Environmental Health and Safety Blog | EHSWire

Daniel Senatus

According to the CDC, poison ivy is a common poisonous plant found throughout the United States. It can be found in forests, swamplands, roadsides, backyards and even in urban environments. That means, wherever you are, poison ivy could be right there!  And, it’s not always easy to spot.  When trying to identify this plant, consider the species, the season and your geographical location as the physical characteristics can vary. Being able to recognize local varieties, especially at a work site, is your key to avoiding exposure.

Poison ivy produces a liquid called urushiol, this is the so called “active ingredient” that causes the itching, blisters and rashes in most people who touch it. Outdoor workers can be exposed to poison ivy in multiple ways:

• Physical contact with the plant (including the roots!)


• Touching tools, equipment or livestock that have been in contact with the plant


• Inhaled aerosolized particles from burning the plant.

Recognition

Your ability to recognize poison ivy is the first step in preventing exposure. Depending upon where you live and the season, the plant can vary widely. It always has three leaves (like many other plants) but the size, shape and coloring may fool you. The following links provide some pictures and other useful information to help you identify the poison ivy lurking in your work place:

• USDA Invasive and Noxious Plants Guide


• Poison Ivy Guide


• USDA Federal and State Noxious Weed Guide


• Great Plains Nature Center

Prevention

When working in areas infested with this wicked plant, personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and boots, long sleeve shirts and long pants tucked into boots will help. Be extra careful to not touch the exposed clothing when removing it and wash it in the hottest water possible using copious amounts of soap and water with lots of room to agitate. If you’re not sure – wash it again as you can get a rash from clothing or tools that have the urushiol resin from even years back!

Always wash your skin with plenty of soap and cold water after exposure. (Hot water opens your pores and lets the resin absorb into your skin.) If you can get scrubbing within ten minutes of contact, you may have dodged the poison ivy bullet! And, always clean all tools and equipment that come in contact with the plant with soap, water and a bleach solution to avoid re-exposure.

Follow comprehensive decontamination methods – treat the urushiol resin as a chemical contaminant!

First Aid

How do you know you have poison ivy? Advice from the Mayo Clinic includes

Signs and symptoms of a poison ivy rash include:

• Redness


• Itching


• Swelling


• Blisters

Often, the rash looks like a straight line because of the way the plant brushes against the skin. But if you come into contact with a piece of clothing or pet fur that has urushiol on it, the rash may be more spread out.  The reaction usually develops 12 to 48 hours after exposure and can last up to eight weeks. The severity of the rash is dependent on the amount of urushiol that gets on your skin.

Once you know you’re exposed, wash exposed skin with plenty of soap and cold water to break down and encapsulate the oil. Web MD advises these additional steps:

An alternative is rubbing alcohol, which can dissolve and remove the oils from your skin. If you can remove the oil within 10 minutes, you are unlikely to develop the rash. Symptoms from a mild rash can sometimes be relieved by the following:

• Cool compresses with water or milk


• Calamine - A nonprescription lotion


• Aveeno oatmeal bath - A product you put in the bath to relieve itching

And, of course, if the reaction seems to be severe, is spreading or lasting longer than a few weeks, ask for immediate professional medical attention.

Three leaves? Be cautious!

At Emilcott, we frequently run into job sites with high potential for poison ivy exposure…think about the uncleared, overgrown or unkempt places that surveyers, highway workers, laborers, HazWOPER workers, engineers, inspectors,  construction workers, and landscapers, often find themselves! And don’t think that you’re immune either. My coworker, Paula Kaufmann, CIH, wrote about her overconfidence that she had not been sensitized to urushiol (and thought she was “immune” and her inevitable reaction to repeated exposure. Maybe she should have paid attention to Emilcott’s poison ivy awareness and other outdoor hazards that is a part of many of our health and safety training courses!

Have you had an experience with poison ivy on the job? Were you prepared ahead of time? If not, what happened?

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Topics: Personal Protective Equipment, General Industry H&S, General EHS, Construction H&S, worker safety, Occupational Safety, Exposure, poison ivy, Occupational Training

by Paula Kaufmann

In 2010, 782,000 students nationwide attended OSHA Outreach Training courses with an 11% increase in students attending the 10-hr Construction Industry Training -- the highest attendance of all courses offered. What is the driving force for the high and rising class attendance? Bids for construction projects with both public and private funding now require that employees of contracting companies complete and pass the OSHA Outreach in Construction courses to reduce project liability and cost. 

What is Construction Industry Outreach Training?

The OSHA Outreach Training Program for the Construction Industry teaches construction workers  how to identify safety and health hazards and how to avoid and prevent these hazards and injuries with the “ Focus Four Hazards” of falls, caught-in or between, struck-by, and electrocution. The training also covers workers’ rights to a safe workplace, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint to OSHA. The Standards applicable to the Construction Industry are contained in Section 29 of the Code of Regulations, Part 1926. 

Who Should Attend a 10-hour Construction Industry Training Course?

Workers must complete the OSHA 10-hr Construction Industry Training Course to work on any publicly-funded construction project in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, and Rhode Island.  Nevada also requires those with supervisory or safety responsibilities complete the 30-hr course.

Many private companies are adding this training to their bid requirements as well! Why?  This course is an excellent introduction to health and safety programs for workers new to construction or when it is time to create a paradigm shift in attitudes about safety. Although the OSHA 10-hour Construction Industry course is designed for entry-level construction workers, many organizations include ALL their site personnel in this training because EVERYONE is responsible for safety.

OSHA, government and private contractors, and insurance providers recognize the completion card as an indication of the importance of safety and health for both the individual and the organization.  In fact, Workers’ Compensation insurance providers often will reduce rates for companies that recognize training as part of their Health and Safety Program and include this essential training to their staff.

Emilcott’s OSHA 10-Hour Construction Industry Course

Based on the requirements established by OSHA, Emilcott’s 10-hour Construction course provides important information about the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces in the construction industry. This training assumes no prior training nor requires any prerequisite training.  Much of the Emilcott Training Institute’s 10-hr Construction Industry course is interactive and hands-on to ensure that key health and safety concepts are retained .  More importantly,  our courses are taught by instructors with real-world experience. Credentials and certifications provide a way to verify competency in particular fields but real-world experience should not be discounted. It’s one thing to talk about trenching hazards, it’s quite another to actually work around them. This experience allows Emilcott trainers to put the material in perspective and help students make the connection between theory and practice.

Quality Training Makes a Difference

With twenty-five years of consulting experience with all types of companies, projects, work sites and hazards, we universally find that the  OSHA Outreach Courses for both Construction and General Industry help everyone at the site “get it” when it comes to site safety!  When part of an implemented Health and Safety Plan, the education provided by quality OSHA Outreach courses has helped our clients reduce their accident incident rates AND insurance rates! 

Do you have examples of the OSHA Outreach Training raising the bar of safety at your site? Is there something you’ve learned in an OSHA Outreach Training Course (Construction or General Industry) that has helped you on the job?

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Topics: OSHA, OSHA Compliance, Construction H&S, Compliance, worker safety, construction, Occupational Training, outreach training

by Paula Kaufmann

On April 15, OSHA announced revisions to the Outreach Training Programs as part of a continuous improvement program. Effective immediately, these new requirements apply to both the trainers and training materials.  The Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, Dr. David Michaels, explained the announcement by stating, " These revisions will serve to tighten the program controls to ensure the best training is provided to the worker participants. Trainer reliability will be enhanced and classes will focus more on fulfilling students' needs for safety and health training."

Here is a snapshot of the revisions:

• The "program guidelines" are now defined as “program requirements" (translation: must be done).


• Separate procedures are provided for each of the Outreach Training Programs, Construction, General Industry, Maritime, and Disaster Site Worker. 


• A trainer Code of Conduct and a Statement of Compliance requires each trainer to verify that the training they conduct will be in accordance with the Outreach Training Program requirements and procedures.


• Classroom size is now limited to a maximum of 40 students.


• Only translators with safety and health experience can be used.


• Videos can be used for only 25 percent of the training period.


• OSHA course completion cards must be provided directly to the students within 90 days of class completion.


• All construction classes are required to include four hours on Focus Four Hazards.


• All 30-hour classes must include two hours on Managing Safety and Health.


• The new requirements and procedures also integrate recent requirements which require training classes to last a maximum of 7½ hours per day and include a new two-hour Introduction to OSHA training module.

The effect of these changes is higher quality OSHA training offered by authorized training groups because, in theory, a better trained worker is a safer worker. As you reviewed the changes to the training program and trainers, what do you think the effect will be? Do you think that the revisions will improve worker safety or are just another paperwork high jump for employers and training institutions?

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Topics: OSHA, General Industry H&S, OSHA Compliance, General EHS, Construction H&S, H&S Training, Compliance, construction, General Industry, Occupational Training, outreach training

by Paula Kaufmann

What’s the job of a Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) Administrator? 

This individual is officially listed in the site’s written Respiratory Protection Program and is accountable and responsible for the day-to-day operation of the program. Some of those “day-to-day” tasks include

• Maintaining the site Respiratory Protection Program


• Assessing the workplace for potential respiratory hazards


• Defining worker exposure for these hazards


• Selecting appropriate respirators to provide protection from defined hazards


• Ensuring
  
  
  
  • Medical evaluations are conducted of employees required to wear respirators PRIOR to fit testing
  
  
  • Respirators are fit tested for all required users
  
  
  • Proper use of respirators during routine and emergency operations
  
  
  • Respirators are appropriately cleaned, disinfected, stored, inspected, repaired, discarded, and maintained
  
  
  • Adequate air quality air is supplied if supplied air respirators are used.
  
  
  • Respirator users are trained in respiratory hazards, and the proper use and maintenance of respirators
  
  
  • Periodical evaluation of the Respiratory Protection Program implementation
  
  
  • Workers who voluntarily wear respirators (excluding filtering facepieces) comply with the medical evaluation, and cleaning, storing and maintenance requirements of the standard
  
  
  • All voluntary-use respirator users understand Appendix D of the standard
  
  
  
  

Yes, these incessant and critical health and safety tasks can be quite overwhelming!  What’s the big deal? For the company or job site or administrator who does not understand why a qualified and empowered RPP Administrator is a big deal, here is a triple-play of Top 5 facts that illustrate the importance of qualified training for Respiratory Protection Program Administrators!

Top 5 OSHA Violation!

Did you know that the Respiratory Protection Standard was in the Top 5 most frequently cited standards by OSHA compliance officers last year?  Why be a part of that statistic?  More about 2010’s Top 10 cited violations can be found in a recent EHSwire blog by Emilcott’s Sarah Damaskos.

Top 5 Reasons YOU need to be “Qualified”

1. Workers at your site are required to wear respirators for protection from respiratory hazards – and you selected these respirators.


2. You train respirator users on how to put on and take off their respirator – along with the limitations on their use, and their maintenance.


3. Implementation of the site respiratory protection program (which you wrote) is just another one of your jobs!


4. Airline (atmosphere-supplying) respirators are used at your site – and you make sure that an adequate air supply, quantity, and flow of breathing air is available.


5. You coordinate the medical evaluation of employees who must use respirators.

Top 5 OSHA Compliance Indicators!

If you get a visit from an OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer, they review these essential factors to help determine if the Respiratory Protection Program Administrator is “Qualified”:

1. The written Respiratory Protection Program and interviews with the program administrator reveal an understanding of the familiarity with the respirator standard, site respiratory hazards, and the use of the respirators in the workplace.


2. Respiratory fit testing is conducting annually or at assignment and the program administrator maintains.


3. Hazardous airborne contaminants that employees may inhale have been identified.  Reasonable estimates of employee exposures were used in determining the appropriate respirator for employees to use.


4. Recent changes in the workplace such as new processes have been evaluated for necessary respiratory program changes


5. The program administrator keeps a written assessment of the program operations and implements changes that may be considered as efforts toward improvement.

How to Become a Qualified RPP Administrator

Focused, hands-on training with experienced health and safety instructors can make the difference for a Respiratory Protection Program Administrator – clarifying the waters by understanding the objectives of the law and how it applies to each work site!

As Health and Safety consultants to many types of companies, Emilcott staff are on job sites each day and see health and safety violations such respirators perched on foreheads or tissues jammed in the sides to ensure a bitter fit. Are these problems an employee violation or a company-wide result of not understanding the importance of a competent Administrator who can develop, maintain and enforce a respirator protection program that reduces occupation risk?

In these cases, we conduct urgent and immediate on-site RPP Administrator training that often includes high level managers to ensure that there is a top to bottom understanding of the importance of proper respirator usage. In addition to our private training, the Emilcott Training Institute offers public enrollment Respiratory Protection Program Administrator training courses in two formats:  an intense 3-hour course with a small class size and an in-depth two-day course.  In both classes, students learn the level of information required for their sites and are taught by an experienced H&S instructor that can answer questions. 

So if you are unfamiliar with your required duties as an RPP Administrator or you want a better understanding of how to encourage better respirator usage by your site personnel, look around for an effective RPP Administrator training class. Once complete and in practice, you should dicover aTop 5 list that looks more like this:

1. OSHA respirator inspection passed without any problems, fines or additional action.


2. Site personnel actively wear their respirators – the way that they are supposed to!


3. Site workers reinforce the importance of respirator use to their colleagues (even when you’re not around)!


4. Managers understand the need for respirator use and support related site activities such as testing of hazardous airborne contaminants.


5. Written assessments of program changes are treated as a necessity for business to move forward rather than resented.

You ARE a Qualified Respiratory Protection Program Administrator!

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Topics: Emilcott, OSHA, Personal Protective Equipment, health and safety, General Industry H&S, OSHA Compliance, General EHS, Construction H&S, Emergency Response, H&S Training, Compliance, worker safety, Occupational Health, Occupational Safety, Lab Safety & Electrical, emergency response training, Fire Safety, Exposure, Respiratory, Occupational Training, RPP, respirator protection program, administrator

Carrie Bettinger, CHMM, CSP

As a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) I often make recommendations to our “General Industry” clients in an effort to lift their game with dealing with hazardous waste.  There are multiple layers of compliance issues related to hazardous waste handling, and, as with most regulations, a little education (TRAINING!!) goes a long way in understanding the game plan!  The intention of this blog is to provide a brief discussion of the key regulations and their associated training requirements.

The Rules

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has very strict guidelines regarding the generation, transportation, treatment, storage  and disposal of Hazardous Waste, which “ General Industry” businesses (schools, colleges; hospitals; trucking/freight companies; manufacturer; laboratories; …well, just about everyone) needs to know!

OSHA uses the term "general industry" to refer to all industries not included in agriculture, construction or maritime. General industries are regulated by OSHA's general industry standards, directives, and standard interpretations.

Give me an R! Give me a C ! Give me an R! Give me an A! What’s that spell?!  HAZARDOUS WASTE!

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) appeared on the environmental scene in 1976 after Congress decided that people shouldn’t be building homes on top of highly hazardous waste dumps or Farmer Joe shouldn’t have a side business of burying industrial waste on the family farm.   RCRA is a complex law with lots of parts and many industries are affected by its components.  In addition to being complex, the text of the Act with all of its parts and sections is hard to follow.  My primary technical focus tends to be on the Generators of Hazardous Waste (40 CFR Part 262) . RCRA Training requirements for generators can be found in 40 CFR 262.34(a)(4) which conveniently (NOT) refers you to look at 40 CFR 265.16 on Personnel Training.

But the EPA’s RCRA law is not the only player when it comes to the game of shipping hazardous waste off your site.  The other major player is the Department of Transportation (DOT), and its Hazardous Materials shipping training requirements are found in 49 CFR Part 172, Subpart H.   The International Air  Transport Association (IATA) has rules for the air transport of hazardous materials ( http://www.iata.org/) including training requirements.

To simplify, RCRA is all about Hazardous WASTE and the DOT and IATA rules kick in when you’re dealing with hazardous MATERIALS, and guess what hazardous waste is?  That’s right it’s hazardous materials in DOT and IATA eyes.  For those who generate or ship Hazardous Waste, compliance for with EPA RCRA and DOT /IATA rules starts with required and effective training.

The Required Training

So, if you generate hazardous waste and you need to get it off your site, here is a brief summary of the training employees who either generate or handle hazardous waste should have -- per both EPA and DOT/IATA.

All employees at sites that generate hazardous waste need to be trained in how to:

• Properly identify what qualifies as regulated “Hazardous Waste” per federal (EPA) or your state requirements.


• Know where to properly dispose of any hazardous waste you may generate (I will give you a hint:   It’s NOT down the sink drain!).


• Know how to handle and dispose of highly hazardous waste (very toxic, reactive or explosive) to prevent injuries, and who to contact for questions or emergencies.

Employees who are designated as responsible for the management and control of this hazardous waste need additional training. And, depending on the size of the facility, it is prudent to provide this training to a backup employee or two. This additional training includes how to

• Properly label containers


• Implement accumulation area requirements and time-on-site limits


• Inspect hazardous waste accumulation areas for leaking or damaged containers or other problems


• Complete Hazardous Waste shipping manifests


• Ensure proper shipping methods and a qualified transporter are used


• Develop site-specific procedures


• Know and implement emergency procedures and site contingency plans

Refresher Training

A common point of confusion is when refresher training is needed for employees.  The DOT and EPA have two separate requirements:

• The EPA requires annual refresher training for their regulations.


• The DOT requires refresher training every 3 years for their regulations.

And, companies must ensure training for new employees or those newly assigned to the role within 6 months of their new post to be in compliance with both RCRA and DOT regulations .

The Bottom Line

We can all help to ensure clean air, clean soil and clean water in our neighborhoods by understanding and following federal and state hazardous waste/hazardous materials regulations. When accidents happen (and they do), labeling, manifests, emergency plans – everything that DOT/IATA and RCRA training develops for your company – are vital in the cleanup of the environment and protection of employee and public health and safety.

For more information or questions regarding how to handle hazardous waste or where to obtain training, please comment below or contact Emilcott.  As part of  The Emilcott Training Institute, we offer private hazardous communication, hazardous materials and hazardous waste training specific to company or site needs. We also offer public classes for both DOT/IATA and RCRA:

• 4-hour Introduction to RCRA Compliance (40 CFR 260-273)


• 4-hour Introduction to DOT/IATA Compliance (49 CFR 172.704 & DGR 1.5.0)

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Topics: Emilcott, OSHA, DOT, General EHS, EPA, Emergency Response, H&S Training, Hazardous Waste Management, Hazardous Materials, Compliance, Lab Safety & Electrical, regulation, General Industry, emergency response training, Occupational Training, IATA, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Lab Safety, hazwaste, transportation, hazmat, generation, RCRA

Martha Hernandez

When it comes to training, OSHA takes it seriously. With good reason:  training keeps workers safe and reduces incidents.  Many OSHA standards specifically require the employer to train employees in the safety and health aspects of their jobs. Other OSHA standards require the employer to make sure that only certified, competent, or qualified workers are assigned specific tasks--meaning that they have had special previous training.  OSHA compliance officers look to see that employers have provided appropriate training to their employees.  

In an effort to improve the consistency of the quality and content of health and safety training, OSHA has developed a series of “Outreach” training programs.  OSHA Outreach training focuses on segments of labor in the business sectors of General Industry and Construction and Maritime Industries. The courses are either 10 or 30 hours in duration with strict agenda guidelines containing focused and topical material, and must be taught by instructors that have extensive training and are approved to deliver the instruction.  The instructors or “Authorized Providers” must attend OSHA train-the-trainer courses, adhere to rigorous standards, and are subject to unannounced audits by OSHA at any time.  Over 3.2 million workers have participated in this type of training over the last 5 years!

In today’s blog we will look at the General Industry Outreach Training.

What is General Industry Outreach Training?

“General Industry” is defined by OSHA as any industry not directly involved with agriculture, construction, and maritime industries.  The standards applicable to General Industry are contained in Section 29 of the Code of Regulations, Part 1910.  As a result of the broad “General Industry” definition, one of the most popular OSHA Outreach courses is the 10-hr General Industry Training  which teaches safety and health hazard recognition and prevention.   OSHA Outreach training focuses on segments of labor in the business sectors of General Industry and Construction and Maritime Industries.

Who Should Attend a 10-hour General Industry Training Course?

The OSHA 10-hour General Industry course is designed for plant superintendents and engineers, floor foremen, safety professionals, project managers, and any other personnel responsible for workplace safety. Indeed, many organizations include all their plant personnel in this training because EVERYONE is responsible for safety. This course is an excellent introduction to health and safety programs for new employees or when it is time to create a paradigm shift in attitudes about safety at a facility.  The General Industry course can help line management get “safety religion”!  In fact, OSHA recognizes the completion card as an indication of the importance of safety and health at an organization.  Workers’ Compensation insurance providers often will reduce rates for companies that provide this training to their staff.

Emilcott’s OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Course

Based on the firm guidelines provided by OSHA, Emilcott’s 10-hour General Industry course provides important information about how OSHA is involved in the general industry community and how employees can recognize and control common workplace hazards. The training focuses on recognizing and controlling hazards found in the industrial workplace. It assumes no prior training nor requires prerequisite training. Much of our 10-hr General Industry course is interactive and hands-on.  More importantly, our courses are taught by instructors with real-world experience. Credentials and certifications provide a way to verify competency in particular fields but real-world experience should not be discounted. It’s one thing to talk about electrical hazards, it’s quite another to actually work around them. This experience allows our trainers to put the material in perspective and helps students make the connection between theory and practice.

Quality Training Makes a Difference

We have found that the OSHA Outreach Courses for both Construction and General Industry help site management really “get it” when it comes to site safety!  This training has given new life to existing safety programs and initiatives at our client sites.  Have you seen safety training make a difference is program compliance at your sites?

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Topics: Emilcott, OSHA, health and safety, General Industry H&S, OSHA Compliance, General EHS, H&S Training, Compliance, worker safety, Occupational Health, Occupational Safety, General Industry, Occupational Training

by Paula Kaufmann

I have attended some incredibly mind-numbing courses over my lifetime.  The worst course ever was in high school American History when we were “taught” about the FDR Years (1933-45) from an endless series of film strips with audio from a synchronized record. Recently, I attended a full-day, on-demand technical class that immediately transported back to that American History lesson. Needless to say, this comparison does not reflect well for this recent course.

I find I don’t take away much from a course that does not engage me. This could be because the topic is inherently dull, the material is presented in a monotonous or non-engaging manner, or I simply can’t connect with the material or the instructor.  I’ve often joked that I am easily entertained (after all, I am a chemist by training!), but dull, monotonous and distant often leave me with zero recall of the main points, and the details, well, those never seem to penetrate my numb mind!

On-line or Classroom HazWOPER?

In a previous EHSWire blog, Vijay Chintamaneni noted, “ When evaluating the courses based on their published description, Online Training and Instructor Led Training (ILT) may look the same, so it is wise to understand the benefits and drawbacks of both before making a final decision. This is especially important for occupational health and safety training.”

So, when I am asked for my thoughts on whether to attend an on-line or instructor-led HazWOPER training class, my immediate response is clear!  It is CRITICAL to actually learn what is taught in these classes not just fulfill the OSHA requirement.  Why? These workers will be working on a HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE, and the knowledge learned in a HazWOPER class allows them to appropriately protect themselves. Students in a HazWOPER class must be engaged in this particular occupational learning as the material is inherently dry and dull.  The best way to imprint essential HazWOPER components such as risk assessment, hazard information, team emergency response and the practical learning, is from discussion, hands-on and group exercises.  

Training experts insist that hands-on training is the best way to learn!

Consider these situations the next time you consider online training to meet your HazWOPER requirements:

• Would you SCUBA dive in the Florida Keys after completely an on-line SCUBA diving lesson (without ever handling the equipment on land or even in a pool)?


• When you call 911 – would you trust an emergency responder that recently received CPR training on-line  without any practice or instructor guidance?


• Would you lend your car to a friend who just learned to drive by completing an on-line driving class?


• If folks need to be trained to work as a team with a command/response structure – how successful can team training be when individuals are trained in isolation?


• How many other things do you do while you are “attending” an online course?


• Do you really want the guy next to you at the hazardous site to be responsible for your health after taking critical health and safety training…online?

Why the Emilcott Training Institute? Because you will LEARN and be prepared!!

Emilcott offers quality HazWOPER health and safety training that prepares workers for the real world by keeping them engaged and interested in the materials! Our HazWOPER instruction combines classroom knowledge with interactive, hands-on activities, respirator fit-testing, individual and group activities, and a simulated, outdoor hazardous waste operation complete with “what if” scenarios and instructor guidance.

• The Emilcott 40-hour HazWOPER mock drill is chock full of “what if” scenarios such as unidentified hazards, nosy neighbors, health and safety incidents, decontamination exercises, use of instruments, and more.


• We film our mock drill and then evaluate the results in class.


• We have taught thousands of HazWOPER training classes – many of them for the US Armed Forces in the states and Europe.


• Our 8-hour Site Supervisor course concentrates on group exercises and managerial experience to reinforce essential skills needed to ensure the health and safety of the crew while getting project work completed without incident.


• We interview our students to ensure that the materials presented are as applicable to their job function as possible.


• Our annual 8-hour Refresher is revised each year to ensure well-rounded exposure for our repeat students.


• We train students, but we do not pass students who don’t qualify!

What is the importance of a good instructor?

Emilcott HazWOPER instructors are field-experienced health and safety professionals who have seen it all!  In fact many of our instructors have been working on hazardous waste sites and training for over 25 years. Emilcott instructors consist of

• EHS Specialists


• Certified Industrial Hygienists (CIH)


• Certified Safety Professionals (CSP)


• Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (CHMM)

As HazWOPER instructors, their job is to review the OSHA-required materials in such a way that students can remember the materials and apply them to their job.  Through a variety of media, discussions and exercises Emilcott ensures that our 24-hour, 40-hour or 8-hour HazWOPER class is as practical and hands-on as possible!

Understand Yourself and the Impact of Effective Training

As a CIH consultant with a family and other obligations, it is always a challenge for me to squeeze in occupational training. After all, time spent learning does compete with project work, and there are only so many hours in the week!  With such a tight schedule, sitting in on a webinar or other type of on-demand learning is easier to squeeze into my schedule. Conversely, I also know that attending a course in a classroom with a qualified instructor is a far better option for learning and applying critical health and safety information that I will need on the job. As a result, whenever I have the option between online or instructor-led, especially for a dreaded or boring topic, the best option is to block out the time for classroom learning; my distractions are reduced, my attendance and alertness is required and, now that I’ve set aside the time, my focus is on learning the most and maximize the opportunity. 

Have you ever taken an online, technical course? What were some of the distracting activities you did while “learning”? My personal favorites are cleaning up my email or wallet! Have you ever taken a technical course for multiple days and walked out of it remembering almost next to nothing and thinking, “Oh, that was a waste!” Has that experience affected your training selection process?

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Topics: Emilcott, OSHA, health and safety, General Industry H&S, OSHA Compliance, General EHS, Construction H&S, H&S Training, Hazardous Waste Management, Compliance, Occupational Health, Occupational Safety, class, Occupational Training, HazWOPER, training

Laurie de Laski

Having spent a large part of the last 25 years as an EHS professional developing and implementing Health and Safety Plans in a wide variety of industries, I was pleased to see that companies are requesting contractors and service providers to be prequalified for safety during the bidding process.  Conceptually, prequalification for safety should “raise the safety bar” and, companies with a well-developed safety plan should be rewarded for their proactive ethos with a competitive edge in the marketplace.  At Emilcott we have seen this really happen! Highly competitive project opportunities open up for clients that have genuinely adopted a top to bottom buy-in on the importance and value of safety. And, of course, they also experience measurable drops in both injury and insurance rates based on their safety performance.

Is the safety prequalification process good?

To have the “win-win”, the safety programs required for the project must be appropriate for the bidding contractor’s scope of work.  And, these safety programs need to be adopted, implemented and enforced. So, in order to make the prequalification process manageable for the companies writing the scope of work and the bidding contractors, an industry of on-line safety verification companies has evolved. While helping the contracting companies organize their bid processes, this on-line verification is very one-size fits all and focuses heavily on written programs, which may not be applicable to the scope of work.  This all or nothing approach leaves me wondering if on-line verification actually does raise the bar or just rubber-stamps paper safety programs.

Here’s the process “in theory”…

Contractors must have written safety programs that meet the requirements of the client.  The programs are submitted on-line and reviewed by the verification company.  Programs meeting the specifications are passed; those that don’t pass are requested to be updated.  This practice sounds likes a good idea, however,

• Many times contractors are required to write safety plans for equipment and operations outside the scope of their operations.


• The contractors spend a significant amount of time inputting the information to the website with no guarantee of being accepted. 


• Many of the bidding contractors are small businesses without the support or money to handle the overhead costs associated with maintaining their entries in the safety verification website.

For a quick safety program, click here!

Don't have the time to develop a safety plan? Don’t know what you’re missing? Under the gun to qualify for a lucrative project?  Don’t worry!

A large number of on-line “safety” specialists are available to help contractors meet the prequalification safety requirements! They advertise the development of company-specific safety programs that will meet the verification requirements at a very low cost, and some will include on-line input on behalf of the contractor and guarantee that they will pass.  One organization guaranteed approval in 72 hours!

Wait a minute…what problem does this solve? These companies offer to “customize” the safety plan by including the contractor’s company name and logo.  These cookie-cutter programs may meet verification requirements, but don’t appear to be customized for the contractor operations or the protection of the workers.  My sense is that there is no effort to actually develop a program that would be implemented by the contractor.  In conclusion, this “click here” approach does not raise the safety bar – it merely creates the illusion of a safety culture.

So, does safety prequalification work?

While health and safety program verification using this broad, sweeping approach may reduce the client’s liability, it doesn’t automatically improve safety performance.  In addition, the contractor may not be aware that they are creating a huge liability if they don’t implement their own safety program. In fact, OSHA will fine heavily for injuries that occur due to the lack of compliance with their stated safety plan.  Criminal penalties are also a possibility since the contractor could be considered negligent in not implementing or enforcing the procedures.

Where should we go from here?

The Requirements - Companies should require contractors to maintain only the safety programs that apply to the scope of work.  Requiring extensive safety programs for hazards the contractor is not likely to encounter devalues the safety culture for both the site and the contractor.

The Contractor Safety Programs - Contractors need to honestly implement programs that apply to their scope of work; understand the intent of the specific safety programs by learning the requirements of the regulations, provide employee training, and foster a culture of safety awareness with their employees.

The Verification Process – Be clear about the REAL goal of the process. If the objectives are truly to reduce accidents, improve safety, and make sure that everyone goes home at night, then old fashioned site health and safety inspections are what should be required.  Seeing how people work is the best way to make improvements in safety!

Do you think that the on-line safety verification process actually make a difference or is worth the time and expense?  Have you worked on a project where the on-line verification process develop and promoted a safe work environment, or like me, do you doubt they make a positive impact at all?

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Topics: Personal Protective Equipment, health and safety, General Industry H&S, General EHS, Construction H&S, H&S Training, Compliance, worker safety, Occupational Health, Occupational Safety, Occupational Training, safety plan, health and safety plan, safety prequalification, on-line verification

Capt. John DeFillippo, CHMP, EMT-B

The health effects from airborne hazards are a frequent topic in many health and safety courses, especially in hazardous substance and hazardous waste training.  This is because so many of these exposures may not show up as health problems for decades! Consider asbestos. While it’s not harmful to the touch, inhalation can be fatal, but it can take 25-30 years before asbestosis or mesothelioma can develop. Both are chronic and often deadly diseases of the lungs.

The lungs are amazing. It surprises most people to learn that the lungs have the largest surface area of any body organ -- about 80 times more area than the skin, or about the size of a tennis court!  As we breathe, our lungs are in constant contact with the outside world and that is a lot of contact area. They need to be protected.

Over three million American workers are required to wear respirators to protect themselves from hazardous airborne contaminants.  Not surprisingly, OSHA has some pretty strict rules when it comes to protecting our lungs . Despite this , it is estimated that more than half of the respirators worn are not worn in accordance with OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.134

Did you know that…

• If workers are wearing respirators, a written program is required?


• A medical evaluation is required for anyone who wears a respirator?


• A fit test of each respirator worn must be conducted initially AND annually?


• The workplace must be evaluated to determine the hazard so that the proper respirator (there are many) can be selected?


• These rules, and others, apply to what many people refer to as “dust masks”?

Proper respirator usage training is also required. Why? Because wearing the wrong type, wrong size, or an improperly fitted respirator can be more dangerous than not wearing one at all. For example:

1. Wearing a filtering respirator in an O₂-deficient atmosphere, or the wrong cartridge, can mislead you to believe that you are protected…when you are not!


2. A mask with even the slightest poor fit allows contaminates in and may actually increase exposure levels.


3. Not everyone can wear a respirator. Because a respirator restricts your breathing, people with certain medical conditions can be seriously harmed by wearing them. This is why being medically cleared prior to use is so important, and required.

Not complying with the rules designed for occupational safety can be costly… and not just in fines and penalties. Too many workers have destroyed their health by failing to protect their delicate, vital lungs. And, it’s not just at work. Working around the home and yard can also present respiratory dangers, too. If you are not sure that you need more than a “dust mask” ask someone who can help.

Have you been properly trained to use your respirator and fit-tested to make sure it is actually stopping hazards from reaching your lungs?Are you confident that you are using your respirator properly and that the respirator that you have selected is the best for the contaminants you are exposed to?  How about the person next to you - are they in compliance?  Hopefully you and your workmates can answerYES! to these questions. If you have any questions about respiratory protection, please ask me!

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Topics: OSHA, indoor air quality, Personal Protective Equipment, General Industry H&S, General EHS, Construction H&S, Emergency Response, Homeland Security, H&S Training, Hazardous Waste Management, Hazardous Materials, Compliance, worker safety, Occupational Health, Occupational Safety, Lab Safety & Electrical, emergency response training, Fire Safety, environmental air monitoring, Respiratory, Occupational Training

Carrie Bettinger - CSP, CHMM

It’s a windy, rainy day in northern New Jersey today and, as I drive through my town, I see the sanitation trucks are out to collect garbage and paper recyclables as early as they can before everything is soaked.  My town roads are basically paved horse trails so imagine narrow, winding roads with lots of sharp curves with a posted speed limit of 25 MPH.  So why is one of the garbage trucks going about 35MPH on one of these roads with a soaking wet worker standing on the truck’s rear platform clinging with a death grip to the side?  Is it that important to get the garbage in as fast as possible?  Why is the worker not in the truck if they are not making stops?  Does one of these workers have to die before this sanitation company takes steps to stop these stupid and unsafe acts?

As an experienced Safety Professional, I’m trained to recognize compliance-driven and non-compliance "best practice" occupational safety violations.  However, what does it take to change laws and habits that affect workers and citizens?  In our society and legal system it seems that, yes, someone (or many) has to tragically die before change and regulation are considered.

Let’s review some of our history:

1911:  The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York resulted in 146 worker deaths due to locked escape routes leading to local then nationwide Life Safety Laws.

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Topics: OSHA, health and safety, General Industry H&S, General EHS, Construction H&S, Chemical Safety Board, Compliance, worker safety, Occupational Safety, Occupational Training, Lab Safety, Safety Training in Spanish, water safety