SSCI’s team of professionals including industrial hygienists, safety professionals, biologists, and engineers have experience in disaster response and recovery including emergency response for natural disasters and catastrophes. Our services include Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) compliant programs. Our team members have performed as Incident Commanders for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and EPA response for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike and Harvey in Texas and Louisiana as well as for many tornado debris responses in Oklahoma. Our team has performed emergency response for the Texas Commission on Read More »
Concerned about cleaning surfaces for homes and businesses potentially impacted by COVID-19? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing Resources for Home including cleaning and disinfection recommendations. For non-porous surfaces, a bleach solution consisting of 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water will is effective for disinfection. When using bleach make sure you are in a well ventilated area, that the bleach is not expired, and never mix bleach with ammonia products. Alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered Read More »
SSCI recently had the opportunity to provide Asbestos Awareness training for Galveston area historical property owners and volunteers. The presentation included discussions of asbestiform minerals, common commercial products containing asbestos, health associated with asbestos exposure, and a review of regulatory requirements for asbestos management and removal. The presentation was provided by Vice President and Board Member, Ms. Jo Drake Keim. Ms. Keim has 25 years of experience in the environmental consulting and occupational safety and health training. She has provided classroom instruction for occupational training courses in industrial hygiene, property assessments, and environmental regulations. Ms. Keim has instructed occupational and Read More »
Environmental services Industry news Safety Uncategorized
New Emergency Preparedness Training Requirements for Hospitals
The implementation date for the new training requirements is November 15, 2017. The new rule establishes national emergency preparedness requirements that include adequately planning for disasters that fall on a continuum between disruptive to disastrous. The new regulations apply to healthcare providers, including hospitals, critical access hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and long-term care facilities. To find out more, please follow this link to Occupational Health and Safety magazine. https://ohsonline.com/articles/2017/11/01/cms-emergency-preparedness-training.aspx If you need assistance with assessing your training needs or if you are looking for a training provider, please contact SSCI at 800-324-7724 or visit our website at www.sscienvironmental.com or SSCI-HEALTH-SAFETY & Read More »
On Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, a total eclipse will cross the entire country, coast-to-coast, for the first time since 1918. Check out when you’ll be able to see the solar eclipse at NASA. NASA is sharing information on safe eclipse viewing with community centers, and citizen science projects are developing. If you can’t watch Monday’s total solar eclipse, don’t worry. Another one will be visible in the U.S. in 2024. According to NASA, the following materials should never be used to view a solar eclipse: sunglasses of any kind color film medical X-ray film smoked glass floppy disks The only way to safely Read More »
Zebra Mussels have been positively identified for the first time at Lake Travis in Central Texas. Zebra Mussels are an invasive species originating from eastern Europe and western Russia. A single adult female zebra mussel can produce up to one million larvae each year that cannot be seen by the naked eye, causing infestation to occur before a sighting. Zebra mussels attach to any hard surface in the water including submerged infrastructure, piping, watercraft, and even native mussels. Currently, there is no known way to eliminate zebra mussels from entire lakes without harming native species and colonies, and are expensive Read More »
Community Environmental services Industry news Safety
SSCI: Hazardous Materials Manager for SH 288 Toll Lanes Expansion Project
SSCI began work on the State Highway (SH) 288 Toll Lanes Expansion Project in Harris County providing hazardous materials management and emergency response in July 2016. Since that time, SSCI has assisted in construction activities, hazardous material handling and disposal, and in managing environmental hazards associated with the project. Construction activities have taken place in the early morning hours before rush hour traffic and in the middle of the night. We’ve been there to see it all. The project consists of expanding three major interchanges within a 10.3-mile stretch from US Interstate 59 (US 59) to the Harris County line Read More »
SSCI is wishing everyone a happy and safe 4th of July. For Safety Tip on using fireworks, visit the National Council on Fireworks Safety. SSCI’s office will be closed on July 4, 2017. Our staff can be reach 24-7 at 1-800.324.7724.
The usage of drones by civilians has increased significantly over the past few years. An estimated 600,000 drones will be in use by commercial enterprises by 2018. The top industry using drones in the United States is photography with the second largest being real estate ( DMR, www.expandedramblings.com). Drones have been used in military applications for years but as the drones move to the commercial industry and to hobbyists, concerns have been raised regarding safety and enforcement of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. The FAA refers to drones as an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and regulations apply for personal and Read More »