Please join us for a lunchtime workshop to discuss regulatory trends and how to avoid common pitfalls when complying with California's Proposition 65, the Industrial General Permit (IGP), and  Air Quality Permitting. Topics to be covered are:

Alta Environmental's VP of Water Resources, Dave Renfrew, is among the experts who will be at the Innovative Workshop/Panel Discussion on Stormwater/Water Quality Adaptive Management Drivers (Regulations and Stare Decisis) Wednesday on May 29, 2019. More information and a flyer for the event are below:

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals used extensively in industry because they are resistant to heat, water, and oil. The PFAS chemicals include PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many others. PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries, including (but not limited to) commonly used products such as carpeting, clothing, upholstery, food paper wrappings, fire-fighting foams and metal plating. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals don’t break down and they can accumulate over time in the human body and the environment. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects (EPA.gov).

According to the National Safety Council, the 2nd most common OSHA violation for 2018 was related to hazard communication. The two main reasons for those violations were failure to train and maintaining safety data sheets.

What are the requirements of under the OSHA federal Hazard Communication standard (1910.1200)?

Employers are required to have a written hazard communication program containing at a minimum:

If you store or use hazardous materials at your business, chances are you have been paid a visit by the local CUPA inspector or have been required to submit a Hazardous Materials Business Plan. The Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) Program is meant to provide basic information regarding hazardous materials storage at regulated facilities to protect first responders, public health, and the environment in the event of a release or other emergency. The HMBP Program applies to businesses that store or handle hazardous materials in quantities that are equal to or greater than 55 gallons for liquids, 500 pounds for solids, or 200 cubic feet for a compressed gas. Lower thresholds exist for extremely hazardous substances. Businesses in this program must submit a Hazardous Materials Business Plan on the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS) annually by March 1st or within 30 days of a change to the HMBP. The Plan includes Business Activities and Owner Information, Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Inventory and Site Map, and Emergency Response and Employee Training Plans.

If you are the owner or the operator of a facility that handles hazardous material at a quantity equal or greater than 55 gallons (liquids), 500 pounds (solids), or 200 cubic feet for a compressed gas and if the hazardous material is an extremely hazardous substance, as defined in Section 355.61 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the threshold planning quantity for that extremely hazardous substance listed in Appendices A and B of Part 355 (commencing with Section 355.1) of Subchapter J of Chapter I of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is less than 500 pounds, the State of California requires you to submit your Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) by March 1st, 2019 in the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS). The purpose of the Hazardous Materials Business Plan is to provide basic information to first responders.

On February 5th, 2019, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) held Working Group Meeting #4 for their Proposed Rule 1480: Air Toxic Metals Monitoring. Under the proposed rule, SCAQMD would require ambient monitoring of toxic metals concentrations near certain facilities with metals emissions, including facilities with metal finishing, heat treating, forging, shredding, melting, and grinding operations. If ambient monitoring detects elevated concentrations of metals that result in significant health risks, the facility may be pushed into the Assembly Bill (AB) 2588 and Rule 1402 process for assessment of toxic emissions and associated health risks. The proposed Rule 1480 process is summarized below:

Since the announcement of Chris Waller's recent promotion to Director of Environmental Health Safety and Air at Alta Environmental, a number of local business publications have shared the news to their readers. Click the links below to see:

Long Beach Business Journal

OsideNews

The Industrial Environmental Association (IEA)’s Vernon Regulatory Committee invited Alta’s Chris Waller, Director of EHS & Air, to share his expertise on the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) 2018 Annual Emission Report (AER). IEA’s monthly meetings include EHS departments from various manufacturing companies in the area and other environmental consultants.

​With the deadline approaching for designated facilities, Chris presented a variety of suggestions to successfully and efficiently complete the AER submittal. Such guidance issues included:

By Lisa Kay, from The Zweig Letter by Zweig Group

The Zweig Letter is a management newsletter for the architecture, engineering and environmental consulting industry. Lisa Kay’s article on diversity and inclusion was recently featured in The Zweig Letter.

Diversity and inclusion are good for your bottom line. To get the right people, you have to cast your net in the right places, and jettison the bias.

It’s alarming. According to 100 percent of the women surveyed in Zweig Group’s 2018 Principals, Partners & Owners Survey, there is a lack of diversity – across age, race, and gender – in their firms. Even more alarming, 100 percent of the women surveyed have considered leaving the AEC industry for another field. Only 49 percent of the men surveyed have considered leaving the industry for another field. Are women seeing the opportunities to advance in our field? And, if not, what can we do about it?