Frequently Asked Questions –

HSE stands for Health, Safety, and Environment. HSE encompasses a range of practices, policies, and regulations to minimize hazards, prevent accidents and injuries, and promote sustainable practices. HSE is vital for safeguarding the health and safety of individuals, protecting the environment, and maintaining sustainable operations across different sectors. There are two objectives HSE is generally responsible for:

prevention of all incidents and accidents that can result from peculiar operating conditions reduction of harmful effects that may result from normal operating conditions

As an example, dealing with fire, explosions, and harmful substances in the work environment is a type of the first objective while reducing a company’s carbon footprint and its impact on the environment is a type of the second objective. In both objectives, incorporating regulatory requirements inside a company’s written policies plays an essential role in developing measures that serve the company’s needs while conforming to state and federal regulations.

What is the meaning of environmental health and safety management?

8. What is EHS and QMS? – EHS and QMS are two separate but related concepts. A QMS is a quality management system that integrates quality assurance activities with those of environmental health and safety. An EHS management system is focused on the prevention of environmental contamination, injuries, and illnesses.

QMS stands for quality management system. A QMS is a quality management system that integrates quality assurance activities with those of environmental health and safety. An EHS management system is focused on the prevention of environmental contamination, injuries, and illnesses. EHS stands for environment, health, and safety.

The meaning of EHS is the protection of people, property, and the environment from potential harm. The key components of an EHS management system are risk assessment, policy development, training, communication, monitoring and corrective action.

What is the difference between EHS and OHS?

What is environmental health? – In contrast to occupational health, which is particularly focused on workplace hazards, environmental health seeks to prevent human injuries and illnesses on a much broader scale. Professionals in this field work to identify and evaluate hazardous agents that may impact the public well-being, such as industrial pollution and biological pathogens.

Experts carefully assess the quality of air, soil, water, and food to pinpoint present and future risks that may lead to large-scale health problems if left unchecked. Once identified, public health officials take decisive action through public awareness campaigns and policy recommendations, focusing on the interrelationships between people and their environment.

This field of study is often community-focused, as the policies and programs it creates aim to improve the living conditions of every citizen by targeting the region-specific health hazards they face. Organizations like the National Environmental Health Association push for sustainable solutions to some of the most complex exposure risks, which often require protective intervention to mitigate.

• Government agencies play a critical role in this process, as many issues are too large to solve through nonprofit efforts alone.
• Environmental health initiatives are grounded in rigorous research and evidence-based communication models, highlighting the need for public health professionals who have a passion for science.

Some popular career paths in this subfield include:

Environmental Specialists: These experts apply their knowledge of the natural sciences to develop comprehensive strategies for improving the environment and human health, often in partnership with lawmakers and industry leaders. Epidemiologists: Professionals in this public health field study how and where disease outbreaks start and spread, using the data they gather to develop and improve existing medical treatments and prevention strategies.

What are the objectives of environmental health and safety?

Establishment of objectives and targets is very important for the success of environmental health and safety management system. Different organizations adopt approaches that suite their needs and organizational structure. But ultimate goal is to achieve best results and save some money that goes in different forms of penalties or lost working hours.

Ensure the highest standard of health and safety, and the lowest environmental impact; Elimination of Class 1 personal damage; Systematic reduction of Class 2 and 3 personal damage; Compliance with legislative and customers requirements; Providing and maintaining a culture of free and honest incident and accident reporting; Establish clear quality, health and safety and environmental objectives and targets; Provide all necessary resources to ensure a safe place of work and safe systems of work; Maintaining a focus on occupational health and health surveillance where required. Provide an effective system of work related injury and illness rehabilitation. Provide all necessary information, training, and supervision to all its personnel and subcontractors; Continually improve through regular performance reviews.

In line with the above, Safety targets are:

What are the elements of EHS management system?

EHS Standards – Pfizer’s EHS Standards make up the third tier of the documentation structure. A list of list of Pfizer’s Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Standards can be found on page 5 of this document. The Standards are arranged into four categories: These Standards provide the framework for EHS risk management, incorporating many key elements to successful EHS management such as regulatory compliance, risk assessment, communication, self audit, and senior leadership engagement.

• This group of documents sets expectations for management and control of many important EHS programs including workplace safety, occupational hygiene, fire and life safety, and environmental impact reduction.
• These Standards describe Pfizer’s performance expectations for these programs and include mandatory requirements where appropriate.

These Standards address key program areas across Pfizer businesses such as office safety, fleet operations, contractor safety and EHS risk from suppliers of materials and services. These Standards ensure our operations maintain appropriate programs and processes to protect the continuity of critical activities necessary to deliver safe and effective products to patients.

Assess and prioritize risksEstablish goals to address highest priority risks and opportunitiesDocument the processes used to accomplish those goalsEvaluate progress and adjust processes as needed to address issues and ensure continual improvement

The Plan-Do-Check-Act model of Pfizer‘s EHSMS conforms to external management system recognition standards such as ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and OHSA VPP and is considered at least equivalent to these standards. Pfizer recognizes that external certifications (for example ISO 14001, ISO 45001, OSHA VPP) play a role in assuring performance, but certification does not benefit all sites equally.

• We evaluate on a case by case basis to determine whether certification would bring benefit to a site.
• Our internal EHS audit program is used to inform these decisions, and provide assurance of robust EHSMS at all sites.
• Pfizer leadership is accountable for ensuring compliance with EHS Standards.
• Leadership teams are responsible for assigning responsibilities and providing resources to ensure compliance with performance expectations.

Business units, divisions and facilities are responsible for implementing EHS Standards applicable to their operations (by referring to the Scope and Applicability sections of the Standard). Implementation Documents Implementation Documents make up the fourth and final tier of the structure.

What are the two standards for EHS management system?

ISO 45001 – In 2018, the International Standards Organization (ISO) established a new standard for Occupational Health and Safety. EH&S adopted the new standard in 2018 and is registered to the standard. : ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 Standards – Environmental Health and Safety | University of South Carolina

What is the difference of safety and health hazards?

Key Differences Between Health and Safety Hazards – Health and safety hazards are two distinct categories of risks individuals may encounter in various settings. While both types of hazards can negatively impact the well-being of individuals, they differ in terms of their causes, effects, and management strategies. Here are some key differences between health and safety hazards:

Causes: Health hazards are typically associated with exposure to harmful substances, such as chemicals, biological agents, or physical factors. On the other hand, safety hazards are generally associated with exposure to dangerous conditions or situations, such as malfunctioning equipment or unsafe practices. Effects: Health hazards can lead to immediate or long-term health effects, depending on the nature and duration of exposure. In contrast, safety hazards primarily pose a risk of immediate physical injury. Apparent nature: Some health hazards, like asbestos, may not be immediately apparent and can cause long-term harm. Most safety hazards, however, are readily visible and pose immediate risks. Age relevance: Health hazards can affect people of all ages, while safety hazards are often more relevant to vulnerable populations, such as children and the elderly, who may be at a higher risk of injury. Regulations: Health hazards are generally regulated by occupational health and safety laws, while safety hazards are typically overseen by consumer protection laws, Causality: Some health hazards, such as noise pollution, can result from safety hazards. Others, like radiation exposure, are not directly associated with safety hazards. Control measures: Health hazards can be managed through engineering and administrative controls, like proper ventilation and hazard communication. On the other hand, safety hazards are often controlled through physical barriers, warnings, and personal protective equipment. Settings: Health hazards can be present in various environments, including workplaces and homes. Safety hazards are commonly associated with workplace settings but can occur in other environments. Consumer products: Some health hazards, like lead poisoning, can result from exposure to consumer products, while others, such as skin cancer, can stem from environmental factors like sun exposure. Management strategies: Health hazards can be managed through various methods, including hazard communication, occupational hygiene, and medical surveillance. In contrast, safety hazards are typically managed through engineering controls, warnings, and personal protective equipment. Exposure routes: Health hazards can enter the body through various routes, such as inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption. Safety hazards typically cause harm through direct physical contact or impact. Monitoring and surveillance: Health hazards often necessitate ongoing monitoring and surveillance to detect changes in exposure levels or health outcomes. Safety hazards typically require regular inspections and maintenance to prevent incidents.

By understanding these differences between health and safety hazards, organizations and individuals can more effectively identify, assess, and manage the risks associated with each type of hazard, ultimately promoting a safer and healthier environment for all.

What is the difference between safety and health hazards?

• Categorized under Health | Differences between health hazards and safety hazards Recently, there have been many concerns regarding the health and safety of employees working in various organizations and industries. With the growth of human welfare departments that try their best to ensure that employees are made to work in the best of conditions and are not exposed to health or safety risks; it has become common to come across a number of health and safety measures being deployed.

• Be it an employed worker, an ad-hoc employee or a person on a factory tour, the first thing that they are briefed about are the health and safety hazards.
• Usually, as in the cases discussed, health and safety hazards are discussed together and although both are equally important, they are different.
• There might be situations where one of them is more important than the other.

The word hazard which is common to both is a potential source of harm or an adverse health effect on the person involved. To understand the difference between the two types of hazards, we first need to understand the difference between health and safety.

• Health is described as the level of efficiency of the functioning of an individual’s body.
• A good state of health implies lack of illness, pain or injury.
• Safety on the other hand refers to a state of being safe, that is, a condition whereby one is protected against physical, social, emotional etc.
• Consequences of failure or any undesirable events.

Health hazards usually affect a person’s health and bring about delayed results. For example a person working in the coal mines is at an increased health risk of developing lung related diseases in the future. Safety is slightly different in this regard.

Safety hazards increase the risk level to which a person is exposed and can bring about immediate affects if not dealt with properly. An example can be of a construction worker falling from the ladder and injuring his skull since he did not use the advised safety helmet. Moreover, health risks may not always be understood or very well defined and sometimes even the cause-effect relationship is not established.

It is difficult to firmly conclude the effects of health risks since they usually appear after a long time and there are a number of factors at work. Safety is one thing that is quite clearly prescribed and the possible effects of not following safety tips can almost always be described and warned about.

1. Since safety risks have an immediate effect, the importance of safety methods and equipment has been emphasised upon for quite some time now.
2. However, health risks which usually take a longer time to show their effects have only been recently addressed with the increase in research, technology and accurate experiments.

This is one of the main reasons that during the past few years, health concerns have attracted widespread publicity and the attention of various NGO(s). Where it is easy to collect and infer data regarding safety, which can be further used to increase safety; studying health risks, collecting data for it and connecting it to its cause, which is usually way back in the past, is very difficult.

1. This makes it almost impossible to act in a proactive manner to decrease health risks although this is very much possible if the risk involved is a safety risk.
2. A few examples of the two types of hazards will further help to differentiate the two.
3. Health hazards include pollution, harmful emissions, exposure to toxic substances etc.

Safety risks include being accidentally hit by moving parts of machinery in a factory which can cause injuries, dislocations or even fractures.

What are the five objectives of environmental?

The Objectives of Environmental Education include promoting environmental awareness, encouraging environmentally responsible behavior, and developing an environmental ethic that promotes an understanding of the ecological interdependence of the social, political, and economic spheres.

What are the four environmental objectives?

What exactly is the EU taxonomy? – The EU taxonomy regulation describes a framework to classify “green” or “sustainable” economic activities executed in the EU. Previously, there was no clear definition of green, sustainable or environmentally friendly economic activity.

The EU taxonomy regulation creates a clear framework for the concept of sustainability, exactly defining when a company or enterprise is operating sustainably or environmentally friendly. Compared to their competitors, these companies stand out positively and thus should benefit from higher investments.

Thereby, the legislation aims to reward and promote environmentally friendly business practices and technologies. The focus lays on the following six environmental objectives:

Climate change mitigation Climate change adaptation Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources Transition to a circular economy Pollution prevention and control Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems

To be classified as a sustainable economic activity according to the EU taxonomy regulation, a company must not only contribute to at least one environmental objective but also must not violate the remaining ones. An activity aiming to mitigate the climate but at the same time also negatively affecting biodiversity cannot be classified as sustainable.

The economic activity contributes to one of the six environmental objectives The economic activity does ‘no significant harm’ (DNSH) to any of the six environmental objectives The economic activity meets ‘minimum safeguards’ such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to not have a negative social impact The economic activity complies with the technical screening criteria developed by the EU Technical Expert Group

The fourth criterion of the EU taxonomy refers to technical solutions for emission reduction and is so far based on a draft by the Technical Expert Group from 2020. In April 2021, the first details for the two environmental objectives of climate change mitigation and adaptation were released.

What do you mean by environmental health?

“Many communities lack access to nutritious, affordable food; are denied safe places to walk and exercise; or live near polluting factories. The health risks for these families are greater. We support research and action to help ensure healthy environments for all.” -APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin Environmental health is the branch of public health that: focuses on the relationships between people and their environment; promotes human health and well-being; and fosters healthy and safe communities.

What do you mean by environmental health?

“Many communities lack access to nutritious, affordable food; are denied safe places to walk and exercise; or live near polluting factories. The health risks for these families are greater. We support research and action to help ensure healthy environments for all.” -APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin Environmental health is the branch of public health that: focuses on the relationships between people and their environment; promotes human health and well-being; and fosters healthy and safe communities.

What are the two standards for EHS management system?

ISO 45001 – In 2018, the International Standards Organization (ISO) established a new standard for Occupational Health and Safety. EH&S adopted the new standard in 2018 and is registered to the standard. : ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 Standards – Environmental Health and Safety | University of South Carolina

Jack Gloop