Compliance can be a troublesome issue during any process or project that doesn’t fall in line with normal operation. At best non-compliance could land you a hefty fine – at worst it could cause a full-scale emergency depending on the type of substances you’re dealing with. Here we share four key tips to help you to ensure compliancy in all situations.
Plan the process well in advance
If you’re going to be doing something you wouldn’t normally do which involves dangerous goods or hazardous substances, it’s important to be prepared. You may need to do things differently, hire extra staff or help, or purchase products or items to help you to stay compliant. If you leave things until the last minute you may not be able to arrange this, heightening the chance of non-compliancy. Compliancy starts with preparation – so begin by learning about the specifics and recommended best practice and how your upcoming move, relocation or rearrangement could affect safety and security.
Be specific in line with your workplace and requirements
The important thing to remember when it comes to dangerous goods management is that different regulations and guidelines apply depending on what you are dealing with. Start by listing every substance or item you feel you’ll need special provision for or support with, then go through them in turn researching the relevant regulations for each. Some may interact with each other and therefore may need an even more specific type of dangerous goods management or provision.
Ensure prep is in place and daily processes are compliant with help from a consultant
Any occasion that demands extra attention or specific guidance presents a perfect opportunity for you to review and refresh the processes and guidelines you currently have in place. Are you fully up to date? Are there any areas you could improve upon? Has anything changed which could mean you now need to look again at how you manage dangerous goods? You may like to call in a consultant to help you with this, as they can review your lab or facility in a comprehensive manner and make recommendations. They can also implement change where required.
Enlist specialist support where needed
Although staff handling and working with dangerous goods on a daily basis should have some level of training to ensure that they are compliant at all times, they may not know how to respond when faced with an unusual situation or project. This is especially true where lab moves and relocations are concerned, as there are many individual aspects to think about. Enlist professional support from fully trained, accredited dangerous goods removals experts, who will guide and manage the process from start to finish.
