Environmental Compliance Climbs the Priority List for Managerstest

By Dave Lubach, Associate Editor

January 2015

More than 37 percent of managers responding to the survey said they anticipate that environmental regulations will be the most active area of compliance in the near future, while 22 percent said they believe building protection will see the most changes, and 21 percent believe public health standards and regulations will see the most changes.

In which regulatory and standards compliance area do you foresee the most changes in the future?

Managers’ views on environment compliance do not surprise Camplin.

“Environmental regulations seem to be more topical, particularly when you’re looking at social responsibilities and sustainability-type initiatives that you have out there, whether it’s the LEED program to try and get certain points or recognition, or just overall environmental sustainability programs that you are implementing to show that you are a good corporate citizen and not just worried about profits,” he says.

As for thoughts on why the increased interest among managers in environmental issues? Among the responses:

• “More and more information comes out every year on possible problems with products.”
• Environmental compliance “has been neglected for so long, that we will be playing catch up.”
• “Very high priority with the public.”

Managers also cited the rash of school shootings and the 2014 Ebola scare as additional reasons they believe building protection and public health are important regulatory compliance issues. Among their responses:

• “Due to changing climate and school-related incidents, more patrons are demanding better protection procedures in place for their children.”
• Building safety “has been changing many times over the past few years and is always a concern in the public school.”
• “Ebola is changing the way we deal with infection isolation and procedures.”
• Health care issues “seem to be brought into question with every potential health threat.”
• “More and more facility departments are becoming a vital part of preparedness for emergencies.”

The negative publicity and monetary fines associated with non-compliance with environmental regulations also are prompting managers to devote more time to these issues.

“If you have a chemical release and (if) a worker is injured or even killed, you might get fined $20,000 by OSHA,” Camplin says. “But (by) polluting a stream or land, you’re looking at a six- or-seven-figure fine. Environmental regulations are staggering sometimes.”