Get Buy-in to Work with a Hazmat Consultant

Regulatory compliance professionals know that many corporate executives view hazmat and environmental compliance as a “cost center.” Often, higher-ups fundamentally misunderstand the value that environmental stewardship and compliance brings to the organization.  They may see compliance as a cost of doing business, instead of what it really is: an opportunity to gain a competitive edge. 

They may not be receptive to hiring a consultant to help streamline compliance for your organization. To get buy-in from skeptics, it can help to explain the costs of noncompliance in real terms.

After all, the costs of noncompliance go far beyond fines and penalties from government agencies.

Ensure your DOT hazmat shipments maintain compliance with Lion’s Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Workshop. Join us for this live, two-day workshop coming to Philadelphia, Williamsburg, Baltimore, Charlotte, Orlando, Atlanta, and more this July. Can’t join us live? Learn more about our online training here.

Hazardous Chemical Spills or Releases  

The costs of an accidental release go far beyond regulatory civil penalties. Damage to property, rising insurance costs, worker injuries and missed time, and shutdown of operations during repairs or rebuilding should all be factored in as costs of not managing EHS compliance effectively.

When you put EHS compliance to work for you, it provides your business with a safety net to lean on, allowing you and your workers to increase efficiency. When your employees can work smarter, they can leverage EHS guidelines to their advantage and discover work processes that keep hazardous materials in compliance while maximizing productivity.

Hazardous Materials Releases in Transit

Hazardous materials shipping violations can result in civil penalties from US DOT as high as $79,976 per day, per violation. But the costs don’t end there.

If your hazmat package leaks, ignites, or ruptures aboard a truck or aircraft, your relationship with that carrier may be strained. Not only will the carrier report the incident to US DOT—which could result in an inspection of your facility—the carrier may be wary about accepting future shipments, or even reject them outright.

Rejected or Delayed Shipments

If your hazardous materials package is rejected because it’s packaged or labeled incorrectly, your personnel will have to re-do that work, delaying your supply chain and possibly resulting in missed deadlines. Plus, the packaging and labels used on the noncompliant shipment may not be salvageable and will go to waste.

If your package fails to withstand the rigors of transport, that package never reaches your customer. Most customers may be unaware of the challenges of shipping hazardous materials—they simply want what they ordered, and they want it yesterday.

Customers may not be understanding when you explain why the shipment was delayed or had to be re-shipped. From the customers’ point of view, the challenges of regulatory compliance and hazmat shipping are your problem, not theirs.

Lion Now Offers Hazmat & EHS Compliance Consulting

If you manage shipping for a company big or small, Lion's regulatory specialists, consultants, and trainers can offer specialized expertise to help you assess your overall compliance responsibilities or complete specific regulatory projects.

You can rely on Lion for regulatory compliance consulting services, including hazmat site assessments, step-by-step hazmat shipping guides, hazardous materials classification, and much more. Learn more about what Lion can do to ensure your shipments are ready for the long haul with our new hazmat and EHS compliance consulting services here.
 

Tags: compliance, consulting, DOT, EHS, hazardous materials, hazmat, IATA, IMDG, shipments, shipper, shipping