Sign up to learn when the next
legislative article is published
Email:

 

Upcoming Training Events

Please check back for a list of upcoming training events.

Training Services
Beyond Compliance offers the following training services to business, government entities and individuals. We can provide customized onsite training as well as computer based training.

Environmental Auditing

Introductory course covering the basic techniques of environmental auditing. The course describes the roles of the auditor and of the staff who is subject to the audit. The course also describes liability issues and covers a brief overview of the environmental programs subject to an audit.

Course Objective:

To provide students with the necessary training and background materials to help them prepare for an audit or an environmental agency inspection. Additionally, this course is intended to assist internal auditors in performing effective audits. At the conclusion of the course, students will have basic knowledge of audit approaches and techniques as well as the relevant environmental rules and work practices that are evaluated during an environmental audit.

Course Overview:

  • Environmental Liability
  • Audit Programs
  • Audit Activities
  • Media discussions, including: Air Quality, Solid and Hazardous Waste, Water Quality, Toxics, POLs and Storage Tanks, Hazardous Materials and Spill and Contingency Reporting

Environmental Management System (EMS) Training

Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) can help facilities systematically improve environmental performance and realize opportunities for cost savings through operational efficiencies and process optimization. Learn about the innovative practices being employed by industry leaders and government organizations to decrease their environmental footprint, enhance efficiency, and save money. This course provides an overview of all the EMS steps, significant aspects and impacts, documentation, monitoring and measurement. It also includes a discussion of sustainability frameworks to optimize your EMS performance. This course is recommended for business professionals seeking regulatory relief corporate environmental managers, federal, state and local agency environmental managers, environmental consultants, environmental policy makers, environmental lawyers, and socially responsible investors.

Course Objective:

After attending, students should be able to begin development of their own EMS or have the tools available to optimize their facility's EMS operations.

Course Overview:

  • Sustainability Frameworks
  • ISO 14001 (See regulatory update training as well)
  • EMS Drivers
  • EMS Steps
  • Compliance Management Systems (CMS)
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Hazardous Waste Management Initial/Refresher Training

This course describes the hazardous waste regulatory requirements as they relate to hazardous waste compliance activities with a particular focus on hazardous waste generator requirements. This comprehensive course is designed to provide an overview of up-to-date California and federal hazardous waste regulations including emergency response.

Course Objective:

This course satisfies the hazardous waste management initial and refresher training requirement as required by applicable federal and California regulations including 22 CCR 66262.34 and 66265.16. At the conclusion of the course, participants will be aware of the regulations and work practices regarding hazardous waste management and will be up-to-date with regulatory changes and will have an understanding of the following:

  • Solid and hazardous waste characterization
  • Container management and accumulation requirements
  • Emergency response
  • Waste minimization requirements
  • The impacts of hazardous waste on an individual's job responsibilities, both on a daily basis and in an emergency response situation
  • Key differences between California's hazardous waste laws and the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Course Overview:

Topics covered include the following:

  • Miscellaneous Waste (Used Oil, Empty Containers, & Universal Waste)
  • Waste Identification & Determination
  • Waste Accumulation
  • Contingency Plans and Emergency Response
  • Record-keeping and Reporting
  • Waste Minimization
  • Waste Transfer
  • Common Hazardous Waste Findings

Universal Waste Management

This course is designed to be both an initial and refresher course as required by federal (40 CFR 273) and California (22 CCR 66273) requirements. It includes comprehensive instruction and overview of Universal Waste Management procedures, including federal, state and local regulatory requirements. Typical universal waste findings are also discussed.

Course Objective:

At the conclusion of the course, participants will have basic and up-to-date knowledge of the regulations and work practices regarding universal waste management.

Course Overview:

  • Universal Waste Types (batteries, fluorescent bulbs, cathode ray tubes, etc.)
  • Management
  • Storage
  • Spill Response

California Environmental Legislative/Regulatory Update

Beyond Compliance reviews and analyzes new California environmental, health & safety legislative and regulatory developments each year and delivers classes and seminars providing a summary of these developments for industry associations, University extension courses, and on-site seminars for individual businesses. Presentations range from a 1 hour "brownbag" session to a half day and include "visioning" forecasts for policies and trends in addition to recently passed legislation. Beyond Compliance staff regularly publish journal articles describing these developments. This service satisfies the ISO 14001 EMS requirement to stay on top of evolving regulations.

Course Objective:

To familiarize the student with all the pending and proposed legislative and regulatory developments.

Air quality programs and compliance

Overview of the federal, state, and county air quality laws as they relate to shop level compliance activities. This comprehensive course is designed to describe relevant air quality rules as well as to familiarize personnel with the air quality program and air quality permit requirements and conditions. The course provides a regulatory review and update; also examines the impact of air quality regulations on operations. Permitting actions and air emission inventory updates will be covered.

Course Objective:

Provide students training and education to identify whether activities are subject to air permit requirements and to orient personnel to compliance with permit and other air quality requirements. At the conclusion of the course, students will have knowledge of county, state, and federal air quality rules, regulations, installation permit conditions, and work practices. Clean Air Act (CAA) for Air Quality Managers

Course Overview:

  • Air Quality Basics
  • National and California Ambient Air Quality Standards
  • New Particulate and Ozone Standards
  • Air quality permitting and permit Conditions (including asbestos program)
  • Accidental Release Prevention

Hazardous chemical management and compatibility

Comprehensive instruction on hazardous material storage and compatibility requirements as they relate to shop level activities. This course will cover how to check for compatibility, packaging and storage requirements while on base, what to do to move material around the base, signage requirements, and training. Typical audit findings will be evaluated and discussed.

Course Objective:

Upon completion of this course, students will have an understanding of the following:

  • Definition of a HAZMAT
  • Storage requirements (e.g., segregation, compatibility, etc.)
  • Facility/equipment requirements (e.g., cabinet structure, venting, etc.)
  • Where to turn to for help

Course Overview:

  • Regulatory Background
  • Terms
  • OSHA Applicability to DoD
  • Types of Hazardous Materials
  • Hazard Communication
  • Storage and Handling
  • Transportation
  • Right-to-Know

Spill prevention, control and countermeasure (required SPCC training)

This training is required for personnel who operate tanks and other vessels that store petroleum products. The course is focused on instructing personnel on the operation and maintenance of equipment to prevent the discharge of oil to the environment. This course can also be expanded to cover how to write SPCC plans, and how to plan for an audit. Course Objective: Provide students the necessary required training according to 40 CFR 112.7 (e)(10)(i).

Course Overview:

  • Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan (SPCC) and applicability
  • Elements of an SPCC Plan
  • Secondary containment and engineering features
  • Operational requirements such as drainage and inspection
  • California requirements
  • Common audit findings
  • Regulatory History and program background
  • SPCC review

Water quality programs and compliance

Overview of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), including the respective California programs. Impact on the facility water quality program by operations will be examined. Compliance requirements, including monitoring, reporting, and record-keeping will be covered. Intended as an update course for individuals who work in the water quality program, or an introductory class for engineers and planners working issues that affect water quality. This course incorporates material from the 2-hour Storm Water Pollution Prevention Course.

Course Objective:

Provide students the necessary education and background to plan for and participate in a successful comprehensive water quality program. At the conclusion of the course, students will have basic knowledge of appropriate rules, regulations, and work practices regarding wastewater, storm water, and potable water systems.

Course Overview:

  • CWA Overview (including NPDES)
  • Waste Discharge Requirements
  • California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act
  • General Overview of Storm Water Pollution Prevention
  • Inspection and Monitoring Requirements
  • Oil-Water Separator Issues
  • SDWA Review
  • Cross-connections and Backflow Prevention

Storm water management

Provide students the necessary training and education to participate in a successful storm water pollution prevention program. Overview of pertinent rules and regulations and best management practices regarding storm water management will be presented.

Course Objective:

Provide students the necessary training and education to participate in a successful storm water pollution prevention program. At the conclusion of the course, students will have basic knowledge of appropriate rules, regulations and work practices regarding hazardous materials, POLs, and waste management techniques involved in storm water pollution prevention.

Course Overview:

  • What is Storm Water Pollution?
  • Sewer Systems
  • General Overview of the Clean Water Act Requirements
  • Base Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program
  • Best Management Practices (BMPs)
  • Spills and Inspections
  • Oil/Water Separators
  • Questions
  • Storm Water Pollution Prevention Video
  • Oil/water Separator Video

California environmental quality act (CEQA) and the national environmental policy act (NEPA)

An examination of the federally based NEPA and California's similar CEQA program. The course explains which development projects are covered by CEQA/ NEPA, and provides an overview of the requirements that covered projects must meet: including the environmental assessment analysis, documentation and procedures incorporating case law precedent.

Course Objective:

Students will gain an understanding of the steps required to complete a mandatory CEQA or NEPA process and potential pitfalls.

Course Overview:

  • The basics of the CEQA/NEPA processes and how they differ
  • General applicability including exemptions and exceptions
  • The agencies involved in the process
  • Environmental Assessment documents ("initial study", "environmental assessment", "environmental impact reports" and statements) as well as the "significant effect" test
  • Contents of an EIR; the required analyses and considerations
  • Practice tips

CERCLA/RCRA corrective action and brownfields introduction

Comprehensive instruction and overview of the federal, state, and local regulatory requirements regarding hazardous substances and brownfields cleanup, assessments and remediation. In addition, this course presents the regulatory process governing site assessment and remediation in California and takes an in-depth look at federal, state and local programs dealing with the regulatory framework governing Superfund, Brownfields, RCRA Corrective Action, and California-based cleanup programs. Topics include California Superfund program (Carpenter, Presley, Tanner Act), cleanup and abatement orders, release reporting, the National Contingency Plan (NCP), the administrative record and the hazard ranking system, among other topics.

Course Objective:

At the conclusion of the course, students will have basic knowledge of appropriate regulations and work practices subject to hazardous waste management and cleanup requirements.

Course Overview:

  • The overall intent of RCRA and CERCLA
  • Solid and hazardous waste characterization
  • Container management and accumulation requirements
  • Shop level emergency response
  • Waste minimization goals and requirements
  • RI/FS process
  • RODs
  • ARARs
  • RD/RA process
  • Safety issues

The natural step, GRI and other sustainability programs

Beyond Compliance offers customized sustainability seminars for groups of 15 or more. These seminars are designed for collaborative teams within a company, or for a mix of companies and other organizations tackling cross-industry problems such as sustainable hardware, energy, supply chain strategies, packaging, design, etc. The Beyond Compliance advisory team may also draw upon our partners in the design and facilitation of these 2 - 4 day intensive sessions, as the topic and size demands.

Course Objective:

The Sustainability Seminars are designed for teams of people interested in learning how to use systems thinking and principles of sustainability to create a vision for sustainability in their organization, and how to analyze, plan, launch and measure sustainability initiatives.

Environmental legislation and new regulations

Basic environmental regulation course providing a general overview of the federal, state and local regulations governing air quality, water quality, hazardous wastes, and other environmental programs. The course surveys the basics of federal and environmental programs and orients staff to general compliance practices.

Course Objective:

Overall objective is to provide students with information needed to ensure their activities do not put their companies at risk for environmental enforcement action. At the conclusion of the course, students will have basic knowledge of appropriate regulations affecting the environmental mission. Students will be able to determine whether an activity raises an environmental issue.

Course Overview:

  • Introduction and Overview of Environmental Programs
  • Environmental Liability
  • Slide Tour of Environmental Problems/Situations
  • Media discussions, including the topics listed: Air Quality, Solid and Hazardous Waste, Water Quality, Toxics, POLs and Storage Tanks Hazardous Materials, Spill and Contingency Reporting

PCB awareness

Basic awareness training for operations and maintenance personnel who may come into contact with PCBs in the course of their duties.

Course Objective:

Provide students an overview of applicable federal, state and Air Force regulations and policies regarding PCB management. Overall objective is to provide students with information needed to ensure their activities do not put themselves at risk when managing PCBs and PCB-containing equipment. At the conclusion of the course, students will have basic knowledge of appropriate regulations and work practices regarding PCB management.

Course Overview:

  • PCB Overview
  • Health Hazards
  • PCB Management, Storage, and Disposal
  • PCB as a "California-only" hazardous waste
  • Regulation of PCB