The RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act), Section 3007, provides an EPA or RCRA representative authority to inspect any premises where hazardous waste is being generated or handled, examine records and procedures, and even collect samples as needed. The act also specifies that Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) must be inspected every two years. Therefore, the most comprehensive audit conducted on waste generators and TSDFs is the Compliance Evaluation Inspection (CEI) which examines to what extent a facility complies with RCRA regulations. In this post, let’s look at the following:
- What does an RCRA Compliance Evaluation Inspection typically cover?
- Why are these inspections vital for the safety and well-being of employees and the local community?
- How does Fielda help inspectors manage these complex inspections with ease?
What does an RCRA Compliance Evaluation Inspection typically cover: CEIs usually begin with an opening conference in which the inspector outlines the nature and scope of the inspection, conducts a brief visual inspection, reviews waste management records, and identifies the sample collection assessment will involve. During the audit, inspectors go over detailed lists covering staff training, waste management documentation, and waste disposal types. Next, they check how waste is collected, stored, transported, and disposed of. Depending on the kind of waste, material may be sorted as organic or inorganic, hazardous and non-hazardous, and sent for processing, including recycling, composting, incineration, and treatment for use as fuels. Inspectors also look for efficiencies in waste management and whether the facility can minimize waste, enhance reuse, reduce loss of output, and lower risks to health and the environment.
Why these inspections are vital for safety and well-being: Compliance Evaluation Inspections (CEIs) act as a pulse check for regulatory bodies like the EPA, Depart of Transportation, and the RCRA to assess the level of compliance by various waste generators. In addition, these audits help companies identify gaps in their waste management procedures, training, and documentation to address them proactively. As a result, CEIs help organizations reduce inefficiencies, mitigate risks to the well-being of the staff and the local community, and optimize their processes from waste generation to disposal. They also act as a point of enforcement when companies fail to comply or take necessary corrective action, providing the industry with the minimum hygiene needed for responsible waste management.
How does Fielda help inspectors manage these complex inspections with ease? Inspectors must manage detailed checklists, which vary depending on the industry being audited, the type of waste generated, and the specific regulations involved. In addition, paper-based inspections can yield vast amounts of data, creating a lot of scope for errors in the data processing. Fielda’s end-to-end digital data capture and management eliminates these risks and makes data gathering a seamless and convenient process through custom digital forms and workflows. Its GIS capability makes it easy for inspectors to track assets across different locations. And real-time reports and dashboards give them the insights they need for easy communication, follow-ups, and remediation status checks.
Capture: Manage complex field data collection with easily customizable digital checklists
Review: Design efficient workflows for the most optimized status reviews and follow-up procedures
Collaborate: Communicate effortlessly with internal and external stakeholders for maximum transparency and ease
About Fielda: Fielda helps companies manage and maintain their assets and gain real-time oversight of all tasks, workflows, and projects to improve operational efficiency, enhance team productivity and impact the bottom line. Whether it’s installations, inspections, repairs, replacement of parts, servicing and maintenance, or routine audits, with Fielda’s mobile data collection, GIS-enabled technology, automated and custom workflows, and analytics, you can eliminate errors, enhance response time, ease workflow bottlenecks, and simplify your field operations.