Articles
Articles
Published On: January 23, 2023Are you considering purchasing a commercial or industrial property that may have environmental contamination? Are you curious about the difference between the Ohio EPA Voluntary Action Program and ASTM Phase I ESA/Bona Fide Prospective Purchaser Defense? Since 1994, the only way for a purchaser in Ohio to receive a release […]
Published On: January 23, 2023ProUCL is a statistical software package developed by the USEPA using many of the concepts found in the RCRA Unified Guidance. Originally developed to evaluate concerns at a specific Superfund site, the USEPA has, after considerable feedback from the remediation community, continued to update the software with additional features and […]
Published On: January 23, 2023The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) guides August Mack through the Tier II reporting season at the beginning of each new year. EPCRA was passed by Congress in 1986 in response to environmental concerns about the storage and handling of toxic chemicals. President Reagan signed EPCRA into law, […]
Published On: January 17, 2023Most professionals in the Commercial Real Estate Arena are aware of the ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Report (Phase I ESA). The fourth iteration of the ASTM (1527) was published in 2021, but all iterations represent a method of due diligence to mitigate legal and business risk associated with […]
Published On: October 12, 2022Have you ever heard the phrase “ignorance is bliss”? I’m sure we all have. Unfortunately, that phrase isn’t always correct, especially when it comes to environmental and safety regulatory infractions. Setting aside the moral obligation to protect our workforce and natural resources, with documented fines reaching the million dollar mark […]
Published On: October 12, 2022What do non-stick coated pans, waterproof fabrics, oil-resistant food packaging, stain-resistant materials, and fire-fighting foam all have in common? They all potentially contain fluorinated compounds, and more specifically, are made with a suite of specialty chemicals called Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOAs). PFOS and PFOAs both are fluorinated […]
Published On: October 11, 2022The Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I ESA) is a common report used to identify potential or existing environmental contamination liabilities for real estate transactions. A Phase I can provide important information about a property, but can also be overlooked as simply a check box on long list of […]
Published On: October 3, 2022Vapor Intrusion (“VI”), or the migration of contaminant vapors from soil and groundwater into overlying structures, has been a significant topic in the environmental world for over 20 years. Common contaminants associated with VI are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which include gasoline constituents, such as benzene, and industrial degreasing and […]
Published On: September 29, 2022Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) is a powerful tool required for Process Safety Management (PSM) found at 29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910.119 (e). The objective of a PHA is an analysis of hazards following a formalized approach including the team organizational structure. The art and science include selecting the level […]
Published On: August 17, 2022In my eighteen (18) years as consultant, I’ve seen a lot of oversight of environmental regulations (regs) by a number of clients. Typically, these oversights are not due to negligence. Rather, I find, it’s purely a lack of awareness of the environmental regs that apply to their specific industry. If […]
Published On: August 17, 2022Industrial hygiene also referred to as occupational hygiene, is defined as anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, and controlling health hazards in the workplace. The OSHA Act of 1970 set mandatory occupational safety and health requirements to protect employees from workplace hazards. What steps should an employer take to comply with OSHA? Every […]
Published On: August 17, 2022OSHA is making heat illness and hazards a top priority with its Heat Hazard National Emphasis Program (NEP), which went into effect on April 8. The agency will conduct proactive inspections for heat-related hazards in “high-risk” industries, including a category that covers many facilities and construction sites. Assessing the Workplace […]
