If you can not see this newsletter, click here to go to http://www.enviroexperts.net/newsletters/The%20Enviroexpert%20December%202005.pdfThe EnviroexpertText Box: A  Great Newsletter

The Enviroexpert Text Box: Message from the Director

Text Box: EMSI now offers comprehensive, health and safety support services.  The services will be coordinated out of our Environmental, Health and Safety Consulting Division, headed by Gary Morris.  Mr. Morris has a M.S. in Occupational Health and Safety, 20 years experience, and is a certified industrial hygienist (CHI) and certified safety professional (CSP).  This new division supports EMSI’s goals of becoming a comprehensive service provider.  A summary of the services  provided by the EHS consulting Division can be found on EMSI’s webpage: www.enviroexperts.net.   Please contact Gary at 301-309-0475 for questions or information.

Text Box: EMSI Awarded GSA Schedule for Environmental, Health and Safety Services

Text Box: EMSI is pleased to announce the inclusion on the GSA Schedule, Contract Number: GS-10F-0074T, Federal Supply group 899, class 5989 from December 8, 2006 through 2011. Awarded Special Item Number: 899—1 Environmental Planning Services & Documentation 899—2 Environmental Compliance Services 899—3 Environmental Occupational Training Services 899—4 Waste Management Services 899—5 Reclamation, Recycling and Disposal Services 899—6 Remote Advisory Services 899—8 Remediation Services Environmental Management Services Inc. (EMSI) is a provider of a full range of environmental services and management including industrial hygiene and occupational safety services.  This schedule makes it easy for federal government agencies to quickly and cost effectively get environmental services accomplished.  Delivery orders can be quickly issued since the GSA has already determined the prices fair and reasonable, click here to see the Federal Supply Schedule:   

OSHA Issues Hexavalent Chromium StandardsText Box: The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard governing exposure to hexavalent chromium (29 CFR 1910.1026) became effective on May 29, 2006.  The standard lowered the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for exposure to hexavalent chromium from 52 to 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air, as an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA).  Also included in the standard are specifications for controlling exposures, respiratory protection, protective clothing and equipment, medical surveillance, hazard communication and recordkeeping.    Hexavalent chromium compounds are widely used in pigments, metal plating and chemical synthesis. Potential adverse human health effects include lung cancer, nasal septum perforation, skin ulceration, allergic sensitization and contact dermatitis.  OSHA estimates that, across all industries, approximately one million workers are exposed to hexavalent chromium on a regular basis.  Exposure may occur during cutting or welding of stainless steel, electroplating, welding/cutting of metal that was treated with hexavalent chromium, or painting using hexavalent chromium-containing paints.   In accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1026, employers who have potential workplace exposure to hexavalent chromium must conduct initial exposure monitoring to quantify the level of employee exposure.  The initial exposure requirement is expected to capture the majority of workplaces that weld on stainless steel, as stainless steel welding involves the greatest exposure.    Employers that may have exposure to hexavalent chromium should review their status of their compliance with 1910.1026 and verify that initial exposure assessments have been completed and any additional requirements have been implemented, based on the data from the initial exposure assessments.  

Text Box: Permissible exposure limit (PEL). The employer shall ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of chromium (VI) in excess of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air (5 µg/m³), calculated as an 8 hour time weighted average (TWA). Text Box: Permissible exposure limit (PEL). The employer shall ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of chromium (VI) in excess of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air (5 µg/m³), calculated as an 8 hour time weighted average (TWA). Text Box: New Contracts and Projects

Text Box: The EHS Consulting Division was awarded and completed a contract to provide hazardous materials surveys and site demolition services/management for an industrial site in Baltimore, MD.   The EHS Consulting Division was awarded a contract to provide a variety of health and safety support services to a biopharmaceutical research and development  and clinical  manufacturing facility.   The EHS Consulting Division was awarded a contract to conduct an asbestos inspection and development of  an asbestos management plan for a private school in Annapolis, MD.   The EHS Consulting Division was awarded a contract to conduct a Health and Safety Audit/Review for a municipal town government in Virginia.  The project included a: « Review of existing town-wide and facility-specific management programs, « Development of industrial hygiene - Monitoring, - Training, - Medical surveillance programs, « Recommendations for improving health and safety management programs and practices.

Text Box: Use  of  Personal  Listening  Devices  in  the  Workplace

Text Box: We have seen a significant increase in the past ten years in the popularity of personal listening devices, particularly with advent of the IPOD.  Such devices are used in various settings.  However, caution should be taken in allowing the use of personal listening devices (PLD) in the workplace.  Experience has shown that users will adjust the volume of PLD to a suitable listening level, depending on personal preference and the level of background or competing noise.    Since PLDs are not considered approved hearing protective devices, it can be assumed that they would not be used in locations where hearing protection is required (i.e., areas with noise levels equal to or greater than 85 decibels).  However, the use of PLDs in areas with noise levels below 85 decibels may present a significant hazard as explained below.    Research indicates that users will set the volume on a PLD between 3 and 15 decibels over the ambient sound level.  As such, if the sound level in a work area is 83 decibels, the user's adjusted volume would be in the range of 86 to 98 decibels.  Due to the level of background noise, the employee probably wouldn't realize that he/she was being exposed to potentially hazardous noise levels.  An additional concern is whether the employee would be able to hear warning signals, such as fire alarms.

The Back PageText Box: MIT May Know  How to Make C+6 Safe      

Text Box: MIT researchers have devised a new method for shrinking the size of crystals to make safer metal alloys. The new materials could replace metal coatings such as chromium, which is dangerous for factory workers to produce.

Text Box: Department of Homeland Security Releases Chemicals of Interest List

Text Box: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on November 20, 2007 released its chemicals of interest list (COI) to supplement its Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard.  The COI contains approximately 300 chemicals along with screening threshold quantities, or STQs.   Any facility that possesses chemicals on the list that meet or exceed the STQ must complete and submit a Top Screen.  The DHS will use this information to determine whether the facility is a high level security risk and whether it will be required to comply with the requirements of the standard.   The COI includes a number of commonly used chemicals, such as chloroform, ethyl ether, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and propane.  Affected facilities have 60 days from the notice of the COI to submit the Top Screen.

Text Box: OSHA’s Most Frequently Cited Violations, 2006

Text Box: 1926.451 1910.1200 1926.501 1910.134 1910.147 1910.178 1910.305 1910.212 1926.1053 1910.303

Text Box: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10

Text Box: 9,012 6,704 6,378 4,332 3,659 3,080 2,953 2,749 2,329 2,178

Text Box: 2006 Ranking

Text Box: Standard

Text Box: Total Violations

Text Box: Scaffolding Hazard Communication Fall Protection Respiratory Protection Lockout/Tagout Powered Industrial Trucks Electrical-Wiring Machine Guarding Ladders Electrical-General Requirements

Text Box: Fiscal 2005 Ranking

Text Box: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #10 #9

Text Box: source:  OSHA 2006

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