Why “Good Enough” Compliance Is No Longer Enough
For many organizations, compliance was once viewed as a periodic obligation — something addressed annually or when an inspection was approaching. In today’s regulatory and operational environment, that approach creates unnecessary risk.
Regulators are increasingly focused on proof, consistency, and systemized oversight. Inspections now routinely extend beyond spot checks into documentation history, alarm response records, operator training verification, and system performance trends. Organizations that cannot quickly demonstrate compliance — even when work was performed — face greater scrutiny, follow-up actions, and potential enforcement.
With more than 540,000 regulated underground storage tanks nationwide, even minor compliance gaps can have significant consequences. EPA performance data shows that only about 60% of facilities are fully compliant with all core operational and technical requirements. These gaps are rarely caused by inaction — they are most often caused by fragmented systems and incomplete visibility.
Compliance Risk Is a Systems Problem
From a leadership perspective, compliance failures create ripple effects:
Operational disruptions and unplanned downtime
Increased regulatory exposure and liability risk
Management time diverted to audits and corrective actions
Loss of institutional knowledge during staff turnover
“Good enough” compliance relies too heavily on individuals, memory, and disconnected tools. As organizations scale — managing more sites, more assets, and more data — this approach no longer holds.
The organizations seeing the fewest compliance surprises are those that treat compliance as a continuous, system-driven process rather than a periodic task.
Where Compliance Breaks Down in Practice
At the operational level, compliance challenges tend to follow the same patterns:
ATG alarms are generated but not consistently documented or escalated
Monitoring data exists but isn’t routinely reviewed for compliance impact
Inspection and testing records are stored across multiple systems
Training records are current but difficult to verify during inspections
While operator training compliance exceeds 85%, overall facility compliance lags significantly due to documentation gaps, missed testing intervals, and inconsistent alarm management. In short, activity is occurring — but proof is fragmented.
Moving From “Good Enough” to Proactive Compliance
Organizations that move beyond “good enough” compliance focus on integration, visibility, and continuity.
PASS Harmonics provides owner/operators with a centralized compliance platform that brings inspections, testing, training records, and regulatory documentation into one authoritative system. Instead of searching across spreadsheets, emails, and vendor portals, compliance teams have immediate access to inspection-ready records.
PASS ATG Connect extends this capability by integrating real-time ATG monitoring directly into the compliance workflow. Alarms, system status, and tank data are no longer siloed — they become documented compliance events that can be reviewed, tracked, and resolved.
Together, PASS Harmonics and PASS ATG Connect help organizations reduce compliance blind spots, improve alarm response documentation, maintain audit-ready records across all sites, and ensure continuity despite staff turnover.
The New Standard
Compliance today is no longer about doing just enough to pass an inspection. It is about protecting operations, reducing risk, and maintaining confidence — every day, not just on inspection day.
“Good enough” leaves too much to chance. Integrated, system-driven compliance sets a higher standard — and that standard is quickly becoming the expectation.
Contact Us for more info on PASS Harmonics and PASS ATG Connect.
