As the end of 2015 rapidly approaches, take a moment to reflect on what the 2016 EHS program will entail. How robust was the 2015 EHS program, and what improvements will be integrated during next year? This time of year is always busy, but establishing clear goals for your 2016 EHS program will start the year off on the right foot.
There are many regulatory deadlines and requirements stipulated by the permits and licenses held at each facility. Consider taking the next step with your EHS program and establish goals to make the program more robust in 2016. There are many best practices that could be implemented to strengthen safety programs. A chemical gatekeeping system could be established, registration of all biological projects could be required rather than just projects involving recombinant DNA, more frequent job safety analyses could be conducted, safety committee meetings could occur more often and the discussions could involve suggested improvements to the program. The list goes on and on, and will of course be dependent upon the intricacies of each program.
Some people cringe at the term ‘safety culture’ but the overall perception of the EHS program at your facility by all employees within the company must be positive. If there are improvements that can be made to shed a more positive light on the safety culture at your facility, make 2016 the year to strengthen your EHS program!