Importance of Guidance Documents
Bernard Kadlubar
Toxicologist and environmental professional focused on compliance, data management and sustainability.
Guidance documents often receive more ire than appreciation from environmental professionals.? However, they are a critical component of the Compliance Toolbox.? Stay with me on this.? Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or other comparable technical documents provide much needed transparency in work processes.? This transparency proves valuable by:
1)????? Simplifying the identification of improvements/efficiencies in workflows
2)????? Preserving operational and procedural knowledge of staff
3)????? Expediting the onboarding process
4)????? Conveying a commitment to operational diligence to auditors
One synergistic companion tool to optimize risk mitigation is an accompanying Regulatory Matrix.? This helps an environmental professional in properly identify the units or process equipment with the highest regulatory risk. ?Developing and keeping these tools evergreen can prove cumbersome, but the peace of mind is worth the effort.?