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Two important questions to stay on target with compliance
Ric Federico and Adam Wanta have seen first-hand how easy it is to get distracted by slick new tools (platforms, apps, software, etc.) when it comes to underground storage tank (UST) compliance, and that distraction can cause you to lose sight of the most fundamental step for achieving compliance goals.
Federico and Wanta lead EnSafe’s Kentucky-based UST Compliance Team, which handles day-to-day environmental compliance for hundreds of UST systems in multiple states. They’ve seen their share of UST systems and compliance programs. Their advice?
“As with any journey, start with knowing where you are and where you need to go,” says Wanta. Before looking into compliance tools, ask two important questions to identify your compliance paradigm.
1. What’s your goal?
100% compliance, fewer violations, reduced compliance costs, competitive advantage, or a combination of these?
Do you have an established, robust program that you need to scale quickly due to growth in your business, or are you new to the compliance world and overwhelmed by the myriad requirements, deadlines, and lingo? “Your answer to this question will help identify the needs and priorities of your particular program – it’s how you choose your ultimate destination.” says Federico.
2. How will you reach your goal?
Once you’ve set a goal based on your company’s compliance paradigm, the next step is developing metrics for tracking progress. Metrics will bring much-needed clarity to the hectic and typically reactionary world of daily compliance management.
Now that you’ve set your goal and identified quantifiable metrics, you’re ready to wade through the crowd of newfangled tools without fear of distraction. You know what you need to track and that helps in evaluating your options.
And we’re here to help. EnSafe has developed a range of tools for managing the compliance gamut – from Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and SharePoint dashboards to forms and processes in apps like Flow and Sway:
- ATG alarm monitoring (daily, weekly, or monthly)
- Monthly release detection
- Suspected release reporting and follow-up
- Annual and triennial testing
- Monthly and annual walkthrough inspections
- Tracking metrics (monthly, quarterly, and annual)
- Equipment vendor work order management (issuance, follow-up, and tracking)
Could your compliance program use a tune-up, overhaul, or anything in between? Check out the tools highlighted in Ric and Adam’s presentation at the 2018 National Tanks Conference: Eyes on the Prize: Tools and Tips for an Effective UST Compliance Program in the Age of Digital Distraction.