WHAT'S NEW
Here's an overview of the latest releases and what's happening in the industry.
 

     

TRAINING PRODUCTS
Stormwater Pollution Prevention
SPCC for Electric Utilities
SPCC - Computer Based Training
Pandemic Preparedness
 

INDUSTRY NEWS
EPA Issues Final Rule on Greenhouse Gas Reporting
RCRA Employee Training Kits Updated
 

 

 

 

 

New Products
 


A Drop in the Bucket

“Stormwater Pollution Prevention: A Drop in the Bucket” is the most up-to-date regulatory training for stormwater compliance. This 16-minute video training kit shows employees and contractors how to protect stormwater run-off from industrial-type operations and comply with the latest SWPPP requirements.

Your employees and contractors will learn what effective stormwater pollution prevention looks like from manufacturing, processing, transportation, maintenance and certain government operations. No SWPPP is complete if facility employees are not properly trained. (more>>)

 
 
SPCC for Electric Utilities

Excal Visual has just released a video training kit for employees and contractors working at electric power generation, transmission and distribution facilities, titled "Oil - Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure for Electric Utilities". This training kit focuses on oil-filled electrical equipment as well as bulk tanks. Created in cooperation with the Utility Solid Waste Activities Group (USWAG) of the Edison Electric Institute, this kit will help electric utilities comply with the recently amended SPCC rule as it relates specifically to the power industry.   details >>



 


S P C C
Computer Based Training

For facilities that deal with any oil or oil product (over a certain volume) employee training on prevention of oil spills and releases and on the correct operation and maintenance of oil handling and spill prevention equipment is required. Controlling Oil is now available as an interactive computer based training course. Individual lessons cover SPCC Plans, oil pollution regulations, effective oil storage and oil transfer procedures, site security issues and first response measures. Each lesson includes interaction for the viewer and concludes with a quiz. The kit is available for free preview for 15 days. Price is $695 for a standalone CD-ROM version.

 
PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS
Recent outbreaks of new influenza viruses make it clear that we are facing an on-going threat of a worldwide pandemic. Recognizing this, industrial, government, and commercial facilities and universities must be concerned for operational continuity and employee health, safety and welfare. An organization's success in riding out a pandemic will depend on having a plan and preparing the workforce.
Based on the Homeland Security Council's National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan, this new video training kit, "Workplace Strategies for Pandemic Preparedness," can help promote an awareness and readiness among employees that will contribute to effective execution of your strategies and procedures for operational continuity.

 

 
Industry News

EPA Issues Final Rule on Greenhouse Gas Reporting

The federal EPA has issued its final rule that mandates annual reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from several sectors of US industry. Effective Jan. 1, 2010, many US industrial facilities will have to start tracking their greenhouse gas emissions. The gas emissions that will have to be tracked include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and others. The EPA estimates that about 13,000 industrial facilities nationwide will be regulated under this new rule.

Specific industries that will be required to track and report GHG emissions include electric power generation, cement manufacturing, glass makers, iron/steel/ferroalloy producers, lime producers, oil refiners, petrochemical processors, pulp and paper, most suppliers of industrial gases and others. In addition large stationary fuel combustion sources like industrial boilers, furnaces and ovens will be affected regardless of the industry in which they are used. This requirement falls only on facilities with aggregate stationary fuel combustion sources that have a total rated capacity of 30 million BTU/hr or greater and that have the potential to emit over 25,000 MTs of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per year. However, the rule applies regardless of fuel type (coal, natural gas, propane, heating oil, residual fuel, bio-fuels, etc.).

Affected facilities will have to submit their first reports to the EPA for the calendar year 2010 by March 31, 2011 and annually thereafter. These facilities will have to come up with estimates of their GHG emissions and most will have to speciate their emissions (i.e., they cannot just group all GHGs together). EPA is expected to develop some estimating tools but these are not yet available except for certain industries. EPA is offering a series of webinars on the Rule and how to comply with it.

RCRA Employee Training Kits Updated

Excal Visual performed a thorough audit of all its RCRA employee training programs (Hazardous Waste: Management & Minimization): LQG, SQG, federal and California-only. The audit was performed to identify any changes that might be needed in order to ensure the training programs are up-to-date with current regulations. RCRA rules are some of the most complex among all the environmental regulations. Employee training on RCRA generally requires more time and more attention to detail than some other training so ensuring up-to-date training materials is critical.

Our audit revealed some relatively minor changes were, in fact, needed. The changes have now been made and these training programs (version 6.0) are now "as good as new". As if they had just been produced this year. Call us for more details.
 

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