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Compliance with ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 demonstrates your organisation's commitment to environmental sustainability and workplace safety. ISO 14001 ensures effective environmental management, while ISO 45001 supports workplace safety. An up-to-date EHS legal register is essential for ongoing compliance with these standards, helping you meet relevant regulations. What is an EHS Legal Register? An EHS legal register, also known as an HSE legal register or legal registry, is a comprehensive database that consolidates all relevant EHS legislation, regulations, laws, and standards applicable to your organisation. It serves as a centralised repository, enabling you to track and manage compliance obligations effectively. This tool covers a wide range of statutory requirements, including: Environmental regulations (e.g., air emissions, water discharges, waste management) Workplace safety and health regulations  (e.g., workplace hazards, personal protective equipment, emergency preparedness) Industry-specific regulations and standards Local, national, and international legal requirements By maintaining an up-to-date EHS legal register, organisations can proactively identify and address potential compliance gaps and stay aligned with the latest regulatory developments. Benefits of using an EHS legal register for ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 compliance Implementing an EHS legal register offers numerous advantages in your pursuit of ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 compliance: Comprehensive Regulatory Oversight : An EHS legal register provides a comprehensive overview, ensuring no critical compliance requirements are missed. This helps reduce the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties.   Streamlined Compliance Processes : By consolidating regulatory information in a single location, an EHS legal register streamlines your compliance processes. It eliminates the need for time-consuming manual research and enables efficient monitoring and reporting of compliance status.   Proactive Risk Mitigation : With an up-to-date EHS legal register, you can proactively identify potential compliance risks and take corrective actions before they escalate. This proactive approach helps mitigate legal liabilities, operational disruptions, and reputational damage associated with non-compliance. Improved Resource Allocation : By clearly identifying your compliance obligations, an EHS legal register allows you to allocate resources more effectively. You can prioritise critical areas and optimise your compliance efforts, resulting in cost savings and increased operational efficiency.   Audit Readiness : An EHS legal register is an essential tool for compliance audits. It highlights your organisation's commitment to regulations and provides auditors with a clear overview of your compliance efforts. Stakeholder Confidence : By leveraging an EHS legal register, you can demonstrate transparency and accountability to stakeholders, including customers, investors, and regulatory authorities. This instils confidence in your organisation's commitment to environmental stewardship and worker safety, enhancing your reputation and credibility. Key Features of an Effective EHS Legal Register To maximise the benefits of an EHS legal register, it should incorporate the following key features: Comprehensive Coverage : An effective EHS legal register should cover all relevant EHS legislation, standards, and industry-specific requirements applicable to your organisation's operations. Regular Updates : Regulatory landscapes are constantly evolving, with new laws and amendments introduced regularly. Your EHS legal register should be updated consistently to reflect these changes, ensuring that your compliance efforts remain current and relevant. Easy to Use : It should be simple to navigate, search, and retrieve regulatory information, making compliance easier and more efficient. Customisation and Filtering : Offer the ability to customise and filter the register based on specific criteria, such as geographic location, industry sector, or regulatory domain. This tailored approach ensures that you focus on the most relevant compliance requirements for your operations. Compliance Tracking : Track and monitor compliance status, including dates, applicability, person/department in charge, and corrective actions. This ensures accountability and improves communication. Integration with Existing Systems : Seamless integration with your organisation's existing EHS management system, document management systems, and other relevant platforms ensures a streamlined and cohesive compliance management process. Access Controls and Audit Trails : Establish strong access controls and maintain an effective audit trail by implementing version control, a change log, and regular backups within your legal register document. These practices help uphold data integrity and ensure compliance. Integrating an EHS Legal Register into your Compliance Management System Integrating an EHS legal register into your compliance management system creates a unified approach to regulatory compliance and helps you make the most of the register's capabilities. To enhance this integration, align the EHS legal register with your organisation's compliance policies and procedures. Incorporating the EHS legal register into your risk management strategies helps identify potential compliance risks, assess their impact, and develop effective mitigation plans. Providing access to the register for relevant stakeholders, such as legal, operations, and environmental teams, fosters a shared understanding of compliance obligations and promotes coordinated efforts. Using the EHS legal register as a resource for training and awareness programs educates employees about relevant regulations, their roles, and the importance of compliance. Regularly reviewing and assessing the effectiveness of your compliance management system, including the integration of the EHS legal register, ensures continuous improvement and adaptability to evolving regulatory landscapes and organisational needs. Choosing the right EHS Legal Register Service Provider While developing and maintaining an EHS legal register in-house is an option, many organisations prefer to partner with specialised service providers like ESC to streamline the process and access expert knowledge. We recognise the complexities of regulatory compliance and the importance of a tailored, robust EHS legal register. Our subscription services offer clients easy access to up-to-date legal registers, ensuring ongoing compliance with all relevant regulations. ESC has provided EHS legal register services across various industries, including multinational corporations. In addition to legal register subscriptions, we offer EHS audits, training, and the development of comprehensive EHS programmes. If you're looking to enhance your compliance efforts and simplify your EHS management, subscribing to our EHS legal register services is the next step.

Image Source: Canva Stock Photos ESC is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a three-year legal register subscription deal with a leading hospital in Singapore. This partnership will enable the hospital to uphold ISO 45001 standards and strengthen its commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. By subscribing to ESC's legal register, the hospital will have access to a wide range of legal information relevant to the healthcare industry, including legislation, regulations, and standards. Throughout the project, ESC will diligently update the legal register to ensure that the healthcare institution remains in compliance with changing regulatory standards. This comprehensive strategy will assist them in identifying and mitigating risks, increasing the value of the institution's projects, and allowing them to focus on their primary objective of providing great care. The three-year subscription deal reflects the hospital's confidence in ESC's expertise and commitment to delivering high-quality legal solutions. ESC looks forward to a successful partnership with the hospital, supporting them in their legal compliance journey and contributing to their continued success.   With over two decades of experience in compliance management, ESC brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. They are well-equipped to help healthcare institutions navigate the complexities of implementing various rules, regulations, and relevant standards. Through their clear and concise summaries, interpretations, and actionable recommendations, ESC can facilitate informed decision-making within the hospital, fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and safety. Their comprehensive and integrated strategy not only ensures immediate compliance requirements are met but also establishes a solid foundation for long-term sustainability and resilience within the institution.   For companies seeking to elevate their legal compliance efforts, ESC's legal register subscription services offer an unrivaled solution. To learn more about the extensive benefits and features of this invaluable resource, please visit our product page  or contact our sales team .

The Dewan Negara , the upper house of the Parliament of Malaysia, has recently passed the Environmental Quality (Amendment) Bill 2023 . The amendments aim to strengthen enforcement, prevent environmental pollution, and increase penalties for environmental crimes in Malaysia. Here's a brief overview of the amendments and their potential implications for businesses.    The Amendments  The new bill features 28 Sections of amendments  to the existing Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974. Among key areas of change are the consolidation of two sections, namely Section 29A and 29AA to strengthen the provisions relating to open burning besides stricter pollution control measures, enhanced waste management protocols, and increased penalties for non-compliance.  The bill also emphasizes a greater responsibility on businesses to adopt sustainable practices. It mandates stricter environmental impact assessments for new projects and introduces more comprehensive reporting requirements.  Implications for Businesses  Stricter Pollution Control and Waste Management  Businesses, particularly those in the manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and tourism sectors, might need to revise their operational strategies. The new regulations demand a more rigorous approach to pollution control and waste management.  Companies will need to invest in advanced technology and infrastructure to meet the enhanced standards. They may also need to train their staff to ensure compliance with the new protocols.  Increased Penalties for Non-compliance   The amendment bill introduces stiffer penalties for businesses failing to comply with environmental regulations. This could mean stricter legal consequences such as paying a minimum fine range of not less than RM5,000, a maximum fine not exceeding RM10 million, and mandatory imprisonment not exceeding five years.   Businesses must, therefore, prioritize compliance to avoid such penalties. This might require allocating more resources towards environmental management systems and compliance checks.    Greater Responsibility and Reporting Requirements  This legislative development is crucial for businesses in Malaysia to limit their environmental impact. It highlights the increasing importance of environmental compliance and the government’s intensified efforts to enforce environmental laws.     To ensure compliance with the new bill, businesses and industries need to prioritize staying informed about the latest environmental regulations and standards. Maintaining a legal register can provide a comprehensive overview of relevant regulations, aiding businesses in staying informed and compliant. Engaging environmental consultants can also be beneficial, as they can offer expert guidance and assistance in understanding and implementing regulatory requirements, ensuring tailored compliance strategies and ongoing adherence to regulations.    If you want to understand the impact of the new Environmental Quality (Amendment) Bill 2023 on your business, feel free to contact us for assistance and information. Alternatively, you can subscribe to our legal register to receive the latest regulatory updates .       Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.

The Malaysian government has unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its occupational safety and health regulations. The highly anticipated Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022 (OSHA 2022) is poised to take effect on June 1, 2024, marking a significant milestone in the nation's commitment to ensuring a secure and healthy environment for its workforce.  This legislative revamp aims to address the evolving challenges and hazards faced by employees across various sectors, with a particular emphasis on high-risk industries such as manufacturing, construction, and mining. By introducing substantial amendments and additions to the existing Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994,  the Malaysian government seeks to foster a culture of proactive risk management and heightened accountability for employers.  Applicability of OSHA 2022 Malaysia  One of the most notable changes introduced by OSHA 2022  is the extension of its applicability to encompass all workplaces throughout Malaysia , including those in the public service and statutory authorities. This far-reaching scope underscores the government's determination to promote a pervasive culture of safety, ensuring that no sector or industry is left behind in the pursuit of a secure working environment.  Incorporating a Wider Scope for Workplace Safety  Under the previous legislation, the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994  was limited to specific industries outlined in the First Schedule, such as manufacturing, mining, construction, utilities, and finance. However, the amended act casts a wider net, encompassing any location where work is carried out , regardless of the sector or industry.  This inclusive approach acknowledges the diverse range of occupational hazards that employees may encounter and aims to provide a comprehensive framework for addressing them. By extending its reach, the government underscores its commitment to safeguarding the well-being of all Malaysian workers, fostering a culture of safety that transcends industry boundaries.  Heightened Responsibilities for Principals and Employers   In a concerted effort to enhance accountability and promote proactive measures, OSHA 2022  introduces heightened responsibilities for principals and employers. These key stakeholders are now mandated to take practical steps to ensure the safety and health  of all parties involved in the work environment, including contractors, subcontractors, and their respective employees.  Principals' Expanded Obligations   The amended act defines a "principal" as an entity that contracts with a contractor for the execution of work undertaken by the principal. Under OSHA 2022 , principals now bear the duty to ensure the safety and health of any contractor, subcontractor, or indirect contractor engaged by them, as well as their respective employees.  This expanded obligation underscores the importance of fostering a collaborative approach to workplace safety, where principals play a pivotal role in overseeing and maintaining safe practices throughout the entire operational chain.  Employers' Duty to Conduct Risk Assessments   In a proactive measure to identify and mitigate potential hazards, OSHA 2022  mandates employers and principals to conduct comprehensive risk assessments concerning the health and safety risks affecting individuals at their workplaces. Should these assessments indicate the need for risk control measures, employers and principals are obligated to implement such controls promptly.  To facilitate this process, the Malaysian government has provided the " Guidelines for Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control 2008 " as a valuable resource, empowering employers and principals to adopt a systematic approach to risk management.  Empowering Employees: Enhancing Protection and Participation   Recognizing the pivotal role of employees in fostering a safe work environment, OSHA 2022  introduces provisions aimed at enhancing their protection and encouraging their active participation in occupational safety and health initiatives.  The Right to Remove Oneself from Imminent Danger  Section 26A of the amended act grants employees the right to remove themselves from situations where they have reasonable grounds to believe there is an imminent danger at their workplace. This provision empowers employees to prioritize their safety by temporarily disengaging from hazardous conditions if the employer fails to take appropriate action.  Mandatory Appointment of Occupational Safety and Health Coordinators  To further bolster workplace safety measures, OSHA 2022  mandates the appointment of an Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator (OSH-C) for organisations with more than five employees. These trained coordinators will play a crucial role in promoting and overseeing the implementation of safety protocols, serving as dedicated resources for fostering a culture of safety within their respective workplaces.  Compulsory Occupational Safety and Health Training  To enhance workforce preparedness, Section 31A of the amended act permits the relevant ministers to mandate specific groups of individuals to participate in occupational safety and health training courses. These courses, administered by registered and competent training providers, aim to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate and mitigate potential workplace hazards effectively.  Reinforcing Compliance: Increased Penalties and Deterrents  To underscore the gravity of non-compliance and incentivize adherence to the new regulations, OSHA 2022  introduces substantial increases in penalties for employers and principals who fail to uphold their obligations.  Substantial Fines for Non-Compliance  Section 49 of the amended act outlines a significant escalation in penalties for employers and principals who fail to comply with issued notices. The maximum fine has been raised from RM50,000 (approximately USD 11,000)  to a staggering RM500,000 (approximately USD 110,000) , reflecting the government's resolute stance on enforcing workplace safety standards.  Additionally, the daily fine for continued offenses has quadrupled from RM500 (approximately USD 110)  to RM2,000 (approximately USD 440) , further discouraging prolonged non-compliance.  Reduced Imprisonment Terms  While the financial penalties have been substantially increased, the amended act has reduced the maximum imprisonment term for non-compliance from five years to two years . This adjustment aims to strike a balance between deterrence and proportionality, acknowledging the potential impact of lengthy incarceration on individuals and their families.  Clarifying Serious Bodily Injuries and Competent Persons' Responsibilities  In pursuit of greater clarity and accountability, OSHA 2022  introduces two new schedules to the act, addressing the definition of serious bodily injuries and delineating the responsibilities of competent persons and registered training providers.  The Fourth Schedule: Defining Serious Bodily Injuries  The Fourth Schedule provides a comprehensive illustration of what constitutes a "serious bodily injury" under the amended act. By clearly defining this term, the government aims to establish a common understanding and consistent application of the regulations, ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to address and prevent such incidents.  The Fifth Schedule: Outlining Responsibilities  The Fifth Schedule outlines the specific activities and obligations that must be undertaken by competent persons and registered training providers to fulfill their roles effectively. This schedule serves as a valuable reference, promoting accountability and ensuring that these key stakeholders operate within the established guidelines and best practices.  Fostering a Culture of Continuous Improvement  While the amendments introduced by OSHA 2022  represent a significant step forward in enhancing workplace safety and health, the Malaysian government recognizes the importance of continuous improvement. As such, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH)  remains committed to ongoing efforts to further refine and strengthen the regulatory framework.  Effective implementation of the amended act will require close collaboration between various stakeholders, including employers, employees, industry associations, and regulatory bodies. DOSH actively encourages open dialogue, seeking input and feedback from these parties to ensure that the regulations remain relevant, practical, and responsive to the evolving needs of the Malaysian workforce.  The DOSH acknowledges the importance of staying abreast of emerging technologies, innovative solutions, and global best practices in occupational safety and health. By fostering an environment that embraces innovation and learning, the department aims to continuously enhance its regulatory framework, ensuring that Malaysian workplaces remain at the forefront of safety and health standards.  Conclusion: Staying Ahead with Regulatory Changes  The OSHA Amendment Act 2022 represents a significant milestone in the evolution of occupational safety and health in Malaysia. These changes underscore the government's commitment to promoting a safe and healthy working environment, while emphasizing the legal obligations and responsibilities of employers and individuals at the workplace.    For legal register services related to OSHA compliance in Malaysia, contact ESC for expert guidance and support .    Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For specific legal advice, please consult a qualified EHS professional.

A leading food processing company, renowned for its iconic brands, has selected ESC to develop a comprehensive legal register for its two plant sites in Indonesia. This new project demonstrates the company's commitment to legal compliance and improving its understanding of the environmental, health & safety (EHS) regulatory framework.     The food company sought ESC's expertise for several reasons. Firstly, their existing legal register had limitations. It lacked the necessary depth and specificity to ensure compliance with local regulations at the two plant sites. Additionally, the company faced difficulties in monitoring and managing licensing requirements in these locations. The in-house team encountered a significant challenge in evaluating compliance in these areas, prompting them to seek assistance from ESC.    ESC provides a comprehensive solution for compliance with international and local Indonesian regulations. Our EHS experts are proficient in understanding and executing relevant regulations. The company chooses ESC to reduce compliance risks, stay updated with regulatory changes, and focus on core business operations. The project includes an EHS compliance audit, workforce training, and quarterly regulatory revision monitoring. The goal is to identify gaps in legal registries and enhance team knowledge, promoting adherence to changing EHS requirements and a culture of continuous improvement.    The client will benefit greatly from collaborating with ESC to create an EHS Legal Register for its two plants located in Indonesia. The Legal Register solution from ESC provides a centralised platform for managing, keeping track of, and updating legal obligations in terms of safety and environmental standards. Their operations team can save significant time and money by using ESC's solution to expedite compliance management, which would have otherwise been required for laborious monitoring procedures. The timely EHS notification alerts will allow the client to quickly adapt its processes to regulatory changes and remain compliant.     ESC is a leading provider of EHS & risk management services , specialising in legal registries and compliance evaluations for various sectors. With experience in biotech, construction, retail, F&B, healthcare, marine, aerospace, and more, ESC is committed to providing excellent EHS services across Asia and beyond.    Get in contact with us right now to find out how putting in place an EHS Legal Register may simplify the way your company operates  and successfully handle the regulatory compliance challenges.

Ensuring compliance with environmental, health, and safety (EHS) legal requirements is crucial for organisations to prevent fines, legal action, and reputational damage. An EHS legal register is a comprehensive list that companies use to keep track of all the environmental, health, and safety rules and regulations they need to follow. It's like a checklist to make sure a company is doing everything the law requires to keep people and the environment safe.   Keeping an updated EHS legal register helps identify gaps, improves coordination for EHS compliance audits, and demonstrates a commitment to worker safety, sustainability, and adhering to legal requirements. This article explores the benefits of an effective EHS legal register, best practices for creating one, and tips to streamline the process.   Understanding Legal Requirements An EHS legal register consolidates all relevant legislation in one place, making it easier to find and manage compared to trawling through numerous pieces of legislation. It helps organisations navigate the complex and divided legislative landscape across different jurisdictions to determine how the law applies to their operations. Legal registers help organisations meet ISO standards, such as ISO 14001 for environmental management. They ensure compliance with laws and regulations, keeping the organisation informed about new and updated legislation to prevent non-compliance.   Benefits of EHS Legal Register Having an EHS legal register demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to understanding and fulfilling its legal obligations. This proactive approach goes beyond mere compliance, enhancing the company’s reputation with customers and stakeholders. Legal registers provide an evidence trail, enabling organisations to consistently demonstrate compliance and promptly identify and correct non-conformities. Some of the benefits of an EHS legal register include: Mitigating Risks and Liabilities:  A consolidated list of legal obligations allows organisations to identify and develop strategies to proactively reduce potential risks.
Building Trust and Credibility:  Developing and maintaining an EHS legal register demonstrates good governance, transparency, and a commitment to regulatory compliance, fostering trust with clients, customers, and value chain partners.
Enhancing Operational Efficiency:  The legal register serves as a roadmap to navigate the complexities of ever-changing regulations, especially for businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions, practices, or industries.
Informed Decision-Making: Having detailed legal records is crucial for organisations to fully comprehend the legal implications of their business decisions at the local, regional, and corporate levels. This understanding enables them to make strategic decisions that are in line with their compliance obligations.   Building an Effective EHS Legal Register Building an effective EHS legal register requires a structured approach to consolidate relevant laws and regulations.  Whether you will use a software or an Excel spreadsheet, your legal register should contain essential information such as: The specific name of the legal authority (this could be a statute, regulation, code, or ordinance) that is applicable to your business and country in which you operate. A link to the source of relevant law or regulation. A clear and concise summary of the legal requirements. Information on the scope of jurisdiction (federal, state, or local law). An explanation of how the legal requirements relate to the activities at your site. A summary that provides details on the actions needed for compliance, including what needs to be done, how it should be done, and the timeline for these actions. Key dates related to the legal requirements, such as when they come into effect, update or amendment dates, the dates and general finding of compliance audits, and the last time the register was updated. Documentation of the individual responsible for updating the register to ensure there is accountability.   How ESC’s Dual Approach Can Help ESC provides a pair of solutions to help businesses handle their EHS legal registers efficiently. These solutions are crafted to suit different needs and preferences. Ready-to-Use Legal Register Sign up for a service that keeps the EHS legal register current without your team having to lift a finger. Get automatic updates and alerts when laws change. A straightforward option that’s saves time and effort. 2 . Custom-Made Legal Register Work with an EHS expert to create a legal register that’s tailored just for your business’s unique needs. Get personalised support and guidance from EHS professionals. End up with a legal register that’s one of kind to your company’s specific legal duties.   Choose either the hassle-free subscription or the personalised custom register to keep your business legally compliant with EHS standards . ESC’s got your back either way.   Ready to Simplify Your Legal Obligations? Don't let regulatory changes catch you by surprise. Subscribe now or contact ESC to discover how our EHS Legal Register Solution  can keep you ahead in compliance management.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) introduced last May 23 the Safety Accountability, Focus and Empowerment (SAFE) to replace the overextended Heightened Safety Period (HSP) in a bid to address the increased number of workplace major injury cases. The move was announced by Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad during the launch of the National Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Campaign 2023. The HSP, originally planned to run from September 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023, was given another three months extension to continue its momentum of stemming the tide of workplace incidents, particularly in fatality cases. During the “ heightened safety” period , companies were mandated to go through a “safety time-out” to review their existing safety procedures using a MOM-provided safety circular and checklist. Non-compliant companies were barred from hiring new foreign employees for up to three months, and a revised and more stringent demerit system was put in place for any workplace safety and health breaches, which include poor working conditions, injuries, and fatalities. Apparently, the regulation was not enough, as the number of major injury cases continues to rise despite imposed heightened safety period. While there was a significant decline in workplace fatalities, the major injury incidents rate has seen a jump, from 16.8 per 100,000 workers before the HSP to 19.2 during HSP. SAFE measures to improve WSH outcomes Despite the progress brought by the HSP, as seen in the improvement to the Construction sector, the prevailing safety issues involving major injury cases, particularly the worsening fatal and major injury rate in the Manufacturing sector, prompted the MOM to note that “This indicates the need for more sector-specific intervention to improve workplace safety outcomes.” The new Safety Accountability, Focus and Empowerment (SAFE) measures, to be carried out by the Multi-Agency Workplace Safety Taskforce (MAST), will enhance WSH ownership at the sectoral, company, and worker levels. At the same time, the new Singapore WSH measures are expected to produce more sustainable safety and risk management resolution outcomes. SAFE measures highlighted will include, but are not limited to:
Support for SMEs such as the StartSAFE program from June this year Safety Orientation Course recertification assessment for workers from January 2024 Mandatory safety course for CEO’s and board of directors of all companies in identified high-risk industries from March 2024 Required video surveillance at worksite locations with high-risk work activities from June 2024 Safety requirements in government procurement tenders and An expanded Demerit Point System to the Manufacturing sector - more details will be announced by agencies when ready. What’s at stake for companies? Companies and CEOs are faced with unprecedented uncertainties and potential concerns at the management level as the new SAFE measures are expected to be carried out within the next couple of months. But with the aim of playing a more active role and becoming more accountable to prevent fatalities and injuries and to create more overall health-conducive working conditions, company owners should strive to make workplace safety and health a top priority in their operational planning. Plus, it is also an acknowledgement that a safe and healthy working environment is a crucial factor in a business’s success. Here at ESC, we are committed to bringing innovative, practical, relevant, and sustainable solutions to help our clients meet their EHS and ESG requirements. Our team of EHS legal register experts is equipped with multidisciplinary knowledge and technical expertise that are guaranteed to provide insightful business solutions that meet local and international standards and regulations. If you want to find out more about what will be the impact of SAFE on your company’s operations, how you can fully maximize the new WSH measures, and how your company can play a more significant role to contribute to workplace safety and health solutions, please contact our local EHS compliance experts .

Managing all of your company's business information is no simple task. The amount of data that businesses must handle daily is rapidly increasing, while environmental, health and safety (EHS) legal registers are becoming more voluminous and complex. If you are a compliance manager or someone who has been tasked with interpreting the legal jargon included in EHS legislation, then you may sometimes find yourself pulling your hair out while attempting to "figure out" what it all means for your company in practice. To make matters worse, there is always the dreaded possibility of hefty fines and legal action if the requirements are not followed when they change. Understanding legal registers A legal register is a list of all the government-published Acts, Laws, Regulations, or other types of legal content that apply to a company's sector or type of business. Not only should it say which parts of the law are applicable to the çompanys' work, but it should also explain in plain language what these rules mean for the company's day-to-day operations. Although there is no international or domestic law that requires companies to keep a legal register, it may be necessary, especially if your company is ISO 14001 or ISO 45001 certified or is applying for certification. Evaluating your company's legal compliance is a multi-stage process that can take a significant amount of time. The steps to taking this process include: Assessing the legal risks associated with your business practices; Compiling a list of applicable laws to your company; Building a framework to evaluate whether or not your company is meeting the requirements; and Monitoring the applicability of the laws as your operations evolve or regulations change. Ways to soothe common compliance headaches Identifying and interpreting parts of the law relevant to your business EHS laws can be extremely dry and dizzyingly technical with an endless library of references, cross-references, legal jargon, and vague definitions. It can be time-consuming to go through hundreds of legal requirements and figure out which ones apply to your company and which ones don't. This is why many organisations turn to external legal register providers to help them be aware and understand their legal obligations and get advice on how to make sure they are compliant. Dealing with multi-jurisdictional legal registers For multinational organisations, navigating hundreds of constantly shifting legal obligations in multiple locations spread across the world is an enormously complex undertaking. Some organisations take a company-wide approach to managing EHS compliance to give them complete visibility into the compliance status of each site. They can create a country-specific legal register database to assess, record, and verify a site's compliance status at any given moment rather than waiting for an EHS audit. By taking this approach, companies can enhance their EHS performance and develop a corporate EHS compliance culture across all locations. Tracking and monitoring legislative changes To fulfil your legal requirements, companies must periodically evaluate their compliance obligations. This process involves maintaining knowledge of the compliance status, documenting their evaluations, and taking action where necessary. This is a big enough job in itself but is made even harder by the fact that EHS laws are constantly changing. When organisations stay abreast of legislative changes, they are able to provide a continuous view of the status of the evaluation process and the status of compliance for each of their site at both regional and international levels. Your regulatory compliance in safe hands If you decide to outsource the handling of your company's legal register, you want to be sure that it’s to a company you can trust. And there are few who can claim such a proven track record in regulatory compliance as ESC. Our EHS Legal Register service has been supporting numerous organisations from sectors such as the tech, oil & gas, manufacturing and other industries to meet regulatory standards in Asia and beyond. In doing so, we have developed a strong working relationship with the various national government agencies charged with enforcing the laws. In letting us take charge of your legal register, you can dedicate more time to your organisation’s core activities, safe in the knowledge that your EHS compliance is taken care of.

In late March 2022, The Parliament of Malaysia issued a new Occupational Safety and Health Amended Act (OSHA) . The new rules will apply to both public and private employers to enhance workplace compliance and will come into effect by 2023. To help Malaysian businesses stay informed about the rule changes, we list down some of the most significant revisions to the OSHA Amendment Act 2022 to the existing regulations. 1. OSHA 2022 will apply to nearly all the country’s workplaces , with exceptions for shipping merchants, within armed forces and in domestic employment settings. Currently, the previous OSHA Act only applies to certain industries such as manufacturing, hospitality, and construction. 2. Integration of the OSHA Act 1994 and the Factories and Machinery Act (FMA) 1967 provisions into one comprehensive piece of health and safety legislation. 3. Provisions to make principal and immediate employers responsible for the health and safety of any contractors or subcontractors hired to work on their facilities. 4. The new law mandates that companies not required to employ a Safety and Health Officer (SHO), will now need to appoint one of their workers as a health and safety coordinator. 5. Increased penalties are also set out for employers and individuals found to breach the new rules. Companies found who neglect their health and safety duties will be liable to pay up to 500,000 MYR in fines – a tenfold increase on the previous maximum penalty. The OSHA 2022 reforms present a significant challenge to companies in Malaysia in adapting to the new regulatory framework. With the introduction of 27 new sections, ESC’s legal register solutions are more valuable to its Malaysian clients than ever. The Legal Register update from ESC will support its clients in the country in smoothly navigating the regulatory changes. If you want to learn more about Malaysia's OSHA Amendment Act and see how it might affect your business, please contact our local Legal Register experts.

According to the annual workplace technology reports, construction, manufacturing, and transportation and storage remain the top 3 industries with the most workplace injuries. Such industrial fields are most likely to be expanded on multiple sites with large surfaces, which actually makes permits to work a necessary element in the process of risk and fatality prevention.  Nowadays, specialists are working on e-Permit to Work (e-PTW) as a solution to prevent workplace risks and optimise the equipment certification process as an alternative to the long paperwork process of the traditional Permit to Work.  Many companies still use paper and spreadsheet-based systems for their PTW. This leads to three main complications:  The manual process takes a long time. There are increased risks (loss of paper, damage, and traceability). Verification is often difficult. So what are the most significant challenges imposed by the traditional PTW? How could they be optimised by an e-PTW? And which goals can the e-PTW contribute to achieving among those set in the industry? This guide should help you undertake the digitization of your Permit to Work System. What do experts say? “BlueKanGo’s No-Code Platform Empowers Firms To Configure Safety Management Workflows To Their Specific Needs” - Verdantix Download the free guide now!

For any business operating in the real estate sector, managing health and safety risks is a day-to-day concern. In larger companies, the burden of maintaining safety standards for tenants; tracking incidents; and managing work permits and fit out permits across various work facilities can be time consuming and inefficient. This is why more and more facilities management companies are discovering the benefits of going digital with their EHS compliance systems. Having recently been adopted by one of the world's largest facilities managements (FM) companies, ESC’s e-Permit to Work system (e-PTW) is one of the best options out there. Here we list five ways that e-PTW software can improve EHS standards at your company. 1. Meet safety standards with ease. For any company managing a portfolio of facilities, ensuring EHS compliance across all premises at any given time is a huge task. ESC’s intuitive, cloud-based software gives EHS managers visual access to work permits at all their company’s facilities on a centralised database, making it easy to prioritise tasks. What’s more, the EHS systems can be updated over time, ensuring pain-free adaptation to any regulatory changes and smooth expansion into new projects. 2. Ensure better overall safety standards. Keeping track of planned work procedures and ensuring management systems in any facility are vital for maintaining high safety standards. The e-PTW system can record procedures for requesting, reviewing, authorising, documenting, and deconflicting tasks and then visualise the data, allowing building managers to quickly verify that workers have the appropriate authorisation to carry out tasks. The software also allows users to define safeguards to follow before, during, and after work, enabling EHS managers to identify risks and put preventative measures in place. 3. Reduce administrative burden The more time and money a company spends on admin tasks, the less it can spend on growing the business. The e-PTW software lets companies manage all their facilities on one central platform, thus cutting out the types of administrative bottlenecks that can typically occur in large organisations. Work requiring the cooperation of multiple departments, stakeholders, and tenants is streamlined, with an electronic paper trail being compiled. All this means that your company can complete its due diligence with fewer resources being spent. 4. Foster good tenant relations A successful business needs to keep its customers happy, and the primary customers for facilities management companies are their tenants. With an e-PTW system, tenants can apply for work permits swiftly and efficiently without the need to go through paper-based procedures, and approvals can be completed much more quickly. ESC’s e-PTW software platform operates as a tenant maintenance management system and can be accessed from anywhere by tenants to apply for work permits and request building maintenance. An automated alert is sent to the building manager, who can immediately review and authorise the work to be carried out. In this way, building problems can be fixed before they get out of hand, and the company can develop its reputation as a conscientious landlord. 5. Make data-driven improvements One of the most difficult challenges any manager faces is making systemic changes that lead to visible improvements. Due to a lack of reliable data, adjustments are often made through intelligent guesswork or trial and error. The built-in analytics monitoring tool compiles historical and real-time EHS data and puts it at the manager’s fingertips, making for intuitive, visual data analysis, strategic insights, and surefire decision making. Innovating and levelling up tenant management ESC’s e-PTW software has been developed on the back of years of experience and innovation working alongside some of the biggest names in the real estate industry. The company’s unrivalled track record in EHS consultancy make its e-PTW the obvious choice for any facilities management company looking to benefit from all the advantages that a digital work permit system can provide. If you would like to see the benefits firsthand, click here to book a free demo.

A QRA is a valuable tool for determining the risks associated with (petro) chemical processes, transportation, and or storage of dangerous substances. In Singapore, QRA is a requirement by the Major Hazard Department (MHD) which consists of several agencies like the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the National Environment Agency (NEA), and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). The results of the QRA provide Singapore’s MHD with the information they need to assess the acceptability of new projects against predefined risk thresholds. The assessments can also be used to inform emergency response plans and to recommend measures to ensure any observed hazards are kept as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
Section 26 of the Environmental Protection and Management Act, the Fire Safety Act and Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations empower the Singapore Authorities to require the Responsible Party (the owner/occupier) for a hazardous installation to conduct hazard/ risk impact studies. The scope of work of the QRA comprises the following: Hazard identification – a qualitative review of possible accidents that may occur (based on industrial accident records or, as necessary, professional judgment) involving the hazardous substances stored and/or utilised by the project; Scenario identification – definition of the specific scenarios to be studied in this QRA, with each scenario assigned a unique identification code or isolatable section number; Event tree and frequency analysis – determination of the frequency or likelihood of occurrence of all identified scenarios; Consequence modelling – determination of the consequence distances (harm zones) that would result from the realisation of each scenario identified by the outcome, e.g. pool fire, jet fire, BLEVE (a boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion), fireball, flash fire, vapour cloud explosion (VCE), pressure vessel burst (for example due to runaway reaction or internal explosion), and toxic release; QRA Results – summation of consequences and frequencies of all isolatable sections to determine the Individual Risk (IR) of fatality (on and offsite), injury, cumulative escalation (offsite), and to individuals in onsite occupied buildings, together with the identification of specified harm zones; Comparison with PCD Risk Acceptance Criteria – provide the authorities with the appropriate information to facilitate land use planning in the vicinity of the hazardous installation; Prioritisation & ALARP assessment – recommendation of mitigation measures, as and where required, to reduce risks or manage the hazards; and Emergency Response Planning - facilitate the development of an emergency response plan (ERP) to deal with all possible accident scenarios.
ESC is a registered QRA Consultant with the National Environment Agency (NEA) and has conducted numerous QRAs for our clients in Singapore. For more information or assistance in performing a comprehensive QRA for your facilities, please get in touch with our team of experts or visit our contact page.