Relevant EHS Standards and Regulations Flashcards
Week 3
What are regulations?
· “A rule of order having the force of law”
· Are issued by various government departments and agencies
What are standards?
· …established generally by private sector bodies and that are available
for use by any person or organization, private or government. The term includes what are commonly referred to as ‘industry standards’ as well as ‘consensus standards’
Department of Transportation (DOT)
· Mission: Serve the US by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible, and convenient transportation system…
· Founded: 1966
(FAA, FMCSA, FRA, MARAD, NHTSA. RITA)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Mission: Our continuing mission is to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world
Founded: 1967
Federal Motor Carrier Safety (FMSCA)
Mission: To reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses
Founded: 2000
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
Mission: To enable the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of people and goods for a strong America now and in the future
Founded: 1966
Maritime Administration (MARAD)
Mission: To promote the development and maintenance of an adequate, well balanced U. S. merchant marine… (waterborne commerce)
Founded: 1950
Functions:
- develop, promote, and operate US maritime service and US Merchant marine
-develop service & route for foreign commerce
-Conduct r&d in the maritime field
-regulate U.S.document transfer
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Mission: Save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic cost due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity
Founded: 1920
Research and Innovative Technology Admin. (RITA)
Mission: To advance transportation science, technology, and analysis, and to improve the coordination of transportation research within the Department and throughout the transportation community
Founded: 2005
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Mission: to protect human health and the environment
Founded: 1970
What 3 groups can Environmental Laws (EPA Regulations) be broken into?
Can be broken into 3 groups at the federal level:
1. Air pollution
2. Water Pollution
3. Solid waste disposal
Why do standards matter?
· An integral part of existence - gives little or no thought to everyday products and services
· Standards for almost everything
· Critical to establishing and maintaining a business and a strong economy
What are workplace regulations?
· provide safety and health of workers
· provide economic benefit to employers
What are product standards?
· establish a performance baseline for safety equipment ex: hard hats, safety shoes
· establish a common language for manufacturers, employers, & users
What are benefits of the environment, safety, and international standards?
· Environment
-reduced cost related to wast and clean-up
· Safety
-Reduced insurance, reduced liabilities
· International Standards
-serve the needs of a global market
International Standard Organization (ISO)
· A non-government organization and network of the national standards institutes of countries
·157 countries
Purpose: To facilitate the internationalization & unification of standards and related
Founded: 1947
How were standards developed? (principles and phases of ISO)
· Principles used to develop standards.
- consensus (everyone has to agree)
- Industry-wide
- voluntary
· Phases of ISO standards development:
- scope of standards
- Identification of responsibility countries - formal approval
What are the two types of ISO 1400 series of standards?
- A specification standard contains only specific criteria that can be audited internally or externally by a 3rd party
- A guidance standard explains how to develop and implement EMS and principles
-Guidance standards are descriptive standards that also explain how to coordinate among various QM (quality management) systems
What is a guide? (ISO 1400 series of standards)
A guide is a tool to assist organizations in improvement of environmental management
What is a technical report? (ISO 1400 series of standards)
Technical reports are written when a technical committee of ISO cannot reach consensus on an issue
What is the 140001 standard?
ISO 14001 protects the environment and companies whose processes/products may affect it.
What is the Environmental Management System (EMS)?
The structure for implementing its environmental policy
What is an EMS audit?
The process used to verify that an EMS actually does what an organization says it will do
What is the environmental aspect?
Any aspect of an organization’s processes, products or service that will potentially affect the environment
What is continual improvement?
In the global marketplace, good enough is never good enough
What is plan-do-check-adjust model?
from W. Edwards deming in the area of quality management
American National Standard Institute (ANSI)
The official U. S. member of the ISO and other related international and regional standardization bodies
Mission: To enhance the global competitiveness of U. S. business and the American quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards, and conformity assessment systems and ensuring their integrity
Founded: 1918
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Mission: To reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by developing and advocating scientifically-based consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.
· Creates and maintains private, copyrighted standards and codes for usage and adoption by local government. Ex: building codes, rescue response
Founded: 1896
NIOSH
Part of the U. S. centers for disease control and prevention, in the U. S. department of health and human services. It is mandated
to assure “every man and woman in the Nation safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources”. Employees’ backgrounds range from epidemiology, medicine nursing, industrial hygiene, safety, psychology, chemistry, statistics, economics, and more branches of engineering. Works closely with OSHA &
MSHA.
Mission: To develop new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transmit that knowledge into practice
Founded: 1970
