The 2026 Readiness Checklist for EHS, Operations, Facilities, Maintenance, and Plant Leaders
As December closes, EHS Directors, Operations Managers, Facilities Managers, Facilities Directors, Maintenance Managers, Plant Managers, and Procurement leaders are shifting from year-end reporting to year-ahead preparation. Budgets are being finalized, audits are approaching, and expectations around safety, sustainability, and operational performance continue to increase.
Facilities and plant leadership teams that perform best use this time to assess readiness not only for compliance, but also for uptime, cost control, and risk management in the year ahead.
This 2026 readiness checklist highlights the most critical areas leadership teams are actively addressing right now.
1. Compliance and Audit Readiness
Regulatory oversight continues to increase across industrial and manufacturing environments. OSHA inspections, environmental audits, and internal compliance reviews are becoming more frequent and more detailed.
Facilities that are well prepared entering 2026 are focusing on proactive controls rather than last-minute corrections.
Key considerations for leadership:
Are industrial, production, and maintenance areas maintained to reduce safety hazards?
Are waste handling and disposal processes documented and compliant?
Are cleaning schedules aligned with audit and inspection requirements?
Is environmental documentation current, accurate, and accessible?
Clean, well-maintained facilities simplify audits and demonstrate a clear commitment to safety and compliance.
2. Cost Control Without Compromising Safety
Operations, facilities, and maintenance leaders continue to face pressure to reduce costs while maintaining safety and performance standards. In 2025, many organizations learned that cutting preventive services leads to higher costs through downtime, incidents, and compliance issues.
For 2026, leaders are taking a more disciplined and strategic approach.
Key considerations for leadership:
Are preventive services reducing unplanned downtime and reactive maintenance?
Are multiple vendors creating inefficiencies, gaps, or accountability issues?
Could consolidating services improve coordination and cost predictability?
Are specialized services being performed by qualified and compliant providers?
Cost control is most effective when it reinforces safety, reliability, and operational continuity.
3. Sustainability and ESG Execution
Sustainability expectations are no longer limited to corporate initiatives. Facilities, operations, and environmental leaders are now directly responsible for execution and measurable outcomes at the site level.
As ESG requirements expand, leadership teams are evaluated on how waste, recycling, and environmental performance are managed day to day.
Key considerations for leadership:
Are waste diversion and recycling programs meeting internal and regulatory targets?
Is landfill reduction being measured, tracked, and reported?
Are environmental testing and monitoring programs current?
Do service partners actively support sustainability objectives in daily operations?
Strong sustainability execution protects regulatory standing and supports long-term operational credibility.
4. Downtime Prevention and Facility Reliability
Unplanned downtime remains one of the most costly risks facing industrial and manufacturing operations. In 2026, reliability will continue to be a defining performance metric for operations, maintenance, and plant leadership.
Facilities that performed well in 2025 invested in preventive measures rather than reactive responses.
Key considerations for leadership:
Are industrial cleaning and maintenance programs preventing equipment and process disruptions?
Are high-risk areas addressed before issues escalate?
Are shutdowns and maintenance windows planned and properly supported?
Is the facility prepared for Q1 production and operational demands?
Reliability is built through consistency, planning, and preventive action.
5. Infrastructure and Project Risk Management
Facility upgrades, expansions, and utility work increasingly take place within active operations. Managing these projects safely and efficiently requires strong coordination between operations, maintenance, and facilities leadership.
Leaders are prioritizing methods that protect existing infrastructure while maintaining schedules.
Key considerations for leadership:
Are non-destructive excavation methods used to protect underground utilities?
Are construction and maintenance activities coordinated to minimize disruption?
Are work areas maintained in a safe, compliant, and organized condition?
Is pre- and post-construction cleaning included in project planning?
Precision, planning, and risk awareness reduce exposure and protect both people and assets.
6. Evaluating Service Partners for 2026
As contracts renew and budgets reset, leadership teams are reassessing service providers. The focus is shifting from transactional vendors to strategic partners that understand industrial environments, compliance requirements, and operational priorities.
Key considerations for leadership:
Does the provider understand regulatory and audit requirements?
Can they support multiple facility needs under a coordinated service model?
Do they prioritize safety, accountability, and consistent execution?
Are they capable of scaling as operational demands change?
Strong partnerships reduce complexity and support long-term success.
Preparing for 2026
As facilities and plant leadership teams prepare for audits, budget execution, and operational demands in 2026, many are taking time to reassess how safety, sustainability, and facility services are being supported across their operations.
A focused planning meeting can help identify gaps, reduce risk, and ensure facility support is aligned with compliance and operational goals before issues arise.
Book a meeting to review your current approach to environmental services, waste management, and facility support, and determine whether adjustments are needed to support a safer, more efficient 2026.
Final Thoughts for Facility Leadership
Facilities that enter 2026 prepared are not relying on short-term fixes. They are aligning safety, sustainability, and efficiency as part of a unified operational strategy.
For EHS Directors, Operations Managers, Facilities Managers, Facilities Directors, Maintenance Managers, Plant Managers, and Procurement leaders, readiness is the foundation for compliance, uptime, and resilient operations in the year ahead.