Nerds Gone Wild- Maintaining EHS Compliance in Research and Development

In today's world of increasing technology and advanced new products, more and more companies are investing heavily in R&D and new product development. Scientists, engineers, and marketing staff are always pushing to have that next great seller, and have it out on the market before the competition. Unfortunately this can potentially result in certain areas being overlooked, and one of those areas is Environmental Health and Safety compliance. Without a structured system in place to ensure environmental regulations are followed and worker health and safety is considered, that next great product could be the next great recall or next great environmental fine.

It is essential for a company's Environmental Health and Safety staff to be involved in new product development from start to finish, and that this be in the form of a structured system that allows R&D staff to work their magic while still working within regulations and safety. This presentation will describe how to put in place and maintain that structured system, from initial R&D work to production transition to product compliance in the global marketplace.

Topics will include:

1) Chemical Use- R&D vs. Production Quantities, Chemical Substitution, TSCA/REACH concerns

2) Safety- Laboratory Safe Development Practicies, Transition to Full Production, Final Product Safety

3) Environmental Regulations- R&D Exemptions, Plant Compliance, Global Regulatory Compliance

4) Making New Products Sustainable- Chemical Substitution, Recycling from the Start, Marketing Content/Claims

Along the way, the presentation will provide example forms and flow charts that EHS staff can use in their company.