EMS Tools for CERS Reporting
Chemical Safety’s EMS-CERS is a comprehensive program that allows companies of all sizes to identify, record and report their annual chemical inventories and related documentation quickly and hassle-free.
California Assembly Bill 2286 requires all regulated businesses and all regulated local government agencies (CUPAs) to use the internet to file Unified Program information which, up until now, has been filed via paper copy. This includes facility data regarding hazardous material regulatory activities, chemical inventories, underground and above-ground storage tanks, and hazardous waste generation. It also includes CUPA data such as inspections and enforcement actions. All regulated businesses and Unified Program Agencies in the state of California must use the internet to file by January 1, 2013.
With EMS-CERS businesses can easily record, update and report regulated chemical and related information in both paper and electronics formats using menus and one-click buttons with a program that is easy to learn and operate. Additionally, businesses can store and retrieve Material safety Data sheets (MSDS), search for safer chemical alternatives and manage facility operations.
The Environmental Management Systems (EMS) software can be used to make the job of data collection and filing faster, easier and more accurate. It integrates daily chemical operations management with smart filtering to produce the basic chemical inventory report with just a couple of key clicks. This includes:
- Chemical inventory Management
- Adhoc reports to validate data
- Conversion of all units to pounds
- Reporting thresholds
- Matrix or Long Report formats
- Business Owner & Activity
- Automatic Email Reminders
- Tools to compare submissions
- Audit Trails
Once the inventory report has been created, the next step is to click the button to convert it to a CERS-format upload file. Then, file it electronically from our integrated pull down menu.
EMS goes far beyond electronic filing. The best way to explain it is by taking a look at the CERS Quick Start page on our EMS web app. All of the CERS requirements are co-located with the EMS tools you can use to manage them. It’s a good way to get the job done easier, faster, and more accurately. The EMS-CERS Quick Start page gives you one-click access to your most important activities. It presents a big-picture view of how everything fits together, and helps guide you from one task to the next.
As always, we start with the inventory database. You will be collecting inventory data all year round. Click on Track Chemical Inventory to access the database records.
When you are ready to prepare the CERS submission, you can click on Validate Chemical Reference Data to bring up a set of reports that will help to verify chemical densities and physical states. This is important because in the next step, EMS-CERS will use this information to calculate and consolidate the inventory data so it can be filtered and reported in the proper format. This calculation is done when you click on Create Data Set of Reportable Chemicals.
From here, you can print out a hard copy of the submission and mail it in, or you can create a CERS-formatted Excel file and upload it electronically. Many CUPA agencies do not yet support electronic reporting, so we offer a choice; either way it includes all of the forms required for compliance.
Many customers will want to take advantage of clicking on Import Reference Data from CERS to easily import Uniform Fire Codes and Hazard Classes from the CERS database for chemicals that have been previously uploaded to CERS. This is a handy way to make sure that you have the latest data.
Click on the video above to see how EMS-CERS can help you convert your data to CERS quickly and cost-effectively.
To learn more about the regulatory requirements and how the different forms need to be completed, please click here.
