CSS Safety Protocols
During a routine collection of waste, a container of white powder disintegrated without warning, causing the powder to spill and be expelled into the air. Thanks to CSS’s safety protocols and quick response, our Center for Disease Control waste disposal staff was able to assess the situation and respond to the chemical spill. The highly skilled team immediately evaluated the situation using our Incident Mishap Protocol. It was determined that the building’s exhaust ventilation system contained the dust cloud and personal protective equipment prevented injuries from occurring. Further inspection showed that the powder was a non-hazardous waste, deeming the incident a close call!
The project manager began an incident investigation to see how improvements could be made. Our staff determined that the container was handled multiple times─first from the hardened top and then from the side, which disintegrated. In addition, the program manager noted that the container appeared “old.”
As a result of the investigation, our team recommended laboratorians use secondary containment (such as, plastic bags) as an engineering control on waste older than five years. They also began training laboratorians to recognize potential container degradation and the new secondary containment procedures.
See More Success CSS Stories
Assisting with Design and Validation of Mobile Chemical Analysis Laboratory
Portable High-throughput Integrated Laboratory Identification System (PHILIS) is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) suite of mobile laboratories designed to provide on-site analysis of chemical agents. CSS employee owners support the PHILIS team with on-site responses and chemical analysis. CSS PHILIS teams recently supported the technical design and integration of state-of-the-art emergency response mobile laboratory units engineered for the rapid detection and quantification of hazardous materials. CSS PHILIS teams in…
Continued Analysis of Contaminants from East Palestine Train Derailment
In February 2023, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio spilling chemicals that contaminated surrounding soil, water, and the air. Several Portable High-throughput Integrated Laboratory Identification Systems (PHILIS) – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) suite of mobile laboratories designed to provide on-site analysis of chemical agents – and staff were mobilized to the site following the accident to conduct analysis of various contaminated media. The CSS…
Revamping Coral Reef Conservation Program Website
NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program is a cross-NOAA program that focuses on resilience-based management of U.S. coral reef ecosystems and provides scientific data and information to coral reef managers, scientists, educators and the interested public. CSS employee owners recently played an integral role in updating the website with a fresh new look and reorganizing content…