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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 13 Handout 12-04-19 Operations PAGE 10 1 MARCH/APRIL 2018 A CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: The Environmental AuditingProgram cross-departmental knowledge.Well defined best management practices t are often recommended and revealed during the audit process. As the EAP looks ahead to the future, Michele Farmer is confident that or one aspect will remain constant, "the culture of continuous improvement ( I i,* is rooted in proactivity and due I diligence."The work we perform at _ t OCSD is done with the community in mind; the EAP helps OCSD achieve its mission of protecting public health and the environment. Michele and all those who take part in the EAP receive a sense of purpose and satisfaction in knowing they are Michele Farmer(Laboratory and Ocean Monitoring);Jim Colston(Environmental Services doing the right thing. Administration);Lisa Frigo(Laboratory and Ocean Monitoring);Ron Coss(Laboratory and Ocean Monitoring) As Director of Environmental OCSD's Environmental Auditing environment by providing effective Services,Jim Colston acknowledges Program (EAP) is an essential wastewater collection, treatment,and that"The success of the EAP element of the Environmental recycling," stated Michele Farmer, program is found in the Services Department's environmental Principal Environmental Specialist determination of all those involved compliance strategy. The purpose and EAP program manager, to continue to understand that of this program is to provide "standardization of structure and their work is essential in meeting independent verification that all open communication are essential the goals of OCSD. Commitment, communication, and a desire to divisions comply with the required components to the audit process." improve compliance are what drives environmental laws, regulations,and policies. In essence, audits help Three recently completed audits the EAP forward." So, thank you ensure OCSD adheres to permits were of the Waste Discharge to the Environmental Services and regulations as well as policies and Requirements (WDR),Air Quality, Department for designing a robust procedures to avoid violations and and Stormwater programs. The program that exceeds expectations ultimately enforcement actions by subject matter experts for these and enables OCSD's mission to regulatory agencies. audits are Dindo Carrillo, Randa be upheld. AbuShaban, and Michelle Breiter, The EAP has established a culture respectively. However, the EAP that emphasizes continuous is not delegated to one person or improvement, strong agency-wide department, but instead envelops all cooperation, and effective lines of departments, promoting agency-wide communication. This is through joint efforts to remain proactive. support from management and a There are three areas of findings from wealth of institutional knowledge an audit: compliance, conformance, held by subject matter experts. and best management practices. Proactivity and due diligence are Since the focus of the EAP remains key messages of the EAP. "The tethered to continuous improvement, program reveals that all of us here all findings are reviewed to improve at OCSD have the same mission: each compliance area. Staff work To protect public health and the together to solve problems and share PIPELINE I ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT