In a climate of close scrutiny and hefty fines across all aspects of environmental and health and safety (EHS) regulatory compliance, securing the right EHS consultant to assist your company can make the difference between achieving and maintaining compliance at a reasonable cost, or spending too much money and remaining at risk. Let’s face it, almost every aspect of a company’s operation touches upon one or more of the many changing EHS regulation, it’s no wonder that there are so many consultants hovering over industry…or should I say those who call themselves EHS consultants.
Engaging a consultant, who is knowledgeable and who can swiftly and efficiently navigate through the many rules, regulations, laws and mandated compliance at the federal, state and local levels, will help your company stay on track and keep you moving in the right direction with little or no interruption to your operations or business. The flip side could be unfavorable, including excessive costs, fines, negative public relations, and worse yet an injury, death, or negative impact to the environment.
Choosing a Consultant:
Finding an EHS consultant whether they be retirees returning to the work force (which there seem to be a lot of these days) or an established individual or firm claiming to be an expert in the field is the easy part. Finding a consultant to lead your EHS regulatory compliance efforts who is right for the project at hand is much more difficult and requires more than just a resume review. It requires a higher-level review to find out if the consultant possess the right expertise, knowledge, work ethic, business sense, and personality. It’s essential that you spend the time and effort to ask the more difficult questions and get to know the consultant on an individual basis.
Probe Real Experience – Go beyond a simple listing of past projects. Instead, request a list of most-successful projects that are related to the needs of your company and operations. Take the time to study not just the final assessment, but the entire process of the project and results.
Experience and Knowledge – In today’s highly competitive business world, getting quick answers, actions and results is crucial to a company’s success, which is why hiring an EHS consultant with not only regulatory knowledge, but, also industry experience is your best bet. It’s important to understand if your expectations of obtaining answers, getting results and reaching goals is shared by the consultant.
Reputation and Standing – If the EHS consultant you choose is needed to develop an internal regulatory compliance strategic plan, or complete tasks such as permitting or employee training then who he knows and what committees and associations he/she is involved with may not be important. However, if your needs require communicating, negotiating or obtaining approvals from federal, state or local agencies, then who your consultant knows may be just as important as what he/she knows.
Compatibility – Personality can make a difference. Charming but annoying? Smart but withdrawn? Generous but slow paced? How can you be sure that the EHS consultant with the great credentials has the right mind-set, attitude, and personality that matches your company culture? You need to look behind their assertions of “client sensitivity and user-friendliness” and disclose your company and team peculiarities or characteristics. Tell them about such facility quirks such as extreme committee decision-making, extensive weekend conference calls to prepare for Monday meetings, a strong tendency toward group credit rather than individual recognition, etc., and then ask them how they would deal with or overcome these situations.
Conflict Resolution – Determine the EHS consultant’s ability to confront and deal with conflict. Ask the consultant to describe a confrontational situation and how he/she was able to lead or create a consensus to optimize performance and results or perhaps even change the direction of the project. You need to know how they take control of or manipulate situations. A strong personality who knows when to walk away may be right for your company while another company may prefer someone who leads by accepting compromise.
More so then ever, companies are looking for third party consultants to assist with or manage their EHS requirements and programs and, therefore, the need for EHS consultant engagements is growing. Save time, money and frustration by hiring the right consultant.
About Total Environmental & Safety, LLC
Total offers a comprehensive range of professional services necessary to meet our clients EHS regulatory compliance needs. Our commitment to customer service ensures that we exceed expectations and add maximum value to our clients businesses.
Total’s associates include licensed and certified professionals, including Certified Industrial Hygienists, Certified Safety Professionals, Licensed Site Remediation Professionals, Registered Environmental Managers, Certified Hazardous Materials Managers, Geologists, hydrogeologists, Ecologists, Wildlife Biologists, Marine Biologists, and Professional Engineers. These professionals allow us the ability to provide turn-key projects in a cost effective and timely manner.