How EHS Provides Safety for People

Based in Buffalo, Keith W. Pillich has dedicated a considerable part of his life to workplace safety. Presently, Keith W. (Walter) Pillich is an EHS Industrial Hygiene Specialist.

EHS stands for Environment, Health, and Safety, a system to ensure that workers are safe from harm. EHS provides safety in the workplace by enforcing laws. In the United States the Occupational Safety and Health Act contains stipulations for safety in the workplace, and EHS departments ensure that companies enforce these laws.

Different companies have different EHS policies. An EHS policy is a set of standardized environmental, health, and safety rules developed by an organization for itself. Note that these rules are specific to companies and are based on the generally accepted EHS laws. EHS policies are even more advantageous to workplace safety because they are based on the specifics of a company. For instance, the EHS that applies to a software development company does not apply verbatim to a smartwatch-producing company.

OSHA HAZWOPER Standards For Cleanup

With a bachelor of science from the University of Buffalo in New York, Keith Walter Pillich studied toxicology and safety management before receiving his industrial hygiene associate degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. Currently working at Vlado Engineering as an Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) specialist and manager, Keith W. Pillich is also a licensed HAZWOPER trainer.

The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, also known as HAZWOPER, presents standards that the construction industry can use to appropriately respond to a threat of a hazardous substance release that can pose health and safety risks to workers. Workers in cleanup operations, for instance, are responsible for removing, neutralizing, containing, stabilizing, or handling in any way hazardous substances to make the unstable hazardous waste sites safe for others in that environment. For these workers in cleanup operations, the HAZWOPER standard requires that the employer has a defined safety and health program implemented, where work practices, procedures, and policies help workers who conduct cleanup work or hazardous waste operations.

Also, HAZWOPER requires training for workers, including site managers, supervisors, and other employees, before engaging in hazardous waste operations. Workers who are likely to be overexposed to these substances should have access to health monitoring that detects medical conditions that could harm them. A medical examination is required before the assignment, every 12 months, immediately after reporting symptoms that may indicate overexposure, at the termination of employment, and on other occasions.

Hiking and Exploring Nature

A former senior safety engineer during the Tesla SolarCity build-out in Buffalo, New York, Keith Walter Pillich serves as an environmental, health, and safety specialist at Vlado Engineering, and has over 30 years of experience in the field. In his free time, Keith W. Pillich enjoys hiking.

Hiking is one of the best ways to exercise and maintain a healthy life. According to a study concluded by Stanford University, going out in nature and hiking reduces stress, lowers the risk of depression, and improves general mood. The study reveals and explains how people who take a walk for 90 minutes in a natural environment rather than an urban setting tend to have less activity on the side of the brain that is associated with depression. Researchers say walking in nature also has positive effects on mood and cognitive functions such as memory, while relieving anxiety.

Hiking is also a good cardio workout to improve blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. Walking and hiking are weight-bearing exercises, and therefore improve strength, muscle tone, and bone density. Combined with climbing, hiking enhances the sense of balance and flexibility.

OSHA Asbestos Standards Protect Workers

Based in Amherst, New York, Keith Walter Pillich is an environment, health, and safety (EHS) specialist at Vlado Engineering. Keith W. Pillich earned a bachelor’s degree in toxicology and safety management from the University of Buffalo. Later, Keith W. Pillich became a licensed industrial hygiene representative, which qualified him to perform asbestos inspections.

Asbestos is a toxic mineral fiber that can cause severe lung diseases such as cancer. Anyone is at risk of inhaling asbestos, but cleanup workers are among the most vulnerable. Many older construction materials contain asbestos, including cement, ceiling coatings, and floor tiles. During disaster cleanup, workers can be exposed to asbestos in damaged structures.

To protect workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) designed construction standards for asbestos. The OSHA Asbestos Standard tells employers how to keep their employees from inhaling asbestos. For example, the standard sets a specific permissible exposure limit that employers must follow by making employees use respiratory gear and creating regulated areas away from hazardous materials.