Chemistry teachers have recently gotten a pretty bad rap. If you’re familiar with the runaway television show, “Breaking Bad,” you’re more than aware that high school chemists have the chops necessary to turn out some pretty insidious and hideous concoctions. While we were comforted by the forethought that Walter White and Jesse Pinkman were fictional…
We often warn customers and custodians of hazardous materials of the worst-case scenarios. Seldomly are those fears ever realized. Another close call with complete chaos and utter ruin was reported in Connecticut last month when a battery fire at a power plant nearly resulted in an environmental crisis. Without warning or even the hint of…
Even highly trained and knowledgeable minds can be susceptible to simple, yet costly mistakes when storing dangerous chemicals. A Vermont college was recently cited for a litany of hazmat violations that could leave a blemish on its transcript for decades to come. While the university contends the bulk of the infractions are from procedural error…
Technology and the hardware that supports it is moving at lightning speed. It seems as soon as you have upgraded to the newest smart phone, a newer version has made it obsolete. Americans love their electronics. Smart phones and tablets have now become appendages. We can’t even look down at our wrists to check the…
We often urge caution while discussing the proper storage of dangerous chemicals on the jobsite. As you have read, unattended or improperly handled hazardous materials can spell disastrous consequences. While we will always stand behind this tidbit of practical knowledge, safeguarding against spills with reinforced steel containment is just one piece of the storage dilemma.…
Many of us take for granted how fragile life is. Even during mundane and monotonous daily chores, we rarely fathom about how tenuous our existence on this planet really is. Unfortunately, tragedy can strike at any moment, as we all sit at the precipice of an untimely undoing. None of us are privy to our…
Autumn’s unheralded advance has eclipsed the tranquil serenity of summer. While many of us sought the refreshing reprieve of air conditioning and swimming pools, our nation’s eager workforce was bustling and ablaze as they took advantage of longer days and warmer weather to meet the growing demands of our expanding economy. But that’s all over…
College campuses are communities within themselves. These self-contained villages of higher learning are utopias for esteemed younger minds looking to make an undeniable mark upon society. At any university, you can find a cornucopia of academia and research. From science and the humanities to business and the schools of engineering and medicine, college campuses perfectly…
The lessons of proper chemical storage are truly timeless. While hazardous materials response teams must contend with recent spills and leaks daily, it’s not uncommon for these same brave men and women to clean up the messes left from previous generations. Even the “Greatest Generation” had their shares of pitfalls when it came to handling…
Hurricane Dorian’s tumultuous tour of the Atlantic came to an anticlimactic fizzle last week as the storm’s anticipated landfall along the eastern seaboard did not reach the epic proportions forecasters initially anticipated. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the inhabitants of the Bahama Islands, which received the brunt of the storm’s full force. At…