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Gold’s EHS Outlook

large piece of white drywall ceiling on wooden floor
20Feb 2019
Gold's EHS Outlook, Moldy Times Dave Gold Comments: 0

Yes Virginia, There is an Asbestos Clause!

I recently had a personal experience this holiday season involving asbestos that became a learning opportunity. On the evening of December 30th, my wife Lorraine and I were in our warm, comfy home enjoying the holidays. We sat in our living room watching TV, having dinner with a nice glass of wine. There were a few wrapped Christmas presents still on the hearth, waiting for some of the kids who were out of town. We were chatting about the prime rib dinner I would be making for the family on New...
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lots burned by fire to the left and right of highway stretching into the distance
03Dec 2018
Gold's EHS Outlook Dave Gold Comments: 0

Wildfire Smoke Secondary Damage and Health

Secondary Wildfire Smoke – The Toll On People and Property The recent Camp Fire and Woolsey Fire are among the most destructive and deadly wildfires in California history, with nearly 250,000 acres burned, thousands of structures destroyed, and over 90 lives lost.  While the damage wrought by the intense heat and flame is undeniable, the smoke generated by these wildfires can also have a significant impact on lives and property. Smoke generated from wildfires not only contains combustion...
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Jackhammer tool exposes worker to silica
19Nov 2018
Gold's EHS Outlook Dave Gold Comment: 1

Crystalline Silica: Cal-OSHA Ups Enforcement with New, Tougher Standards

The early 1930s Hawk’s Nest Tunnel disaster in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia is considered one of the greatest industrial tragedies in American history. While the exact number of workers who perished due to working on this project is not known, estimates put the death toll over 1000. The culprit? Crystalline silica. Silica is ubiquitous. It is a major component of the earth’s crust and is found in nearly every form of rock. If you have ever walked on beach sand, you were walking on silica. Bu...
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Man squinting and holding his nose
24Feb 2016
Gold's EHS Outlook Dave Gold Comment: 1

The Smell of Vomit

The recent concerns and complaints over the natural gas storage well leak in the Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles has been a big news story. However, most if not all of the symptoms that people reported don’t match the known symptoms of exposure to the chemicals involved.  Methane – the main ingredient in natural gas – is not toxic.  Meanwhile, tert-butyl mercaptan, the odorant added to the gas (so you know when you have a gas leak, so you don’t have an explosion and...
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Red tape marked Lead Removal
29Sep 2014
Gold's EHS Outlook, Moldy Times Dave Gold Comments: 0

Get the Lead Out Part 3: What Realtors and Property Managers Need to Know About Lead-Based Paint

In the first two parts of the series “Get the Lead Out” (this is part 3 of 3) we focused on serious hazards and health effects of exposure to lead. This month, I’ve listed a rundown of the regulations Realtors (and related industries) should be aware of: It’s illegal to create a lead hazard in California, no matter what the circumstances are. All pre-1978 structures potentially contain lead-based paint.  If a contractor (or anyone else) is going to disturb paint in a pre-1978 building,...
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Caution Lead Hazard
27Jun 2014
Gold's EHS Outlook, Moldy Times Dave Gold Comments: 2

Get the Lead Out! – Part 2

Lead Crimes In my last article, I talked about lead hazards including some of the health effects from lead overexposure.  In this issue, I’ll discuss the “crime;” that is, some notable recent legal happenings in the world of environmental lead. EPA Enforcement Activity The Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stepped up lead enforcement since the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule took effect in April 2010. Numerous legal actions, some with large fines, have been lev...
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