Introduction
Any review, inquiry, inspection, or similar procedure that results in conclusions, recommendations, or declarations about a specific sewage treatment system in order to fairly assure that the system is in compliance is referred to as a compliance inspection. Compliance audits must be carried out by a licensed professional who is not the installation or the owner. No matter the industry a company operates in, inspections should be a need. Inspections of compliance can be defined as any step conducted to confirm adherence to legal requirements. Inspections are carried out on-site at regulated sites and facilities or at a number of different places around the field, like by the side of the road. Examining monitoring data or other materials provided by the regulated party may also be part of inspections. They can be planned or unforeseen, operation- or sector-based. As a result of information or complaints, further or unscheduled inspections may also take place.
Negative Effects
One of the negatives of carrying out compliance inspections beforehand is its higher cost. Safety standards do have a cost, and after a certain point, that cost most definitely outweighs any potential benefits. It can be challenging to strike a balance between the immediate demands for “safety,” including those made in response to “scares” and events, and the actual impact that economic development has on safety. Moreover, if the organization fails to meet the requirements during the inspection, it may lead to negative attention from the media, employees, and future inspections.
Opportunities
One opportunity of carrying out compliance inspections before their due date is that the organization will have more control over them. For instance, some inspections may occur unexpectedly. Industrial Pretreatment Inspectors have the right to enter any facility to examine the effluent discharges and wastewater treatment methods. For inspectors to enter the premises, gather samples, or conduct an inspection, search warrants are not necessary. There may be severe repercussions if a pretreatment inspector is not permitted on the property (Makofske, 2019). A search warrant and a visit from local law enforcement are possible outcomes. Unexpected inspections may take place as a result of complaints from neighbors or even business rivals. Even unhappy or fired employees who make claims of unlawful workplace behavior may file complaints. In order to determine whether the charges are accurate or not, these complaints must be looked into.
Another opportunity is that the organization will have a better reputation in terms of its approach to the safety of employees. If the inspections are done well, then it means that the safety of all the processes is maintained, and it will result in smoother work operations. That, in turn, will positively affect the revenue of the company and will make the company more appealing to potential employees.
Conclusion
The risk related to the earlier compliance inspections is that the organization may miss some important documentation. Inspections typically take place once every 12 months (Makofske, 2019). To schedule the inspection, the inspector will contact the tank owner seven to ten days in advance. Due to the level of detail necessary, the majority of pretreatment inspectors will schedule an appointment for the annual inspection. Part of the inspection entails a careful examination of the records, procedures, equipment, and facilities. Some inspections may even provide a Pretreatment Inspection form because of the level of detail to cut down on time spent examining documentation. If some of the requirements posed by the inspection will not be met by the organization, it creates risks to its reputation.
Reference
Makofske, M. P. (2019). Inspection regimes and regulatory compliance: How important is the element of surprise?. Economics Letters, 177, 30-34. Web.