Phase 1 environmental tomorrow, any advice?

lendaddy · 06:38 AM

We store and dispose of nuclear and chemical waste in our sewer drain so I don't foresee any issues.....j/k

But seriously, any general advice about these things? What do they look for exactly?

For instance, we have a Fork-truck that's been leaking hydraulic fluid for the last two weeks (while our normal truck is being repaired) onto our factory floor. Is this going to wig them out? I have no idea how these things go.

FWIW, the fork-truck that is leaking has a scratch in the main mast cylinder and it would cost more to repair it than to replace the truck is worth. If it were a line or something we would have fixed it. We are only using it while the tranny ion our normal truck is being rebuilt.

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Level one is a "look for the obvious", kind of like a cop looking you over.

Get the fork lift out of there for the day, can you do that?

lendaddy · 01-03-2007, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kach22i
Level one is a "look for the obvious", kind of like a cop looking you over.

Get the fork lift out of there for the day, can you do that?

OK, I think we'll be ok there. And the truck doesn't leak just sitting there, only when the mast reaches a certain height (exposing the scratch to the seal).

I am going to use oil dry to soak up as much as we can tomorrow so it looks better (but this is a factory, so I'm not too worried about perfection).

I used to get volcanic ash oil dry and now I can't find it....is it still around? That stuff worked great, much better than clay!

stomachmonkey · 01-03-2007, 07:02 AM

Kitty litter.

lendaddy · 01-03-2007, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by stomachmonkey
Kitty litter.

Looks like it, I can't find the other stuff. Kitty litter is so messy

Joeaksa · 01-03-2007, 07:16 AM

Hide the forklift and clean up the floor. If they find stuff leaking on the floor, the rest of the day is guaranteed not to go well...

RickM · RickM's Garage

Volcanic ash is also known as Bentonite. It is used as the active ingridient in many cat litters. Maybe searching with this term will yield some results.

lendaddy · 01-03-2007, 08:26 AM

I found some locally, though this is called "demetrious earth"(sp)???

RickM · RickM's Garage

Diatomaceous earth or DE is widely used as the filter media for pools. I don't believe it contains volcanic ash though.

lendaddy · 01-03-2007, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RickM
Diatomaceous earth or DE is widely used as the filter media for pools. I don't believe it contains volcanic ash though.

I know, but they claimed it was better than clay and I can't find the other stuff.

Man I wasn't even close on the spelling

RickM · RickM's Garage

Heh heh, I'm sure some greek guy is willing to sell you as much earth as you'd like.

Jim727 · 01-03-2007, 09:48 AM

Diatomaceous Earth = skeletons of micro-critters (diatoms). Do NOT breathe that stuff! If the safety inspector is there while you're sweeping it up there should probably be lots of dust masks in use.

lendaddy · 01-03-2007, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim727
Diatomaceous Earth = skeletons of micro-critters (diatoms). Do NOT breathe that stuff! If the safety inspector is there while you're sweeping it up there should probably be lots of dust masks in use.

Thanks, I looked into this and you're right. I guess certain kinds are considered harmless, but others are not. I'll look into it further, thanks!

gaijindabe · 01-03-2007, 10:30 AM

How about a couple of hundred in an envelope? Drop it on the floor and say "where is that MSDS again" as you look up and away...

RickM · RickM's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim727
Diatomaceous Earth = skeletons of micro-critters (diatoms). Do NOT breathe that stuff! If the safety inspector is there while you're sweeping it up there should probably be lots of dust masks in use.

The same goes for Vermiculite which is also used for cleanup. Apparently it has the potential to contain asbestos.

legion · 01-03-2007, 11:15 AM

I thought Phase 1 was "collect underpants"?

Hugh R · 01-03-2007, 03:38 PM

If you have waste oil barrels or drums put them in a secondary containment, a bermed area with no open drain, that's an important one. Flammables in the flammables storage cabinet.

Harold_89_911 · 01-03-2007, 04:33 PM

Maybe I'm too late with this now but look at it from a Phase II perspective (Phase II is where you collect soil or water samples to look for any contaminants (oils, fuel, cleaners, etc.) in the soil or groundwater). The goal for the consultant is to get to Phase II because there is more money to be made there (I'm being a little cynical here). So they will look for any type of chemicals that you use or any previous owners might have used that might have an impact on the soil/water. Then they will look for how you handle those and where you store those. If from your practice or the historical data on your property there is any potential chance that these type of materials might have gotten into the soil/water, they will recommend a Phase II to document if the soil/water was impacted. For example, having a puddle of hydraulic fluid and slight cracks in the concrete floor will definitely require concrete coring and soil sampling, at the least. I hope you get lucky because once you get caught up in the system it is expensive and time consuming to get out of it again.

lendaddy · 01-03-2007, 06:26 PM

Thanks guys, I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. I can only do so much before 1:00 but I bet we're fine as we don't really use chemicals and only we have ever owned the buildng.i

Harold_89_911 · 01-03-2007, 07:26 PM

Good luck! Be carefull about your definition of chemicals though. Think big! Anything is free game such as any type of oil, lubricant, any flammables, cleaning agents, paints, etc. Working at home on my car I can smell fuel and have oil dripping over my hands. In the the environmental field, you would have to wear protective clothing for your arms and a respirator to do the same. Common sense does not apply anymore.