This document summarizes a breakfast seminar series on environmental, health, and safety regulatory updates. It provides an overview of speakers from an engineering consulting firm who will discuss recent changes and compliance planning for 2017 in areas such as air quality regulations, hazardous materials and waste management, wastewater discharge permits, underground storage tanks, and hazardous building materials. Additional topics will include defending OSHA citations and safety auditing. Attendees will learn about the top things regulators look for in inspections and how to prepare and handle regulatory challenges.
1. Breakfast Seminar Series
Environmental, Health & Safety
Regulatory Updates
Introductions
October 25, 2016 Middletown CT
Wayne E. Bates, PhD, PE, Principal Engineer
2. Firm Overview
■ Multi-disciplinary Consulting Firm Founded in 1911
■ Full Service Capabilities: 280 Person Staff
■ Employee Owned
■ 8 Offices in MA, CT, NH and NY
4. Tighe & Bond Full Service Capabilities
Civil Engineering
•Dams & Levees
•Geotechnical
Engineering
•Infrastructure
•Land Use Planning
•Low Impact Design
•Parking & Circulation
•Site Planning &
Design
•Transportation
Environmental
Consulting
•Brownfields
•Demolition &
Asbestos/ Hazardous
Materials
•Environmental
Permitting & Planning
•Fuel Storage
•Health & Safety
•Regulatory
Compliance
•Site Assessment &
Remediation
•Wetlands and
Ecological Services
Building Services
•Geotechnical
Engineering
•Electrical &
Mechanical
Engineering
•LEED Green Design
•Owner’s Project
Manager
•Structural Engineering
Technology
•3D Modeling
•GIS
Sustainability
•Energy & Resource
Conservation
•LEED Green Design
•Low Impact Design
•Renewable Energy
Environmental
Engineering
•Drinking Water
•Solid Waste
•Stormwater
•Wastewater
5. About our Speakers?
■ Regulatory Experts
■ Actively engaged in professional societies
■ Track regulations
■ Good reputation among regulators
■ History of helping clients with regulatory
challenges
■ Ability to assist in determining applicability
7. Breakfast Seminar Series
EH&S Regulatory Updates
October 25, 2016 Middletown, CT
Timothy K. Kucab, CHMM, Project Compliance Specialist
Air Quality
8. Breakfast Seminar Series
■ Agenda
– What’s New?
– Planning for 2017
– Emergency Generators
– Noise and Siting
– Top 5
9. What’s New
■ 2015 GPLPE Issued on November 9, 2015
– Less than 50% of the Title V thresholds
– Up to but no more than 80% of the Title V thresholds
■ Fuel Sulfur Content – Stationary Sources
12. So You Operate a Generator…
New
Old
Emergency
Non-
Emergency
Area Source
Major Source
of HAP
Installation
Date
Generator Use
Facility HAP
Emissions
14. Emergency Engines Nuts and Bolts
■ Emergency engines may operate for 100 hr/yr for any combination of the
following:
■ maintenance/testing;
■ emergency demand response
■ 50 hr/yr of the 100 hr/yr allocation can be used for:
– non-emergency situations if no financial arrangement
15. Emission Dispersion
■ “Good Engineering Practices”
– No Shanty Caps or Egg Beaters
– Vertical exhaust
■ Stack Height – Requirements May Vary
– 10 Feet Above Nearest Roofline
– If the stack is lower than 1.5 times the building height or lower
than the height of a structure that is within 5L of the stack (5L
being five times the lesser of the height or maximum projected
width of the structure) – MODELING REQUIRED
■ Other states have additional requirements
20. Top Five Things Regulators Look For
■ #1 Recordkeeping
– Every Permit Condition
■ #2 Reporting
– Don’t Miss Deadlines
■ #3 Inspections
– Document Required Inspections
■ #4 Non-Delegated Regulations
– Local / State / Federal
■ #5 General Duty
– Facility Condition
24. Wastewater General Permits
Categorical Industrial User Wastewater to a POTW
Domestic Sewage
Food Service Establishment Wastewater
Food Processing Wastewater
Groundwater Remediation Wastewater Directly to Surface Water
Groundwater Remediation Wastewater to Sanitary Sewer
Hydrostatic Pressure Testing Wastewater
Low Flow Water Treatment Wastewater
Miscellaneous Discharges of Sewer Compatible Wastewaters
Nitrogen Discharges
Non-Contact Cooling and Heat Pump Water
Photographic Processing Wastewater
Printing and Publishing Wastewater
25. MISC General Permit
■ Wide Variety or Processes
■ Easy Approvals
■ Allows low volume discharges
without sampling
■ Expired – Continued
Authorization
26. Regulatory Updates – Hazardous Materials
■ Tier II Reporting
– 10,000 pounds
– Extremely Hazardous Substances
– Tier II Manager
■ Chemical Control Laws
– Alphabet Soup of Regulations
– Updated Frequently
■ TSCA
– June 2016 Update
– Evaluate existing chemicals
– Risk-based safety standard
– Improved public transparency
27. Planning for 2017– Hazardous Materials
■ Tier II – March 1, 2017
– Tier II Manager upload of facility
– Consultant Access
■ CA Prop 65
– Updated frequently
■ SVHCs
– Updated in June and December
■ Supply chain driven
– Products imported into Europe
– Conflict Minerals
■ Preparing or reviewing Safety Data Sheets
– Section 15 information
28. Planning for 2017– Hazardous Materials
■ TSCA
– New Inventory rule
» Proposed by December 2016
» New rule by mid-2017
» 10 years of reporting
– New chemicals approved prior to going to marketplace
– Mercury compounds export ban September 2016
– New review process will rely on chemical use
29. Top Five Things Regulators Look For
■ #1 Accurate Inventory
– Inaccurate amounts can lead to issues with other programs
■ #2 Site Diagram
– Shows location of each reportable chemical
■ #3 Up-to-date SDS
– Purchased and manufactured substances
■ #4 Testing Data
– For chemical concentrations
■ #5 Maintain Import & Export Records
– Is a broker being used?
31. Breakfast Seminar Series
EH&S Regulatory Updates
October 25, 2016 Middletown, CT
Jeff Bibeau, REM – Principal Compliance Specialist
Hazardous Waste
33. Hazardous Waste
■ EPA Listed Wastes (F, P, K and U)
■ Characteristic Hazardous Waste exhibits one or
more of the following characteristics:
– Ignitability (flashpoint <140 degrees F)
– Corrosivity (pH <2 and >12.5)
– Reactivity (normally unstable/emits toxic fumes)
– Toxicity
■ All businesses are required to perform a Hazardous
Waste Determination on the waste they generate
– CTDEEP requires to test annually or if process change or not changed
over time then ”knowledge of process”
– Maintain a copy of these determinations
34. Hazardous Waste:
The Nuts and Bolts
■ Labeling
– All drums of HW must be properly labeled:
» CENTRAL ACCUMULATION AREA
– Label must have accumulation start date
» SATELLITE ACCUMULATION AREA
– Label should NOT be dated until drum is full
– Only 1 drum per waste stream can be located in an area
■ Management
– Keep drums closed at all times. Avoid the following:
» An open funnel is an open drum = penalty
» An unlocked ring around a solids drum is an open drum = penalty
■ Disposal
– Cradle to Grave
» Responsibility of proper disposal and recordkeeping is always on the GENERATOR, not the
hauler
■ Universal Waste
– Bulbs, Batteries, Ballasts, Thermostats, etc.
» Must be in a closed, labeled and dated container
» Can accumulate for up to 1-Year
36. Hazardous Waste:
The Nuts and Bolts
■ Good Condition
■ Compatible with waste
■ Closed unless filling or dispensing
■ Clear markings
– Content
– Hazard Associated with the waste
– Start Date Accumulation
37. Hazardous Waste
■ LQG’s that store Hazardous Waste in Tanks:
1. <50 feet of the property line
2. Must be designed in accordance with special
design requirements (PE stamp)
3. Tightness tested
4. Secondary containment/leak detection
5. When permanently cease using a tank perform
special cleanup activities
6. Tanks inspected by a PE and certify as to their
integrity
7. Daily inspections
Must comply with EPA air emission standards
for Tanks (40 CFR Subparts AA, BB and CC)
38. Planning for 2017
• Hazardous Waste Management = 100% compliance 100% of the time
• Weekly Inspections
• On-site accumulation limits (LQG=90 days; CESQG=180 days)
39. Top Five Things Regulators Look For
■ #1 Container Management
– Label information, closed containers
■ #2 Generator Status
– Monthly Generation limits and on-site accumulation time limits
■ #3 Reports/Contingency Plan
– Biannual HW reports/Contingency Plan updats
■ #4 Inspections
– Documented inspections (time/date/full name)
■ #5 Central Accumulation Area
– Line of demarcation, signage, emergency call list, fire
extinguisher
41. Breakfast Seminar Series
EH&S Regulatory Updates
October 25, 2016 Middletown, CT
David P. Horowitz, PE, CSP, Project Manager
Tanks
42. Agenda – Regulatory Updates
■ Tanks
– Federal Perspective
– CT DEEP Nuts & Bolts
43. Regulatory Updates – Tanks (Above ground)
■ Bad Tank News
– Port Arthur, TX
» Explosion, fatality,
injuries
– Elk River - West Virginia
» Chemical leak, 300,000
w/o water
– Smith County, TX
47. FAQs – Tanks
■ Is there a deadline for designating UST Class A,
Class B, and Class C Operators and submitting
Class A and Class B Operator names and training
details to DEEP?
– Yes, effective August 8, 2012
■ If an UST Owner/Operator has more than one
location, must the Class A and Class B Operator
information be submitted for each facility?
– Yes, use DEEP ezFile
48. FAQs – Tanks
■ Can Class A and Class B Operator information be
submitted electronically through ezFile?
– Yes, use
■ Can the same person be designated both the Class
A and Class B Operator?
– Yes, provided the designated person has passed both a Class A
and Class B Operator exam.
■ Are all employees of a facility required to be Class
C Operators?
– No, each facility must have at least one Class C Operator.
49. FAQs – Tanks
■ Can a facility owner contract with a third-party to
be a designated Class A and/or Class B Operator?
– Yes
■ Can a facility owner contract with a third-party to
be a designated Class A and/or Class B Operator?
– Yes
■ What is necessary to have a training course
approved for Class A, Class B, and/or Class C
Operator Certification?
– Complete the applicable Class A, B, or C Operator Training
Course Criteria
56. Hazardous Building Materials
– Regulatory Compliance Required for Public and
Private Sectors
– Two Areas of Compliance
» Operations and Management (O&M) of Existing In-
Place Materials
» Management (Abatement) during
Renovation/Demolition
– Regulators
» EPA (Enforced by CTDEEP)
» CTDPH
» OSHA
57. Asbestos Containing Materials
– Renovation and Demolition
» EPA NESHAP Regulations
» EPA ASHARA Regulations
» CTDPH Standards for Asbestos Abatement
» CTDPH Licensing and Training Requirements for
Persons Engaged in Asbestos Abatement and
Consultation Services
» OSHA Asbestos in Construction
– Operations and Maintenance
» OSHA Asbestos in General Industry
58. Asbestos Containing Materials
■ Is your Building Subject to an Inspection Prior to
Renovation or Demolition?
– Yes - Any structure (regardless of building age) requires a
survey
– Used to confirm or deny the presence of asbestos containing
materials
– All building materials are suspected asbestos containing
materials (Exemption – wood, glass, fiberglass, metal, and
plastic)
■ Is your Building Subject to an Operations and
Management Plan?
– Maybe – Any structure constructed prior to 1980
59. Lead Based Paint
– Mainly regulated in child-occupied building or target
housing by EPA RRP Rule, HUD Lead-Safe Housing
Rule, and CTDPH Lead Poisoning Prevention and
Control regulations
– EPA RCRA regulations
» Disposal limit for hazardous lead waste vs.
general construction and demolition waste
– OSHA Lead in Construction
» Worker Protection
» Hazard Communication
61. PCB Containing Building Materials
■ Regulated by EPA and CTDEEP
– EPA regulates source materials at ≥50 ppm and adjacent materials
contaminated by source materials at >1 ppm
– CTDEEP regulates ALL materials at > 1 ppm
■ Never authorized by EPA or CTDEEP for use
– Highly unlikely to be authorized
– Only continued use of PCBs is within closed containers
(transformers)
■ Testing
– Test if there is a planned renovation or demolition project which will
disturb suspect PCBs containing building materials and result in
disposal of suspect materials
– Air testing to determine if a potential problem exists
63. Breakfast Seminar Series
EH&S Regulatory Updates
October 11 Holyoke Mass
October 25 Middletown CT
Alan Stratton, CSP - Project Manager
John S. Gannon, Esq. - Attorney with Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C.
Safety & Health
64. Defending OSHA Citations
How to handle inspections,
negotiate penalties and
defend citations
Defending OSHA Citations
How to handle inspections, negotiate
penalties and defend citations
John S. Gannon, Esq.
Attorney with Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C.
jgannon@skoler-abbott.com
www.skoler-abbott.com
65. OSH Act
■ Duties clause: Each employer --
– (1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a
place of employment which are free from recognized hazards
that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical
harm to his employees (Sec. 5(a)(1));
– (2) shall comply with occupational safety and health standards
promulgated under this Act (Sec. 5(a)(2))
66. OSH Act
■ Violation of standards: 5(a)(2) violation
■ Common violations:
– 1926.501 – Fall Protection
– 1910.1200 – Hazard Communication
– 1910.134 – Respiratory Protection
– 1910.147 – Lockout/Tagout
– 1910.212 – Machine Guarding
– 1926.652 – Excavations
67. OSH Act
■ General duty clause: 5(a)(1)
– Ex:
» Exposure to crushing hazard
» Lack of emergency stop devices
» Lack of workplace violence policy
» Repeated lifting above shoulder height
» Standing for long periods without adequate support
68. OSHA Complaint Handling
■ OSHA can conduct on-site inspection or refer for
phone/fax investigation
– Phone/fax: OSHA calls employer, follows up with fax detailing
alleged safety hazards
– Employer responds in writing, if adequate OSHA will close case
with no inspection
– Used for lower-priority hazards
69. OSHA Complaint Handling
■ On-site inspections typically reserved for:
– Complaint by employee with enough detail to enable
OSHA to determine that a violation or danger likely
exists that threatens physical harm
– Inadequate response from an employer who has
received information on the hazard through a
phone/fax investigation
– Complaint against an employer with a past history of
OSHA citations
– Targeted inspections against specific high-hazard
industries
70. On-Site Inspections
■ Begins with “knock at the door”
– No appointments necessary!
■ OSHA official will display credentials, inform
employer why there, ask to enter
■ Request a warrant?
– Employer has right unless hazard in plain view or employer gives
consent
– Expect more scrutiny if requesting a warrant
71. On-Site Inspections
■ Starts with opening conference
– Explain why facility selected
– Purpose of visit, scope of inspection, applicable standards
– Complaint copies may be distributed (ask for copies)
■ Employer should:
– Negotiate to narrow the scope of the inspection
» Limited to the complaint
» Protect trade secrets
– Designate employer representative
» Should be trained on the process
– Try to establish ground rules with OSHA about how inspection
may proceed
» collection of documents (through written requests only)
» interviews (scheduled in advance)
72. On-Site Inspections
■ Inspector conducts “walk-around,” looking for
hazards
– May review OSHA 300/300A logs
– May ask for other safety-related documents, ask to talk to
witnesses
– This is why narrowing scope is crucial!
■ Closing conference: Inspector discussed findings
and suggested courses of action
– Citation may be issued later
73. Citations
■ Citation will propose penalty, cite to
standard/regulation, require abatement and
posting
■ Penalty amount will be based on:
– Violation type
» Serious/repeat/willful
– Employer size
» Up to 70% for small business (1-10 employees), no reduction
for 250 + employees
– Citation history
» 10% reduction if inspected w/in last 5 years with no violation
» 10% increase if employer has citation history
» History available here:
https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/establishment.html
– Good faith reduction
» Up to 25% if employer has written safety program
74. Informal Conference
■ Meet with Area Director and suggest adjustments
■ Must be requested immediately!
■ Employer only has 15 days to to contest citation,
informal will not extend timeframe
■ What to expect at conference
– AD will let you present your case
– Be prepared to make proposal, present safety documents
» Propose less money/reduction of penalty type
» OSHA looks for consistent enforcement of safety policy
» Unlikely to get exculpatory language
75. Possible Defenses
■ Wrong safety standard cited
■ No general duty violation
■ Evidence does not support alleged violation
■ Multi-employer citation
■ UEM: Unpreventable Employee Misconduct
1. Established work rules;
2. Work rules communicated to employees;
3. Employer takes steps to discover violations;
4. Rules enforced when violations discovered
5. Not available if supervisor engages in misconduct
■ Harassment? Unlikely!
76. Contest Citation
■ Must file Notice of Intent to Contest (in writing)
w/in 15 days of citation date
– Must be specific as to what is being contested
■ OSHA Area Office forwards to DOL Solicitor's
Office, formal Complaint issues
■ Answer, discovery, trial-style hearing, appeal to
OSHA Review Commission, then federal court
– Should have more chances to settle
– Might get exculpatory language
– Negotiate payment plan
77. Should We Contest?
■ Factors to consider:
1. Cost/time to abate the alleged hazard
» What must be done to fix? Change in equipment? Impact
on rate of production?
2. Potential for repeat citation
» Second citation substantially similar?
» Repeat policy applies to all locations
3. Characterization as willful
» Intentional violation of the law
» Future inspections likely
» Issues in collective bargaining? Insurance premiums?
4. Impact on ability to compete for new projects
5. Collateral litigation
78. Whistleblower Retaliation
■ Employees cannot be punished for complaining
about unsafe working conditions
■ Lengthy investigative process, OSHA has right to
request employee records and interview employee
witnesses
■ Significant potential liability, including:
– Reinstatement with back pay
– Front pay if no reinstatement
– Emotional distress damages
– Attorney’s fees
80. Breakfast Seminar Series
EH&S Regulatory Updates
October 25 Middletown, CT
Alan Stratton, CSP - Project Manager
Safety & Health
81. Regulatory Updates – Safety & Health
■ Respirable Crystalline Silica
■ Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment
Act Improvements Act of 2015
■ Recording and Reporting of Occupational
Injuries and Illnesses regulations
82. Regulatory Updates – Safety & Health
■ Respirable Crystalline Silica
– Issue Date: March 25, 2016 / Effective Date: June 23, 2016
– Compliance Dates:
» Construction: June 23, 2017 / General Industry: June 23, 2018
– Highlights:
» New P.E.L. of 50 µg/m3 / 8 hour shift
(1/2 Prior Limit in General Industry / 5 times lower in Construction)
» New Action Level of 25 µg/m3 / 8 hour shift
» Requires initial, in some cases follow-up, exposure monitoring
» Requires engineering controls and work practices
» Requires development of an Exposure Control Plan
» Must consider designated list of controls
83. Regulatory Updates – Safety & Health
■ Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act
Improvements Act of 2015
■ Translation: Higher OSHA Fines
– Highlights:
» Serious $7,000 → $12,741 per violation
Other Than Serious $7,000 → $12,741 per violation
» Failure to Abate $7,000 → $12,741 per day
» Willful or repeat $70,000 → $124,709 per violation
» Effective August 1, 2016
» First increase in over 25 years
» Allows future increases by January 15 every year
84. Regulatory Updates – Safety & Health
■ Recording and Reporting of Occupational Injuries
and Illnesses regulations
– Highlights:
» Large Businesses (≥ 250 employees)
– Electronically file OSHA 300 / 300A / 301 forms with OSHA
– Begins July 1, 2017 (300A form), All forms in 2018
» Small (High Risk) Industries (20 – 249 employees)
– By SIC Code (e.g., utilities, construction, manufacturing)
– Electronically file OSHA 300A forms with OSHA
– Begins July 1, 2017
» Injury / Illness data will be available to the public
» Employers can not retaliate for injury reporting
– Automatic drug testing can be a form of retaliation
» Electronic reporting is being challenged and may be modified
85. Planning for 2017– Safety & Health
■ Annual Safety & Health Requirements
– Post OSHA 300A Log: Post from Feb 1 → through April 30
– Initial Training:
» LoTo, Emergency Action Plan, HazCom, PPE, Hearing Protection…
– Refresher Training:
» Annual: Hearing Protection, Respirators, Access to Medical Records…
» 3-Year: Powered Industrial Trucks
– Mandatory Program Reviews:
» Exposure Control Plan (BB Pathogens), Confined Space, LoTo….
– Annual Evaluations:
» Audiograms, Respirator Fit Tests
– Process Changes:
» Training, Program Updates, Hazard Reviews, PPE Assessments…
86. Top Five Things Regulators Look For
1. The common / obvious violations
» OSHA Top 10 List
» Visible - Low hanging fruit (Extension cords, No Written Programs, No Training...)
Preliminary 2016
Top 10 List
87. Top Five Things Regulators Look For
2. Federal OSHA Exempt Facilities?
State and Municipal Employees?
» Subject to: Connecticut Department of Labor's
Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CONN-OSHA)
3. Federal / Local Emphasis Programs
» Fall Protection
» Fork Trucks
» Amputations
» Process Safety...
4. Employee Complaints & Injuries
5. High Risk & High Injury Rate Facilities / Operations
89. Breakfast Seminar Series
EH&S Regulatory Updates
October 25 Middletown, CT
Wayne E. Bates, PhD, PE, Principal Engineer
Compliance Tools – Chemical
Inventories & Compliance Calendars
91. Chemical Inventories
■ Track materials stored &
quantity used
■ Used for multiple programs
– Tier II
– Greenhouse Gas Reports
– Source Registration
– TURA reporting
– TRI reporting
– Chemical Control Laws
92. Chemical Inventories
■ Challenges
– Multiple spreadsheets or lists
– Multiple people responsible
– Missing data
– How to verify data
■ Accuracy is essential
– Over-reporting
– Under-reporting
– Amended reports
95. Recordkeeping
■ Track materials used and emissions
■ Used for multiple programs
– Air Permit Reporting
– Air Permit Recordkeeping
– TURA/TRI applicability
■ Track all conditions of permit!
– VOC/HAP concentration limits
– VOC/HAP emissions
– Annual reports
96. Chemical Use and Recordkeeping
Chemical
Information
Process
Information
Chemical
Use
Properties
Parameters
Regulatory
Requirements
Thresholds
Product
By-Product
Waste
Emission
Inventory Recordkeeping Reporting
103. ■ Chemical inventory
– key for material use, storage, and emission calculations
– Establish systems at receiving dock
– Use information for multiple regulatory programs
– Regularly check and test data accuracy (3rd party)
■ Recordkeeping
– Use data to generate compliance reports
– Ability to export data for other uses and metrics tracking
– Stay up to date on regulatory changes
■ Compliance Calendars
– Use alerts and reminders
– List applicable programs and frequency
– List non-applicable programs with thresholds
– Integrate inventory, recordkeeping and calendar
Conclusion
107. Common Risks
■ Regulatory
– Audit or inspection
– Maintaining compliance
– Adapting to changing regulatory environment
■ Corporate
– Compliance with regulatory programs
– Conformance with company policies and procedures
– Due diligence
■ Supply Chain
– Requirements for doing business
– Limiting exposure
■ Certifications