As the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” When it comes to a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) conducted as part of due diligence prior to the purchase or sale of a facility (see previous article), it couldn’t be more true. Although all Phase I ESAs should be conducted by an experienced environmental professional to industry standards (following ASTM Standard E1527-13), the level of quality you actually get can vary widely. graces of regulators.
You no doubt have any number of environmental permits related to the work done at your facility. As a good facility or plant manager, you want to stay in compliance, after all. But simply acquiring permits and doing the associated monitoring or other tasks is only the first step in truly staying in the good graces of regulators.
If you’ve ever bought a house, you know a critical part of the process is the home inspection conducted by a certified professional. It’s not a 100% guarantee the inspector will find every issue. But, more than likely, any big-ticket items are going to be identified and, as a result, you can certainly rest easier when you sign on the dotted line.en’t easily reached.
With all the things you have to worry about inside your facility when it comes to environmental, health and safety… it’s all too easy to forget about what’s going on with the exterior, especially areas that aren’t easily reached.
