ACHMM Elects New Vice President

Market Research: Needed To Move Forward

ACHMM Issues Calls to 2009 National Conference Presenters, Sponsors/Exhibitors

ACHMM Offers Online Chemical Facility Security Training

2008 Pulse of the Professions Survey

Call for "ACHMM of the Month" Nominations

Rebranding Message Clarification

BU Outlines Biolab Safety Steps

Highest Common Denominator

Trashed Tech Dumped Overseas: Does the U.S. Care?

ACHMM's Weissman Receives Industry Honor

ACHMM Internet Resources

Call for "ACHMM of the Month" Nominations

Each month ACHMM recognizes the hard work, extraordinary achievements and contributions of a member or chapter. You can submit an ACHMM of the Month nomination via e-mail today. Nominees must be an ACHMM certified or affiliate member or an ACHMM local chapter.

When submitting a nomination, be sure to include the name(s), contact information and a brief description (250 words or less) of the deserving member's or chapter's accomplishments or contributions. The ACHMM Awards Committee will select an honoree to be featured in The Manager each month.

Honorees will be notified in advance and asked to provide a photo. ACHMM of the Month honorees receive a special certificate of recognition.

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Rebranding Message Clarification

On September 24, we sent you a message titled "Building for the Future: Rebranding ACHMM". In that communication we included a graph depicting the number of new CHMMs over a four year period (2004-2007).

The correct title should have been stated as "the number of individuals who passed the CHMM examination" during that same four-year period. The correct wording for those passing the CHMM examination should be stated as follows: In 2004, 710 hazardous materials professionals passed the CHMM examination; in 2005-615; in 2006-571, and last year 343.

The wording for those who earned the credential should be stated as follows: In 2004, 580 hazardous materials professionals earned the credential; in 2005-656; in 2006-582; and last year 441.

If you have any questions about the above statistics please contact the IHMM at (301) 984-8969 or ihmminfo@ihmm.org

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BU Outlines Biolab Safety Steps
Boston Globe
© 2008 Information, Inc.

Since researchers who are unstable or struggling financially are more likely to make dangerous mistakes or extort money, Boston University (BU) will psychologically test scientists working at a biolaboratory now being built and review their financial records.

"We consider someone who is under financial duress to be a risk," says Gary W. Nicksa, BU's vice president for operations. "Do you want someone who could...have access to sensitive information or sensitive materials in a position that they could be approached by someone who says, ‘Would you be willing to do something for me?'"

At other high-security labs, researchers working with lethal germs must receive an FBI clearance every five years. Scientists who have spent over one year in prison or who have been committed to a mental institution may not be approved. Around 28,500 checks have been performed and 170 scientists have been turned down since the screenings started in 2003, according to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services.

Nicksa says the school will go beyond FBI screening by searching scientists' medical, psychological and financial histories. The assessments will be conducted regularly to spot any issues that come to light after the first screening. For additional security, researchers' irises will be scanned to verify their identity before they go into the Level 4 lab or a lower-security Level 3 lab, and nobody will ever be permitted to work alone. In the Level 4 lab, if a scientist goes out of a camera's view for too long, BU's security team will be automatically sent.

In lower-security labs, cameras in hallways, entrances, and the perimeter will keep an eye on scientists.

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Highest Common Denominator
Design News
© 2008 Information, Inc.

Companies should work to ensure product compliance even though the implications pertaining to the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive for electronics equipment (RoHS) are unclear.

RoHS curbs the use of six possibly dangerous materials. The U.S. government has yet to formalize a domestic version of RoHS and, in Europe, RoHS may be interpreted in a number of ways. Therefore, Craig Messerknecht, vice president of marketing and global product management at D-M-E in Madison Heights, Mich., believes companies should comply with the strictest interpretations of RoHS.

He suggests that companies eliminate the barred materials from products. They can contact research institutes, contract manufacturing businesses, or an in-house authority for help in identifying a replacement.

Next, companies must get suppliers and outsourcing partners to agree to be compliant to make sure that the same standards are enforced throughout the supply chain. Companies who are compliant with RoHS will have an easier time addressing environmental compliance issues and will better be prepared for restrictions regarding the European Union's Waste Electrical and Electronic equipment directive, which works to eradicate air, soil and water contamination caused by the improper disposal of manufacturing materials and chemicals.

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Trashed Tech Dumped Overseas: Does the U.S. Care?
Scientific American
© 2008 Information, Inc.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is aware that the bulk of 1.9 million tons of electronic scrap, which contains toxic materials, ends up in landfills, and congressional investigators allege in a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that the EPA has "no plans and no timetable for developing the basic components of an enforcement strategy."

In testimony before a Sept. 18 House hearing, GAO official John Stephenson reported that at least 43 recyclers are willing to export toxic cathode-ray tube waste from the United States to overseas buyers in direct contravention of EPA regulations.

E-waste exported to overseas destinations such as China is often recycled under unsafe conditions, while investigation has shown that U.S. prisoners who disassemble e-waste for UNICOR Federal Prison Industries are frequently exposed to the same conditions.

"We can't just ship it overseas any longer and pretend it doesn't exist," says Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.). "It should be regulated to prevent harm to human health and the environment overseas—and right here in this country."

At least nine states have implemented their own e-waste enforcement policies, and the electronics industry has voluntary guidelines to cut back on e-waste.

"Per weight of e-waste, 90 percent of it is moderately valuable nontoxics like steel, aluminum, plastics," says Redemtech President Robert Houghton. Six years ago the European Union enacted a comprehensive prohibition on e-waste exports, and a mandate that electronic goods manufacturers take back used electronics.

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ACHMM's Weissman Receives Industry Honor

ACHMM member Barry R. Weissman, CHMM, REM, CSP, CHS-IV, CIPS received a special Saxcie^™ award, the SafetyXChange Contributor of the Year award. The honor recognizes an industry expert who has made an outstanding contribution to the SafetyXChange community via articles, participation in the SXC forum and in other ways.

Weissman is vice president of the Hillmann Group and director of the Hillmann Institute of Training in Union, N.J. In addition to being active in ACHMM, he is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as well as an active member of the SafetyXChange Advisory Board.


Since he joined the SafetyXChange Advisory Board in 2005, Weissman has written 21 articles for SafetyXChange newsletters; fielded questions in its "Ask the Expert" feature; presented SafetyXChange Audio Conferences and Webinars; and served as a Saxcies^™ judge for all three years the honor has been awarded.

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A Message From ACHMM
Michael J. Mandracchia, CHMM
  ACHMM President
  &
  Harry S. Kemp, CHMM
  ACHMM President-Elect

Fellow ACHMM members:

We are using this opportunity to remind you about the upcoming vote on renaming ACHMM. On Nov. 15 you will receive from ACHMM an e-mail initiating a proxy voting period and asking you to assign your vote to a member of the Board of Directors. We encourage you to vote before midnight on Dec. 14, the end of the 30-day voting period.

Maryland (where ACHMM is headquartered) nonprofit law does not allow voting on bylaws changes via e-mail unless the vote is completed through a proxy vote. You will assign your "Yes" or "No" vote to a member of the ACHMM Board of Directors and when the voting period ends Board members will cast the votes according to the wishes of each individual ACHMM member. Board members cannot change members' votes.

The vote will encompass two important issues: a new name and related changes to the organization's governance structure.

While the focal point is the new name—the "Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals"—the discussion also has touched on what ACHMM has meant to you in the past and how the revamped organization will provide enhanced membership value to you in the future.

ACHMM always has been your membership organization, delivering quality benefits such as professional development and networking.

We also are your voice. We are championing the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager^® (CHMM^®) credential, you and your profession to federal and state regulators and lawmakers as well as industry leaders.

In the future a renamed organization will continue to deliver to you the best value for your membership investment.

When you study the big picture you see that this initiative is really about the sustainability of your organization.

We currently have as members more than 4,000 CHMMs—half the total number active today. A long-term analysis of our membership, based on a conservative 5 percent annual membership attrition rate, shows that in two decades we will have fewer that 1,450 members.

To continue our work for you we need an infusion of new members—not just any members, though. This is not a shotgun approach to membership. In truth, considerable thought has gone into the future membership structure.

Our specialty always has been and always will be hazardous materials management—no matter the organization's name. As such, we will welcome as members all certified hazardous materials professionals and any EHS&S professional who has responsibility for hazardous materials management. These professionals will add to the effectiveness and impact of this organization.

Since announcing this initiative we have heard from a number of members. We have answered their questions and posted background information in the Branding Resources section of the ACHMM Web Site. We encourage you to review these materials so you can make an informed decision.

We leave you with this thought: This change will not negatively affect the CHMM credential or our commitment to supporting members who hold it. We will continue to lead the charge to achieve member recognition for the work you do to protect the environment.

We need to seize this opportunity today so there is a powerful organization for hazardous materials professionals tomorrow. We are calling on you to vote "Yes" on the proposed new name and governance changes.

What course we take as an organization is in your hands. So join us in supporting the proposed changes.

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ACHMM Elects New Vice President

Zehra Schneider Graham, CHMM was elected vice president/president-elect for 2009 by her ACHMM member peers. She will become the organization's president in 2010.

Schneider Graham currently serves as the acting business development director on ACHMM's Board. She is an active member of ACHMM and the New England Chapter. Schneider Graham is the deputy director of environmental health & safety at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Others elected to the Board are W. Scott Butterfield, CHMM, who was reelected treasurer and will serve through 2010; John Wolf, CHMM who was elected ACHMM's education director on the Board and will serve through 2010; and Karen Rider, CHMM who was reelected as an at-large director on the Board through 2011.

The 2009 ACHMM Board of Directors will comprise an Executive Committee of Harry Kemp, CHMM, president (term through 2009); Schneider Graham, vice president/president-elect; Elise Allen-Frankenfield, CHMM, secretary (term through 2009); Butterfield, treasurer; and Michael, Mandracchia, CHMM, immediate past president (term through 2009). Directors on the Board are Wolf; Robert Fletcher, CHMM, government relations director (term through 2009); Donna Ratkowski, CHMM, member services director (term through 2009); and directors at large Daniel Snyder, CHMM, (term through 2010); Carol Carollo, CHMM (term through 2009); and Rider. A sixth director will be appointed to fill the vacancy created when Schneider Graham assumes the role of vice president/president-elect on Jan. 1. Additionally, two retired ACHMM members serve as directors emeritus: William W. McMillan, CHMM (Ret.) and Charles M. Bessey, CHMM (Ret.).

In all, nearly 1,000 ACHMM members cast votes during the 30-day voting period. ACHMM and its members applaud Schneider Graham, Butterfield, Wolf and Rider for their successful elections. We also commend the other candidates and encourage them to continue their involvement in ACHMM's leadership.

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Market Research: Needed To Move Forward
A. Cedric Calhoun, CAE
ACHMM Executive Director

In the next few weeks you will have the opportunity to help set the future direction of your organization by participating in our needs-assessment survey. ACHMM conducted a similar survey in early 2007 in which we surpassed industry standards for participation (24 percent).

In last month's The Manager, ACHMM Secretary Elise Allen Frankfield, CHMM reported that your Board of Directors spent a significant amount of time at the ACHMM National Conference in September working on the 2009 strategic plan. This process is ongoing; our next step is to conduct a needs-assessment survey.

The survey results will provide the Board of Directors and national office staff data needed for our January facilitated strategic-planning session. More specifically, the results will be used to strategically position the organization in the environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) industry and also reveal the tools and resources you desire through our membership products, services and delivery systems. The ultimate goal is to better serve you and to add value for your membership.

Our aim is to have a new strategic plan finalized in January, which will guide our planning and tactical decisions and better position us to serve you next year and into the future. We look forward to seeing your responses.

Your opinions are important to the future direction of the organization. If we don't hear from you we will not have the clearest picture of how best to serve you, what benefits are important to you and what direction you would like to see programming move. It is important for the future of the organization that you take the time to complete and return the needs-assessment survey.

Again, you will receive an e-mail from the national office in the next few weeks with a link to the survey. We ask that you complete the survey and submit it at your earliest convenience. The holidays are quickly approaching and we don't want this important survey to get lost in the shuffle. Thank you in advance for providing us with your feedback.

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ACHMM Issues Calls to 2009 National Conference Presenters, Sponsors/Exhibitors

On the heels of its very successful 2008 National Conference, ACHMM looks forward to an even more exciting and substantial event next year.

The ACHMM 2009 National Conference—focused on Sustainability—will take place August 30-September 2 in San Diego. A Conference overview is already available online.

Call for Abstracts
The Call for Abstracts has been issued to EHS&S, hazardous materials and waste management professionals who are interested in presenting at the Conference—to share new ideas, professional experiences and case studies, or to discuss recent developments, emerging issues, regulatory updates and trends in environmental health, safety, security and hazardous materials management. ACHMM especially encourages abstracts for presentations from federal, state and local agencies; first responders; engineers; scientists; project managers; military staff; college and university students; and EHS managers.

The abstract submission deadline is January 15, 2009, with notification of acceptance on March 2, 2009. Abstract submission details are available online.

Call for Sponsors/Exhibitors
Organizations that provide goods, services and technology to the industry are also invited to become Conference Sponsors/Exhibitors.

Through sponsorship, organizations gain visibility, build brand awareness, develop new customers and reaffirm customer relationships. Additionally, sponsors can exhibit and have the option to market and advertise to the nearly 1,000 professionals and decision makers expected to attend.

Favorable sponsor/exhibitor discounts remain available through January 30, 2009, but premium booths are filling fast! Please check out your sponsor/exhibitor opportunities today!

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ACHMM Offers Online Chemical Facility Security Training

ACHMM has launched several new and comprehensive, Internet-accessible Chemical Facility Security training courses consisting of five targeted modules and a Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) course that will help you prepare your facility to meet new federal security requirements.

These courses will help ACHMM members identify, assess and ensure effective security of their high-risk chemical facilities. Each is affordable and accessible 24/7 on the ACHMM Web site from any Internet-ready computer. The registration fee for the Chemical Facility Security Section is $225 for ACHMM members and $300 for nonmembers. The five individual Chemical Facility Security modules also are affordably priced at $55 each for ACHMM members and $80 for nonmembers.

Here are descriptions of the CFATS course and the five Chemical Facility Security modules as well as select learning objectives, estimated completion time and eligible certification maintenance points (CMPs) awarded for each. Click here to learn more about these courses and to register.

Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards—1 hour estimated completion time equivalent to 0.062 CMP.

• Provides an overview of the CFATS interim final rule.
• Explains the applicability of CFATS to a chemical facility.
• Details the requirements imposed on facilities subject to the rule.

Facility Security Plan—1 hour estimated completion time and 0.062 CMP.

• Describes the planning process for developing and implementing an effective security plan.
• Identifies ways a facility can evaluate its security plan.

Emergency Response—1 hour estimated completion time and 0.062 CMP.

• Explains how to minimize interruption of operations during and after an emergency.
• Explains actions to take in case of a release of a chemical, biological or radioactive agent.

Emergency Preparedness Drills and Exercises—1.25 hours estimated completion time and 0.062 CMP.

• Outlines the requirements for conducting drills and exercises.
• Explains how to assess performance and conduct a debriefing after a drill or exercise.

Circumventing Security Measures—1 hour estimated completion time and 0.062 CMP.

• Describes methods that criminals and terrorists may use to circumvent security measures.
• Lists and explains the six signs of terrorist activity.

Hazardous Materials Awareness—1.5 hours estimated completion time and 0.092 CMP.

• Details the major hazardous materials regulations that affect facilities.
• Explains how terrorists might exploit hazardous chemicals.

DHS inspectors will inspect high-risk chemical facilities at regular intervals with higher-risk facilities being inspected first and more frequently. Inspectors also may inspect a facility at any time based on new information or security concerns. For more information on CFATS refer to the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards.

ACHMM's new Chemical Facility Security training courses will prepare you to meet DHS's chemical facility security requirements so your facility is ahead of the game when the rule becomes final. Register now to get started on your training today.

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2008 Pulse of the Professions Survey

ACHMM is supporting the 2008 Pulse of the Professions Survey and is seeking your contribution. Your input will benefit your profession and provide ACHMM valuable insights. The project is being conducted by researchers from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, the Tulane University Center for Applied Environmental Public Health and the Center for Environmental Innovation.

This research project will capture your and your colleagues' opinions on the current state and the future trends that will challenge your career as a technical professional or manager. The published results will provide a robust understanding of the challenges facing the profession, which will enable you to better position your career for the future. To participate in the survey click here.

The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and must be completed in one sitting. The survey will be open until November 30. If possible, use Internet Explorer because occasional problems were encountered with Mozilla Firefox during the piloting phase.

If you encounter any problems, contact Jim Leemann at leemann1@cox.net or (480) 513-0298 or Dominick Williams at dwilli@tulane.edu or (504) 988-3983.

Results of the survey will be published in a variety of venues, including ACHMM's The Manager E-newsletter and the Pulse Web site.

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