Manufacturers Face Growing Network Regs

Sept. 15, 2006
Managing the extensive list of environmental, health and safety regulations that manufacturers must comply with is a daunting task according to AMR analyst Simon Jacobson. In a recent article he examines compliance issues. Simon starts with a list of ...

Managing the extensive list of environmental, health and safety regulations that manufacturers must comply with is a daunting task according to AMR analyst Simon Jacobson. In a recent article he examines compliance issues.

Simon starts with a list of regulations: Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), ISO 14001, EPA Clean Air Act Title V, EPA Clean Water Act, EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), US SARA 313 and Canadian NPRI Reporting, Health & Safety Management (OHSA 18001, COSHH), Social Accountability (SA 8000), Risk Management (AS/NZS 4360) and Information Security (BS/ ISO 17799). Additionally companies must spell out conformance in sustainability reporting.

Consequently, companies incur increased costs as in the example of the chemical industry which spends as much as 3.4% of total revenue on environmental health and safety complaince according to the American Chemical Council.

Regarding manufacturing operations, companies have to consider compliance aspects across equipment, processes, employees, storage and distribution methods. To achieve this requires "tracking levels of emissions and waste created during the full spectrum of operations throughout the entire lifecycle of their products and facilities, from R&D through transportation to customers -- and increasingly to end of life and disposal," explains Simon.

Manufacturers are turning to software applications to handle compliance. According to AMR Research's report, "Spending in an Age of Compliance," nearly 40% of firms surveyed plan to address EH&S [environmental health and safety] compliance in their software spending this year. "While still not the lead line item in the overall compliance budget, it's certainly a much higher priority than ever before," the report said.

To view the article, which is part of a series, click here.

Interested in information related to this topic? Subscribe to our weekly Value-chain eNewsletter.

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Process Mining For Dummies

Nov. 19, 2023
Here it is. Everything you need to know about process mining in a single book, written in the easy-to-understand, hard-to-forget style that ‘For Dummies’ manages so effortlessly...

Navigating Traceability for Manufacturing Excellence

July 23, 2023
Add Value, Reduce Costs, and Eliminate Risk.

How to Build Zero-Cost On-Site Solar and Storage Projects

Nov. 25, 2023
The Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits, incentives, and financing that enable no-cost projects. In Enel’s eBook, discover the critical role that incentives play in your...

Discrete and Process Manufacturing 2024 Trends and Outlook for North America

Oct. 29, 2023
Manufacturers are reaping the benefits of automation and cloud-based solutions. Discover what is driving today's industry trends and how they can shape your growth priorities ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!