Hanscom to undergo ESOHCAMP inspection in May Published April 14, 2008 By Rhonda Siciliano 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs HANSCOM AFB, Mass. -- The Environmental Safety and Occupational Health Compliance Assessment Management Program will conduct a base-wide assessment of Hanscom's compliance with environmental and occupational safety and health laws and regulations. The inspection will take place May 5 to 9. ESOHCAMP is an Air Force wide program that relies on both internal and external evaluations. Internal evaluations are the foundation of an ESOHCAMP and are normally conducted by installation personnel annually, except during years when external evaluations are conducted. "The assessment is part of a continuous improvement process that will help Hanscom enhance environmental compliance, workplace safety and occupational health," said Staff Sgt. Eric Edwards, 66th Medical Group Bioenvironmental Engineering. "Deficiencies are written up as findings and then the team must prepare root cause analysis and management action plans for the findings." The ESOHCAMP team will then provide constructive feedback to applicable work centers so all findings can be corrected as soon as possible. The inspection team will also be looking for best management practices and will recognize units with excellent compliance programs. There are multiple protocols that compose ESOHCAMP evaluations such as: hazardous materials, hazardous waste, natural resources, solid waste management, storage tanks, drinking water, wastewater and toxic substances including items such as lead based paint, asbestos, radon and other environmental contaminants. Safety and occupational health are now also included in ESOHCAMP. Sergeant Edwards said that one of the typical problem areas during an ESOHCAMP is Hazard Communication. "The purpose of the AF HAZCOM program [AFI 90-821] is to minimize the incidence of chemically induced occupational illnesses and hazards in the workplace," Sergeant Edwards said. "In preparation for the May ESOHCAMP, workplace supervisors who maintain chemicals are encouraged to review the requirements of 66th Air Base Wing Instruction 48-101 which can be found on the 66 ABW intranet Web site. The instruction Sergeant Edwards explained incorporates OSHA and AF requirements and tailors the information to Hanscom. "Supervisors should pay particular attention to make sure all the requirements of paragraph 4.2 in the instruction are being met," he said. "Reviewing the HAZCOM program now will help correct deficiencies and allow for a smoother ESOHCAMP." Some HAZCOM basics for supervisors to follow are: Do: - Ensure Material Safety Data Sheets are available for all chemicals and that workers know their location. - Ensure workers know how to read MSDS - Ensure chemicals are labeled properly IAW paragraph 4.2.5 of 66 ABWI 48-101 - Ensure all employees are trained on their workplace specific HAZCOM requirements - Ensure workers use Personal Protective Equipment approved by Bioenvironmental Engineering Do Not: - Store MSDSs in locked cabinets or offices which are inaccessible to employees - Use chemicals until MSDSs have been read - Remove chemical labels or warning hazards - Forget to document HAZCOM training on the AF Form 55 - Use PPE that has not been evaluated/approved by BE Any questions related to ESOHCAMP or HAZCOM can be directed to the 66th Medical Group Bioenvironmental Engineering at (781) 377-2181.