SynTerra safety

Hazardous chemical awareness and poison prevention

Posted March 6, 2020

This illustration presents methods of controlling hazards, from most effective to least effective.

Hazardous chemicals and related dangers exist all around us and are part of daily life. Basic knowledge of chemicals and safety precautions is valuable in the workplace and home. Accidental exposure to chemicals can cause a range of injuries. The severity of an injury from accidental chemical exposure can depend on several factors, including age, gender, route of exposure, concentration of the dosage, and duration of exposure. Properly identifying chemicals and making sure they are stored safely can greatly reduce the possibility of injury.

Chemical safety in the home

Did you know? More than 90 percent of all poisonings happen at home. Here are steps toward prevention:

- Proper labeling of household chemicals, especially cleaning products, is your first line of defense against exposing yourself to hazardous substances. Example: Using a Sharpie, write “Bleach” on your own self-mixed spray bottles (after diluting with water).
- Properly dispose of old chemicals, cleaners, and prescriptions that you no longer use or are out of date. Many municipalities offer services to properly dispose of chemicals and prescriptions.
- Keep hazardous materials out of the reach of children. On average, more than 300 children are treated for exposure to hazardous materials every day in the United States and two die as a result of poisoning from household substances like cleaners and cosmetics. Keeping such products out of reach of children is essential to protecting your family. Inexpensive latching devices can be purchased and installed to prevent access to those items.
- Over-the-counter products such as eye drops, air fresheners, detergents, and nail polish removers are some of the many items we use on a regular basis that contain ingredients listed as harmful or hazardous in most states. Just because it is designed for home use doesn’t mean it is harmless. For example, the ingestion of large quantities of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) can lead to
  dehydration, seizures, and kidney failure.

This picture shows common workplace carcinogens and organs affected.

Display the National Poison Control Hotline — 1-800-222-1222 — prominently in your home. If you call this number, you will be routed to the poison center that serves your area.

National Poison Prevention Week, the third week in March, focuses on the danger of drugs and other poisons and how to keep your family safe. For more information on chemicals in the home and how to keep your family safe, visit https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/safety-topics/other-poisons.

Workplace products and chemicals

There are more than 750,000 hazardous chemicals used in the workplace worldwide. The most common routes of entry into the body are inhalation, absorption, and ingestion. Both the employer and employee are responsible for creating a safe environment. Employers must constantly educate employees, and employees must actively participate in learning.

A product with the label “Danger” is more hazardous than something labeled with “Warning.”
If you are using a chemical in your day-to-day tasks, make sure you have read and understand the safety data sheet for that chemical. If you do not have safety data sheet, ask your supervisor for a copy. Employers are required to maintain safety data sheets pertaining to the chemicals used in the workplace.
Asbestos, a familiar workplace carcinogen that is almost entirely banned in manufacturing and distribution, is still used in the production of some items like brake pads, tile flooring, fireproofing caulk, and adhesives. It could very well be in your workplace. Ask your employer about the products used around you to prevent exposure.
Each year, there are as many as 90,000 new work-related cases of cancer in the U.S. These cases are largely caused by long-term exposure to materials that are labeled as “carcinogens.” However, there are also many substances that are still under consideration and are labeled as “probably cardinogens” or “inconclusive.” Those substances should not be ignored just because they are still being researched.

Find more resources concerning safety with chemicals at www.draeger.com.

All cases of chemical injury and illness are preventable with the right training, education, and resources. At SynTerra, we coach our employees and provide our clients with services to minimize the day-to-day risks associated with accidental chemical exposures. We provide training sessions and on-site Health and Safety oversight services. If you would like to find out how SynTerra can help you achieve Health and Safety goals, email Health and Safety Coordinator Paul Tarquinio at ptarquinio@synterracorp.com or Environmental Services Program Director Bill Husk at bhusk@synterracorp.com.

Kathy Webb, P.G.

Senior Market Leader | Principal

Kathy Webb, who co-founded SynTerra (then known as The Fletcher Group) in 1992, has completed remedial investigations and regulatory compliance projects associated with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) facilities, state and federal Superfund sites, solid waste landfills, brownfield redevelopment, utility coal combustion residual (CCR) management units, and regulated industrial facilities. She has supported litigation as an expert witness related to chlorinated solvents, metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Kathy is known for her practical assessment strategy with the perspective of the client’s business objectives. She routinely evaluates groundwater corrective action systems for effectiveness and progress toward achieving compliance objectives. She has co-authored a trade journal paper with case studies of low-impact remedial strategies. Kathy is a licensed Professional Geologist in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Mark Taylor, P.G.

Principal

Mark has worked more than 40 years in natural-resource based industries. His expertise includes mine geology and mine engineering, hydrogeologic and geotechnical investigations, solid and hazardous waste management, and regulatory negotiations. He has published peer-reviewed papers about coal geology, ore geochemistry, mineralogy, and solid waste management. He is a leading expert in mining and environmental permitting for litigation support.

Mark is licensed as a Professional Geologist in South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Washington. He serves on the boards of the Upstate Red Cross and Upstate Forever. He served on the South Carolina Board of Registration for Geologists for six years. Mark holds a Master’s degree in Geological Sciences from The University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Science from Harvard University.

Andrea Kehn, P.E.

Vice President of Engineering | Principal

Andrea Kehn, leader of our Civil & Environmental Engineering Business Unit, has 28 years of experience in chemical manufacturing and environmental consulting. She leads and supervises staff professionals on multidisciplinary projects for a variety of industrial clients. Andrea’s vast experience and expertise includes: air quality construction and operating permitting; air quality modeling; air permit record-keeping and reporting; Oil Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP); NPDES permitting; water quality modeling; process safety management; risk management compliance and auditing; and RCRA compliance.

Andrea is registered as a Professional Engineer in South Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

Ruth Albright, P.E.

Vice President | Principal

Ruth has led projects for major industrial facilities throughout the Southeast and beyond. She built her knowledge of environmental regulations and their application to manufacturing operations while working for the second largest chemical manufacturing company in the United States. At SynTerra, she has expanded both her knowledge and reputation working for chemical manufacturing operations of all sizes. She has also worked extensively with other manufacturing operations, including pulp and paper, industrial equipment, pharmaceuticals, food, and automotive parts and assembly. Her experience includes air and wastewater permit compliance, solid and hazardous waste management, solid waste construction permitting, hazardous materials transportation, wastewater treatment systems, air pollution control equipment operations and maintenance, and ambient air monitoring systems.

Ruth is a professional engineer registered in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Michigan, Arkansas, and Kentucky. She is an active member of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Environmental Technical Committee and serves as the chair of the water subcommittee. She has previously served as the program and committee chair for the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce Environmental Affairs committee. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University.