As your strategies conducting business in Ohio during the pandemic evolve, there are some key OSHA and EPA items to keep on your radar to stay compliant. Just because COVID shut a lot of things down and changed a lot of schedules, doesn’t mean OSHA and EPA are on vacation. They are still up and operating and you still need to maintain a safe, healthy, and environmentally compliant workplace.
Here are five areas to keep top of mind for your dealership:
- Automotive Lift Inspections & Training
- Oil / Water Separator Clean Out
- Monthly UST Inspections
- Ohio EPA Air Permits
- New Hire and Re-Occurring Required Training
Let’s dive into these for a closer look.
Automotive Lift Inspections & Training
A lot of vendors had to reschedule services at the beginning of the
pandemic and some forgot to get back on the schedule. Check the date of when your last automotive
lift inspection was completed and make sure it has been within the last
year. Automotive lift inspections should
be completed on an annual basis, as well as Automotive Lift Safety
Training. Most of the time, these are
completed at the same time with the lift vendor completing the training. KPA also has an online training module if you
prefer this option. You should have a
full lift inspection record on file as well as some kind of tag or sticker on
each lift.
Oil / Water Separator Clean Out
When was the last time your shop drains were cleaned out? The correct answer is, “regularly.” Is there a foul odor in the shop coming from
the drains? This is usually a friendly
reminder that they are due for a cleaning.
Did the car wash recently back up?
This is another reminder that the drains are due to the cleaned. Make sure to keep documentation on record to
prove that your oil/water separator was cleaned out and serviced.
Monthly UST Inspections
Do you have an underground storage tank (or UST for short) like a
gasoline tank or used oil tank? If you
do, there’s a host of things you need to do annually to comply with the Bureau
of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR). But, did you know that you are required to
complete monthly inspections of your UST using an Ohio provided form? The State of Ohio Fire Marshall requires monthly
inspections of your underground tank inspections using this state-provided
form. This form, as well as your
other annual required UST forms, should be kept on file within your OSHA/EPA
records.
Ohio EPA Air Permits
Do you have a paint booth or a gasoline pump station? Did you recently acquire a facility that has
one of these? Did you recently add any
of these? If so, you are required to
have an Ohio EPA Air Permit on record.
There are different types of Ohio EPA Air Permits, so it depends on your
specific property and equipment. But an air permit is required. KPA can assist you with this process if this
is something that you are not familiar with or need help completing or
researching.
New Hire and Re-Occurring Required Training
Training’s something that’s always important, regardless of the time of
year, special events, or even a pandemic. These are things like annual required
training, new hire training, and re-occurring OSHA and EPA
training.
If you have a facility with employees, you are required to complete Emergency
Response Training every year and with every new hire. Your employees need to know what to do in
case of any type of emergency within your facility.
- What if there was a fire? Would your employees know how to use a fire extinguisher? Would they know where to evacuate and assemble?
- Do they know where the local first aid kit or eyewash station is located? (yes, you are required to have those)
- What about a tornado – would your employees know where to go?
This training is required for all staff and every department – every year and also with every new hire. Can you check this box for your facility?
When it comes to safety, what you don’t know CAN
hurt you.
We’ve touched on just five
of the many OSHA and EPA topics that might be required at your Ohio
Dealership. Most likely, there are lots
more that you need to comply with. That’s
where KPA can help. With 40 years of experience
& 150 In-House Compliance Consultants, KPA is here to help you minimize risk so you
can focus on what’s important–your core business.
Managing your organization’s safety and compliance program is a challenge. With KPA’s mix of EHS software, workforce training, and EHS consulting services, you can ensure that you are taking the right steps to safeguard the wellbeing of your employees while protecting your bottom line.
