Boost the performance of your organization with an AS 9100 Certification

AS9100 is the Internationally Recognised Quality Management System for the aerospace industry. This standard is a requirement among the many manufacturers who supply into the Aerospace industry. It demonstrates that your organization meets the necessary regulatory and statutory requirements associated within this industry.

With the United States the largest aerospace market, a new global demand for aerospace products will mean a 2.9% increase in US production in 2018 and a predicted 3.4% rise in 2019, thus forecasting a period of steep growth within the industry.

Gaining accreditation of AS9100 will ensure your company has not only met all regulatory and statutory requirements but it demonstrates a commitment to Quality within your organisation.

Implementation of AS9100 Quality Management System into your organization will ensure your company Quality Objectives are achieved and continual improvements implemented. This standard focuses on reducing risk, reducing inefficiencies within your operations and increasing customer satisfaction across your products & services. It similarly to other standards, follows the plan-do-check-act cycle, ensuring continual improvement within your organization.

Accreditation of this standard will open up new global markets to your company and instil confidence in your customers of the high-quality products & services you are providing into industry.

GlenView Group, Inc are experts in this standard and can work with you on your implementation. Please contact us for a consultation.

Top Dangerous Chemicals Used in The Industry

Our modern way of living would not be possible without the help of many industrial activities. From smelting metal, to complex biochemical reactions, they all help creating the goods and services we use. But there is a dark side: there are many hazardous substances used in industries and without proper care, they can endanger and destroy the local environments. Not to mention that workers are the first to be exposed. Find out the top dangerous chemicals used in the worldwide industry. Minimizing the exposure and the leakage risks must be done by applying certified Environmental Management Systems.

As you can easily imagine, workers in chemical plants are exposed to numerous risks. Risks include skin injuries and infections, skin cancers, allergies, asthma, chemical burns, reproductive problems, congenital defects, asphyxiation, injuries to internal organs, various types of cancers and death.

Ethylene oxide and formaldehyde are some of the most dangerous chemicals used in this industry. The first one is highly flammable and reactive. Prolonged exposure causes neurotoxicity, cancer, fertility problems and cellular mutations. Formaldehyde is commonly used in the chemical industry for producing resins. Exposure to high formaldehyde levels causes death. Long term exposure to low levels causes respiratory problems and eczema.

Workers in the metal production plants are also exposed to numerous hazards. There are many byproducts resulting from smelting and refining various metals and alloys. For example, coke ovens emit ammonium compounds, naphthalene, crude light oil, coke dust, sulfur and arsenic.

Cadmium is a byproduct of iron making. It is highly toxic and causes cancer. It affects respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological, renal, and reproductive systems.

Methylene chloride: It is used in cleaning and removing grease from metals. Methylene chloride is considered by OSHA to be a potential workplace carcinogen. Inhaling it also causes cardiovascular and nervous system problems.

Hexavalent chromium has an extreme toxicity and it is carcinogen. Workers exposed to chromium pigments during soldering, welding, brazing or torch-cutting must wear proper safety equipment.

Petroleum industry is vital for our modern world. It produces plastics which are used almost everywhere and it also produces and refines fuels. Benzene is probably the most common chemical used in this industry. And unfortunately, it is also very dangerous. Even short-term exposure to a high concentration of benzene can be lethal.

Hydrogen sulfide is commonly used for refining oil and gases. It is heavier than air and when inhales, it can quickly cause death. Furthermore, it is highly flammable and has a "rotten eggs" characteristic smell.

If you want to be ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certified, contact our experts GlenView Group.

Requirements For Being R2 Certified

The R2 Practices establish requirements that an organization must meet in order to handle electronic waste responsibly. The company will adhere to proper management of environmental and OH&S issues using an EHS management system, proper selection and management of downstream vendors, use of generally-accepted data destruction practices, safe storage practices, a functioning security program and demonstration of financial responsibility. Only after understanding and implementing the requirements, a recycler will obtain a certification from an Accredited Certification Body. 

In order to be R2 certified, an organization must meet the following requirements:

1. R2 Practices Will Cover the Proper Management of Environmental and occupational and health Issues. The protocols cover the environmental health management system that must be implemented. Any recycler must ensure that the practices are followed in accordance with the rules and regulations. And an authorized Certifying Body will provide the audit results.
2. Proper Selection and Management of Vendors. Choosing the downstream vendors is crucial. When the vendors are selected accordingly, it increases the quality of your products or recycling services. Companies should always pay attention on selecting their vendors in order to ensure proper implementation of their recycling techniques.
3. Focus on Providing Quality and Updated Data Destruction Practices. Always be aware of data destruction practices and update your company's recycling tools. Proper destruction of data will make your business more appealing to other companies who want this type of service. It's not always about your products or services, but it's also how professional your company is in terms of handling private documentation and trade secrets. Preventing data leakage is an important part of R2 certification.
4. Safe Storage Practices. Safe storage practices are important in any organization including those focused on environmental issues. If you want to learn more about the organization, you should learn the proper standards and implement them in the workplace. Again, this is important in industrial security, in order to prevent data leakage. But it also important for environmental purposes, in order to prevent hazardous waste leakage.
5. An Implemented Security Program. Protecting customer's data before destruction is of utmost importance. Every company should have a functioning security program to ensure that their customers' data are well guarded. The client must have a transparent view of their data handling and transfer. Knowing how to establish a functioning security program is essential to R2 certification and it is crucial for being accepted on the market.

If you want to know more about R2 certification requirements, check our website and services. Contact our experts!

Top Toxic Chemicals Found In E-Waste

As we become more and more dependent on modern technology, the mountain of electronic waste becomes bigger and bigger. The pile of e-waste represents a serious danger to the environment and only through responsible recycling and proper waste differentiation, we will be able to mitigate the negative impact. Leakage of dangerous substances leads to disastrous soil, air and water contamination. Find out which are the top toxic chemicals found in e-waste. If you are a company's CEO, you should consider proper implementation of EMS systems.

• Mercury is one of the most dangerous chemicals found in electronic devices. It is used for flat screens and various lightning devices. Older computers have batteries containing mercury. Also, older switches, relays and mainframe servers contain this substance. Leakage of mercury is extremely dangerous. Incineration can cause vapors travel a far distance. In contact with water, it will transform to methyl mercury, a highly toxic substance. Inhalation of mercury can damage the central nervous system and the kidneys.
• Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are chemicals used to make various products less flammable. Are commonly found in plastics, textiles and electrical/electronic equipment. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, Tetrabromobisphenol A and other phenols are commonly found in electronics, especially circuitry boards. Most BFRs are environmental persistent and some of them, highly bio-accumulative. Data has shown that long-term exposure to certain BFRs can cause brain and skeletal development issues (especially to fetuses). Furthermore, BFRs can affect certain hormone systems, especially thyroid hormones (affecting growth and development). Experiments on animals have concluded that BFRs can also affect liver and delay puberty.
• Beryllium is widely used in electronics, being a very good electrical conductor. Also, copper-beryllium alloys are widespread, containing about 2% beryllium. Usually, those who are affected by beryllium are the workers who participate in the refining and processing activities. Inhaled fumes and dust of beryllium and beryllium oxide cause CBD (chronic beryllium disease). The same dusts and fumes can also be found during recycling process, when the equipment is shredded. Beryllium is chronically and acutely toxic to the humans and mainly affects the lungs. Acute Beryllium Disease (ABD) is caused by breathing a high concentration of beryllium. The main symptoms are shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, very fast heart rate and, in some cases, death. Almost a third of those suffering of ABD will eventually develop the chronic form of exposure, known as berylliosis. Even so, CBD symptoms are severe, including emphysema and fibrosis of the lungs, which can be fatal.

If you are looking for R2 certification consulting for your company, always choose GlenView Group

Benefits Of ISO 14001 EMS

ISO 14001 international standard sets out the requirements for an Environmental Management System (EMS). ISO 14001 can be integrated easily into any existing ISO management system. The purpose is to improve the environmental performance through different agreed approaches, like efficient resource usage and waste management. The final goal is to achieve approval of stakeholders and comply to legal requirements. Furthermore, we will detail the key benefits of ems iso 14001.

An environmental management system helps organizations identify, manage, monitor and control their environmental issues: such as air pollution, water and sewage issues, waste management, soil contamination, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and resource use and efficiency.

Being ISO 14001 certified ensures compliance with current and future statutory and regulatory requirements. It provides a framework for identifying, monitoring and complying with the various environmental requirements that apply to a company's processes. ISO implementation will show that the company cares about the environment, and have a proven framework for identifying and complying with the various legal, regulatory and contractual requirements, thus boosting the image and credibility.

It will also increase leadership involvement and engagement of employees. Employees will become aware and active regarding all environmental issues, like waste management (especially when dealing with e-waste disposal) and providing feedback regarding environment adaptation.

The eco-friendly trend is becoming more widespread than ever. So neighbors, business partners, business competitors and, of course, the authorities, will want to know how you dispose of post-processing materials and waste. Being certified will also boost confidence and credibility.

This ISO can also provide benefits related to cost control. And all companies want to reduce costs, Implementing the standard will allow the company to identify, control, and reduce the number of environmental incidents that occur, which can cost the business a lot, through liability costs of fines, cleanup, and reparations. Also, implementing ways to conserve the energy and input materials required by company's processes will also help the company reduce some costs.

ISO 14001 can help you gain competitive advantage in supply chain design. This is strongly related to the previous, cost control, point.

A successful compliance can help the company reduce costs for energy consumption, material storage. Also, costs related to emissions, discharges, waste handling, transport and disposal will be significantly lower. Insurance costs and the number of customer audits will also decrease.

Having a third-party certification of ISO 14001 is recommended to companies that want to be competitive and obey the laws.

If you want your company to be international standard for an Environmental Management System. Contact our experts!

Importance of Electronics Recycling

E-waste management has become a pressing concern of the modern times. Companies all around the world dispose a huge quantity of electronics every year. We, as individuals, contribute to that pile of e-waste, by throwing away everything broken or old. It is the duty of companies and specialized recycling companies to handle those materials. Being certified for e-waste management is a necessary achievement for any company.

The first reason for which anyone should recycle their old electronics is pretty obvious: resources. Modern devices contain all sorts of materials which should be recycled. Keep in mind that those resources do not regenerate. Furthermore, some devices contain a small quantity of precious materials, like gold. If you add up all the devices thrown away, you end up with a pretty massive chunk of gold. And there are many other rare and expensive elements which could easily be recycled and re-used in industrial processes.

Environmental safety is another big concern. Electronic devices are filed with toxic substances which would poison de soil, air and water-table, should they come in contact. There are many organizations which advocate for environmental safety. Not properly disposing e-waste is punishable by law and every company should now that their disposal activities are closely monitored by authorities and organizations.

Toxic waste will also affect the nearby persons. Releasing toxic substances in the air can cause all sort of lung diseases or other breathing problems. And when authorities will start looking for the ones responsible, the consequences for the company causing the pollution will be pretty dire. In some cases, the entire production and activity will be closed by authorities.

Data security is also guaranteed by proper destruction and e-waste management. We live in a world where cyber-attacks, cyber-terrorism and industrial espionage are at their peaks. There are many bad-intended individuals who would want to grab some of your company's old HDD drives or to infiltrate in your company's database via old and not sufficiently secured devices. This is why when a company decides to renew its electronic equipment it should properly destroy the old one.

Recycling e-waste is the best solution, but only if it is done by certified companies. The E-Steward represents the global partnership program for companies who responsibly recycle e-waste. Certified members have dedicated facilities where they extract precious components and destroy the remaining materials, which in turn, will be recycled and re-entered in the production cycle. Check our services!

If you are looking for competent r2 certified recyclers or you want to find out how to become E-steward certified, head to GlenView Group.

How Is A Business Affected By The Environment?

Although living in a high-tech world, nobody affords neglecting the environmental impact over a business. From industrialized research sites to water parks and open-air theaters, all these business must be aware of the natural factors that may temper with their activity. Understanding the risk and managing the activities accordingly is something every company should do. Adhering to ISO 14001 EMS will assure that the company is ready to reduce the negative impact natural factors have and will be able to maximize production, labor cycles and will have a greater return of investment. But first, let's find out how nature influences a business.

Natural hazards pose a serious threat to any business. Placing office buildings or industrial installations in areas frequently affected by tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, flood or other similar events will be a big mistake. Not only will the workers be exposed to life-threatening situations, but also, the cost of insuring the assets will be high. This is why the first thing when planning a new business location will be to make sure that the location is safe and not affected by frequent extreme phenomena.

Sometimes the businesses are the ones causing the environmental problems, which in return, provide negative effects. We are talking about the waste created by plants and other industrial buildings. There are many laws which prohibit dumping byproducts in open air. Not respecting the laws will lead to not only legal consequences, but also will create unpleasant work conditions. Working near leaked toxic disposal or smelly substances will certainly modify any worker's behavior. The overall result will be reduced productivity and a greater risk of being sued, by either authorities or workers.

When a business depends on the natural resources of an area, things get a bit complicated. It first depends on the used resource, mainly if it can be regenerated or not. It is totally different to work with gold, silver or coal, which will be depleted, eventually and there is a total different story to work with trees or fish, like salmon, which can be regenerated (if there is a proper seed or breed management).

Another aspect, which is usually neglected, is wildlife. The specific fauna of an area can have a great unexpected impact over a business. For example, rodents can chew all sorts of cables and created really dangerous situations. And wild predators can even pose serious threats to a company's workers. This is why nature must not be neglected when overseeing business operations.

If you want to implement an ISO14001 certified environmental management system, give us a call. Contact our experts GlenView Group!