Pathogen Exposures for Installers, O&M Inspectors and Pumpers in Onsite
We all know the business we're in...."Building and managing Decentralized Wastewater infrastructure". Sounds pretty good! But the reality is that much of the work that we do involves working with and in untreated raw human waste. This presentation will give an overview of the results of one of the only field studies done in the country on the actual exposure of pathogens to workers in the workplace and some simple steps to take to minimize them.
Objectives:
- To Study and quantify pathogen exposures to workers in the OSSF Industry
- To discuss "Treatment Plant" exposures and see how they relate to onsite
- Field Observations and workplace sampling
- Identify risk mitigation and commonly used tools and PPE
- Raise Awareness to the exposures through education & training
- Identify useful tools to manage exposures in the workplace
John Thomas - Thomas Consulting - Mr. Thomas is the former Executive Director for the Washington Onsite Sewage Association holding that position for 18 years. He continues to provide support for the WOSSA Education program in Washington with educational resource development and consults to state Onsite Associations in program development and strategic planning. In addition to industry related technology training for Design, Installation and Maintainer’s, he has developed safety focused training resources that are specific to the Onsite industry under both Federal OSHA Susan Harwood and Washington SHIP (Safety Health Investment Program) grants. He is the principle developer and trainer for WOSSA for Industry related safety issues including; OSHA Focus Four for Onsite, Confined Space Entry, Excavation and Trenching Safety for Onsite and Pathogen Exposures for Workers in Onsite. He has spoken nationally on these topics at NOWRA, WWETT Pumper Expo, and various State Conference in: Colorado, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Oregon, Florida and Texas at which CEU’s were approved and awarded. He holds a B.S. Degree in Environmental Earth Sciences from Northern Michigan University.
