Most companies produce some kind of hazardous waste. For instance, pesticide manufacturers create materials that may harm soil and produce air pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) understands these dangers, which is why it has set standard regulations that companies must follow to safely handle and dispose of waste.
It’s important that your company follows federal and state regulations when managing waste. To do this, you may need to update your employees’ training so that your company is not fined for improper waste disposal, storage or transport. Here’s what your employees should know.
Understanding how to identify and handle hazardous material
Your employees may be better at handling hazardous waste if they are taught to identify how it’s produced. This training may include classifying and labeling different kinds of wastes, their properties and the associated risks if it was not correctly handled. Once your employees are skilled at identifying hazardous material, they can take safe measures to dispose of it. Disposing of waste may also require training so that the correct storage container is used and properly separating chemicals to prevent reactions.
Knowing how to protect against hazardous waste
Disposing of waste by following EPA guidelines is about protecting the environment. However, your employees also need to protect themselves. Your employees should go through extensive training to understand the importance of protective gear. You may also need to set up steps for your employees to follow if they are exposed to dangerous chemicals that could seriously harm them.
Training to respond to hazardous waste emergencies
Accidents happen all the time, and your employees should learn how to respond to a hazardous waste emergency. If chemicals from your company are threatening the environment, then your employees should have a response plan to minimize contamination and injuries.
It’s important for your employees to learn about the dangers of hazardous waste. You may also need to seek legal guidance to protect your business from facing potential lawsuits.
