Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
After a Flood If your UST has been in a flood, take the following actions, depending on site-specific conditions: Do not assume everything is OK because water didn’t actually flood over the station. The water table could have risen and caused problems. Make sure the power to any UST-related equipment is off (such as power […]
Even if you have insurance to cover repairs, bringing a damaged UST back up to code can be a lengthy process, particularly if the flooding is widespread and qualified UST contractors are in high demand. Damages could include piping connections broken by movement, compromised electrical and leak prevention/detection systems, infiltration by water, and loss of […]
Let’s face it. If someone in your community has a complaint about your facility, you would much rather hear from them than having the EPA alerted first. It’s all about communication. We’ve discussed some of these ideas before, but some of them bear repeating. These tips can help you in developing an open relationship with […]
NPDES permits establish allowable discharge limits or effluent limitations that include both concentration and volume of flow. Section 402(k) of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) provides for what is known as a “permit shield.” This means that if you are in compliance with your NPDES permit, you are deemed to be in compliance with […]
Owners of equipment with charges of more than 50 pounds (lb) of refrigerant are required to repair leaks in the equipment when the leak rates exceed a certain percentage of the charge over a 12-month period. For commercial and industrial process refrigeration, the leak rate requiring repair is 35 percent or more of the charge […]
10 Tips for Communicating an Environmental Crisis Accept responsibility for real and perceived environmental risks at your facility. The time to develop a public relations program is not after the incident happens. Facilities should already have a plan that addresses crisis communication. Companies that isolate themselves in times of crisis will be blamed by a […]
2013 TRI National Analysis—Chemical Release Data The EPA tracks chemical waste disposal and other releases to keep the public informed and to help them “identify priorities and opportunities for government and communities to work with industry to reduce toxic chemical disposal or other releases and potential associated risks.” These chemicals may be released at the […]
Yesterday, we discussed how to use a sound level meter to perform area noise monitoring as part of your hearing conservation program. Today, we’ll look at when and how to use personal noise dosimetry to characterize worker exposures and determine what hearing protection, if any, might be required. You may need to use personal noise […]
Noise monitoring is a vital part of your hearing conservation program. It can help you determine whether workers could be exposed at or above the action level; select workers for inclusion in a hearing conservation program; and enable the selection of appropriate hearing protection devices. According to OSHA’s occupational noise standard (1910.95), area monitoring or […]
Wood-Burning Heaters—Safety and Efficiency Tips 1) Replace wood burning appliances manufactured before 1990 and only use EPA-Certified or EPA-Qualified appliances. According to the EPA, there are 12 million residential wood stoves in use in the United States and 9 million of those are older, not certified by the EPA and may be as much as […]