COVID to Contaminants: Environmental specialists tackle a range of health and safety issues.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa
• Position: ENVIRONMENTAL

Over the last two years, individuals and businesses have started to pay a lot more attention to keeping their spaces clean--something that, because of COVID-19, took on more importance than ever. And while it's become commonplace to see cashiers wiping down grocery store conveyor belts and restaurant staff disinfecting seating areas, there are some industries that have always had to put cleanliness and sanitation first for the health of their employees and the general public.

To this end, companies in a variety of fields--from gas stations to energy companies to cruise lines to military bases to air cargo companies and more--hire HSE (health, safety, and environment) specialists or environmental services companies to keep their facilities clean. Not only is this work challenging--imagine the labor involved in cleaning a 24,000-gallon fuel tank--but it can also be dangerous.

"Our job is to find safe ways to perform work on unique jobs in hazardous conditions," explains Brock Nelson, a field foreman for US Ecology, of the company's many responsibilities that range from cleaning small or large fuel tanks to dealing with paints. PCBs, POL (petroleum, oil, and lubricant) contaminants, and hazardous waste.

"We also provide a safe and environmentally friendly way to dispose of and recycle waste streams with the least amount of impact on the environment and clean up spills to help restore the environment back to its original state," adds US Ecology's Operations Manager Zach Hamilton.

Safety First

While most people try to avoid dealing with hazardous chemicals or putting themselves in situations where they have to mitigate environmental issues, those who do work in the field know the importance of keeping employees safe.

"There are a lot of potential hazards on job sites, but probably the biggest issue is exposure due to equipment or PPE [personal protective equipment] failure," says Hamilton. "Tears and punctures in PPE can lead to inhalation hazards, as well as the risk of absorbing toxins through the eyes and skin.

"This is why our health and safety measures are so stringent--anything that we can think of that could happen, we prepare for," he adds.

Pre-planning is key when it comes to identifying and mitigating risk.

"Health and safety is our top priority, so before every task or job, a job hazard assessment is filled out, and we hold tailgate meetings so that everyone involved has an understanding of the hazards and the plan before the work day...