Building Materials Compliance and Removal

AIR QUALITY (INDOOR & OUTDOOR)

Air quality is defined as the state of the air around us. Air pollution occurs when the air contains gases, dust, fumes or odors in harmful amounts. That is amounts which could be harmful to the health or comfort of humans and animals or which could cause damage to plants and materials. The goal of the Air Quality program is to provide a safe and healthy working environment by proactively identifying and controlling pollutants and thermal conditions that negatively impact air quality.

BUILDING MATERIALS COMPLIANCE AND REMOVAL (ASBESTOS, LEAD, PCBS)

Many buildings contain various hazardous compounds in building materials that are now regulated under State or Federal law. The purpose of this program is to protect the health of faculty, staff, and students as well as the general public, maintain compliance with state and federal environmental regulations, and manage any disturbance or waste in a safe and compliant manner. Before sanding, demolishing, or otherwise disturbing any installed building components, employees must contact their institution’s Facilities and/or EH&S Departments.

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE, PROTECTION AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

Environmental Compliance and Protection at the Colleges of the Fenway ensure that all operations involving the use of hazardous materials are conducted in a manner that protects the health and the environment and that comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations. In addition, the goal is not to impact air, soil, groundwater, and/or surface water as part of their operations.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

A hazardous material is defined as any substance or material could adversely affect the safety of the public, handlers or carriers during transportation. Import, export, and interstate transport of hazardous materials are subject to federal, state, and local requirements and laws. Faculty, staff members, or laboratory managers, who may be receiving and/or shipping hazardous materials internationally or within the U.S., must receive shipping training prior to receiving or shipping hazardous materials to comply with these international and federal regulations and guidelines.  Contact your EH&S Office to schedule this training. Biological waste at Colleges of the Fenway may be disposed of in the following methods:

• • Biohazard/sharps waste box for off-site treatment
  • Chemical disinfection using an approved disinfectant for the biological material
  • Sterilization via an autoclave

Chemical hazardous waste must be properly disposed of. A contracted hazardous waste company is responsible for picking up and disposing of chemical hazardous waste at the colleges. Please ensure the chemical wastes are properly labeled and stored in satellite secondary areas.

LABORATORY SAFETY

Laboratory safety encompasses many facets, including chemical safety, biological safety, safety involving radioactive materials, and the safe use of equipment, lasers, and machinery. Because laboratories vary markedly in the kinds of hazards present, laboratory safety must be tailored to the nature of the research or teaching activities. To assist with laboratory safety, colleges have instituted safety committees with representatives from each department with laboratories and the supporting departments (e.g., facilities). These committees meet at least once per semester to discuss biological safety, chemical safety, environmental topics, incidents, and/or management options.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH ASSISTANCE

The goal of the EH&S programs at Colleges of the Fenway is ensured that “everyone goes home the same way they arrived at the college.” Our goal is to prevent and/or minimize employee/personal injuries & illnesses from and occupational exposure to potentially hazardous work environments and activities across campuses. We work closely with academic, research, and other campus units and personnel to assure that potential occupational safety & health hazards or risks are identified and that proper controls are in place before and during any occupational activities that may take place. Please contact your EH&S Office for additional information.

Radiation & LASER SAFETY

Institutions with radioactive materials have an Institutional Radiation Safety Committee, which oversees radiation safety. Please contact your institution’s Radiation Safety Committee for more information on your institution’s radiation safety program. Radiation sources are found in a wide range of educational settings. If radiation is not properly controlled it can be potentially hazardous to the health of workers. There are two types of radiation: non-ionizing and ionizing. Laser safety is safe to design, use and implementation of lasers to minimize the risk of laser accidents, especially those involving eye injuries. Since even relatively small amounts of laser light can lead to permanent eye injuries, the sale and usage of lasers are typically subject to government regulations.

WATER QUALITY, STORMWATER & WASTEWATER DISCHARGE

The Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 regulated by EPA establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into waters and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) maintains a list of substances allowed to be discharged to the sewer system from sink or drain disposal in extremely low concentrations. All chemical discharge violations that can result in enforcement actions must be reported to the MWRA.

QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

Please contact your Environmental Health and Safety or Facilities departments with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health and safety and information contained in the above programs. The contact information for the Environmental Health and Safety department at your school can be found here.