Our Product and Company News

This upcoming June 1, 2014, ERA Environmental Management Solutions will be rolling out a brand new user interface for the SDS/MSDS Viewer Module, replacing the MSDS Viewer with the improved SDS Viewer. This new interface is more intuitive and streamlined, providing better ease of use to match the improvements in back-end programming ERA has rolled out to enhance the ERA-EMS platform.

Many users already have begun using the new SDS Viewer interface, but as of June 1 the old MSDS Viewer interface will no longer be available.

Importantly, the new SDS Viewer user interface introduces new and improved features that will make using the Module simpler and more convenient:

• The new interface is now compatible with any web browser, including Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Firefox. It is also now compatible with both Mac and Window computers.
• The new interface offers improved data filtering options that enable you to display only the information you want to see. That means you can display as much or as little data as you need for ease of use, and change your display as you need.
• Faster searches for SDSs and Labels. Better search options and a more streamlined interface make finding what you need easier than ever.
• You can now generate container Labels from the SDS Viewer for material already tracked by the Module.
• The ability to generate Tier I and Tier II reports from the SDS Viewer for faster analysis of your regulatory compliance standing and needs.
• The new user interface is mobile-compatible, allowing you to view SDS and container Labels from your tablet or smartphone.
• Archives old MSDSs so they can be viewed and used for regulatory reports, as applicable.

ERA has also developed a cutting-edge SDS and Label Authoring Software that can automate the creation of GHS-compliant SDSs and Labels. Our SDS Authoring Software provides faster, more reliable, and more accurate hazard communication documents all while reducing your workload. To learn more about our new SDS Authoring Software, click here or contact ERA.

The new SDS Viewer interface is replacing the ERA-EMS MSDS Viewer as of June 1, 2014. If you have any questions about this upgrade or require assistance using the new interface please contact your ERA specialist or email us at info@era-ehs.com.

Recently, the U.S. Government and Microsoft issued a security warning for anyone who uses Internet Explorer (versions 6 to 11) to access and view websites and other online programs. Internet Explorer contains a coding vulnerability that could allow an attacker to use a malicious website to remotely control the compromised computer. ERA’s website, online information, and all of its online services are protected from this vulnerability.

You can safely continue to use your ERA-EMS, visit the ERA website and blog, and contact ERA online using Internet Explorer. The Internet Explorer Vulnerability only applies to website specifically designed to exploit this vulnerability. Nothing in ERA’s coding is susceptible to or related to this recent warning from Microsoft.

It is recommended by FireEye Research Labs – the company that identified the vulnerability and notified Microsoft – that anybody using Internet Explorer disable Adobe Flash as a temporary workaround solution. This is a temporary workaround that does not fix the vulnerability but does protect users from attacks.

Microsoft is working on a solution to the bug, and will be rolling out the fix as soon as possible. Users can also implement workaround solutions suggested on Microsoft’s website here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/library/security/2963983#ID0EUFAC

Users should also avoid visiting unfamiliar or untrusted sites until Microsoft addresses the issue. In particular, be cautious regarding any site that is sent to you in an untrusted/junk email or in an advertisement, as the vulnerability can only be exploited by visiting a malicious site.

ERA encourages all clients to review Microsoft’s release about the bug and to follow all instructions from Microsoft here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/library/security/2963983#ID0EUFAC

ERA’s website and online EH&S Management Software are not compromised by this vulnerability. You can continue to use the ERA-EMS using Internet Explorer, and the ERA website can be added to your list of trusted sites. 

 If you have any questions about your online security using ERA's services or software, please contact ERA at info@era-ehs.com.

This is an important notification from ERA Environmental Management Solutions to let you know that ERA’s EH&S Management Software is not and has never been vulnerable to the Heartbleed Bug.

The Heartbleed Bug refers to a serious vulnerability in the popular OpenSSL cryptographic software library which is used by many services to transmit confidential information online. ERA’s software platform uses a different cryptographic source which is not affected by the Heartbleed Bug.

ERA Environmental Management Solutions has always made protecting your information our number one priority. All your information, from users’ personal data, to on-site activities, to confidential business intelligence is carefully guarded by bank-level security protocols both physical and digital. Our programming team has reviewed ERA’s security protocols and concluded that ERA’s EMS platform is immune to the Heartbleed Bug exploit.

ERA Environmental Management Solutions is proudly announcing the release of its newest reporting upgrade: direct electronic uploads of Emissions Inventories to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) STEERS reporting tool.

This upgrade allows ERA users to directly upload ERA-generated reports to the TCEQ’s online reporting tool from their ERA-EMS platform. This advanced functionality, not commonly offered by reporting platforms, improves the accuracy of any data submitted to STEERS. Using the new STEERS direct upload significantly reduces the amount of time required to submit a report by eliminating the manual data entry.

STEERS (State of Texas Environmental Electronic Reporting System) is the official online reporting platform for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and is used by Texas businesses to submit a wide array of reports. The Emissions Inventory report is one of the most complex reports submitted using STEERS – allowing ERA’s platform to handle the data management and reporting greatly streamlines the year’s reporting workload.

ERA’s new STEERS capability eliminates the days of tedious manual data entry typically associated with regulatory e-reporting tools. It also improves accuracy by preventing data entry errors and the mismatching of chemical codes. ERA’s built-in QAQC and chemical data tracking ensures that any report submitted to STEERS require less time and effort.

ERA now boasts an impressive library of direct uploads to regulatory e-reporting systems, both state and federal. In addition to STEERS Emissions Inventories, ERA users save 80% of their reporting time for Toxic Releases Inventory (TRI), Tier II reports, EPA Emissions Inventory report, and many more, all by reporting through the ERA platform.

For many companies, this capability saves days of data entry. The addition of STEERS to ERA’s reporting library is a welcome update for many environmental managers who are usually hard-pressed for resources at this time of year.

With the STEERS upgrade, ERA is offering Texas businesses a superior level of reporting accuracy, efficiency, and security.

Want to learn more about ERA’s direct upload capability and the new STEERS upload? Contact ERA at info@era-ehs.com   

On May 8^th, 2014, ERA Environmental Management Solutions CEO Sarah Sajedi will be one of the trainers at the EPA’s National Training Conference on the Toxics Release Inventory and Environmental Conditions in Communities.

ERA, one of North America’s leading Air Emissions solutions and consulting providers, will be teaching manufacturers from across the United States about the most effective TRI reporting practices for any business that uses storage tanks as part of their operations.

Storage tanks present some of the greatest challenges for proper TRI reporting, as the calculations and emissions tracking methodologies are complex and often misunderstood. ERA Environmental will address these pressing industry concerns and help you to accurately report your emissions in the most efficient and straightforward manner possible.

Air emissions expert Sarah Sajedi will also be on hand to answer questions and offer advice. She is looking forward to the chance to answer your questions about storage tanks and tracking tank air emissions.

The National Training Conference on the Toxics Release Inventory and Environmental Conditions in Communities is taking place from May 7 – May 9 at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, VA. If you are interested in attending, you can register online here.

The conference’s agenda [PDF] is also available online here. 

The Toxics Release Inventory report for your emissions is due soon: July 1, 2014. Now is the ideal time to get started on preparing your facility’s TRI report. ERA’s expert team of scientists is always on hand to assist you with your TRI reporting. 

If you want to learn more about ERA's tank emission software module click here or contact us at info.era-ehs.com

ERA Environmental Management Solutions will be exhibiting our Environmental Management System (EMS) software at the upcoming 4C Environmental Conference in Austin, Texas from February 24 to 27.

Every year, the 4C Environmental Conference (formerly known as the LBTF Conference) offers industry professionals advanced training courses on a variety of cutting-edge and current environmental management trends. This year is no exception, with courses on tanks, flares, wastewater, and air permitting.

ERA's team will be on hand to talk about our Oil & Gas EMS software that is used by the Oil & Gas industry to help manage and monitor the industry's full spectrum of EH&S concerns, including tank calculations, air emissions, flares, VRUs, wastewater, Alternate Operating Scenarios (AOS), Maintenance Startup & Shutdown events (MSS), and Quad O (Subpart OOOO). ERA software also automates compliance tasks, reporting, and business continuity. For these reasons and more ERA software is already used to manage the performance of thousands of tanks across North America.

If you're attending the 4C Conference make sure to come by ERA's booth for a chance to speak with one of our Senior Systems Analysts who will be on hand to discuss your EH&S performance needs. ERA's team will be at Booth 23, near by the main escalators - make sure you come by and say hello.

ERA is looking forward to meeting with all of our colleagues in the Oil & Gas sector and for the chance to share our experience in helping businesses stay in compliance while improving the efficiency of their EH&S operations.

Learn more about the 4C Environmental Conference or register for training courses here: https://4cconference.com

Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe attended this January's Suppliers Partnership for the Environment first quarter meeting at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit.

ERA Environmental Management Solutions, as a member of the Suppliers Partnership and contributor to the SP's Materials Efficiency work group, had the honor of meeting Mr. Perciasepe in person at the event.

 ERA Senior Toxicologist Gary Vegh left, EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe center, ERA CEO Sarah Sajedi right at Supplier's Partnership 2014 first quarter meeting.

At the quarterly meeting, EPA Deputy Administrator Perciasepe gave a talk on how the EPA and manufacturers are "Meeting the Challenges Ahead." This includes a new U.S. Government public-private Manufacturing Innovation Institute which will strengthen the manufacturing sector by boosting advanced manufacturing, and increasing the use of innovative technologies in the manufacturing industry (such as advanced Environmental Management System technologies). Mr. Perciasepe also acknowledged the hard work being performed by the Suppliers Partnership work groups and mentioned the recent EPA Green Chemistry Awards which generated a lot of buzz amongst companies embracing sustainable technologies.

ERA Environmental Management Solutions' team was delighted to have the opportunity to meet with Mr. Perciasepe and to meet once again with our partners and colleagues in the Suppliers Partnership. This year we'll continue contributing to the Materials Efficiency work group by providing our expertise on material tracking throughout the automotive supply chain and life-cycle assessments.

ERA Environmental Management Solutions is rolling out a new intuitive User Interface for your ERA Compliance Module, SDS Viewer, and Document Management Software.

To help you make the most of this new interface, ERA is offering one hour online training classes on Wednesday, January 29 at 11:00 AM EST and Thursday, January 30 at 11:00 AM EST.

This training class will cover the changes being made to the User Interface and teach participants how to use their improved ERA EMS to better manage their environmental, health & safety performance. The class is especially important because the original interface will be gradually phased out over the coming weeks.

To save a space for yourself and your colleagues on your preferred date please register online using this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MF9T6L5

Phone: 1-866-493-6409
Email: info@era-ehs.com

Register Now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MF9T6L5

ERA Environmental Management Solutions is kicking off the 2014 new year by attending the first quarter member meeting of the Supplier's Partnership for the Environment (SP). The meeting is being held on January 15th in Detroit at the General Motors Renaissance Center. The Supplier's Partnership meeting is being held in conjunction with the North American International Auto Show. 

Automotive SP Members General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, American Honda, and Subaru will all be in attendence at the Januray meeting. In addition, U.S. Environmental Protection Administrator Gina McCarthy has been invited to participate in the meeting.

This first quarter meeting will showcase the progess made by the SP's working groups, tackling issues like materials efficiency, and will feature a panel discussion on Integrating Energy, Carbon, and Water Management into Business Strategy.

ERA is a member of the Supplier's Partnership's Materials Issues working group, providing an environmental perspective on finding better materials for automotive manufacturing and offering our expertise on Life Cycle Analysis and End of Life Management.

Gary Vegh, a senior Toxicologist from ERA, presented last year on tracking hazardous materials through the supply chain in automotoive manufacturing and will continue to contribute to the Materials Issues working group. 

ERA's team is looking forward to meeting up with our fellow SP members and the attendees of the North American International Auto Show. If you're attending make sure to come at say hello.

Martin Resource Management Corporation (MRMC), a leading midstream oil & gas company, has awarded ERA Environmental Management Solutions a contract to supply environmental, health & safety management software to MRMC's 80+ facilities. This ERA software implementation covers a diverse range of MRMC's oil & gas subsidiaries, including Cross Oil Refining & Marketing, inc.; Martin Energy Services LLC; and The Brimrock Group.

ERA's Environmental Management Software will be used to generate emissions reports from MRMC's refineries, tank farms, large truck fleet, load-out points, and other processes, as well as for the Smackover  refinery which produces premier signature CrossTrans transformer oils. The implementation will centralize all of MRMC's oil and gas EH&S management, representing a major upgrade from their previous environmental management system.

Martin Midstream will use ERA's new Tank Emissions Software to make emissions accounting from their tanks, flares, VRUs, and control equipment a streamlined and time-effective process.

Says one Martin executive decision maker: "We choose ERA Environmental Management Solutions because theirs was the only software we found to be up to the substantial task of streamlining our environmental and safety data management and reporting proceses. We look forward to seeing a significant reduction in the cost and time needed to ensure our facilities remain top environmental performers in the oil and gas industry. We are curently in the process of the implementation of the entire system and have been very impressed with ERA's technical and programming expertise."

As always, ERA software implementation includes a guaranteed in-house implementation, ongoing environmental consulting, and full training to Martin Midstream's EH&S staff - including all future EH&S hires.