Using Online Meetings to Help Support Environmental Compliance

Blymyer Engineers expanded its use of online video meeting tools—such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and GoToMeeting—in environmental compliance support over the last year. Social distancing needs inspired the change, and the Blymyer environmental team and the clients they support have embraced online meetings. When clients need support with the inspections and tests they are required to conduct, the Blymyer team can schedule an online video meeting instead of a call or trip to the client site.

Blymyer has been helping clients comply with environmental regulations for more than 25 years.

July of 2020 saw Blymyer expand its environmental team. Blymyer team member Maribel Topete completed the training offered by the California Storm Water Quality Association (CASQA) to become an Industrial General Permit (IGP) Trainer of Record (ToR).

Many companies find storm water testing the most challenging routine aspect of compliance. States have strict requirements for industrial storm water compliance. Companies must conduct regular inspections and testing as specified in their Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP).

“We help clients with all aspects of compliance, starting with a site-specific SWPPP,” says Nina Schittli, Manager of Environmental Compliance at Blymyer. “Storm water sampling and testing takes place according to the SWPPP. We help coordinate that and conduct regular in-person trainings. Clients sometimes need help between trainings. We can quickly set up an online meeting and answer their questions.”

Winter means storm water in California
Rain is seasonal in California. Entire summers pass with almost no rain, but a typical winter has multiple rainstorms. Storms that deliver amounts of rain that exceed the threshold set in the SWPPP require testing.

“Rainfall is measured in states requiring sampling, and rain volume triggers a need for testing,” says Schittli. “Clients sometimes need a little extra support—especially early in the season or those with employees new to testing. In the past, we’ve used the phone or visited the site. Online meetings help us to support compliance testing remotely.”

She adds, “Being able to see people and connect face to face makes it easier to give people who are conducting tests the support they need. We can’t be everywhere at once on a stormy day. An online meeting with video is the next best thing.”