Federal jury finds Syracuse company guilty of mail fraud

Image via Wikipedia Federal jury finds Syracuse company guilty of mail fraud

We have discussed this asbestos air monitoring and laboratory consultant case in class. Follow the link which describes the guilty verdict against Certified Environmental Services (CES).  Remember one of the more interesting points of this case was that two individual asbestos air monitors were indicted on their illegal work. Making them individually responsible for aiding and abetting the illegal work of the contractors. It will be interesting if this has an impact on the industry.

Related articles

• Environmental Enforcement Roundup: Abatement Firm Convicted; Bayou Cleanup; Cement Rule Petition (environmentalleader.com)
• EPA Press Release on case

Carl Potter's Safety Code of Conduct

Scaffolding improperly installed missing mud sills, etc.

Mr. Carl Potter is a safety speaker and his website is an excellant resource for information regarding occupational safety and health.  We have received many of his articles and writings, and have always found them informative.  To emphasize this point, please click on the title above to read his latest post regarding setting up a Safety Code of Conduct and the reason why employees typically don't follow safety rules.  Our experience and discussions with many of you, has led us to the same conclusions.  We agree with Mr. Potter come up with your own Safety Code of Conduct and decide to be safe when performing your work.  

Related articles

• Momentive Achieves OSHA Voluntary Protection Program Star Status (eon.businesswire.com)

EMLab P&K Products Division Blog Features - Proper Maintenance of Sampling Equipment



Anderson N-6 Bioaerosol Sampler.



If you use or own indoor air quality equipment we recommend that you read EMLab P&K Products Division Blog.  Click on the title of this blog post to read EMLAB P&K's blog post on the proper maintenance of air sampling equipment, such as the Anderson or A6 impact bioaerosol samplers, rotary vane high volume pumps, and Wallchek adapters.  In addition, it discusses the importance of proper maintenance to sustain consistent sample collection. The blog reminds us that the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) recommends calibrating pumps before and after sample collection with variances not to exceed 5 to 10%.  This calibration should be performed using a primary standard such as a bubble meter (1000 cubic centimeter bubble buret) or an electronic device such as the Dry Cal® DC-Lite Calibrator, Gilian^® Gilibrator-2, and Bios Defender™.  These primary standard must be traced to a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard.  It will keep your equipment running at peak condition.

Related articles

• Linde Develops 110-Component Specialty Gas Mixture (eon.businesswire.com)
• Sentry Equipment Corp Acquires AquatiPro™ (eon.businesswire.com)
• New Oxygen Sensor Makes Calibration Quick and Easy (prnewswire.com)

NYS Requires Crane Operator Certificate of Competence

With the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation gradually going into effect, one of the more interesting parts of the regulation is the fact that the regulation does not pre-eminent state and local regulations. 
Crane operators in New York State must realize in addition to complying with the new OSHA regulation, they must also comply with New York State requirements that requires them to get a Certificate of Competence.  This requirement applies to all cranes having a manufacture’s maximum rated capacity exceeding five tons or over forty feet of boom length and to all tower cranes. This applies whether the crane is used for construction, demolition, or excavation work.

Related articles by Zemanta

• OSHA Publishes Final Rule On Cranes And Derricks In Construction (futureenv.blogspot.com)
• NCCCO Prevails in Legal Disputes (prnewswire.com)
• Travelers Educates Its Construction Customers on OSHA's Revised Cranes and Derricks Standard (eon.businesswire.com)
• NCCCO Publishes Definitive Guide to Personnel Qualification Requirements Under New OSHA Rule (prnewswire.com)
• A Common Sense Approach to Cranes, Derricks and the Safety of America's Construction Workers (whitehouse.gov)
• OSHA Publishes Long-Awaited Crane Rule [The Pump Handle] (scienceblogs.com)

ADA Construction Caught Illegally Mining Sand in Melville

Image via WikipediaA joint investigation between Huntington Code Enforcement Officials and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) found that ADA Construction Corp. had mined 6,000 cubic yards of raw sand and then dumped 8,000 cubic yards of solid waste to backfill the excavation behind Bagatelle Court in Melville, Long Island. 
A separate inspection by the NYS DEC of ADA Construction Corp's Solid Waste Management Facility in Inwood found the site had exceeded its authorized storage limit.  The NYS DEC inspection found 23,000 cubic yards of debris and the facility was only allowed to store 5,000 cubic yards (it was over its limit by 18,000 cubic yards).
ADA Construction Corp is owned by Anthony Frank Falcone, president, and his son, Anthony Vincent Falcone, also owner of Varatech Industries Inc., were found to be in violation of multiple state environmental conservation laws.  The Falcones signed a consent order that required them to remove all of the solid waste from the Melville site, restore the illegal excavation with clean fill material, reduce the volume of material at its Inwood facility, and pay a $150,000 penalty.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Residents, officials renew fight against Cibolo waste facility (mysanantonio.com)
• new sand mining restriction in the turks and caicos (greenantilles.com)
• Benton County landfill to limit operations; waste heading to Marion (thegazette.com)
• Susan Buchanan: Spill Waste Buried in Local Landfills But Not in Mississippi (huffingtonpost.com)

NYS Labor Department Issues Stop Work Order in Lockport

Image via WikipediaIt seems Mr. Scott Krzyzanowski, the owner of 89 Mill Street in Lockport, does not know New York State has one of the strictest asbestos regulations in the country.  He has been told by the New York State Department of Labor numerous times to hire an asbestos contractor to cleanup the "eyesore" at 89 Mill Street, Lockport, NY.  It appears he is ignoring the Department of Labor and they have issued a "Stop Work Order" on the project.  If he continues to ignore the Department of Labor he will be subject to penalties and jail time.  It looks like a showdown at the OK Corral will be happening.  We will see who blinks first?

Related articles by Zemanta

• Stop Work Order At Duane Reade in Wburg: We don't know if there's a... (ny.curbed.com)
• Yahoo Unveils New Energy Efficient Data Center In Upstate New York (huffingtonpost.com)
• Future Environment Designs Sponsors Asbestos Video (futureenv.blogspot.com)

Future Environment Designs Sponsors Asbestos Video

Future Environment Designs sponsored this video to assist with Keeping Your Family Safe by being aware about the dangers of Asbestos.  Realize New York State and New York City asbestos regulations are some of the strongest in the country and both regulate residential asbestos isnpections, removal, and monitoring.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Weitz & Luxenberg Highlights Import of Mesothelioma Awareness Day (eon.businesswire.com)
• Ecological Impacts of Asbestos (brighthub.com)
• Is there still a lot of asbestos in American homes? (greenanswers.com)