Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/845499
W EEKLY EDITION JULY 5, 2017 Saving the Show When Bad Actors Threaten the Portable Sanitation Industry … continued Bad actors aren't just in Hollywood. We've left out a few details in the scenarios above, but these situations are real. The companies described in the complaints are commonly referred to as "bad actors," and every industry has them. They are the people who – for whatever reason – conduct their businesses in a manner that flies in the face of best practices and make others cringe. To be clear, a "b ad actor" is not someone who is shrewd or has an irritating personality and simply annoys you because they are successful while being a pain in the neck. A "bad actor" is someone who does one or more of the following: • Breaks laws relevant to portable sani tation operations or business administration • Engages in behavior that is inconsistent with the PSAI's Code of Excellence for portable sanitation companies • Engages in behavior that is inconsistent with the PSAI's Code of Ethics (see page 12) for individual portable sanitation professionals To be sure, there are degrees of concern regarding the behaviors of bad actors. For example, if your drivers occasionally exceed posted speed limits, they are breaking a law – and that's not a good idea – but if their act ions are occasional, unintentional, and cause no harm to anyone, we would not think of your company as a bad actor. If, on the other hand, your drivers are expected to make so many stops each day that they careen down the road, cut people off in traffic, a nd create dangerous situations on a routine basis such that other drivers in your community recognize your trucks with dread – then yes, you are one of the "bad guys." Your company's behavior is creating risk for your employees and the community, and it is casting a negative shadow on the portable sanitation industry. Accountability for bad actors. As the three scenarios at the beginning of this article demonstrate, the PSAI is often asked to intervene when "things aren't right" in the portable sanitation world. The bad news is we cannot swoop in and force anyone to do – or stop doing – anything. We are the Portable Sanitation Association, not the Portable Sanitation Police. We are not empowered by anyone to take on that role. The good news is there is plen ty an organization like the PSAI can do to improve situations like these – especially if everyone understands how to make the most of the role the PSAI can play. So let's take a look at what that role is and how it complements the roles of others. General ly speaking, in most industries there are three main forces that play a part in regulating, improving, and holding both individuals and companies accountable. • Governmental authority . In this category you will find things like laws that allow or prohibit b usinesses to operate, set conditions and guidelines for operations, and enforce these parameters through regulatory penalties and the criminal justice system – including prosecution in the criminal courts. CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 P AGE 6