Compliance Tools & Guidance

Specific environmental, health and safety compliance tools with descriptions are listed below. Each can help you achieve, document and remain in compliance with changing regulatory updates. For help with these tools, developing your own complete EHS applicability checklist or EHS plan template, please contact us.

Drinking Water Protection Mapping Tool
EPA’s online Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters (DWMAPS) provides interested parties with critical information to safeguard sources of drinking water. Use the tool to update source water assessments and prioritize source water protection measures.

Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool

EPA’s environmental justice screening and mapping tool uses high-resolution maps combined with demographic and environmental data to identify places with potentially elevated environmental burdens and vulnerable populations. Use the tool to highlight communities with greater risk of exposure to pollution.

Safe Drinking Water Act Dashboard

EPA’s online Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) dashboard provides an overview of the SDWA regulatory activities of EPA and the implementing states, tribes and territories. Use the tool to provide a summary of key activities and answer questions (i.e. How many systems have had alleged violations identified and enforcement action taken?).

Climate Resilience Toolkit

The Climate Resilience Toolkit includes numerous tools to help manage climate-related risks and opportunities. Use the tools by filtering by topic, function, steps to resilience or region to find resources that help manage climate-related risks and opportunities.

Stormwater Calculator

EPA’s National Stormwater Calculator (SWC) can be used to estimate the amount of rainwater and frequency of runoff from a specific site. Use the tool to help reduce runoff from a property.

Emergency Response for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities

EPA has published numerous tools to support drinking water and wastewater utility emergency preparedness and response. Use the tools for activities such as developing emergency response plans and designing for hazard resilience.

ChemView

EPA’s online tool ChemView significantly improves access to chemical-specific regulatory information developed by EPA and data submitted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Use the tool to search available TSCA information and gain streamlined access to EPA assessments, hazard characterizations and information on safer chemical ingredients.

SepticSmart Program

EPA’s SepticSmart Program provides the resources and tips included on the website to encourage and support homeowners and non-residential facilities with maintaining their septic systems. Use the tool to access information that will help prevent costly repairs and reduce risks to public health and the environment.

Waterway Tool

EPA’s How’s My Waterway tool utilizes GPS technology or a user-entered zip code or city name to allow a user to quickly learn the environmental status of local waterways. Use the tool to help find information on the condition of thousands of lakes, rivers and streams across the United States.

List of Safer Chemical Ingredients

EPA’s Safer Choice List is a database of products that meet stringent human health and environmental criteria in order to qualify for the Safer Choice labeling. Use the tool to find information on thousands of products that have earned the Safer Choice designation.

Injury Tracking Application (ITA)

OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application (ITA) for electronic submission of injury and illness records is available for required reporting. Use the ITA to submit required injury and illness records to OSHA.

RISCTOX Database

The European Trade Union Institute’s online database provides clear, organized and concise information about health and environmental risks associated with listed hazardous substances. Use the tool to search health and environmental information on over 100,000 chemical agents.

Transitioning to Safer Chemicals

OSHA’s transitioning to Safer Chemicals toolkit provides resources to assist with eliminating or reducing use of hazardous chemicals. Use the tool to access information, methods, tools and guidance for chemical substitutions.

Permissible Exposure Limit Annotated Tables

OSHA’s annotated tables provide information to help better protect workers from hazardous chemicals. Use the tool to access the mandatory PELs required by 29 CFR 1910.1200 Z-Tables, along with alternative occupational exposure limits.

Google Public Alert Tool

Google’s Public Alerts System tool provides emergency notifications for earthquakes, severe weather and other public safety matters. Use the tool to search for relevant information provided by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service.

Secondary Containment Calculation Worksheet
EPA provides example and blank worksheets to assist in calculating secondary containment capacity. Use the tool to ensure secondary containment capacity is adequate for Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan and other regulatory requirements.

Wetlands Mapper
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has created the Wetlands Mapper to provide easy-to-use map views of wetlands classified within the National Wetlands Inventory. Use the tool to locate wetlands and obtain information regarding wetland type and extent.

WATERS GeoViewer
EPA has created the WATERS GeoViewer tool that provides access to compiled data associated with watershed assessment, tracking and environmental results. Use the tool to identify watershed attributes, including designation as an impaired water, for a specific address, waterbody or map location.

Pesticide Product and Label System

EPA’s Pesticide Product and Label System (PPLS) provides a collection of pesticide product labels that have been approved by EPA. Use the tool to search for a specific pesticide chemical label to review information such as use, storage and disposal requirements.

EPA Mandatory Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Rule Applicability Tool

EPA maintains a tool designed to help facilities assess whether they are subject to reporting GHG emissions under the mandatory GHG reporting rule. Use this tool to assist with determining applicability and calculating annual GHG emissions.

EPA Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) Applicability Tools

EPA has developed implementation tools to assist facilities in determining their obligations under the RICE New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for RICE. Use this tool for NSPS compression ignition (CI) RICE. Use this tool for NSPS spark ignition (SI) RICE. Use this tool for NESHAP CI and SI RICE.

Environmental, Health, and Safety guidance documents provide interpretations and detailed information on specific areas of EHS risk that you can use to assess whether or not specific regulations apply to your operations, or how to comply if they are applicable. We have included a list below of guidance documents we find to be very helpful with EHS compliance programs, but please contact us if you have questions about a specific situation or need other environmental, health or safety compliance tools.

OSHA COVID-19 Guidance

OSHA has published COVID-19 enforcement policies and resources to assist employers and employees with implementing safe work practices and protective measures related to COVID-19.

EPA COVID-19 Guidance

EPA has published COVID-19 resources including news and guidance to assist facilities in complying with environmental regulations while managing risks associated with COVID-19.

SPCC Guidance Document

EPA maintains an SPCC Guidance for Regional Inspectors guide. The guide may be used by owners and operators of facilities subject to the SPCC rule to determine how EPA intends the SPCC rule to be implemented. Get the guide to help gain an understanding of the implementation and interpretation of the SPCC rule.

Alternatives Assessment and Risk Reduction Guide

The Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse (IC2) has developed an Alternatives Assessment Guide that can be used by manufacturers, product designers, businesses, governments and other interested parties to help make informed decisions about the use of toxic chemicals in products or processes. Get the guide on toxic chemical alternatives.

TSCA Fact Sheet Articles

EPA Fact Sheet provides guidance regarding classification of articles under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Get the Fact Sheet to help assist facilities with correctly classifying articles and determining applicability of the TSCA articles exclusion policy for purposes of the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule.

TSCA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) Assistance

EPA maintains a webpage with numerous guidance documents meant to help facilities comply with reporting obligations under the CDR rule.  Access EPA’s guidance for reporting under CDR.

Resources and Guidance Documents for Compliance Assistance

EPA’s compliance assistance program provides businesses, federal facilities, local governments and tribes with tools to help meet environmental regulatory requirements. Compliance assistance tools and methods include one-to-one counseling, online resource centers, fact sheets, guides and training.

Process Safety Management (PSM) for Petroleum Refineries

OSHA has developed a downloadable PDF guide that highlights the areas of PSM where OSHA issued the most citations during the petroleum refinery PSM national emphasis program (NEP). Get the guide intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthy workplace using lessons learned from the NEP.

Compliance Guide for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard

OSHA has developed a downloadable PDF guide to help small business employers comply with the agency’s Final Rule to Protect Workers from Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica. Get the guide on the steps employers are required to take to protect employees.

Hazard Alert for Tank Gauging and Sampling

NIOSH and OSHA have published a Hazard Alert that describes health and safety hazards associated with opening tank hatches to manually gauge or sample hydrocarbon levels, including engineering controls, work practices and PPE. Get the guide for recommendations from NIOSH and OSHA for employers that will protect workers from these hazards.

OSHA Comprehensive Training Guide

OSHA maintains a downloadable PDF guide that includes a comprehensive summary of all regulatory training requirements to help employers, safety and health professionals, training directors and others comply with applicable standards and keep workers safe. Get the guide on OSHA standard training requirements.

RAGAGEP Guidance Under PSM

This memorandum from OSHA provides guidance on the enforcement of the Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard’s recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (RAGAGEP) requirements. Get the memorandum from OSHA.

OSHA, EPA and FSHP Alliance and Guidance

This is an online resource provided by the formed alliance of OSHA, EPA and the Fertilizer Safety and Health Partners (FSHP) to provide safety and health information and training resources to workers, emergency responders and communities surrounding establishments in the agricultural retail and supply industry. Get guidance on the safe storage and handling of fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate, anhydrous ammonia, and more. This tool can help to create both an EPA audit checklist and an OSHA compliance checklist.

Patient Decontamination Guidance Document

This is an online resource provided by multiple governmental agencies, including ASPR and DHS, to provide guidance in managing mass exposure chemical incidents. Get the guide for best practices related to planning and conducting patient decontamination in a mass chemical casualty incident.

Temporary Worker Guidance

OSHA has issued a policy memorandum to its field staff as a reminder of the enforcement policies related to the safety and health of temporary workers. Get guidance on recommended practices to be performed by a staffing agency and host employer to ensure temporary employees are protected. For additional information, view the OSHA Protecting Temporary Workers webpage.

Guidance for Performing Hot Work In and Around Tanks

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has developed guidance related to the dangers of performing hot work in and around tanks containing biological or organic material. Get guidance on the importance of hot work planning, hazard evaluation and procedures for storage tanks, and whether or not flammable material is expected to be present.

OSHA Hydrogen Sulfide Page

OSHA maintains online guidance dedicated specifically to the dangerous health effects from breathing hydrogen sulfide and how to protect employees from exposure. Get guidance on the different methods for controlling exposure to this toxic gas.

Updated OSHA General Industry Digest

OSHA maintains a summary of General Industry safety and health standards to aid employers, supervisors, workers, health and safety committee members, and safety and health personnel. Get guidance on how to achieve compliance with OSHA General Industry standards in the workplace.

MSHA Compliance Assistance Resource

MSHA maintains an online compliance assistance resource to assist operators and miners working at metal and nonmetal mines. Get guidance on regulatory compliance issues, hazard alerts, machine guarding, and answers to frequently asked questions.

OSHA Encourages Injury and Illness Prevention Program

OSHA published a whitepaper on the Injury and Illness Prevention Program, which encourages employers to develop and implement proactive programs to reduce injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Read the whitepaper to learn more about the components of adopting an injury and illness prevention program and the benefits such a program can have on safety performance in your workplace.

EPA FAQ

EPA maintains databases of frequently asked questions (FAQ) for specific EPA Programs/Topics, such as air emissions, hazardous waste, oil regulations, underground storage tanks, and water permitting.

RCRA Online Database

EPA maintains a searchable database that indexes thousands of letters, memoranda, publications and questions and answers issued by EPA to assist in compliance with RCRA regulations for management of solid, hazardous and medical waste.

Solvent Contaminated Wipes

EPA has developed a chart that summarizes the federal regulations in regard to managing solvent-contaminated wipes under the definition of solid waste exclusion.

PHMSA Rule Interpretations

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) maintains a database of interpretations related to regulations at 49 CFR Parts 100-199 for transportation of hazardous materials.

Toxic Release Inventory Reporting Guide

EPA maintains GuideME, which provides access to a compilation of information, questions and answers, reporting forms and instructions and guidance documents related to requirements for filing Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reports.

Clean Air Act Applicability Determination Index

EPA maintains a searchable database of memoranda issued by EPA related to applicability and compliance issues associated with the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

OSHA Hazard Communication Guidance

OSHA maintains a Hazard Communication website that includes links to regulations, interpretations and guidance documents to assist facilities in complying with the Hazard Communication standard under the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) amendments.

Stormwater No Exposure Exclusion

EPA maintains a guidance document to help facilities determine if they qualify for a conditional exclusion from stormwater permitting based on no exposure of industrial activities to stormwater, and to maintain that exclusion if qualified.

Compliance Requirements for Stationary Engines

EPA maintains a list of tables that summarizes compliance requirements for stationary reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) by engine type.