Session 13 Facility Management

Matt CottonIWM Consulting

Facility Management

• Public and neighbor relations• Fires• Health and safety• Contingency planning

Public Relations

• Management responsibility• Key to (ongoing) success• Keep neighbors, regulators, press, informed• Starts early in development (and never stops)

Types of Concerns/Complaints

• ODOR• Noise• Surface water and/or groundwater pollution• Reduced value of their property• Migration of airborne fungal spores and

pathogens• Excessive truck traffic• Rodent and insect pests

Nip NIMBY in the Bud

• Involve public in site selection, design, and operation of new facility

• Hold meetings• Send letters and newsletters • Set up a hotline/email for reporting problems• Hold “Open House” tours of site• Develop Community Advisory Committee• Become an asset to the Community

Develop a Community Advisory Committee

• 8-12 members representing different stakeholder groups

• Periodically meet to discuss current operations and future plans

• If on-going opposition to project• Have them develop Minority Report (???)• Gives dissidents (??) a voice• Allows politicians to count

their voice

Neighbor Relations

The key to dealing with neighbors is swallowing ……… your pride

• Take neighbors seriously (they MAY know something that you don’t)

• Don’t complain back to them (if you feel harassed, discuss with your regulator)

• Respond promptly and seriously

• Be polite and sincere

Be a Good Neighbor• Ideas and examples

– Adjust operations based on specific meteorological conditions to minimize impacts (noise, odor, dust)

– Plant visual and auditory buffers (trees, berms)– Provide free compost and/or delivery to immediate

neighbors and community groups– Host annual open house (during International

Compost Awareness Week, start of May)– Participate in environmental educational fairs,

festivals, etc– Be an asset to the community

Fires

PS: Richard Buggeln

Happen

Past paradigm (or fib): We don’t have fires.

Present Paradigm: Sooner or later, everyone does

Causes of Fires-- “Surface” Fires:

• Heat from equipment• Sparks from welding• Wildfires• Lightening strikes• Cigarette butts (?)• Arson

•Fighting Surface Fires- accessible- traditional water

& chemical application

Spontaneous Combustion (SC):

• Common cause of fires at compost facilities• No external energy/spark needed• Result of chain reaction of several heat-

generating processes

Accelerating Chain Reaction

1) Biological self-heating– reaches 70-80oC (160-185oF)

2) Chemical reactions release heat– pyrolysis, adsorption, condensation,

chemical oxidation – bridges gap between biological self-

heating and ignition point

Chain reaction continued

Ignition– 150-200oC (300-400oF)– limited oxygen--smoldering fire– add oxygen--flaming fire

Environmental Factors

• Precipitation

• Humidity

• Wind

• Weather changes (e.g. front)

• Ambient temperature

• Spark

How to Build a Spontaneous Combustion Pile:

1. Build a large pile of biologically active materials (more than 14 ft or 4m high)

2. Use materials that are relatively dry but not too dry (20% to 40% MC),

(OR allow a section of a moist pile to dry below 40%)

3. Leave pile undisturbed for weeks

4. Wait

Enhancing Your Spontaneous Combustion Experience:

1. Include feedstocks that are at an early stage of decomposition (but not soaking wet)

2. Add plant materials abundant in oils (e.g. eucalyptus)

3. Maintain the exterior in a dry, well-insulating state

4. Limit aeration, or promote air channeling with pockets of dead space in between

5. Occasionally add water, but too much, and not evenly

6. Don’t touch that pile! … Leave it be

7. When good and hot – smoldering – open it up (or add aeration or wind)

Photo Source (PS): Richard Buggeln

Photo Source (PS): Richard Buggeln

Photo Source (PS): Richard Buggeln

Photo Source (PS): Richard Buggeln

Photo Source (PS): Richard Buggeln

Question: When a pile fire develops, and the Fire Department is called and arrives on the scene, who is in charge?

Answer: The law says the Fire Department is in charge of dealing with fires.

Photo Source: Fred Michel

Fighting Spontaneous Combustion Fires

• Large amounts of water

INEFFECTIVE!• Carefully remove cooler outside material

first (with fire resources present)• Remove, Spread, Douse• Smothering with dirt is also INEFFECTIVE

for the long term.

Fires: Site Provisions• Provide enough space to avoid exceeding the

fire-safe height of piles.• Provide access to piles for fire fighting

equipment (full perimeter access).• Provide access to adequate supply of water

(and plan for the drainage of the abundant water that might be applied)

• Provide space to spread piles out if a SC fire should start

Fires: Site Design Implications

• Provide enough space to avoid exceeding the fire-safe height of piles.

• Provide access to piles for fire fighting equipment (full perimeter access).

• Provide access to adequate supply of water.

• Provide space to spread piles out if a SC fire should start

Health and Safety Principles

• Nothing we do is worth getting hurt.

• Health and safety can be managed.

• Injuries and occupational illnesses can be prevented.

• Health and safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Health and Safety Concerns:

•Equipment

•Physiological

•Pathogens

•Bioaerosols & Dust

Personnel Safety • Hold regular scheduled safety meetings• Have a monthly safety topic• Train employees to recognize potential

problems• Provide warning signs to public• Report injuries as per your company’s guidelines• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE)

hard hats, steel toe and steel shank shoes safety vests, safety glasses hearing protection, dust masks gloves

Equipment Safety • Follow manufacturer’s precautions and safety

manuals• Perform routine maintenance and walk-arounds• Identify potential work area hazards

– Label - Pinch points, belts, chains, moving parts, throw zones

– Equip with proper fire extinguishers–Equip with proper air filtration

• Have lock out-tag out procedures for electrical components

• Use your head!

Equipment

• Leave safety shields in place and respect them

• Note hot surfaces

• Wear high-visibility clothing/vests

• KNOW WHERE YOUR COWORKERS ARE. INFORM THEM WHERE YOU ARE!

Working Around Heavy Equipment

• Eye contact• Visibility• Clearly marked traffic patterns• Visitor control/authorized areas

Berks County Man Killed in a Compost Grinder

Thought to be knocked out and scooped up by front end loader and dropped in a grinder

• Supervisor at mushroom facility• Reportedly collecting samples• Company previously cited for failing to require

protective equipment and reflective clothing

Philadelphia Daily News Saturday, November 30, 2003

PhysiologicalHazards• Heat stress • Cold stress• Overexertion• Fatigue

PhysiologicalWisdom• Appropriate clothing • Appropriate gloves• Ergonomic equipment and work stations• Take breaks• Reasonable hours• Drink fluids (sorry … not beer)• Extremes -- Avoid, or take extra care

(extended sun, hot/humid, deep freeze)

Pathogens• Require good hygiene practices• Avoid cross-contamination• Try to minimize re-growth• Proper sampling• Adequate compost processing• PFRP

PathogensFollow basic infection control:

– Use gloves appropriately

– Careful with hand-to-mouth contact

– Wash hands often

– Treat cuts and scraps immediately

– Protect wounds

– Change clothes at site (e.g. wear overalls)

Bioaerosols and Dust

• Dust– airborne particles that cause physical irritation

(inhalable)

• Bioaerosols– Organisms or biological agents/fragments which

can be dispersed through the air and can affect human health (inhalable and respirable)

Bioaerosols

• May include bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, arthropods, endotoxins, microbial enzymes, glucans and mycotoxins

• Primary and secondary pathogens

• Primary concern at composting facilities: Aspergillus fumigatus

Aspergillus fumigatus

• 1 of >300 Aspergillus species

• Common fungus in decaying material

• Pathogen in birds, mammals

• Aspergilliosis-inflammation of respiratory tract

• Immuno-compromised at greater risk

Exposure to bioaerosols• Dust generating activities:

– off-loading

– Grinding, turning

– SCREENING

• Inhalation, ingestion, dermal contact

• Workers >>> neighbors– several studies have shown that off-site exposure

is not related to compost facilities

Reducing exposure• Avoid sites next to “sensitive receptors”• Adequate buffers • Avoid dust creation and inhalation

– Proper moisture control– Contain dust– Clean air filters in equipment cabs

• Health screening of employees• Use masks and respirators as needed and correctly• Regular employee health checks

Dust – Why & How to control it

Dust- Why control it?

• Irritant to customers, employees and neighbors

• Regulated by air pollution control agencies• Regulated by OSHA (Occupational health and

safety regulations)• Keep equipment from overheating

How do you control dust?

• Develop dust control methods in your plan of operations

• Pave as much as you can• Sweep as much as you can • Dampen loads before moving them• Misting systems for large areas• Water bar(s) for conveyors • Live Hedges

OSHA

• Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees

Top violations

• # of citations– Respiratory protection– Electrical wiring– Hazard communcation– Guarding openings– Mechanical power

transmission

• $$ fines– Lockout/tagout– Guarding openings– Machine guarding– Walking working

surfaces– Means of egress– Confined spaces

OSHA visits

• Imminent Danger• Catastrophes• Complaints• Programmed inspection• Follow-up inspection

Contingency Planning

• Accidents happen—BE PREPARED!• Have and communicate a plan

– Chain of communication and responsibilities

• Inventory– Hazardous chemicals– Emergency equipment available and locations

• Emergency contact numbers posted– Medical, fire, environmental

Safety InspectionKansas Example

• Part 1: Manager questionnaire (52 items)– Plan, Medical, Fire, PPE, Heavy equipment, Lock

out/Tag out/Maintenance, Environmental, Noise, Fueling, Traffic

• Part 2: Observations– General environment, Heavy equipment, Hand

and Power tools, Motorized equipment, Environmental Controls, Flammables, Traffic, Fueling, Dust, Noise, Material handling

Facility Management Review

• Public and neighbor relations• Fires• Health and safety• Contingency planning