Air Quality Monitoring | Water Quality Monitoring

Let’s hope that this is not the approach that people take when it comes to spills associated with oils, acids , solvents, or other potentially hazardous liquids.   Spill control and spill prevention is a very important issue that can protect personnel and property.  The losses associated with improper control of dangerous materials can be immediate to long term.  Proper care and planning is imperative and is a mandated regulation. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) mandates that a Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plan (SPCC Plan) must be prepared by all facilities subject to the U.S. EPA’s Oil Pollution Prevention Regulation. This regulation was published in the Federal Register on December 11, 1973 and was promulgated under Section 311(j)(1)(C) of the Clean Water Act. It was amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

A SPCC Plan is to help prevent any discharge of oil or other chemicals into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. The main focus of the SPCC regulation is prevention as opposed to after-the-fact reactive measures commonly described in Spill Contingency Plans.

Additional information including who is responsible for preparing a SPCC Plan, required components of a SPCC Plan, and updates on the EPA SPCC Ruling along with many other guidance documents can be found at:

http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/spcc/

Common Considerations

Individuals should be familiar with the properties and hazards of the materials with which they work with. In the event of a chemical spill, the individual(s) who caused the spill is responsible for prompt and proper clean-up. Improper clean-up of a chemical spill may result in injury, illness, fire, a release to the environment, or property damage. Planning for chemical spills is essential. Before beginning work with chemicals, one should be sure that the appropriate types and amounts of spill clean-up materials and personal protective equipment (PPE) are immediately available.

Any person working with chemicals should consult the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the specific chemical that he/she could potentially come into contact with and consider response options in case of a spill or release beforehand.  Below is a list of considerations for properly preparing for and responding to a spill.

• Review Material Safety Data Sheets or other references for recommended spill clean-up methods and materials, and the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g., respirators, gloves, Tyvek suits, etc.);

• Acquire sufficient quantities and types of spill control materials to contain any spills than can be reasonably anticipated;

• Acquire recommended PPE and training in its proper use. All companies should provide training for their employees in the proper use of PPE, including respirators, gloves, and eye and face protection.

• Place spill control materials in a readily accessible location, close to the areas where chemicals are used or stored.

Store and protect absorbents in easily accessible spill kits. Spill kits allow workers to quickly respond to an incident to manage potentially dangerous and costly spills. Review the area where your absorbents are needed and determine the largest potential spill for the area. Also determine if the spill kit should be mobile or permanently stationed.

Common Types of Absorbents

Selecting the right absorbent product is critical. This process includes sizing your spill absorbent, types of liquids the absorbent material will pick up and strength and durability.  These considerations play an important part in determining the greatest efficiency and best results spill absorbent products will yield to the spill control user.

Universal Absorbents – Universal absorbents are an absorbent solution typically used for all industrial and commercial spill control. They come in different configurations like absorbent mats, pads, pillows, rolls and booms. Universal absorbents are multipurpose that includes handling solvents, water, oil and other types of liquids. This helps in cleaning floors and the prevention of falling or slipping.

Oil Absorbents – Oil absorbents are “hydrophobic”, meaning they repel water and are specifically for oil cleanup only. They are able to absorb the oil without absorbing the water, making them perfect for oil cleanup and containment on or near large bodies of water. They’re available in different configurations like absorbent socks, sweeps, pads, booms, rolls and drip pans.

Absorbent Pillows and Pads – A pillow is a fabric bag filled with absorbent material, used for rapid absorption of high volumes of liquid in a limited area. A pad is a sheet of absorbent material used to control low-volume spills and help to prevent physical hazards and protect surfaces from damaging liquid materials.

Absorbent Socks – Absorbent socks can be used for a variety of solvents as well as for cleaning up spills on outdoor equipment and machine bases. Oil socks are used to absorb oil and to wrap machines to prevent spilling on the floor. Corn cob, cellulose, vermiculite and polypropylene are some examples of common fillers for these socks.

Loose Absorbents – Commonly used absorbents come in the form of a granular material that’s poured on the spill’s surface. These floor sweeps can absorb a variety of spills including oil, coolants and other solvents. They have uses in many areas including factories, hospitals, schools, office buildings, gas stations, warehouses and restaurants.

Booms and Skimmers – Booms and skimmers are ideal for sweeping oil from streams, ponds and other bodies of water to keep them from harming the environment. They keep waterways clean of petroleum-based liquids and other contaminants. Oil sweeps and oil skimmers come in the form of sump socks and pillows and oil containment booms which can often be placed in sumps and/or monitoring wells.

Hazmat Absorbents – Hazmat absorbents are ideal for chemical spills of bio-hazardous liquids in both industrial and commercial environments. They’re part of spill kits and are available as mats, pads, rolls, socks, dikes and booms. They are used on land because they do not float in water. Hazmat absorbents also absorb water-based fluids like gas, hydraulic fluids, coolants, acetone, hexane and turpentine.

Spill Control Kits – These kits store and protect absorbents in easily accessible spill kits. Spill kits allow workers to quickly respond to an incident to manage potentially dangerous and costly spills. These kits are typically stored near locations that have the largest potential for a spill (i.e. gasoline stations, near above ground storage tanks, near drum storage areas, etc.)

Pine Environmental Services, Inc. offers a wide variety of preventative spill control products and storage devices ranging from flammable and combustible storage lockers, spill containment decks and pallets, intermediate bulk carrier (IBC) units, containment sumps, and overpack drums.  Additionally, Pine sells a full range absorbent products.  If you need help selecting the correct industrial absorbent, please feel free to contact any Pine Environmental Services, Inc. office.

Do you or your employees work near vehicular traffic or heavy equipment? If so, it is likely they required to wear high visibility clothing so that they can be seen by motorists and/or heavy equipment operators.

High-visibility clothing is a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) worn that has highly reflective properties or a color that is easily discernible from any background. Safety vests worn by construction workers are a common example.

Part of the surface of the garment may have retro-reflective stripes. This way they become much more visible in the dark for observers near a light source, such as the driver of a car with its headlights on. The pattern of the retro-reflecting parts also helps to distinguish between objects and people.

For greater visibility during the daytime, very bright colors (yellow, lime green, orange) are used for the main body of the garment by means of fluorescent material.

In general, people who wear high-visibility clothing are those who need to be seen during poor lighting or weather conditions, or when working in environments where there is a lot of moving machinery.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have recently taken a greater interest in high visibility clothing and the work situations in which it should be worn. Organizations can be cited under 29CFR 1910.132 for not having their workers wear clothing that ensures their visibility. ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 is a voluntary standard that offers performance specifications for reflective materials, including minimum amounts, placement, background material, test methods and care labeling. In short, the standard provides for a high degree of reflective material incorporated into garments, thus improving visibility and safety.

Compliance with the ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 standard for high-visibility safety clothing can help to ensure visibility of workers from all directions under adverse lighting conditions.

The ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 standard is the first uniform, authoritative guide for the design, performance specifications, and use of high-visibility and reflective clothing for employees. This standard was modeled after the European standard EN471 by ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and ISEA (International Safety Equipment Association).

ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 specifies three classes of garments based on work environment:

Class I

These garments are intended for workers who have ample separation from vehicular traffic that does not exceed 25 mph. Class I garments are often safety vests thay are recommended for parking service attendants, workers in warehouses with equipment traffic, shopping cart retrievers, sidewalk maintenance workers and delivery vehicle drivers.

Class II

Class II garments are for users who need greater visibility in poor weather conditions and whose activities occur near roadways where traffic speeds exceed 25 mph. This class of garment may be suitable for railway workers, school crossing guards, parking and toll gate personnel, airport ground crews and law enforcement personnel directing traffic.

Class III

Class III garments provide the highest level of visibility to workers in high-risk environments that involve high task loads, a wide range of weather conditions and traffic exceeding 50 mph. Class III garments, provide coverage to the arms and/or legs as well as the torso, and can include pants, jackets, coveralls or rain wear. The standard recommends these garments for all roadway construction personnel and vehicle operators, utility workers, survey crews, emergency responders, railway workers and accident site investigators.

Requirement Class I garments Class II garments Class III garments

Background material 217 square in. (0.14 m2) 775 square in. (0.50 m2) 1240 square in. (0.80 m2)

Reflective material 155 square in. (0.10 m2) 201 square in. (0.13 m2) 310 square in. (0.20 m2)

Photometric performance Level 2 Level 2 Level 2

Source: American National Standards Institute

Pine Environmental Services, Inc. sells a full range of vests and other highly-reflective clothing that conform to all three requirements. Below is just an example of what we carry.

• OccuNomix Safety Vests

• MCR Safety Vests

• Rawhyde Frontier Safety Vests

• Ergodyne Safety Vests

This article is not intended to determine specific compliance responsibilities, which are set forth in the OSHA standards. Please keep in mind that interpretations and enforcement policy may change with time and you should check with your company’s health & safety coordinator if you have any questions.

References:

American National Standards Institute Website:

http://www.ansi.org/

United States Department of Labor Website:

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9777

Federal Highway Administration Website:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/cfr23toc.htm

Hard Hat Safety & Replacement Procedures

The hard hat is one of the oldest, most widely used, and most important pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) on the job. So, why is it so often misused and abused?

There’s no question that many workers have been saved from serious injury or even death because they were wearing a hard hat; however, this ubiquitous piece of PPE is rarely part of an inspection, maintenance, or replacement program. Even with the best intentions, the effectiveness of any PPE on the job is limited when the product is not properly worn, maintained, and replaced when needed.

In every organization where workers wear head protection on the job, a regular hard hat replacement program should be clearly defined and implemented. This type of hard hat replacement program can be implemented and managed with a few considerations.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), ironically, does not specify the service life of a hard hat, and there is no standard expiration time frame for hard hats. The OSHA guidelines for head protection are referenced in 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.135 and 1926.100. Ultimately, an employer is responsible for defining a proactive and appropriate solution for hard hat service life issues.

29 CFR 1910.135(a)(1) states, “Each affected employee shall wear protective helmets when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects.”

A “protective helmet,” as referenced in 29 CFR 1910.135 must comply with the performance guidelines in the ANSI Z89.1-1986 (and subsequently revised in 1997, 2003 and 2009), American National Standard for Personal Protection—Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers Requirements if purchased after July 5, 1994.

Useful Life of a Hard Hat

Both the 1986 and 1997 ANSI standards address service life under maintenance and care of the hard hat. The standards state that all hard hat components should be inspected daily for signs of dents, cracks, penetration and any damage due to impact, rough treatment, or wear. Although it is not considered a “shelf life”, many hard hat manufactures provide “Service Life Guidelines” or recommend “Head Protection Replacement Programs” that suggest replacing the suspension every 12 months and the hard hat shell after 5 years of use, regardless of appearance. Any hard hat that fails the visual inspection should be removed from service until the problem is corrected. If work conditions include exposure to higher temperature extremes, sunlight, or chemicals, hard hats may need to be replaced more often.

Inspection and Maintenance

The typical ANSI Type I-compliant hard hat consists of two components: shell and suspension. These components work together as a system. It is important for both the shell and suspension to be inspected during assembly and before each use.

Shell Inspection

Thermoplastics (polyethylene, polycarbonate, and others) and thermoset materials (fiberglass-reinforced polyesters and phenolic-impregnated textiles) are commonly used to mold shells of industrial hard hats. These materials have proven to be durable, reliable, and lightweight while providing effective protection. Given proper care, these materials will provide a reasonable service life under normal workplace conditions. But keep in mind that these hard hats do not have an indefinite useful life, nor are they resistant to all physical and chemical exposures.

Shells should be inspected routinely for dents, cracks, gouges, and any damage due to impact, penetration, abrasions, rough treatments, or wear that might reduce the degree of protection originally provided. Ultraviolet light is the hard hat’s worst enemy. Degradation of thermoplastic material may be apparent when the shell becomes stiff, brittle, faded, dull in color, or exhibits a chalky appearance. A hard hat should be replaced at first sign of any of these conditions.

Suspension Inspection

The hard hat suspension can be just as important to worker safety as the shell. The suspension actually helps to absorb the shock of a blow, so it must be in good condition at all times. Like the shell, the suspension must be inspected regularly and replaced from time to time. Suspensions should be inspected closely for cracks, frayed or cut crown straps, torn headband or size adjustment slots, loss of pliability, missing components, or other signs of wear.

Other General Guidelines

• Hard hats are designed to protect you only once. If the hard hat has been struck by a forcible blow of any magnitude, both the hard hat shell and the suspension should be replaced immediately, even if no damage is visible. Hard hats also should be replaced if dropped accidentally by the worker from the height of a two story building or higher.

• Assuming the hard hat has been stored in proper packaging–free from exposure to sunlight, chemicals, and extreme temperatures–the product service life would begin at the time the hard hat is put into service, not from the date of manufacture. All hard hats are required to have a molded-in date code (date of manufacture) per ANSI Z89.1-2003 industrial head protection requirements. Check and log this date prior to sending the hard hat into service to help track the age of the product.

• Safety officials must implement and maintain a hard hat replacement program to ensure that hard hats are providing the level of protection intended.

Replacement Program

Hard hats have a reasonable service life when used in normal work environments and properly maintained. However, useful life is not indefinite, and there are some recommended guidelines for hard hat replacement.

Many employers replace all employees’ caps every five years, regardless of outward appearance. If the user environment is known to include higher exposure to temperature extremes, sunlight, or chemicals, hard hats should be replaced routinely after two years of use.

If you are ever in doubt about the use or maintenance of your hard hat, contact the manufacturer directly for instructions and recommendations. The cost of maintaining and replacing your hard hat is well worth the benefits.

Pine Environmental Services, Inc. is a leading provider in personal protective equipment and health and safety monitoring equipment to help prepare the worker in the field. We carry a full line of health & safety products including hard hats from various manufacturers such as: MSA, Bullard, North, and Sperian. We can even have your company’s logo printed on various styles of hard hats for company identification and advertisement on the jobsite.

For more information on a few of the hard hat products that we can provide, please click the links below or inquire with your local Pine representative.

MSA hard – http://www.pine-environmental.com/msa-1.htm#content

Bullard – http://www.pine-environmental.com/bullard.htm#content

North – http://www.pine-environmental.com/north-3.htm#content

Sperian – http://www.pine-environmental.com/sperian-previously-willson.htm#content

Harley Davidson – http://www.pine-environmental.com/harley-davidson.htm#content

References:

ANSI Z89.1-2009, American National Standard for Personal Protection—Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers

ANSI Z89.1-2003, American National Standard for Personal Protection—Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers

ANSI Z89.1-1997, American National Standard for Personal Protection — Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers

ANSI Z89.1-1986, American National Standard for Personal Protection—Protective Headwear for Industrial Workers

Occupational Health & Safety, March 1, 2007. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.135, Occupational Head Protection Standard

http://www.msanorthamerica.com

It is that time of year again; freezing temperatures, snow, and ice; however, work in these harsh environments often must continue, which can lead to “Cold Stress” if proper health and safety practices are now followed.

In a cold environment, body heat must be conserved to maintain a core temperature at normal levels and to ensure adequate blood flow to the brain and extremities. When the body is unable to warm itself, cold related stress may result. Environmental factors affecting conservation of body heat are ambient air temperature, wind chill, dampness of air, and contact with cold water or surfaces. This, combined with human factors, such as protective layers of clothing, and job factors, such as work activity, determine whether one is adequately protected from the extremes of cold weather.

The following are examples of actions that can be taken to reduce cold stress:

• Prior to working outside or in unheated buildings, determine the wind chill index (see table below) and check the weather forecast for possible changes.
• Ensure means of communication is available when working in cold environments.
• Plan work so that a heated location, such as a vehicle, is available for warm-up if needed.
• Schedule rest breaks regularly, so workers can warm up and replenish their fluids.
• Provide thermal cushion insulation on tool handles.

Workers should also recognize the potential health problems from working in cold environments. These may include:

• Frostbite: freezing of the skin, loss of sensation, cold pale and waxy skin.
• Trench foot: intense pain in the foot with swelling. Discoloration of the skin may be caused by long immersion in cold water. Water temperature does not need to be below freezing to cause trench foot.
• Hypothermia: cold extremities which are numb and clumsy; severe shivering along with reduced mental alertness with irritability and lack of concentration. The normal shivering process may stop with severe hypothermia.

Additionally, the worker should recognize some personal protective approaches that can reduce cold stress, including the following:

• Gloves should have removable insulated liners. Liners that cannot be removed and dried every day may gradually absorb moisture, which can speed up the loss of body heat.
• Boots should be adequately insulated and have a removable insole. They should be worn with wool or nylon blend socks.
• Cold weather masks should be worn during severe wind chill conditions.
• Have a spare change of clothing available during cold weather. Clothing that has become wet from perspiration or precipitation should be changed as soon as possible.

When dressingfor cold weather environments, three layers of clothing have been found to be effective in managing cold stress.  The layers should be prepared according to thes following guidelines:

• Inner layer: wool, silk, or synthetic fabrics to wick away moisture from the body.
• Second layer: wool or synthetic fabrics. This layer is intended to keep a layer of air trapped around the body.
• Third layer: nylon or other synthetics. This is an outer wind and rain/snow protection layer that should allow some ventilation to prevent overheating.

The potential for accidental exposure to severe cold should be included in plans to control exposures. If a worker complains of symptoms of cold stress, they should be removed from the exposure and assessed by appropriate medical personnel.

The table below provides wind-chill factors published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service.

Source: www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/images/windchillchart3.pdf 

Pine Environmental Services, Inc. is a leading provider in personal protective equipment and health and safety equipment to help prepare the worker for exposure to cold environmental conditions.  For more information on a few of the underlayer products, hats, and gloves that we can provide please click the links below or inquire with your local Pine representative.

http://www.pine-environmental.com/work-wear.htm#content

http://www.pine-environmental.com/occunomix-accessories.htm#content

http://www.pine-environmental.com/insulated-cold-applications.htm#content