Foundrymen meet to discuss importance of EHS issues.

"Environmental, health and safety (EHS) issues should be part of your foundry's management program every day," said Bob Teets, Cooper Industries, Inc. This was the resounding theme at the 8th AFS Environmental, Health & Safety Conference held August 18-20 at The Grand Milwaukee Hotel, Milwaukee.

Featuring a reception that included exhibits by 14 vendors, the conference drew more than more than 200 foundry EHS officials. During the two and one-half day event, attendees participated in 24 presentations on various EHS topics affecting foundries today.

EHS Communications

"The challenges our industry face today require companies to have an effective environmental communications plan in place," said Teets. "We spend too much time defending ourselves rather than pointing out the good things we've already done."

Teets outlined five tools his company uses to keep on top of environmental communications. The first tool, according to Teets, is an effective environmental policy that includes observing laws and regulations, effective response to environmental concerns, the elimination or reduction of waste, and cooperating with state and local government to come into compliance.

The second objective, training, includes everyone in the company from the executive offices down to the shop floor. Standardized regulatory training at Cooper includes corporate-sponsored hazardous waste training, a corporate-provided list of approved vendors, environmental auditor training for employees to audit the company's facilities, and a plant manager's conference held every three years to update managers on environmental regulatory standards.

The third tool is environmental audits. Audits at Cooper are conducted by a team of representatives from all divisions of the company. "We have found that if the business managers of each division have made environmental issues part of everyday business the audit results are much better," Teets pointed out. Follow-up performance audits are scheduled on short notice by the corporate staff for spot checking.

The individual facilities perform self-reviews in preparation for the fourth tool, an annual environmental plan. The company has developed a software package to assist each division to prepare its annual plan that is consistent throughout the corporation and allows updated information to be collected on air emissions, permits, facility operations and storage tanks on an annual basis. Each facility provides environmental compliance costs, their accomplishments and success stories, an action plan and a compliance calendar.

The Recognition for Excellence program is Cooper's final tool. Established in 1994, the program encourages employees to think creatively when it comes to managing their facilities in an environmentally responsible manner. This award recognizes I and honors outstanding action being i taken by Cooper employees to minimize waste and pollution. The winning facility receives a grant which they in turn present to organizations in their community that are working to protect the environment.

OSHA's SEP Program

Another hot issue for foundries today is OSHA's Special Emphasis Program (SEP) to prevent silicosis. John Rizzo, U.S. Dept. of Labor-OSHA Region 5, delivered an update to attendees.

"There are two basic differences in the SEP program compared to the foundry program of the 1970s," said Rizzo. "Number one, it is not a foundry emphasis program, it is exposure driven. Only if your facility has a problem will it be addressed by OSHA." This will be determined by workers' compensation data, sensor data, hospital discharge data, the Registry of Occupational Safety and Health (BLS), and other locally developed sources.

"The second difference is if your facility has an effective and ongoing silicosis program, we'll come in, take a look and go home," added Rizzo. "Why should we put our effort/resources into facilities that already have extensive programs and ventilation in place?"

The program was effective May 2, 1996, with an enforcement moratorium until August 1, 1996. According to Rizzo, six compliance reviews had been conducted at the time of the conference. Four of the six were major construction sites.