Air Date: 3-25-2011|Episode 202
The Pioneers of IEQ Series returns this with pioneer practitioner and educator Mike McGuinness, CIH, CET, CIAQP...
Full Description:
The Pioneers of IEQ Series returns this with pioneer practitioner and educator Mike McGuinness, CIH, CET, CIAQP. Mr. McGuinness began his career in industrial hygiene and occupational health with NJ Department of Labor in 1973. He also worked for six years with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) before returning to the NJ DOL as their Senior Occupational Health Consultant. In 1984 he started RK Occupational & Environmental Analysis, Inc. to provide industrial hygiene, occupational health and indoor environmental quality consulting and training services for a wide range of public and private clients. Mr. McGuinness is one of only 70 CIH’s worldwide with the Indoor Environmental Quality sub-specialty through the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH). Anyone that knows him is aware that he has some strong opinions and is not afraid to voice them. We are looking forward to providing him the type of platform he deserves and getting his take on current events in the IEQ and disaster restoration industries. Text in your questions or give us a call to say hello.
Z-Man’s Blog:
The white paint was pink, so they knew something was wrong.
Whether agreeing with Sue Smith of MidAtlantic Environmental Hygiene Resource Center that yes he was the perfect person to put a mold remediation course together or reminiscing about his stints working for the NJ Dept. of Labor or OSHA Mike McGuinness enthusiastically has the knack for inserting his personality and wit into his practice of indoor environmental quality and health consulting.
Nuggets gleaned from today’s show:
•OSHA is still enforcing 1971 exposure limits, inspectors can navigate around the exposure ceilings by using the General Duty Clause.
•Industrial hygiene is the recognition, evaluation and control of stressors
•Mike 4 P’s of what IEPs and remediators should be concerned about: People, Pollutants, Pathways & Pressures
•Certification credentialing: The primary value of industry credentials is for marketing purposes. The alphabet soup of certification letters after a practitioner’s name provides the opportunity for the practitioner to charge the public (who doesn’t know what the letters stand for) more money. The primary value of industry credentials is for marketing purposes. It should take hard work to earn credentials.
•Reduction to the absurd
•IEQ in schools- children’s exposure levels are unique, variable occupancy, labs as sources of pollution, vocational training work areas as sources of pollution need to be considered. Each addition to an existing school building should be considered viewed and considered as a separate building.
•Remediators should have an emergency response plan for every project.
•Remediators should keep a fire extinguisher inside every containment.
•Owners of remediation companies spend the training money on themselves and their supervisors and too often don’t invest in adequate training for their employees.
•Post Remediation Verification: Much can be learned about a remediation project by characterization and culturing of settled dust. “Dust analysis is a better way to sample air, than to sample air.”
•When queried about ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) he opined that it is “a great moneymaker for labs.”
•In a addition to a grasp of the science: common sense, communication skill and the ability to resolve conflicts are traits of a good IEP.
Dieter, added anticipation to the industrial hygiene mantra of: recognize, evaluate and control.
For me, Mike’s memorable stories from his stints working for NJ Dept. of Labor and as and OSHA inspector were my favorite part of the interview. “The white paint was pink so they knew something was wrong.” A worker was also missing. The failure to Lock Out and Tag Out a mixing tank in which a worker was repairing equipment resulted in a fatality and the discoloring of a large batch of paint with human remains. Or coincidentally driving by a plant when an industrial explosion occurred and showing up at the plant gate within 60 seconds of the explosion, where the guard said “you guys are good!”
Mike was an educational and fun interview.
Today’s Music: “Industrial Hygiene Research During WW II USPHS” YouTube
Z-Man Signing Off
