Environmental inspection takes place March 23-27 Published March 11, 2009 By Janet Lanier CSC environmental contractor KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. -- A 16-member external Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health Compliance Assessment Team from Air Education and Training Command headquarters comes to Keesler March 23-27 to conduct a wide-ranging audit covering facets of base activities with the potential to impact the environment. The external ESOHCAMP is conducted every three years, but Keesler hasn't been inspected since before Hurricane Katrina struck the base in August 2005. This year's visit monitors for standard regulatory compliance issues associated with Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Air Force and state environmental, safety and health areas. The audit also examines the base's implementation of the Environmental Management System. Since Fall 2005, Keesler has been considered an "appropriate facility" to implement EMS, and has been striving to successfully put in place a holistic environmental management system that meets ISO 14001 international standards for organizational management. This has led to required EMS awareness, practitioner and senior leadership training for many base personnel. Keesler also published an EMS manual in 2006 that outlines policy, an implementation plan, training requirements, document and operational controls, organizational responsibilities and a host of other concerns, including emergency response. In January 2007, President Bush signed Executive Order 13423 which re-emphasized the need to implement EMS and led to a requirement to train contractors who work on base. Additionally, the executive order set new conservation standards in energy and fuel usage and has required the base to update tasks and track metrics on the base's five major environmental management plans. Finally, it set in motion a requirement for annual refresher training for EMS awareness for any base personnel who can have a significant impact on the environment. Shop supervisors and workers can expect to be checked on compliance issues related to air emissions, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, POL/fuel storage tanks, drinking water and waste water protocols. In the safety area, lock out/tag out procedures will be inspected. In occupational health areas, chemical hazards, ergonomics, HAZCOM, hearing conservation, heat and cold stress, ionizing radiation, radiation, PPE, respiratory protection programs and ventilations systems are inspected. Not only does the inspection cover these compliance issues, but shop personnel can expect to be asked questions about the 81st Training Wing commander's EMS policy. That policy is to comply with laws and regulations, to prevent pollution and minimize hazardous waste, to seek continual improvement, and to implement EMS throughout all organizations. Shops can also expect generalized questions about the base's EMPs and steps being taken to achieve objectives and targets of those EMPs, as well as questions about each individual's own shop regulations. Personnel need to know their individual training requirements, their shop goals and procedures in place to prevent or minimize impacts to the environment. For example, if you operate a paint spray booth, you'll be expected to be able to articulate that the impact is air pollution from those processes, as well as in some cases, generation of hazardous waste from cleaning paint sprayers. A fuel tank custodian must understand and be able to communicate that mishandling of petroleum products could lead to spills that could contaminate soil or waterways and possibly lead to EPA or state enforcement actions and a risk of fines in the face of gross negligence. To prepare shops and supervisors, CSC's safety and bioenvironmental personnel are currently visiting each shop to not only check compliance issues, but to first ask questions concerning completion of EMS training and evidence of certificates of completion. Other questions will focus on EMS policy, worker knowledge of the base's major plans, compliance with energy conservation measures such as adhering to required thermostat settings, measures being taken to conserve fuel or efforts to find alternative products to prevent generation of hazardous waste. Environmental section personnel can supply a questionnaire to supervisors and workers that goes a long way toward preparing Keesler personnel for this unique inspection. For more information, questionnaires or general assistance, call the environmental section, 228-377-1262.