I do, it’s really all I need.  Also, I know that if I exchange it, my
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  Although the environmental consulting market remains highly fragmented, a dozen large firms are spearheading the globalization of the environmental consulting industry to meet the demands of their multi-national customers and capture market share. According to research published by Environment Analyst, these “Global 12” firms accounted for more than 24 percent of the industry’s US$
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The United States could be heading for a significant shortfall in occupational safety and health (OS&H) professionals, according to the National Assessment of the Occupational Safety and Health Workforce report issued by the U.S. National Insitute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in October 2011. America’s colleges and universities are expected to graduate 13,000 OS&H
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