Article Archive 2001-2004

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Articles published in national facility management, contracting, and environmental magazines are available. If you would like a copy of a particular article, just call or make an Article Request.

Inbox: Letters to the Editor
By Robert Johnson, CEO, ESS
November 2004 for Transform Magazine
Comments on the article "New Solutions for Old Environmental, Health and Safety Problems” and suggests the trend of using Web-based EMIS for compliance has shifted to include operational performance as well.

Ask the Experts Column: Safety Software
By Ray Richeson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, ESS
October 2004 for ISHN
Comments on how job hazard analysis can reduce an organization’s costs due to injury and illness.

Ask the Experts Column: Software
By Ray Richeson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, ESS
August 2004 for Compliance Magazine
How changes to 29 CFR Part 1904.10 will affect OSHA 300 log recordkeeping for employees with hearing loss.

Solutions for Successful Chemical Inventory Management
By Marc Dillon, Director of Professional Services, ESS— providers of Essential Suite
May 2004 for AICHE-Computing and Systems Technology(CAST) Special Issue 2004
Reviews the types of software products that are available to assist EH&S professionals manage their chemical inventories and reporting requirements.

Management Can Keep EPA at Bay
By Steve Ehrlich, Vice President, Compliance Services, ESS
March 2004 for The NEWS
Defines for HVAC contractors and technicians what the best practices for responsive refrigerant management are.

Ask the Experts Column: Software
By Barbara Robbins, Manager of Training, ESS— providers of Compliance Suite
February 2004 for Compliance Magazine
Provides the latest information on minimum speed and storage requirements for desktop systems using regulatory compliance software programs.

Contractors and EPA Compliance: Questions Every Contractor Should Ask
By Mark Harbin, Compliance Services Manager, ESS
January 2004 for The Ohio Manufacturer & Contractor
Gives contractors the information they need to notify their customers of their responsibilities to make sure that there are no gaps in their clients' compliance status.

EPA's List of Certified Refrigerant Reclaimers Changes: Criminal and Voluntary Actions From Service Providers Nationwide Direct Agency's Decision
by Robert Johnson, President, January 2003 for Fmlink.com
Gives the latest information from the EPA on certified service providers of refrigerant reclaiming and a brief overview of the how and when refrigerants should be reclaimed.

Contractors and EPA Compliance: Questions Every Contractor Should Ask
by Mark Harbin, Manager - Compliance Information Services, January 2003 for The HVACSource.com
Gives contractors the information they need to notify their customers of their responsibilities to make sure that there are no gaps in their clients' compliance status.

EPA Compliance: Refrigerant Management
by Frank Hilberer, Facilities Maintenance, September 2002 for The Plant Exchange
Today, the environment is everyone's responsibility. Are you taking an active part to keep it clean? The consequences of ozone depletion come in the form of increased health risks to people and the slow destruction of our worldwide ecosystems.

Waste Minimization: Cornerstones for Successful Implementation
by Craig Schwartz, Director of Waste Division and Wix Howard, Vice President Waste National Accounts, March 2002 for EM: Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association
Discusses the planning process and implantation of a waste minimization plan. Illustrates through two case studies the environmental, operational and cost benefits of designing a company waste strategy.

Organize Your MSDSs the Paperless Way
by Craig Schwartz, Manager, Waste Division, February 2002 for Fmlink.com
Discusses the traditional methods of MSDS storage and maintenance versus the cost and time efficient method of paperless electronic record keeping. The article also identifies what users should look for in record keeping software programs.

Advice From the Field: Top 10 Refrigerant Compliance Steps — How Are You Doing?
by Steve Ehrlich, Vice President of Compliance Services Division, January 2002 for HVACR Today
Lists the top 10 Clean Air Act Section 608 refrigerant compliance mistakes and how to prevent them.

From Plan to Proposal: How to Select an IAQ Consultant
by Larry Hays, Vice President of Training, January 2002 for Fmlink.com
Discusses the care needed when hiring IAQ professionals, and providing occupants in a facility with a reasonable "Standard of Care."

Occupational Asthma and IAQ: What You Need to Know
by Larry Hays, Vice President of Training, December 2001 for Fmlink.com
Discusses the responsibilities facility and IAQ professionals have in protecting the health of people with allergies and chronic asthma.

How to Dispose of Waste Oils and Filters: EPA Regulations and CFC Chiller Retirement
by Robert Johnson, President, August 2001 for Process Cooling and Equipment
Second of a two part series, this article describes the proper way to dispose of waste oil filers when reclaiming CFC refrigerants from a system that will be retired.

How to Survive An EPA Clean Air Act Title VI Refrigerant Regulations Compliance Inspection: Part 2: During an Inspection
by Robert Johnson, President, July 2001 for Fmlink.com
This article explains how a company's management and employees should conduct themselves during an unannounced EPA refrigerant audit. It outlines procedures, and discusses some of the rights that companies have while an audit is taking place.

Compliance and You: Federal Facilities Responsibilities Under the Clean Air Act
by Robert Johnson, President, July 2001 for FedMarket.com
Outlines specifically for federal facility managers their compliance responsibilities under the clean air act. Includes best practices checklist.

Twenty Common Chemicals to be Evaluated for Risks to Children
Provided by Environmental Support Solutions, July 2001 for Chemdeals.com
A brief article describing the EPA's Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program.

How to Survive an EPA Clean Air Act Title VI Refrigerant Regulations Compliance Inspection Part 1: Prior to the Inspection
by Robert Johnson, President, June 2001 for Fmlink.com
Discusses what companies can do to prepare for an unannounced EPA inspection.

How to Dispose of a CFC Chiller Safely
by Robert Johnson, President, June 2001 for Process Cooling and Equipment
Revisits the process of CFC chiller retirement and the process of reclamation. First in a two part series.

How Does Your Organization Stack Up To The "Best Practices" In Refrigerant Regulations Compliance Management?
by Robert Johnson, President, June 2001 for EnviroBay.com
This article lists the EPA requirements and industry standard practices in refrigerant management.

Volatile Organic Compound Management From the Inside: Tips for the Environmental Manager
by Larry Hays, Vice President of Training, June 2001 for Business & Legal Reports (BLR)
Examines where volatile compounds (VOCs) can be found inside a building and what facility managers can do to limit their impact.

Refrigerant Labeling: Guidelines for Safety and Compliance
by Mark Harbin, Manager Compliance Information Services, June 2001 for HVACR Today
Discusses the proper way to label and color code reclaimed refrigerant cylinders.

Using Your Insurance Company as a Resource for IAQ Investigations
by Larry Hays, Vice President of Training, June 2001 for the National Safety Council Crossroads website
Identifies insurance companies as another viable resource for facility managers looking for assistance in IAQ investigations. Explains which services insurance companies can provide and why choosing an insurance company's laboratory services might be a more cost effective solution.

Still Out There: Be Wary of Black Market CFCs
by Robert Johnson, President, May 2001 for HVACR Today
Examines the ongoing problem of refrigerant smuggling and how to make sure you purchase legal CFCs.

Technology's Role in Managing Indoor Air Quality
by Larry Hays, Vice President of Training, May 2001 for Executive Housekeeping Today
Discusses enterprise and ASP frameworks and how these technological advances can improve management's ability to streamline their organizations' indoor air quality programs in facilities located either nationally or internationally.

Seasonal Pollen Allergies: Do Facility Managers Have Responsibilities?
by Larry Hays, Vice President of Training, May 2001 for the National Safety Council Crossroads website
Discusses seasonal allergies and what facility managers must do to ensure they are providing building occupants a "reasonable standard of care".

The Ticking Time Bomb: Toxic Pesticide Waste Dumps: A Report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
provided by Environmental Support Solutions, May 2001 for Chemdeals.com
A news release form the Agricultural Organization of the United Nations that discusses the ramifications of some 4,000 tons of hazardous and obsolete pesticides that are being stored around the world.

Federal Law and Waste Management: What You Need to Know
by Craig Schwartz, Manager, Waste Division, April 2001 for the National Environmental Trainers Association (NETA) website
An informational article that discusses the ramifications of RCRA for facility managers.

How to Survive an EPA Compliance Inspection: Part 3 Post EPA Inspection Activities
by Robert Johnson, President, April 2001 for HVAC Industry.com website
Discusses the final phases of an EPA inspection and what management and employees are responsible for in maintaining a refrigerant compliance program.

EPA Regulations and CFC Chiller Retirement
by Robert Johnson, President, April 2001 for DuPont.com website
Revisits the process of CFC chiller retirement and the process of reclamation.

Federal Law and Waste Management: What You Need to Know
by Craig Schwartz, Manager, Waste Division, April 2001 for ChemDeals.com website
An informational article that discusses the ramifications of RCRA for facility managers.

Environmental Concerns Spur New EPA Refrigerant Regulations
by Robert Johnson, President, March 2001 for Process Cooling & Equipment website
Describes regulations for non-CFC refrigerants and how to develop a sound refrigerant management plan.

The Hazard Communication Standard and MSDS Management: What Do You Need to Know?
by Craig A. Schwartz, Director-Waste Division, March 2001 for ChemDeals.com website
Identifies steps employers should take to make MSDS information readily available to workers, how to properly maintain an inventory of chemicals and how to develop policies for hazard communication.

Components of a Comprehensive Chiller Replacement Analysis: How to Make Replacement Easy
by Mark Harbin, Manager of Compliance Information Services, March 2001 for the Dupont.com/Suva website
This article identifies how to streamline the chiller replacement process to make it as cost effective and easy as possible.

How to Survive An EPA Clean Air Act Title VI Refrigerant Regulations Compliance Inspection: Part 2: During an Inspection
by Robert Johnson, March 2001 for HVAC Industry.com website
This article explains how a company's management and employees should conduct themselves during an unannounced EPA refrigerant audit. It outlines procedures, and discusses some of the rights that companies have while an audit is taking place.

EPA Accepted Alternative Refrigerants: Are You Using Them?
by Mark Harbin, Manager of Compliance Information Services, March 2001 for HVACR Today
Provides a brief listing of this year's currently accepted alternative refrigerants under the Significant New Alternatives Policy program.

Nature's Menace: What You Need to Know About Radon Management
by Larry Hays, VP of Training, March 2001 for National Safety Council Crossroads website
Discusses what radon is and how facility and building managers can limit exposure to this naturally occurring carcinogen. The article also lists ways of obtaining information about state guidelines for radon.

Weighing the Options of Chiller Maintenance
by Mark Harbin, Manager of Compliance Information Services, February 2001 for Fmlink.com
This article identifies what business owners should consider before deciding to make changes to their chiller systems. It compares the benefits and potential disadvantages of each of the four options of chiller system maintenance: containment, conversion, retrofit and replacement.

Achieve Near-Zero Refrigerant Emissions: Part 2 Preventative Maintenance
by Robert Johnson, January 2001 for Process Cooling and Equipment
Lists the allowable leak rates for chiller systems in industrial process refrigeration. Also, the article addresses ways chillers can made more energy efficient.

Indoor Air: Could There be a Light at the End of the Tunnel?
by Larry Hays, VP of Training, January 2001 for the National Safety Council Crossroads website
This article explains the dilemma that building owners have in knowing when their building has an indoor air quality problem, and mentions a new study that may forward the development of new standards in indoor air quality management.

Federal Law and Waste Management: What You Need to Know
by Craig Schwartz, Manager, Waste Division, January 2001 for the National Environmental Trainers Association (NETA)
An informational article that discusses the ramifications of RCRA for facility managers.

How Does Your Organization Stack Up To The "Best Practices" In Refrigerant Regulations Compliance Management?
by Robert Johnson, January 2001 for Fmlink.com
This article lists the EPA requirements and industry standard practices in refrigerant management.

Minimizing Refrigerant Emissions in HVAC Systems
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for FacilityManagement.com website
This article explains how managing the operation and maintenance of a facility's air conditioning equipment has always been a major responsibility, as chillers often represent the single largest electrical load in a facility. Since the annual cost of operating chillers is a major component in both the electrical and maintenance budgets, engineering and maintenance managers should take the necessary steps to ensure systems operate efficiently, effectively and safely.

Surviving an EPA Inspection
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for hvacrnews.com website
This article explains how the EPA routinely conducts "surprise", and "unannounced" inspections to verify compliance requirements. With this in mind, it is prudent business practice to take all measures reasonable to be aware of and to comply with applicable regulations.

How Does Your Organization Stack Up To The "Best Practices" In Refrigerant Regulations Compliance Management?
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for refrigeration-engineers.com website
This article explains why a "Best Practices" checklist is important to help develop and implement the EPA Refrigerant Regulations compliance programs. A checklist should contain what the EPA considers "must do" requirements, as well as industry practices that are considered "should do" recommendations to meet compliance guidelines. The best practices recommendations are included to help organizations implement a framework of procedures, systems and information that will help ensure that the "must do" requirements are met.

Could You Survive A Refrigerant Regulation Inspection?
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for facilitycity.com website
This article covers how the regulations have changed two or three times since implemented, and now you're among the many organizations (perhaps as high as 90% of facilities) at risk of fines and penalties. Read this article to: First, be aware of what you should know. Second, prepare for expansions and more.

How to Survive An EPA Clean Air Act Title VI Refrigerant Regulations Compliance Inspection
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for thehvacsource.com website
Part 1: Prior To An Inspection
Part 2: During An Inspection
Part 3: Post EPA Inspection Activities
These articles provide the survival plan all organizations need for complying with EPA Clean Air Act Title VI Refrigeration Regulation Inspection. Prudent business practice dictates all reasonable measures should be taken to be aware of and to comply with applicable regulations. Why? Civil penalties include up to $27,500 per day for each violation. Criminal penalties include up to five years federal imprisonment for willful violations or for knowingly violating regulations, and two years imprisonment for submission of false records. These reasons alone should be the executive teams motivation.

Developing An EPA Refrigerant Regulations Compliance Program
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for chemalliance.org website
This article covers whether or not your organization is prepared to address new and ongoing environmental concerns spurred by new and expanding EPA Refrigerant Regulations.

29 Questions to Ask About Your Compliance Plan
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for process-cooling.com website
This article discusses how most processors want to comply with environmental regulations, but may not be aware of all concerns. The best practices checklist was developed by gathering information from organizations creating and implementing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) refrigerant regulations compliance programs. It contains both EPA "must do" requirements as well as industry "should do" recommendations. Best practices recommendations help companies implement a framework of procedures, systems and information to ensure that "must do" requirements are met.

Seek the Leak
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for Engineered Systems Magazine
This article discusses how Federal regulations (with stiff penalties) govern how to deal with refrigerant emissions. Of course, installing a good facility refrigerant management plan can keep your organization in compliance. Read this article to learn more.

Meeting the Compliance Challenge
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for process-cooling.com website
Global environmental concern about ozone depletion has caused governments around the world to take action. In the United States, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and subsequent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations required rapid changes to meet compliance requirements. The regulations impact virtually every business, organization and consumer through higher prices on goods and services. Previously safe and abundant refrigerants used in a multitude of everyday applications have, in a few short years, become federally controlled substances with civil and criminal penalties for violations. Learn more by reading the article on process-cooling.com website at the link above.

REFRIGERANT RULES: HOW NOT TO GET ZAPPED BY PROPOSED CHANGES
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for contractingbusiness.com website
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new rules and record-keeping requirements that add to those already in effect concerning servicing, maintaining, repairing, or disposing of air conditioning or refrigeration equipment (Section 608 of the Clean Air Act). The EPA now requires all owners/operators of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment containing more than 50 lbs. of refrigerant to establish and maintain detailed records of all refrigerant usage and any service work performed, even if contractors are used. Learn more by reading the article on contractingbusiness.com website at the link above.

Contractors and EPA Compliance: Questions Every Contractor Should Ask
by Robert Johnson, CEO of Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., for contractingbusiness.com website
Call it a mistake, a breakdown in communications or a misunderstanding. When equipment or building owners are asked for their refrigerant records, a common statement heard is, "My contractor keeps all my records". Do your customers have this expectation? Federal environmental law requires owners to maintain records on their air conditioning and refrigerant-containing equipment, not the contractor. Learn more by reading the article on thehvacsource.com website at the link above.

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