Project
BNF Consulting had the pleasure working on for New York State and for different administrations.
- New York State Lead Water Testing
- New York State Mold Assessment
- OSHA Rule on Silica Dust Monitoring
New York State Lead Water Testing
In 2016, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed landmark legislation (S.8158/A.10740) mandating that schools across the state test drinking water for lead contamination. Lead is a toxic material that is extremely harmful to young children and can result in lowered IQ, behavioral problems, and brain damage. The state Department of Health also issued emergency regulations pursuant to the new legislation, requiring that school districts test their water for lead contamination by Oct. 31, 2016, and report results to parents, the state Department of Health and local government officials. These new regulations will reduce the risk of exposure to this dangerous substance and ensure all New York’s students have access to clean, drinkable water.
BNF Consulting had the pleasure of successfully performing Lead Water Testing for the Bedford School District, these include Bedford Hills Elementary School, Bedford Village Elementary School, Fox Lane High School, Fox Lane Middle School, Mount Kisco Elementary School, Pound Ridge Elementary School, and West Patent Elementary School.
New York State Mold Assessment
Beginning on January 1, 2016, any personnel who perform mold inspection, assessment or remediation work within New York State must be licensed by the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL). This requirement was established in January 2015 when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Senate Bill S3667D- 2013, creating Article 32 within the State’s Labor Law. The article formalizes the licensing obligations and defines minimum work standards.
BNF Consulting has all the required licensing to perform a mold inspection. As asked by the bill, BNF Consulting includes a written mold remediation plan that is specific to each remediation project. The report includes the rooms or areas where the work will be performed, the estimated quantities of materials to be cleaned or removed, and the proposed clearance procedures and criteria for each type of remediation in each type of area. BNF provides Clients with a mold remediation work plan that is specific to each project; fulfills all the requirements of the mold remediation plan and provides specific instructions and/or standard operating procedures for how the mold remediation project will be performed. Finally, as asked by the bill, post-remediation, BNF determines whether the work area is free from all visible mold and that all work has been completed in compliance with the remediation plan and remediation work plan and meets clearance criteria specified in the plan.
OSHA Rule on Silica Dust Monitoring
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a final rule to curb lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease in America's workers by limiting their exposure to respirable crystalline silica. The rule is comprised of two standards, one for Construction and one for General Industry and Maritime. OSHA estimates that the rule will save over 600 lives and prevent more than 900 new cases of silicosis each year, once its effects are fully realized. The Final Rule is projected to provide net benefits of about $7.7 billion, annually. About 2.3 million workers are exposed to respirable crystalline silica in their workplaces, including 2 million construction workers who drill, cut, crush, or grind silica-containing materials such as concrete and stone, and 300,000 workers in general industry operations such as brick manufacturing, foundries, and hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.
The rule reduces the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour shift. Requires employers to: use engineering controls (such as water or ventilation) to limit worker exposure to the PEL; provide respirators when engineering controls cannot adequately limit exposure; limit worker access to high exposure areas; and develop a written exposure control plan, offer medical exams to highly exposed workers, and train workers on silica risks and how to limit exposures.
BNF Consulting focuses on the health and well-being of employees, therefore, we provide air quality testing at the workplace to verify that employees are not exposed to an excessive amount of respirable crystalline silica.