Interpreting federal regulations is like deciphering a foreign language. While the labyrinthian chemical regulations might read like everyday text to well-versed bureaucrats that chide businesses for failing to observe hazmat storage canon law, the confusing text walls leave more questions than answers for companies making sense of regulators’ intent. Federal environmental and safety regulators like OSHA and the EPA prefer lavishing over wordy prose rather than giving companies handling dangerous chemicals a straight answer. How can industrial manufacturers strictly follow hazardous materials guidelines if the regulators are talking over their heads? Are they intentionally disguising messaging so manufacturers infringe on federal regulations to collect incurred fees when the companies inevitably fall short of the finish line? Inquiring minds can only assume ill-intent when facing meddlesome regulators. Allow U.S. Hazmat Storage to be your chemical storage translator. Stay compliant. Invest in a trusted source for continuous OSHA and EPA-compliant chemical storage protection.
Pouring over tedious language is more difficult than translating the outgoing disclaimer audio on info-commercials. (Think: “void where prohibited; additional charges may apply” in the robotic sped-up mumbling monotone at the end of a “miracle cure” ads modern snake oil salesmen hawk on late-night tv). While incredulous manufacturers typically assume the worse while feeling the heat from “Big Brother,” their concerns are almost always overblown. We live in the era of deregulation. Not since the Reagan administration’s early days have industrial companies experienced the free reign they enjoy today. What’s good for the bottom-line, however, isn’t always best for the environment. All manufacturers have a vested interest in preserving the communities they serve. But we’ll digress. Conservation aside, federal regulations only sound cumbersome and invasive because the government wants to be exhaustive in scope. They want to ensure jargon-rich regulations don’t leave any wiggle-room for niche industries searching for a loophole. Like your company, they also fear liability, so filling the rule book front-to-cover ensures they’ve met due diligence in informing the public.
When Interpreting Federal Regulations Goes Awry
How can a company regain chemical storage compliance if the government won’t allow needed repairs? That’s what a Toledo chemical storage company wants to know after its maintenance workers were denied access to their facility last week. Although the company was cited for illegally discharging dangerous chemicals, including arsenic, mercury, and zinc, into a storm drain, the facility’s efforts to make amends were further embargoed recently when a fire marshal denied engineers access to previously evacuated buildings. The chemical storage company is now seeking an injunction on the city for not allowing the company to make necessary repairs. The company said its engineer was prohibited entry to repair a fire sprinkler before being shooed away by a city official. To the city’s credit, court papers allege an unsafe roof as a possible prohibition for occupancy. The facility is now asking the court to order the city to help partially pay for the repairs.
The ongoing legal battle between the City of Toledo and the facility at the center of the investigation could’ve been prohibited with proper communication. Moreover, the company would have been on the city’s radar if they more closely followed federal regulations. Don’t become another statistic or the next salient headline. Trust an expert. U.S. Hazmat Storage’s experienced building advisors can serve as your regulations’ translator, ensuring lasting onsite compliance. We can quickly and astutely assess your company’s chemical storage dilemma before presenting a comprehensive storage strategy, including the appropriate fire-rated hazmat warehouse to accommodate your stockpiles safely. We speak legalese when deciphering foreign-sounding laws and regulations for proper chemical storage. We’ll parse wordy and tiresome language to get to the meat of the matter – ensuring your company follows the letter of the law and getting pesky bureaucrats off your back. Besides, you have deadlines to meet and orders to ship. Now, let’s get to work crafting your game plan for chemical storage compliance.