BSEE Issues Hydraulic Casing Jack Safety Alert After Deadly Incidents

NEW ORLEANS - The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) today issued recommendations for safety measures developed from the two investigations of offshore incidents involving the use of hydraulic casing jacks, where one incident resulted in a fatality. The recommendations are being distributed through a Safety Alert, a tool BSEE uses to inform the offshore oil and gas industry of the circumstances surrounding an incident or a near miss. The alert also contains recommendations that should help prevent the recurrence of such an incident on the Outer Continental Shelf.

In both incidents, the traveling slips on the hydraulic pulling units were dislodged when a bind was suddenly released and the pipe was projected out of the hole. This safety alert underscores the importance of existing safety requirements and makes recommendations to operators.

 

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 SAFETY ALERT
Safety Alert No. 321                                                                                Contact: Jack Williams
25 July 2016                                                                                       
  Phone: (504) 736-1757

Additional Catastrophic Incident Attributed to Ejection of Traveling Slips
BSEE completed its investigation of a December 2015 incident involving a hydraulic pulling unit. In considering the findings of this investigation and a 2007 investigation of a similar incident, BSEE determined that the incidents’ severity warranted the development of safety measure recommendations.

In two separate incidents, a catastrophic offshore accident was caused in part by the ejection of hydraulic pulling unit (casing jack) traveling slipswhen a bind on the pipe being pulled was suddenly released.

Incident No. 1 – Shock loading and collapse of 110-ft platform crane boom: Recently, a hydraulic jack system was being used to pull drill collars out of the hole during platform abandonment well operations when the work string became stuck. The hydraulic pulling force was increased which allowed the hydraulic jack to slowly pull the work string with extreme drag.  The crane was attached to the work string by elevators so it could be used to lay down the next joint after it was broken out.


The next joint of the work string was slowly pulled approximately 30 ft out of the hole with extensive drag, but the work string again became stuck before the lower slips could be set.  The crew then applied a pulling force of 275,000 lbs which suddenly released the bind on the work string causing it to rebound out of the hole, dislodging the traveling slips of the casing jack.

When the work string fell back into the hole, the weight and force of the work string shock loaded the crane because no slips were in place to sustain the weight of the drill collars.  This shock loading collapsed the boom causing it to impact the work basket of the hydraulic casing jack. The crane boom then folded in half sending the point of the boom toward the crane operator’s cab.  The boom point came to rest suspended within 15 ft above the crane operator’s cab resting on a single boom stop.

Incident No. 2 − Death of one worker, temporary loss of control of a live we ll: Some time ago, a hydraulic casing jack was being used to pull tubing during a platform/ well abandonment operation. 
The tubing was stuck downhole, but the supervisor continued to increase the hydraulic pulling force.  This incident took place in February 2006.  See corresponding safety alert, MMS Safety Alert, SA-250, "Plug and Abandonment Operations Lead to Fatality and Brief Loss of Well Control" at https://www.bsee.gov/sites/bsee_prod.opengov.ibmcloud.com/files/safety-
alerts/incident-and-investigations/sa-250-pdf.pdf)

When the tubing parted, the portion of pipe held by the traveling slips of the casing jack ejected out of the hole several feet. The movement of the pipe out of the hole dislodged the traveling slips and hurled them into the air.  The slips fell and struck the supervisor causing his death.
The well then flowed out of control for a time.

BSEE Recommendations:

In both events, the traveling slips on the hydraulic pulling unit (casing jack) were dislodged when  a bind was suddenly released and the pipe was projected out of the hole. The BSEE recommends the following:

•    Before using a hydraulic pulling unit (casing jack), operators should review the equipment to see if the traveling slips can be dislodged during certain operations. If so, BSEE recommends all operators wo rk wi th hydraulic pulling unit contrac tor s to find a wa y to prevent ejection of the traveling slips, or mitigate the threat of slip- ejection;
•    When using a casing jack to attempt to free stuck pipe, Operators should consider using alternative procedures other than straight over-pull if there is a danger of parting the pipe.
•    Operator should always determine if the load is free prior to initiating crane operations to lift a work string during a well abandonment. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD OPERATORS ATTEMPT TO USE A CRANE TO PULL/LIFT A WORK STRING OR LOAD NOT FREE TO BE LIFTED.
•     Both Safety Alert No. 250, and Panel Investigation MMS 2007-037 should be reviewed.  Panel Report can be viewed at  https://www.bsee.gov/sites/bsee_prod.opengov.ibmcloud.com/files/panel- 
investigation/incident-and-inv estiga tions /pan el-report-2007-037.pdf
A Safety Alert is a tool used by BSEE to inform the offshore oil and gas
 

Well Control Rule Set to Take Effect This Week

 








WASHINGTON— With many of the Well Control Rule provisions set to take effect in less than a week, on July 28, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Director Brian Salerno today reminded his senior staff to provide timely responses to any questions the agency receives. “So far,” Salerno commented, “we have answered almost fifty detailed questions that have come in since the final rule was published in April.” Salerno had earlier instructed his staff to post questions and corresponding answers on the Bureau’s website at BSEE.gov.

Officially titled the “Oil and Gas and Sulfur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf-Blowout Preventer Systems and Well Control” rule, BSEE published the final version on April 29, with an implementation date set for 90 days following publication. That sets July 28, 2016 as the date when operators must be in compliance with most of the new regulations.

The rule enacts the recommendations of the Deepwater Horizon commission and formalizes standards that are widely seen as industry best practices. Although “most” provisions take effect next Thursday, a number of requirements will be phased in over several years. “We think we’ve been very fair in terms of the timetable,” Salerno said, “allowing as much as seven years before implementation of the final phase.” Salerno added that he hoped, “the industry will, as some have already been doing, implement the safety features as soon as possible.”

To assist operators with any final questions, BSEE will host a well control rule workshop August 17, 2016 in the Bureau’s Houston office located at 1919 Smith Street in downtown Houston.

In addition to addressing items implicated in the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, the Well Control Rule also makes mandatory certain practices that were recommended by the American Petroleum Institute. Some of the major provisions in the rule include mandates that require blowout preventer systems equipped with both drill pipe centering technologies and dual shear rams, rigorous third-party certification of shearing capability, real-time monitoring of higher risk drilling operations, and reporting of safety equipment failures in order to address potential systemic problems in their early stages. This subset of items, Salerno suggested, “demonstrates the type of logical provisions the Well Control Rule contains.” A stalwart for safety, he emphasized, “Compared to the potential loss of lives and resources, and the damage that a spill can inflict, the costs of implementation will save money in the long run.”

For more information click here for the final Well Control Rule.

4,200-gallon discharge of crude oil from Hilcorp Energy pipeline near Lake Grande Ecaille in Louisiana

Coast Guard, other agencies respond to oil spill near Lake Grande Ecaille
July 26th, 2016 

 Two vessels from Environmental Safety and Health deploy boom, July 25, 2016, in response to an estimated 4,200-gallon discharge of crude oil near Lake Grande Ecaille. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard and other agencies are responding to a crude oil spill that reportedly discharged from an abandoned flow line near Lake Grande Ecaille, Monday.

An estimated 4,200 gallons of crude oil was reportedly released from the pipeline which belongs to Hilcorp Energy. The source of the discharge was reported as secured, Monday.

Environmental Safety and Health, an oil spill response organization, has been contracted by Hilcorp Energy to conduct clean up operations. The Coast Guard, NOAA, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinators Office and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are also overseeing the response.

Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans aircrews have conducted aerial assessments of the site and surrounding areas.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

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Hilcorp says Flowline Leak contained at Lake Washington field, La

 

Hilcorp Energy [HILCO.UL] on Tuesday said it contained a leak from an abandoned flow line at its Lake Washington Field in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana on Monday.

Around 30 to 100 barrels of oil were released and cleanup operations have begun, the exploration and production company said, adding that the cause of the leak was unknown.

The U.S. Coast Guard had earlier reported it was responding to a crude oil spill from an abandoned flow line near Lake Grande Ecaille, Louisiana.

Lake Elmo threatens to sue 3M for PFCs in the groundwater and remediation-related costs

Lake Elmo, MN to sue 3M for PFCs pollution-related costs
Posted on July 26, 2016 by Sheryl Barr

Source: Saint Paul Pioneer Press (MN), July 21, 2016
Posted on: http://www.advisen.com

Lake Elmo is suing the 3M Corp. — again — for allegedly polluting its water and forcing the city to build a clean-water bypass.

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to sue the company after backing out of another suit against 3M in 2013.

“The two lawsuits are very similar,” said Lake Elmo attorney Doug Shaftel. He said the city has been trying to negotiate with 3M for some reimbursement, without success.

Neither he nor other Lake Elmo officials would comment further about the suit or estimate how much money the city spent because of the chemicals.

To provide untainted water to residents, the city received $3.5 million from the state in 2014. But it is not known if that was enough to compensate for the cost of dealing with the pollution.

Traces of PFCs — perfluorochemicals — made by 3M were found in groundwater in 2004. The pollution affected about 60,000 residents of Lake Elmo, Woodbury, Oakdale and Cottage Grove.

Lake Elmo officials shut down a city well that was only four years old, saying the pollution was a public health threat. The shuttered well was near Interstate 94 and Inwood Avenue, in a fast-growing part of the city.

To serve that area with water, officials built new water mains north along Inwood A

venue.

The city tried to compel 3M to pay for that water line in 2011, when it joined a lawsuit by the state of Minnesota.

STALLED LAWSUIT

The state sued 3M for “damage to the environment,” based on the PFCs appearing in state rivers and lakes. No dollar amount was specified, but lawsuits in other states involving the same pollutants have resulted in settlements in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The state’s lawsuit has been stalled since it was filed in 2010. Lake Elmo bailed out of the suit in 2014.

With the new lawsuit, Lake Elmo is continuing to reach the same goal — getting paid back for expenses related to the PFCs.

The expenses were unique to Lake Elmo. Out of all the cities affected by the pollution, only Lake Elmo shut down a city well and built new water pipes to other wells.

Most affected cities, including Oakdale, put extra filters on their city water plants to handle the PFCs. Officials in other cities didn’t believe that spending millions to remove the PFCs was justified.

But Lake Elmo has no water treatment plant, according to city administrator Kristina Handt, so it was impossible to install filters that would remove PFCs.

3M SURPRISED BY ACTION

In an emailed response, 3M attorney William A. Brewer said, “3M is surprised Lake Elmo would consider, much less pursue, any claims in connection with this issue.”

The amounts of the PFCs are far too small to harm the health of anyone, he said. “The state of Minnesota has been unable to identify a single person who has suffered an adverse health effect due to environmental exposure to these materials,” wrote Brewer.

He added that pollution that came from a landfill in Lake Elmo was the legal responsibility of the state Pollution Control Agency, and not 3M.

3M manufactured the chemicals starting in the 1940s, for use in household products including Teflon and stain repellent. The company legally dumped some of the chemicals into the landfills in Woodbury, Lake Elmo and Oakdale, ending in the 1970s.

But the chemicals leached into the groundwater. That worried state officials because in mega-doses they have caused cancer, birth defects and thyroid problems in mice. Traces of the chemicals have been detected in people and animals worldwide.

3M stopped making PFCs in 2002.



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Lake Elmo threatens to sue 3M over unusable city well
The company denies it's at fault, and the city acknowledges polluted well was never put in use.

By David Peterson Star Tribune
July 22, 2016 — 7:50pm


Lake Elmo city leaders are threatening to sue 3M Co. for pollution that made its way into a city well. But the city’s attorney in the case cautions that the city may never proceed.

“We have the authority we need to go forward,” said City Attorney Doug Shaftel, “but it’s only a suit on the day we file.”

Translation: Last week’s City Council resolution threatening a suit was a rumble of thunder signaling that Lake Elmo’s patience is running thin — and that there may well be litigation if 3M doesn’t resolve things.

In response, 3M attorney William Brewer expressed surprise that “Lake Elmo would consider, much less pursue, any claims in connection with this issue.”

The dispute between the Washington County suburb and the Maplewood-based company, the biggest in the east metro area, has to do with perfluorochemicals (PFCs). City officials say they had been used since the 1950s at a 3M plant in Cottage Grove, and disposed of in the following decades at a since-closed county landfill in Lake Elmo and a 3M disposal facility in adjoining Oakdale.

In 2002, Lake Elmo drilled a well, which was found four years later to have PFCs. City officials said the source was 3M and that concentrations exceeded state and federal limits. The city couldn’t use the well and needed to find other means to deliver water, causing “substantial response costs and [unspecified] monetary damages.”

Lake Elmo has tried to negotiate a settlement with 3M, according to last week’s council resolution, but without success. So the city is threatening a federal suit.

Speaking for 3M, Brewer said: “We have seen no evidence that this community is currently impacted by the environmental presence of PFCs. 3M voluntarily exited from these chemicals well more than a decade ago and, since that time, has worked closely with state regulators and community stakeholders to remediate PFCs from the environment.

“In any event, there is no evidence that these chemicals present any harm to human health at the levels they are typically found in the environment — and that includes in Lake Elmo. The state of Minnesota has been unable to identify a single person who has suffered an adverse health effect due to environmental exposure to these materials.”

Any fault may rest, he said, with state regulators and their “management of the Washington County Landfill. The MPCA [Minnesota Pollution Control Agency] has responsibility to address any releases of PFCs from that facility.”

Shaftel declined to elaborate beyond the council resolution, other than to clarify that the PFCs never endangered public health.

“The well in which we found contamination in ’06 was never opened, it was never pumped for public consumption,” he said Friday. “It was drilled and then capped for potential future development, then tested in its dormancy, and the PFCs were found.”

California Announces Major Regulatory Proposal to Improve Safety at Oil Refineries

California Announces Major Regulatory Proposal to Improve Safety at Oil Refineries

For Immediate Release No.: 2016-72

July 14, 2016


Contacts:

Alex Barnum, (916) 324-9670
California Environmental Protection Agency


Erika Monterroza, (510) 286-1161
California Department of Industrial Relations


SACRAMENTO—The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) today announced a landmark set of regulations to strengthen workplace and environmental safety at oil refineries across the state.

The regulatory proposals are intended to make California refineries safer both for workers and surrounding communities. The two regulations implement key recommendations of the Governor’s Interagency Working Group on Refinery Safety, and are the result of a multi-year effort, including extensive consultation with workers, industry, NGOs, and communities, following a serious chemical release and fire at Chevron’s Richmond oil refinery in August 2012.

“The proposed regulations will put into place new strategies to prevent major incidents at refineries, and to protect refinery workers and surrounding communities from exposure to health and safety risks,” said David M. Lanier, Secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

The proposal includes two complementary regulations – one overhauling Cal/OSHA worker safety regulations as they apply to refineries and another strengthening the California Accidental Release Prevention program (CalARP) regulations designed to prevent the accidental release of hazardous substances that could harm public health and the environment. DIR, Cal OES, and CalEPA have collaborated to ensure that the two regulations are aligned.

“These regulations will make refineries safer neighbors and employers. Refinery workers, community and environmental organizations, and industry leaders worked with us to develop requirements that are practical and effective,” said Matthew Rodriquez, California Secretary for Environmental Protection.

The proposed regulations incorporate the most advanced principles of safer engineering and management, as well as attention to the human and organizational elements of safety. Key features of the proposed regulations include:

• Increased employer accountability for the mechanical integrity of refinery equipment;
• Requirements to adopt inherently safer designs and systems, to the greatest extent feasible;
• Increased employee involvement in all aspects of the safety and prevention program;
• Periodic workplace safety culture assessments to evaluate whether management is appropriately emphasizing safety over production pressures;
• Authority for refinery personnel to shut down a unit if needed in the event of an unsafe condition or emergency and provisions for anonymous reporting of safety hazards;
• Requirements for investigations to determine root causes of any incidents that do occur and develop interim and permanent corrective measures in response; and
• Annual public reporting of refinery safety metrics.

Major incidents at oil and gas refineries pose a significant risk to refinery workers and nearby communities while costing Californians an average of $800 million a year in disruption to fuel supplies.

“The proposed amendments to the California Process Safety Management program and Accidental Release Prevention program are significant improvements that will strengthen protections for workers, communities and the environment, based on lessons learned and best practices,” said Vanessa Allen Sutherland, Chairperson of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board. “We look forward to seeing the final regulations implemented, and we hope that they prove to be a model for refinery worker protection and public safety for the rest of the country.”

Cal OES and DIR’s Occupational Standards Board will provide a minimum of 45 days to solicit comment on the proposed regulations. A public hearing on the Process Safety Management regulation will be held in Sacramento on September 15; a public hearing on the CalARP regulation has not yet been scheduled.

Following a serious chemical release and fire at Chevron’s Richmond oil refinery in August 2012, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. called for an Interagency Working Group to examine ways to improve public and worker safety through enhanced oversight of refineries, and to strengthen emergency preparedness in anticipation of any future incident. The Working Group consisted of participants from 13 agencies and departments, as well as the Governor’s office.

Over an eight-month period, the Working Group met with industry, labor, community, environmental, academic, local emergency response and other stakeholders. It also worked closely with the Contra Costa County Health Services Hazardous Materials Division, which implements an industrial safety ordinance that served as a model for the proposed refinery safety regulations. In February 2014 the Working Group issued a final report with recommendations to improve safety practices at refineries and develop more reliable and effective emergency response plans. The proposed regulations implement one of four key recommendations of the final report.

California now has an Interagency Refinery Task Force, headed by CalEPA with participation from DIR, its division Cal/OSHA, and 11 other federal, state, and local agencies and departments. The task force works collaboratively to achieve the highest possible level of safety for refinery workers and local communities, and prepare for and effectively respond to emergencies if they occur. - See more at: http://www.calepa.ca.gov/PressRoom/Releases/2016/OilRefineries.htm#sthash.rCy1NMWf.dpuf

Fatal I-55 chain-reaction crash, fire caused by semi hauling frozen meat; driver was cited for following too closely

A fifth car has been discovered in the wreckage after five vehicles, including two semis, caught fire in a large crash on the city's Southwest Side. (WLS)

Updated 41 mins ago

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois State Police say a five-vehicle, chain-reaction crash on the outbound Stevenson Expressway just east of Cicero Avenue Monday morning was caused by the driver of a semi hauling tons of frozen meat.

The 59-year-old Logansport, Ind., man driving the semi that started the crash was cited for following too closely, police said.

Police said the semi, carrying 40,000 pounds of frozen meat, first crashed into the back of a Ford pickup driven by a 43-year-old Chicago man. That pickup was sent crashing into a green minivan, which was pushed under the trailer of a second semi hauling 17,800 pounds of paint, driven by a 48-year-old Aurora man, police said. ISP investigators say the second semi then struck a 2002 Honda Civic, driven by a 35-year-old Chicago man. All of the vehicles except the Civic caught fire, fire officials said.

The identity of the driver of the green minivan and the van's make and model have not been released. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office is using dental records to identify the victim.

The minivan and the fatality inside were not discovered in the wreckage until after the fire on the city's Southwest Side had been extinguished.











The other four drivers managed to escape the crash. The expressway was closed in both directions at the crash site for nearly three hours. All lanes of northbound I-55 were reopened by 4 p.m. Southbound I-55 reopened around 12:05 a.m. Tuesday, nearly 14 hours after the crash.

The Chicago Fire Department dispatched a foam truck from Midway International Airport to help put out the flames after the fire was raised to a two-alarm and a Level 1 hazmat was called. The fire was extinguished by around 11:55 a.m.

After the fire was struck, an EMS Plan 1 was called, which sends five ambulances to the scene.

No sooner did the crash take place than the tanker truck of paint burst into flames. The materials spilled, spreading the fire onto four other vehicles, including a second semi.

Just getting the right emergency equipment on site to fight the fire proved a challenge.

"We're concerned about flammable liquids, there's corrosives. We had to regroup, back off, get the proper equipment," said Asst. Deputy Cmsr. Timothy Sampey, CFD. "So we had to stop the traffic in both directions as well as the runoff of the flammable liquid coming towards the traffic stuck in traffic - a lot of things to juggle at first."

The drivers of both trucks were unharmed. One person in a passenger car was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

"It's going to take some time for our investigators to determine exactly what happened. Review all the parties that were involved, all the drivers and passengers if applicable to find out exactly what happened," said Master Sgt. Jason Bradley, ISP.

OSHA cites grain handling, processor, New Alliance, for exposing workers to grain, noise, fall hazards at Nebraska site

 

 

OSHA cites grain handling, processor, New Alliance, for exposing workers to grain, noise, fall hazards at Nebraska site

 

Employer name: New Alliance
9620 S. Railroad Ave.
Bridgeport, Nebraska    
                     
Citations issued: July 22, 2016

Investigation findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Omaha Area Office cited New Alliance for 16 serious and one other-than-serious safety and health violations. The citations are the result of February and March 2016 investigations initiated under OSHA’s Local Emphasis Program for Grain Handling hazards.
The inspection found:

• Workers exposed to fall hazards up to 15 feet while accessing the tops of rail cars and from ladderway openings and platforms lacking guardrails and open-sided work platforms.
• Employees exposed to grain dust explosion hazards. The employer failed to implement housekeeping procedures to prevent grain dust accumulation in priority and non-priority areas.
• Lack of confined space entry procedures for grain bins including testing the atmosphere, issuing permits, monitoring workers and training.
• Equipment was not powered down or locked out to prevent unintentional operation prior to workers entering grain bins.
• Workers were not trained at least annually on safe grain-handling procedures.
• Equipment and training were not provided for grain rescue operations.
• Personal protective equipment needs were not evaluated.
• Lack of an occupational noise monitoring program including audiometric testing, noise monitoring and fitting and correct use of hearing protection.

Quote: “OSHA grain handling standards address the numerous serious and life threatening hazards found in grain bins including grain dust explosions, engulfment and entrapment from flowing grain, falls and amputation hazards,” said Jeff Funke, OSHA’s area director in Omaha. “OSHA’s safety standards protect workers on the job in this hazardous industry.”

Proposed Penalties:  $61,600.00.

View: safety and health citations. 

New Alliance handles and processes Great Northern and Pinto dry edible beans at locations in Alliance, Bridgeport, Gering, Hemingford and Mirage Flats. The company is a division of Alliance-based Western Cooperative Company known as WESTCO.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Omaha Area Office at 402-553-0171.

OSHA News Brief: 

07/26/2016

 

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New Alliance handles and processes Great Northern and Pinto dry edible beans. Receiving facilities located in Alliance, Bridgeport, Gering, Hemingford and Mirage Flats.

New Alliance processes beans in Alliance, Bridgeport and Gering, Nebraska. We specialize in providing top-quality canning quality beans to food companies around the world. The finished product is milled to customer specifications and packed in a variety of ways including bulk totes and paper or poly bags from 20 lb to 50 kilo. Beans are also shipped in bulk rail hoppers or bulk trucks.

New Alliance offers farmers the advantage of a co-op in the marketing of their beans. As a Division of WESTCO, patronage refunds earned by doing business at New Alliance are paid with the WESTCO refund that is made each December.

 

US Labor Department investigation finds Restaurant Associates and its subcontractor, Personnel Plus, illegally denied Capitol Hill cafeteria workers more than $1M in wages

US Labor Department investigation finds Restaurant Associates and its subcontractor, Personnel Plus, illegally denied Capitol Hill cafeteria workers more than $1M in wages
Employers contracted by Architect of the Capitol violated federal prevailing wage law


WASHINGTON – Hundreds of workers who prepare and serve meals for Capitol Hill lawmakers and their staffs in the U.S. Senate cafeterias will receive more than $1 million in back wages after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found their employers failed to pay prevailing wages required of federal contractors.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division announced today that Restaurant Associates and its subcontractor, Personnel Plus, will pay 674 workers $1,008,302 in back wages. The division found the two employers violated the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act when they improperly classified workers – paying them for lower-paying jobs than they actually performed – and required employees to work prior to their scheduled starting times without compensation. Paying below the required rates also caused the companies to fail to pay the workers overtime at the proper rates.

“Employers given the opportunity to earn a profit by providing a service to the government at a cost to the tax payer have a legal obligation to follow the letter of the law, especially when it comes to paying their workers,” said the department’s Wage and Hour Division Administrator David Weil. “Workers in the restaurant industry are among the lowest-paid workers in our economy. Most struggle to afford life’s basic expenses and pay their bills; they shouldn’t have to deal with paychecks that don’t accurately reflect their hard work and the wages to which they are legally entitled.”

The agency also determined the employers failed to pay required health and welfare benefits and violated the SCA’s recordkeeping requirements.

Investigators found that Restaurant Associates’ failure to pay workers proper overtime and failure to maintain a record of hours employees worked prior to their scheduled shifts also violated the Fair Labor Standards Act.

“Enforcement of the prevailing wage laws levels the playing field for all contractors and protects the wages of hard-working employees,” said Mark Watson, Regional Administrator for the Wage and Hour Division in the Northeast. “These contractors’ actions put vulnerable, low-wage workers and their families in jeopardy. The division will remain vigilant in its enforcement of these laws to protect both workers and employers.”

The division is reviewing the findings to determine whether to seek debarment of the employers from obtaining contracts with the federal government in the future.

The SCA applies to every contract valued in excess of $2,500 entered into by the U.S. Government or the District of Columbia, the principal purpose of which is to furnish services in the U.S. using service employees. Contractors and subcontractors performing on covered service contracts must observe minimum wage and safety, health and welfare benefits and maintain certain records.

The FLSA requires that covered, nonexempt workers be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all hours worked, plus one and one-half times their regular rates of pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers also must maintain accurate time and payroll records.

For more information about federal wage laws administered by the Wage and Hour Division, call the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information also is available at http://www.dol.gov/whd/.
WHD News Release:
07/26/2016

JD Home Rentals, a Fresno, California home rental company, to pay $259K in overtime back wages, damages

JD Home Rentals, a Fresno, California home rental company, to pay $259K in overtime back wages, damages
US Labor Department found that JD Home Rentals failed to pay overtime to 157 employees

Employers: David Hovannisian and J&V Properties Inc., two property management companies jointly doing business as JD Home Rentals

Location: 2975 E. Belmont Ave., Fresno, California

Investigation findings: An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found that Fresno-based JD Home Rentals paid straight time for overtime hours worked, rather than paying time-and-a-half for each hour worked beyond 40 in a workweek, as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. The home rental and management company also failed to keep accurate records of the hours worked by employees, in violation of the FLSA’s recordkeeping provisions. Most of the affected employees were maintenance workers.

Resolution: JD Home Rentals will pay $129,719 in overtime back wages and an equal, additional amount in damages, totaling $259,438 to 157 employees.

Quote: “We will not tolerate employers denying workers their hard-earned wages,” said Cesar Avila, assistant district director for the Wage and Hour Division in Sacramento. “Failure to pay workers the wages they’ve rightfully earned makes it difficult for them to care for themselves and their families. It also puts employers who play by the rules at a disadvantage. The resolution of this case should send a clear message to other employers who may be paying their employees in this manner – violating the law doesn’t pay.”

Information: For more information about federal wage laws administered by the Wage and Hour Division, call the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information also is available at http://www.dol.gov/whd/.

Husky oil spill in Saskatchewan gives some disturbing answers regarding vulnerability of Edmonton's water supply

Paula Simons: How vulnerable is Edmonton's water supply? Husky oil spill in Saskatchewan gives some disturbing answers


Paula Simons, Edmonton Journal
 Updated: July 25, 2016 10:14 PM MDT


Monday morning, the City of Prince Albert shut off its water intake from the North Saskatchewan River.

Monday afternoon, Prince Albert city council declared a local state of emergency.

Water is now being rationed, with a $1,000 fine to anyone who uses excessive amounts. Meantime, construction crews were fighting against time to complete an emergency 30 km water pipeline to the South Saskatchewan River in an effort to find an alternate source of drinking water for the city of 35,000.

Last Thursday, a Husky Energy pipeline carrying heavy oil failed about 30 km east of the Alberta border, spilling between 200,000 and 250,000 litres of oil and diluent into the North Saskatchewan. That’s about 1,572 barrels, or two rail cars’ worth.

By Sunday, Husky had recovered about 40 per cent of it. But much of the rest of it has been making its way downstream.

North Battleford was the first city to have its water system compromised. It, too, turned off its river water intake and imposed water conservation measures. But North Battleford was lucky; while it does draw some water from the North Saskatchewan, the city of 19,000 get most of its drinking water from underground wells.

While crews in Saskatchewan mobilize to contain the spill and keep water safe, Craig Bonneville is watching closely.

An oil slicks floats on the North Saskatchewan River near Maidstone, Sask., on Friday, July 22, 2016. Husky Energy has said between 200,000 and 250,000 litres of oil and other material leaked into the river on Thursday from its pipeline. JASON FRANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Bonneville is director of Epcor’s Edmonton water treatment plants. Those plants — Rossdale in the downtown, and E.L. Smith in the southwest — draw exclusively from the North Saskatchewan. On a hot summer day, Epcor might pull 450 million to 500 million litres of water from the river.

And those plants don’t just serve Edmonton. Epcor pipes its treated North Saskatchewan water to 60 different communities, from Villeneuve to Vermilion, from Leduc to Long Lake. More than a million people in the region rely on the North Saskatchewan for water. A major oil spill west of Edmonton could threaten not just our majestic local river, but the water we all drink.

“We only have that one source of water here,” says Bonneville. “If it were bad enough, it would probably be more than an inconvenience for people. We can’t put out water that is of questionable quality.”

Bonneville says Epcor hasn’t yet faced the consequences of a major oil spill.

They have had to turn off water intake temporarily a few times in the past to deal with smaller spills of oil and gasoline. And they’re protected to some extent, he says, because hydrocarbons float and Epcor’s water intakes are in the middle of the river, well below the water’s surface. Bonneville says they can also use powdered activated carbon to act as a giant carbon filter to clean the water, if the pollution isn’t too serious.

An oil-soaked Canada goose is treated at the Living Sky wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary in Saskatoon. It’s one of just a handful of birds treated after the Husky Oil spill into the North Saskatchewan River on July 21, 2016. Image courtesy of Living Sky’s Facebook page. Living Sky Wildfire Rehabiliation / Facebook

If the spill were bigger? Bonneville says we have enough supply of water in reserve to last two to four days, depending how carefully we conserve it. There is no Plan B. Because the river flows at different rates, depending on time of year, it’s hard to say if a two- to four-day supply, complemented by water rationing, would be enough of a cushion. If the water were high and flowing fast, he says, an oil plume might pass through the city quite quickly. In winter, things might be very different.

The risk is real.

“There’s all sort of (industry) infrastructure adjacent to, or across the river,” says Bonneville, “from Drayton Valley to Rocky Mountain House to further upstream.”

Bonneville says they prepare for a potential emergency by practicing everything from field drills to communications protocols, making sure that all levels of government know how to communicate vital information quickly. But Epcor doesn’t take any responsibility for keeping the river clean, or for cleaning up spills. Neither does Alberta Environment. That’s up to companies and to the Alberta Energy Regulator.

Pipelines are still, on balance, the safest way to get oil from point A to point B. But if governments and oil companies want acceptance for pipelines, they must maintain them, keep them safe, and move quickly to clean up accidents. Spills like this one remind us just how vulnerable our rivers are — and how vulnerable we are, when we rely on them for the water we drink every day.

West Virginia DOH worker dead after tree fall near New Haven, WV; second DOH worker to die in a week

West Virginia DOH worker dead after tree fall; second DOH worker to die in a week


By MetroNews Staff in News | July 26, 2016 at 8:06AM

NEW HAVEN, W.Va. — A worker with the state Division of Highways died Monday evening after a tree fell on him in Mason County, a DOH spokesperson said.

The incident on Union Campground Road near New Haven was the second involving a DOH worker in the past week. Last week, a Roane County DOH crew member was critically injured when a large rock rolled on top of him at a flood cleanup site near Amma. He remains in critical condition at a Charleston hospital.

The name of the worker killed Monday was not immediately released. He had worked for the DOH for about five years.

Three dead in car-bus T-bone fiery collision on Highway 407 in Mississauga, ON, Canada

Police are investigating a serious crash on the 407 Sunday afternoon.
An ORNGE medivac helicopter, police and ambulances are seen at the scene of a collision on Highway 407 in Mississauga that killed three people. (@ACollinsPhoto / Andrew Collins)
By Evelyn KwongStaff Reporter, and Brennan DohertyStaff Reporter
Sun., July 24, 2016


Three occupants of a 1948 Chevrolet died Sunday afternoon after crashing into a coach bus on Highway 407 in Brampton, the OPP said.

It’s believed the Chevrolet was travelling in the far-right lane on the westbound 407 when there was an issue with its right rear tire, Sgt. Vince Idzenga told reporters at the scene.

The driver lost control and the car swerved into the highway’s left-inner lane.

“As a result of that, a coach bus, which was travelling westbound, T-boned the [Chevrolet],” Idzenga said.

Almost immediately, the Chevrolet burst into flames and rolled into a roadside ditch near Mississauga Rd. The car was “consumed by fire,” Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said.

Two passersby pulled over and rescued two people — both men, Idzenga said — from the car. They weren’t able to get the third person out.

Emergency crews arrived at the scene shortly after 3 p.m.

“All three occupants sustained fatal injuries as a result of the impact,” Idzenga said.

The burned-out car could be seen in the ditch as officers began an investigation. The bus remained parked farther down the road, close to the highway’s concrete divider.

An ORNGE air ambulance was dispatched to the crash, but the agency later told the Star its services hadn’t been required.

None of the victims has been officially identified by police, Schmidt said. The coroner’s office is assisting with the investigation.

3 dead of possible carbon monoxide poisoning at Cape Coral home in Florida

(Photo: News-Press file)

3 dead of possible carbon monoxide poisoning at Cape Coral home

 MICHAEL BRAUN, MBRAUN@NEWS-PRESS.COM 6:06 p.m. EDT July 25, 2016

 Police said that the bodies of three people found at a home in north Cape Coral on Sunday afternoon could be a case of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Just before 2:30 p.m. Cape Coral police responded to a single family residence in the 2600 block of NE 2 Ave.

Det. Sgt. Dana Coston, Cape Coral police public information officer, said there is no danger to the public and no suspect at large.

Names of the deceased will be released pending next of kin notification.

Coston said that the three subjects were found deceased by a relative/family friend. "Preliminarily it appears to be carbon monoxide poisoning," he said.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning gas, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel. Improperly ventilated appliances and engines, particularly in a tightly sealed or enclosed space, may allow carbon monoxide to accumulate to dangerous levels.

Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in the bloodstream. When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, the body replaces the oxygen in red blood cells with carbon monoxide. This can lead to serious tissue damage, or even death.

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting, Forensics, and Environmental Remediation Services. Construction, Investigation, Remediation and Forensic Expert Engineers

Construction Defects, Construction Claims, Engineering, Property & Casualty Investigations, Assessment, Site Investigation, Remediation, Litigation and Indoor-Air Expert Engineers

Bill Stephan, PhD, PE, CIH, CHMM, JD, MBA

Principal Engineer

P.O. Box 520

Tenafly, New Jersey 07670-0520

Phone: (973) 897-8162

Fax: (973) 810-0440

E-mail: metroforensics@gmail.com

__________________________________________________

Firm Overview

The engineering and forensic firm of Metropolitan Forensics and Consulting Engineering and Environmental Services was established for the purpose of providing a high value service to the insurance industry and to the insured companies or individuals. Our founding principal (Bill Stephan) is a licensed professional engineer in several states, including, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

We specialize in the in-situ remediation of petroleum and chlorinated spills, the defense of liability claims, the investigation and defense of first or third party insurance claims and the handling of subrogation claims.  We are also experts on oil and gas energy sector issues (design, investigations, construction oversight), renewable energy sector (wind turbines, solar panels, biofuels, etc), vapor intrusion evaluation, vapor phase and transport and in design on vapor mitigation systems.  Additionally, we offer forensic engineering services, including age-dating of contaminant releases, construction defects, oversight, evaluation of remedial alternatives, sub-slab ventilation system design and installation.  The list of our core services is:

• Cause and Origin Investigations
• Construction Failure Analysis (Residential, Industrial and Commercial)
• Structural Integrity Evaluation
  
• Site Investigation
• Tank removals and tank installations; licensed and insured to perform entire UST work
  
• In-Situ Remediation of Soil and Groundwater
  
• Vapor intrusion, indoor air evaluation and mitigation
  
• Causation
• Forensic Investigations (age-dating)
• Oversight
• Review of Remedial Action Work Plans
• Reserve Estimation
• Cost Allocation
• RAWP Preparation
• Site Remediation
• Cleanup Level Development and Negotiation
• Subrogation
• Expert Witness/Litigation Support
• Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) Services
• Construction Claims (Delay, Differing Site Conditions, Loss of Productivity, Acceleration, and others)
  

 





















Additional Specialty Service Areas

Age Dating
Boilers & Burners
Bridges
Building Codes
Building Inspections

Construction Accident
   Reconstruction
Construction Defects
Construction Delay Claims
Construction Surety Claims
Construction Disputes
Construction Differing Condition Claims
Construction Oversight
Construction Management
Construction Acceleration Claims

Construction Failures
Construction Injuries
Contractor Performance Issues
Corrosion

Defective Designs
Defective Roadway Design
   Evaluations

Earthquake
Electrical Accidents/Injuries
Electrical Equipment Failures
Electrical Fires
Elevators, Escalators
   & Conveyors
Embedded Software Hazards
   & Analysis
Equipment Failures
Errors and Omissions
Explosions
Failure Analysis
Fire
Fire Codes
Fire Protection Systems
Fire Suppression Systems
Flood Damage Assessment

Foundation Systems

Gas Systems
Hailstorm damage

Heating & Ventilation Systems
Heavy Construction
Highway/Roadway Design
Human Factors

Indoor Air Quality
Laboratory Services
Ladders, Scaffolding Falls
   & Failures
Lightning

Mechanical Defect Evaluations
Metallurgical Age Dating
Mold Causation
Natural Disasters/Weather
   Related Issues
Nuclear Energy
Occupational Hazards
   & Illness
Piping
Playground Equipment Injuries
Plumbing
Product Failures
Roofing Problems & Failures
Safety Codes
Safety & Human Factors
   Engineering
Scalding
Scene Mapping and Photographs
Sick Building Syndrome
Sports Equipment Injuries
Standardized Codes
Steam Systems
Subrogation Issues

Transportation Issues
Trips, Slips & Falls
Underground Storage Tanks
Utilities Expertise
Vibration
Water Damage
Windstorm

Mission Statement

Our mission is to work as an extension of our clients to expeditiously achieve the most economically favorable resolution of claims on their behalf and on behalf of their insured. We have developed and will continue to create new solutions to the technical problems and issues which are facing the insurance industry and the insureds today.  

Metropolitan provides forensic engineering work (age-dating or fingerprinting), site remediation, auditing, cost control and litigation support services to insurance carriers, their insureds and to private or public companies.  In its risk management role, examines, manages and audits environmental claims to ensure that assessment and remediation services provided to both carriers and policy holders are reasonable and necessary, properly rendered and appropriately charged. 

In its litigation support role, Metropolitan assists carriers and their counsel to ensure that litigious disputes are resolved fairly and reimbursement benefits are provided when appropriate.  The corporations service area includes the entire United States, with our corporate office located in Northern New Jersey.  The Firm's professional staff also travels regularly throughout the United States on assignment.

Forensics at Metropolitan

There are many issues associated with disputes over responsibility for cleanup. Who, what, when, where, and how chemicals were released can be investigated. The tools of forensic investigation include mathematical models, statistical models, fate and transport calculations, chromatography, lead isotope analyses, time of travel assessments, library search site characterization, tracer additives, and recently developed software applications.

Effective forensic project management should include an evaluation of multiple forensic tools based on site specific circumstances. The process of evaluation and the ultimate selection of the forensic tool are critical to a successful outcome. When project budgets allow, combining forensic methods for corroborative evidence can substantially strengthen your client’s position in an effort to prevent or support litigation. The effective forensic consultant must be well acquainted with an ever expanding list of analytical methods, environmental regulations, assessment procedures and remedial technologies.

The forensic field is one that utilizes a wide range of scientific tools to identify and characterize complex adverse environmental events. Some of the scientific disciplines involved in forensics include engineering principles (biological, physical and chemical), hydrology, lithology, geology, site history, site practices, mathematics, and statistics. These areas may be combined with technologies such as respiratory analyses, chromatography/mass spectrometry and chemical fingerprinting methods to answer complex questions with the ultimate goal of establishing responsibility for a particular event. Accurate, defensible forensic analyses are an essential component of any strategy that attempts to resolve the extent of the insurer or insured client responsibilities in the cleanup of contaminants.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our forensic services.

Property Damage Services at Metropolitan

Metropolitan assists property owners, claims professionals, businesses, and attorneys in   the assessment of the cause & origin (C&O), extent of damage and required restoration after pipe bursts, settlements, manufacturing and construction failures, fire, flood, earthquake, or storm damage.  Our teams of engineers have extensive experience in the many systems that make up a building including structural, mechanical and electrical systems.   We also have the necessary background to evaluate property damage to items such as communications towers or solar panels. We can help determine alternative, appropriate, and cost effective solutions for repair or restoration of any damaged property, both commercial and residential. 

Providing Competent, Expert and Objective Investigative Engineering and Consulting Services.

Our experts are multi-skilled, competent, and objective professionals who apply their analytical and common sense skills to reconstruct, determine the root cause, and document the events that give rise to property, casualty, and liability claims.  Thorough investigations and detailed measurements/research help us distinguish between pre-existing conditions and sudden and accidental losses.

 






























Our investigations are:

·         Comprehensive & Accurate

·         Legible & Easy to Understand

·         Timely Performed

·         Delivered Quickly

·         Cost Effective

·         Clear & Concise

·         Developed by Professionals

·         Dependable

·         Our own uniform reporting system saves time and money.

Our Fast Track Investigation and Uniform Format Reporting systems allow us to conduct and deliver a comprehensive response to the assigned claim.  In most cases, we will obtain findings based on a site visit, visual observations, photographs, interviews, and field measurements.  Further investigations and testing will be provided upon request and approval by the client.

Forensic Investigation of Property Damage Claims

Metropolitan Consulting, Engineering & Forensics understands your need to complete a claim investigation accurately and efficiently as possible.  Whether it is accident reconstruction, damage due to environmental forces such as wind, water, hail, snow, tornado, etc.; fire origin & cause investigation or any other claim, the engineers at Metropolitan understand both you and your client want to resolve the claim.  The analysis you receive from Metropolitan will be accurate and complete, giving you the information needed in the claim adjustment and analysis.

Our services have extended beyond the forensic analysis phase into the remediation and repair phase of many large loss claims.  Upon the completion of the cause and origin (C&O) investigation, Metropolitan can provide our clients with complete working drawings and specifications needed to repair or rebuilt damaged buildings or other structures.  Metropolitan Consulting & Engineering’ staff possesses many-many years of experience in rehabilitation design, construction management, and project oversight to ensure the loss is restored in a timely and cost-effective manner without sacrificing quality.  Building code knowledge allows us to identify possible code upgrades as needed.  Metropolitan understands constructability and realizes making an insured whole goes beyond forensic investigation and design. We pride ourselves in providing practical solutions contractors can understand and follow.

At the forefront of available technology, we provide professionals and staff capable of handling a variety of engineering evaluations.  Our reports are clear, concise, complete and efficiently produced.  Our engineering objectives are achieved in an ethical manner consistent with the traditions and character of engineering professionals.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our property damage services.

Extensive Experience helping Sureties

Metropolitan also has extensive experience helping sureties fulfill their bond obligations resolve disputes after a contractor has defaulted.  This work includes the evaluation of contractor bid pricing, evaluation of the contractor’s ability to perform work, risk assessment, evaluation of termination, construction completion services, claim and litigation support services, loss recovery services, evaluation of payment bond claims, negotiation and settlement of payment bond claims, and construction defects investigation services.  Metropolitan has provided these services for commercial, development, educational, and assisted living projects.

Construction is a business fraught with risk.  Disputes over even the smallest of issues can quickly escalate, with crippling consequences to the project and the parties.  Over the years, the construction industry has developed various methods of contractually allocating the risk of project delay and disruption.  Some of these methods include liquidated damages provisions, "no damages for delay" clauses, mutual waivers of consequential damages, provisions that limit liability, claims notice provisions, and provisions addressing responsibility for the adequacy of the construction plans and specifications.  Parties frequently litigate the sufficiency of these risk-shifting efforts in conjunction with the underlying merits of delay and disruption disputes.

Construction Claims & Disputes

The most frequently encountered claims include:

1.            Construction Delay Claims

2.            Disruption and Loss of Labor Productivity Claims

3.            Design and Construction Defect Claims

4.            Force Majeure Claims

5.            Acceleration or Compression of the Schedule Claims

6.            Suspension, Termination and Default Claims

7.            Differing Site Conditions Claims

8.            Change Order and Extra Work Claims

9.            Cost Overrun Claims

10.         Unacceptable Workmanship or Substituted Material Claims

11.         Non-payment Claims (stop notice (or Notice to Withhold) claims, mechanics’ lien (only for private construction projects) and payment bond claims)

Forensic Engineering Experience Case Studies

Metropolitan staff has developed and utilized scientific methods to assist clients in a variety of ways related to their claim issues. The following is a partial list of such projects:

• Provided expert witness services for plaintiff seeking remediation of contaminated groundwater that caused indoor air inhalation problems;
• Testified that engineering and scientific evidence was improperly collected and analyzed and was inadequate to show the age of the release;
• Origin and cause of retaining wall failures.  
• Lightning damage to structures or electrical systems and equipment
• Roof failure or collapse as a result of accumulated load, additional weight and snow drift at hundreds of commercial and residential properties.
• Demonstrated that solvents in groundwater at client's property originated from off-site dry-cleaner and that client's site actually provided remediation for the off-site release of dry cleaning solvent;
• Expert witness for property owner impacted by industrial waste disposal from industrial manufacturer;
• Demonstrated that environmental analysis by a previous consultant for a manufacturing site was inadequate; as a result, the lender's concerns were alleviated and financing proceeded;
• Chemical "age-dating" and contaminant transport analyses of petroleum in groundwater at a gas station showed that contaminants originated from other parties;
• Age-dated petroleum release at a former gas station to show that the previous owner of the gas station caused groundwater contamination;
• Age-dated petroleum releases at an industrial facility to show that the on-site plume was the result of an off-site source;
• Prepared age-dating reports for over one-hundred residential fuel oil spills;
• Assisted insurance companies attorneys in defending subrogation claims; was able to demonstrate that the forensic data collected by the first party consultant were collected and analyzed using invalid methods;
• Demonstrated that structural damage to a residence was from a source other than the alleged high lake level
• Collected evidence (for the primary responsible party) that identified other responsible parties to share in the cost of a Superfund cleanup;
• Review of the site data at a bulk petroleum facility indicated that the site releases were not the result of regular oil transfer operations and that they were caused by the negligent actions of the insured’s agents; the case was settled in favor of the insurance company;
• Was able to demonstrate that the majority of the removal actions at petroleum release sites were neither reasonable nor necessary; as a result of our opinion, the insurance client settled the claim in favorable terms;
• At several drycleaner sites we were able to demonstrate that the age of the release was much earlier than the parties originally believed; as a result, the insurance client settled the claim at a fraction of the alleged liability;
• We performed numerous flood and wind damage assessments at commercial and residential properties.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our forensic engineering services.

Site Remediation Services

 Characterizing and remediating contaminated sites involve some of the most complex and difficult issues for environmental lawyers and their clients. Problem areas include responding to regulators; negotiating enforcement settlements; negotiating or litigating cost allocation and recovery claims; working with the insured or insurer client, lawyers and regulators to develop efficient, cost-effective remediation approaches; and selling, buying, or developing contaminated properties.

Metropolitan staff has developed and applied an innovative approach to the use of sodium persulfate for the sequential in-situ treatment of subsurface contaminants through chemical oxidation followed by enhanced biological degradation through sulfate reduction. This approach has broad applicability to a wide range of contaminants, and shows strong cost-saving benefits through reducing the initial volume of chemical oxidant necessary and enhancing the in-situ biological degradation of contaminants.

Through proper subsurface geochemical characterization and chemical dosing design, the approach focuses on utilizing the oxidant for immediate mass reduction at the source area, followed by degradation or polishing of the residual contamination using sulfate reducing bacteria.  Depending upon the oxidant activation method, this approach is applicable to petroleum hydrocarbons including both volatiles and PAHs, chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) including chlorinated ethene, ethane and methane groups, as well as PCBs.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our Site Remediation Services.

Vapor Intrusion and Indoor-Air Studies

Vapor intrusion has received increased attention over the last few years near contaminated sites because some contaminants have the potential to migrate into nearby buildings and negatively affect indoor air quality. The accumulation of these volatile vapors in buildings can result in significant safety and health concerns.
To properly evaluate vapor intrusion a thorough evaluation of the building's ventilation system and subsurface conditions needs to be conducted by a knowledgeable professional in accordance with state and federal established procedures. 
The evaluation process typically includes a thorough building chemical inventory, the advancement of soil gas probes and the collection of soil gas samples. When indoor air quality problems are identified they can normally be resolved through the modification/installation of a properly designed ventilation system.
Metropolitan is well experienced with U.S. EPA and State vapor intrusion investigation techniques. We have completed numerous vapor intrusion and indoor air quality studies at commercial and residential properties. We have the experience to identify and resolve indoor vapor intrusion problems and the practical know-how to resolve indoor quality issues in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our Vapor Intrusion and Indoor Air Studies.

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting, Forensics, and Environmental Remediation Services.

Construction, Investigation, Remediation and Forensic Expert  Engineers

P.O. Box 520

Tenafly, New Jersey 07670-0520

Ph.: (973) 897-8162

Fax: (973) 810-0440

metroforensics@gmail.com

Contact: Dr. Bill N. Stephan, PhD, PE, JD, CIH, MBA, CHMM

Insurance claim examiners, insureds, insurers, insurance adjusters and risk managers use Metropolitan for determining cause, evaluating the extent of damage, determining the age of the release, separating unrelated damage, analyzing loss scopes and managing restoration data, determining costs to repair, restore or replace, and preparing for insurance appraisals.

Attorneys call on Metropolitan for help when preparing for Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution such as arbitration and mediation