English: Headquarters of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, located on Broadway in Albany, New York, United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Future Environment Designs Training Center specializes in asbestos, indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, and occupational safety training programs. We offer New York State asbestos and mold certification courses. We design, develop, and maintain the various indoor air quality, asbestos, and safety programs that are Keeping Your Employees Safe.
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Thursday, September 27, 2012
Changes at NYS DOL
Monday, September 03, 2012
OSHA Training Blog - oshatraining.com: “Best Practices”? Or Safety Run Amuck?
This blog post is so good, we couldn't resist sharing it with you. Very funny story and wonder how many others have run into the same thing. Hope you enjoy this post as much as we have.
OSHA Training Blog - oshatraining.com: “Best Practices”? Or Safety Run Amuck?: On occasion I am hired by attorneys to serve as an expert witness on lawsuits involving workplace injuries and fatalities. One of the more...
OSHA Training Blog - oshatraining.com: “Best Practices”? Or Safety Run Amuck?: On occasion I am hired by attorneys to serve as an expert witness on lawsuits involving workplace injuries and fatalities. One of the more...
Monday, July 09, 2012
NYS Department Of Health Vermiculite Clarification
New York State Department of Health's (NYSDOH) Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP) has released an update that revises FAQ #10 from the 4/8/11 FAQ document. This update is posted at:
http://www.wadsworth.org/labcert/elapcert/forms/Vermiculite%20Guidance_Rev062212.pdf.
The revision separates vermiculite into two types. Vermiculite material used for thermal systems insulation (TSI), surfacing materials, and other miscellaneous ACM (including but not limited to: existing or new surfacing material, plaster, pipe lagging, and sprayed-on fireproofing) or vermiculite material used for attic fill, block fill, and other loose bulk vermiculite material. For the vermiculite material used for attic fill, etc. nothing has changed. We still cannot analyze it and material must be assumed to contain asbestos and designated an asbestos containing material.
For the vermiculite used for TSI, surfacing material, etc. anaylze by ELAP certification manual item 198.1 (polarized light microscopy [PLM] friable method). Vermiculite evaluation shall follow these three steps:
http://www.wadsworth.org/labcert/elapcert/forms/Vermiculite%20Guidance_Rev062212.pdf.
The revision separates vermiculite into two types. Vermiculite material used for thermal systems insulation (TSI), surfacing materials, and other miscellaneous ACM (including but not limited to: existing or new surfacing material, plaster, pipe lagging, and sprayed-on fireproofing) or vermiculite material used for attic fill, block fill, and other loose bulk vermiculite material. For the vermiculite material used for attic fill, etc. nothing has changed. We still cannot analyze it and material must be assumed to contain asbestos and designated an asbestos containing material.
New Evaluation for Surfacing Material Containing Vermiculite |
- If vermiculite is calculated to be less than 10% of the entire material composition and no asbestos fibers are detected, the material may be reported as non-ACM.
- If any asbestos fibers are identified, analysis must proceed according to Item 198.1 PLM and reported as ACM according to Section 6.3.
- If vermiculite is calculated to be 10% or more of the material, the material must be reported as ACM.
Related articles
- NYSDOH ELAP Decision Trees (futureenv.blogspot.com)
- Who would buy asbestos? (safetyatworkblog.com)
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Happy 4th of July! Celebrate Our Heros And Our Freedoms!
Happy 4th of July, the day we celebrate the founding of our Great Country! Much blood, sweat, and tears (great name for a band) have been spilled to get to where we are today (please remember and honor our heros today who have served in the various wars - Revolutionary, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American, WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Cold, Operation Freedom, Afganistan, and Iraq). In addition, alot of breath, ink, and paper (not so great name for a band) has documented our ups and downs along the path to greatness. As an American, I haven't always agreed with our direction (as many others at various times) but I have always been proud of my country. No where else can you state your opinion without fear of being jailed or killed. No where else do we have the opportunity to become as great or as little as we want to be. No where else do we get a choice of who to vote for (kind of?). Though we may disagree with each other on politics (I'm a Progressive, not a Liberal), sports (Go Mets and Steelers!), and religion (I'm a Taoist), in the end we are all Americans, we are all brothers and sisters, and together we can overcome anything!
My USA point of view! |
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- Happy 4th of July 2012 (evesgreenleaf.com)
- Happy 4th of July! (goss-coaching.com)
- William Astore: Reflections on the Fourth of July (huffingtonpost.com)
- Freedom is Just Another Word for Making (makezine.com)
- Happy Fourth of July! (tina7serrano.wordpress.com)
- Remember Why We Celebrate July 4 (thepragmaticconservative.wordpress.com)
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Assemblywoman Lupardo Sponsors Bill To Amend Asbestos Notification Fees
Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo is sponsoring Assembly Bill A09928, which will amend the notification fees for non-friable material. This issue was discussed at Professional Abatement Contractors of New York's (PACNY) 2012 Environmental Conference. The bill can be accessed at: http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A09928&term=&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Votes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y
PACNY is supporting this bill, based on their research that many residential projects are not notified and are done illegally because of the steep fee structure. Placing homeowners and occupants in danger. In addition, because of recent flooding from natural disasters many homes have been condemned requiring them to pay the maximum asbestos notification fee of $4,000 to demolish the home. This fee for demolition has been the subject of many articles regarding this cost that cities, towns, and villages are required to pay increasing the cost in doing demolition in the Southern Tier, Catskills, and other regions. Visit the New York State Asbestos Group on Linked-in, regarding the discussion of this issue.
This is not the first time this issue has been discussed, a previous Senate Bill S748-2011 in the New York State Senate sponsored by State Senator Catherine Young wanted to modify the fees that residential one & two family owner occupied homes paid in doing asbestos abatement work - capping the notification fee at $500.
We agree that the notification fees need to be addressed, especially for residential work. Though not convinced that the fee should be addressed in this manner. Senator Young's bill handles it much simply and probably should be expanded to include residential homes/houses slated for demolition (or controlled demolition by a municipality).
Asbestos Thermal System Insulation on a Residential Ducts & Furnace |
This is not the first time this issue has been discussed, a previous Senate Bill S748-2011 in the New York State Senate sponsored by State Senator Catherine Young wanted to modify the fees that residential one & two family owner occupied homes paid in doing asbestos abatement work - capping the notification fee at $500.
We agree that the notification fees need to be addressed, especially for residential work. Though not convinced that the fee should be addressed in this manner. Senator Young's bill handles it much simply and probably should be expanded to include residential homes/houses slated for demolition (or controlled demolition by a municipality).
Related articles
- Pacny 2012 Conference - More Changes? (futureenv.blogspot.com)
- The wrecking crew (buffalonews.com)
- Historic ND Courthouse Contains Dangerous Materials Including Asbestos, Toxic Mold (mesothelioma.com)
- Demolition Activity At Old Mill Poses Hazard of Asbestos Exposure, NY Attorneys Says (prweb.com)
- Kensington Heights tab doubles (buffalonews.com)
- Apartment building reno halted amid concerns over unsafe asbestos removal (theprovince.com)
- Vancouver tenants allege unsafe asbestos removal endangering their health (theprovince.com)
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Worker Exposure to Silica Significant During Hydraulic Fracturing
Silicosis (Photo credit: Mr. Ducke) |
Since New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) is working on drafting regulations for hydraulic fracturing, we hope they also take into account what is needed to protect worker safety on these sites as well as what is needed to protect the environment.
Related articles
- Silica dust poses newly revealed health risks from fracking (switchboard.nrdc.org)
- Hydraulic Fracturing (environmentalhealthtoday.wordpress.com)
- Cool Job: Workers pleased to be part of area's hydraulic fracturing boom (newsok.com)
- Vermont bans hydraulic fracturing (newdayunderwriting.wordpress.com)
- What is Hydraulic Fracturing? (ecology.com)
- Bureau of Land Management proposing rule to regulate hydraulic fracturing on public land (bespacific.com)
- Long-term exposure to silica dust increases risk of death in industrial workers (eurekalert.org)
- More effort needed to prevent exposure to silica hazards as silicosis remains a major cause of illness, death worldwide (medicalxpress.com)
Thursday, April 26, 2012
NYSDOH ELAP Decision Trees
In our previous blog post on the Professional Abatement Contractors of New York's (PACNY's) 16th Annual Environmental Conference, we mentioned that Dr. Stephanie Ostrowski, of the New York State Department of Health's Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP), was one of the presenters. Dr. Ostrowski's presentation, as we mentioned in our blog, included lengthy discussions on vermiculite and ceiling tiles.
The discussion regarding ceiling tiles included reviewing the decision trees she provided us to help explain the analysis process for regular bulk samples and samples required to undergo gravimetric reduction. Analysis of friable bulk sample (material) must use analysis method 198.1, while non-friable, organically bound (NOB) bulk material must use analysis method 198.6/198.4. Visit my website under Resources for the copy of the decision trees she provided us. Her explainations were excellent and the decision trees did make it easier to understand.
There was also some discussion regarding whether this meant that ceiling tiles were considered NOBs and hence could be removed under the In-plant regulations of New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) Industrial Code Rule 56 (ICR56). Mr. Chris Alonge of NYSDOL came to the microphone and immediately put that issue to rest, saying that ceiling tiles are not considered non-friable, so as such cannot be removed under the In-plant operations section of the regulation. This year's conference was as informative as usual, a great job was done by PACNY, Deborah Johnson of Aramsco, Darren Yehl of LeChase Construction Services and Kevin Hutton of Cornerstone Training Institute.
The discussion regarding ceiling tiles included reviewing the decision trees she provided us to help explain the analysis process for regular bulk samples and samples required to undergo gravimetric reduction. Analysis of friable bulk sample (material) must use analysis method 198.1, while non-friable, organically bound (NOB) bulk material must use analysis method 198.6/198.4. Visit my website under Resources for the copy of the decision trees she provided us. Her explainations were excellent and the decision trees did make it easier to understand.
There was also some discussion regarding whether this meant that ceiling tiles were considered NOBs and hence could be removed under the In-plant regulations of New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) Industrial Code Rule 56 (ICR56). Mr. Chris Alonge of NYSDOL came to the microphone and immediately put that issue to rest, saying that ceiling tiles are not considered non-friable, so as such cannot be removed under the In-plant operations section of the regulation. This year's conference was as informative as usual, a great job was done by PACNY, Deborah Johnson of Aramsco, Darren Yehl of LeChase Construction Services and Kevin Hutton of Cornerstone Training Institute.
Related articles
- Pacny 2012 Conference - More Changes? (futureenv.blogspot.com)
- 16th Annual PACNY Environmental Conference Being Held March 1 & 2, 2012 (futureenv.blogspot.com)
- Be aware of asbestos issues in older properties (vaned.typepad.com)
- Asbestos Scare At Brooklyn School Has Parents Furious At Department Of Education-LWT 1732 Video (preprod.cbslocal.com)
- Asbestos Scare At Brooklyn School Has Parents Furious At Department Of Education (newyork.cbslocal.com)
- Victim of silent killer (hartlepoolmail.co.uk)
- Asbestos company owners convicted on criminal charges in Italy; but asbestos still lethal and legal in the US (scienceblogs.com)
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