Long Island OSHA Rep Speaks to the Association of Facilities Engineers

Image via WikipediaOn Tuesday, March 8, 2011, Mr. Anthony Ciuffo, CSP, the Long Island Area Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) gave an overview of OSHA's function in the workplace and what OSHA currently doing in the area.  His presentation was to the Long Island Chapter of the Association of Facilities Engineers (AFE) which held this meeting at the Hofstra University Club.  The event was sponsored by Hofstra University Continuing Education.
The presentation covered the typical taglines we've come to hear from other OSHA representatives - strong enforcement; partnering for a purpose; emergency preparedness; rule making in requiring an injury illness prevention program (I2P2); and safety and health management systems.  Top ten inspection targets for the Long Island area are:

1. Fall hazards in construction
2. Heavy highway and bridge construction
3. Gut rehab and demolition
4. Amputations
5. Warehousing
6. Construction
7. Landscaping & Horticultural
8. High Hazard 50
9. Isocyanate
10. Lead

For OSHA's calendar year, last year saw 343 inspections (on Long Island).  Average serious violation before October 2010 was $1,200, after October 2010 the average serious violation has increased to $2,400.
Dinner was included in the meeting and the organization several future meetings and a golf outing planed in the future.  For more information on AFE visit their website at: http://www.afechapter4.org/

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EPA's Local Coordinator for the Lead Paint Rule at Hofstra University

On Friday, April 1, 2011 (that's right on April Fool's day), Jeanette Dadusc, MS, MPA the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region 2 Coordinator for the Lead Based Paint  - Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule will be the guest speaker at a free information session at Breslin Hall at Hofstra University.  To register or for more information, visit ce.hofstra.edu/EPAinfo or call 516-463-7200.

NYC Title 15 Revisions Took Effect February 3, 2011

We recently received an email from Steven A. Camaiore, P.E., the Deputy Director of the New York City Environmental Protection - Environmental Compliance Asbestos Control Program.  In the email he advised that Title 15, Chapter 1 RCNY Asbestos Control Program Rules & Regulations were revised and the new Rules took effect February 3, 2011.  Find the revised rule at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/asbestos/asbestos.shtml. 

In addition, he also advised that the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) will be strictly enforcing the following provisions of Title 15, Chapter 1 RCNY Asbestos Control Program Rules & Regulations effective May 1, 2011:

“§ 1-01 (j) (3) DEP may deny any application for an asbestos abatement permit pursuant to section 1-26 of these rules, or a variance application pursuant to section 1-03 of these rules, where any party to the asbestos project, including but not limited to the abatement contractor, building owner, and air monitoring company, has docketed, unpaid civil penalties imposed by the Environmental Control Board for violations of these rules, sections 24-146.1 and 24-146.3 of the Administrative Code, or NYSDOL ICR 56.”

Companies with outstanding penalties can pay their outstanding penalties in any of the following ways:

• On-line at http://nycserv.nyc.gov/NYCServWeb/NYCSERVMain

• By phone at (212) 504-4041

• By mail:
New York City Department of Finance,
345 Adams, 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Attention: Timeko Hunte

• In person at any Finance Business Center. For location and hours of operation, visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/contact/contact_visit.shtml.

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15th Annual PACNY Environmental Conference

Turning Stone Resort & Casino does a great job of clearing snow when it occurs.

Getting ready for my annual pilgrimage to the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York for the 15th annual Professional Abatement Contractors of New York (PACNY) Environmental Conference.  The conference agenda is posted on their website at http://www.pacny.org/conferences.asp.  It should be alot of fun as past conferences have been.  Keynote Speaker Linda Reinstein, President of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), should be very interesting.  In addition, looking forward to the presentations from Ron Williams from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Victoria Pretti from New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) discussing the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP), and Chris Alonge from New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) discussing the 2011 changes to Industrial Code Rule 56 (ICR56).  In addition, the vendor area is a great place to see new equipment being used in the industry and to netwrok and meet clients, (friendly) competitors, and vendors.  The Turning Stone Resort and Casino as always is a really fun place to gamble and enjoy a show or dancing.  In addition, it is our understanding that the Casino is no longer a dry one (they now serve alcohol).  All in all it should be an informative and fun time, if you get a chance come visit me at our booth this year in the vendor area, we look forward to meeting you. 

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Remedial Investigation of Gowanus Canal Identifies Widespread Contamination, Health and Ecological Problems

Image via WikipediaOn February 2, 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a press release regarding the results of the remedial investigation of the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, New York.  This investigation confirmed the widespread presence of more than a dozen contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and various metals, including mercury, lead and copper, at high levels in the sediment in the Gowanus Canal. PAHs and metals were also found in the canal water. PAHs are a group of chemicals that are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil, gas, wood, garbage, or other organic substances. PCBs were used as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors, and other electrical equipment. PCBs are suspected carcinogens and can have neurological effects. PAHs are also suspected carcinogens.  The investigation also identified characteristics of the canal that will influence future plans for a cleanup.  A companion human and ecological risk assessment found that exposure to the contaminants in the canal poses threats to people’s health and the environment.

“The findings of the investigation of the Gowanus Canal confirmed that contamination of the urban waterway is widespread and may threaten people’s health, particularly if they eat fish or crabs from the canal or have repeated contact with the canal water or sediment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck. “The next step is the review of options for cleaning up the Gowanus, so we can move ahead with a full-scale cleanup of the canal that will result in a revitalized urban waterway.”

Based on the results of the investigation and the human and ecological risk assessment, EPA will commence work on a study that will outline all of the options for addressing contamination in the Gowanus Canal.  This study, called a feasibility study, will take place over the coming months.  It is anticipated that a draft feasibility report containing an assessment of all options will be completed by the end of this year.  
During the investigation, EPA collected and analyzed more than 500 samples of sediment from the Gowanus Canal and more than 80 water samples for the presence of various contaminants. EPA also collected more than 200 fish, including striped bass, eel, white perch and blue crab, to analyze their tissue for contaminants. Air samples were collected at street level and at heights at which people would breathe while boating on the canal.
For more nformation visit EPA's website at: http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/gowanus/

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Businessman Pleads Guilty To Failing To Conduct An Asbestos Inspection

Image via WikipediaSorry we've been so busy we are just getting to this bit of information.  About Mesothelioma.net reported on Thursday, October 28, 2010 that a Bemus Point, New York businessman, Daniel Black, 56, pleaded guilty in federal court to failing to conduct an inspection before an asbestos removal project, exposing workers and neighbors to deadly asbestos fibers.  Mr. Black, president of Blackstone Business Enterprises Inc., a sheet metal and structural steel fabricator in Jamestown, New York, faces up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine for the Clean Air Act Violation.  Blackstone Business will also pay a $205,000 penalty to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for citations related to improper asbestos removal and an additional $25,000 to the New York Department of Labor.  Black also pleaded guilty to tax-related violations that came to light during the asbestos investigation. 
According to the About Mesothelioma.net report in 2008, Black hired four temporary workers to remove asbestos insulation from steam pipes and cut down the steam pipes as scrap metal as part of a renovation of a four-story building at 100 Blackstone Avenue in Jamestown. The four men were exposed to asbestos during the renovation work, U.S. Attorney William Hochul, Jr., told The Post-Journal.

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CDC Public Health Matters Blog - Discusses NYC Pandemic Response

Image via WikipediaOne February 11, Scott Harper a Career Epidemiology Field Officer  (CEFO) for the Centers for Disese Control (CDC) posted "Battling Disease Outbreaks in the Big Apple."  Mr. Harper is stationed at the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene and currently leads surveillance and response activities for influenza, zoonotic, and vectorborne diseases.  The posting discusses New York City's most recent disease importation that came in the form of pandemic H1N1 Influenza in 2009-10.  It makes interesting reading and gives you an idea what life as a CEFO is like.  Hope you find it as interesting as I did.

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