Setting Priorities for EHS Services and Resources

I recently joined Printing Industries of America as the new Director of Environmental, Health & Safety Affairs after spending many years in various engineering, sustainability, and EHS roles in the metals industry. It has been an enjoyable first month at PIA and I am looking forward to working with companies in the printing industry.

In the near term, I will be launching a new format for our onsite EHS evaluation process. This will include an initial onsite visit, a corrective action plan addressing areas for improvement, remote follow-up on your company’s progress in 3 to 6 months, and an onsite follow-up evaluation in 1 to 3 years depending on the magnitude of the areas identified for improvement. I believe it’s important to stay involved with our customers who undergo an EHS evaluation to encourage them to stay focused and improve their overall EHS performance.

To support the evaluation process, Printing Industries of America will be enhancing the EHS portion of the member website to provide new tools, such as safety and environmental audit/inspection checklists and protocols, sample programs, best practices, and guidance on implementing an ISO-like EHS management system. Having this management system supported by onsite leadership is key to sustaining improvement in EHS performance.

As a chemical engineer with a Lean manufacturing certification and a passion for sustainability, my passion is to find ways to incorporate continuous improvement (CI) and Lean manufacturing concepts into environmental, health, safety, and sustainability (EHSS) efforts. There is a clear connection between CI and EHS performance, especially when you are instituting changes. Sometimes this nexus results in an improvement in performance, and sometimes not, which is why it’s important to consider how each improvement activity will impact your EHSS performance. As my department is part of PIA’s Center for Technology and Research, I have a view into the technology and research activities of the organization and I will be looking for opportunities to include EHSS aspects into our continuous improvement resources such as events, books, webinars and more. I will be attending the 2019 Continuous Improvement Conference in Dallas this April and look forward to meeting some of you there!

On the regulatory front, I am closely watching the Green New Deal and preparing for whatever it sends our way. If you haven’t heard about this, it’s a resolution that was introduced in Congress in early February that outlines an aggressive plan to address climate change and economic inequality. Whether or not you support the goals of the Green New Deal, the reality is it has reinvigorated the conversation around sustainability. I expect to see more interest from customers regarding sustainable operating practices in the printing industry.

We have resources at Printing Industries of America that can support your EHS needs. We can assist you remotely by phone or provide you with a proposal for environmental reporting assistance, onsite EHS evaluations, or training.

Please contact me at [email protected] or 412-259-1794 to discuss how PIA can be of service to your company.