Center for Industrial Services

In this issue ...

1. Tennessee Pollution Prevention Partnership: Lower Training Costs is Latest Incentive
2. OSHA Online Education - Machine Guarding
3. Americans' Low Energy IQ: A Risk to Our Energy Future
4. Report Says Smokies Most Polluted Park
5. Air Pollution Control Technology Information on Video CDs
6. ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, SAFETY, QUALITY, and MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS - January 2003 through February 2003

1. TENNESSEE POLLUTION PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP: LOWER TRAINING COSTS IS LATEST INCENTIVE

The Tennessee Pollution Prevention Partnership (TP3) is a growing network of Tennessee organizations that share a mission "to enhance the quality of life of all Tennesseans and to be stewards of our natural environment." The TP3 is an outgrowth of the Tennessee Pollution Prevention Roundtable, which includes representatives from industry, state government, environmental and conservation advocate organizations, and Tennessee institutions of higher education.

The latest incentive for companies to become TP3 members is a reduction in fees of approximately 33 percent for selected training programs conducted by The University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services. The 2003 workshops that offer special TP3 course fees include Tier II, Form R, Hazardous and Special Waste, Waste Reduction Planning, Tennessee Environmental Regulatory Overview, Environmental Management System/ISO 14001 Overview, Lean Manufacturing Overview, 5-S Implementation, Setup Reduction/Quick Changeover, and more.

What does a company have to do to quality for the lower course fees? Simply become a TP3 Partner or TP3 Performer-level facility. The good news is that many Tennessee companies already are close to qualifying as TP3 Partner companies. TP3 Partner firms have developed a five-project plan that addresses energy conservation, hazardous chemicals, land and water conservation, solid waste reduction, and clean air. Completion of the TP3 project plan and submission of a success story earns Partner status. Credit can be given for projects completed in the past three years.

For more information on the TP3, just visit the Web site.

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2. OSHA ONLINE EDUCATION - MACHINE GUARDING

Employee exposure to unguarded or inadequately guarded machines is prevalent in many workplaces. Consequently, there are approximately 18,000 amputations, lacerations, crushing injuries and abrasions, and more than 800 deaths per year among those who operate and maintain machinery. To reduce the number of incidents, OSHA now offers online education on machine guarding. The site currently provides information for saws and presses. These web pages have many pictures and straightforward advice on how to provide a safe work environment, and they can be a great supplement to your company's safety training program.

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3. AMERICANS' LOW ENERGY IQ: A RISK TO OUR ENERGY FUTURE

The tenth NEETF/Roper Report Card, Americans' Low Energy IQ: A Risk to Our Energy Future, is now available online.

The report finds that 88 percent of adult Americans get a failing grade on a simple multiple choice test of basic energy knowledge, and just one percent have a high "A" level of basic knowledge.

Knowledge is surprisingly low for issues such as:

• Trends in average auto gas mileage (decreased in the past 10 years);
• How most electricity is produced (by burning coal);
• What sector of the economy consumes the most energy (transportation);
• What scientists consider the fastest way to address energy needs (conservation);
• Which fuel produces the most overall U.S. energy (petroleum).

The report further finds that most Americans overestimate their energy knowledge and that many important public discussions on energy may be thwarted by Americans' low energy IQ.

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4. REPORT SAYS SMOKIES MOST POLLUTED PARK

A new report calls the Great Smoky Mountains National Park the nation's most polluted national park with ground-level ozone levels higher than levels in most of the largest US cities. Shenandoah National Park in Virginia ranked as the second most polluted park, while Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky was third, according to the report released by three conservation groups. "This report is specifically using ozone, visibility and acid deposition, looking at those three things and comparing them across the country," said Don Barger, southeast regional coordinator for the National Parks Conservation Association.

"This (region) is the bull's-eye," Barger said. The association, with the Boone, N.C.-based group Appalachian Voices and Our Children's Earth Foundation, examined pollution levels in 10 national parks with air monitoring data. They found the Great Smoky Mountains National Park had the highest levels of acid precipitation and the worst ozone among the 10 parks. The park tied Mammoth Cave National Park for the worst visibility. "During the 11-year study, the park had more than two times the ozone exposure found in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia, two of the region's most ozone-ridden cities," the report states.

The National Park Service says that a 10-year study shows air quality has actually improved at many national parks. But ground-level ozone and nitrates -- a primary component of acid precipitation -- have risen in the Smokies, according to Chris Shaver, chief of the Air Resources Division of the National Park Service. And the park's poor visibility has not improved.

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5. AIR POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION ON VIDEO CDs

New Air Pollution Control Technology video CDs from UT's Center for Industrial Services provide information on commonly used air pollution control devices. The CDs, which are designed to train inspectors at air regulatory agencies, will give those unfamiliar with air pollution control technologies a basic knowledge of a variety of practices. Funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the series is broken down into different types of equipment such as:

• Wet scrubbers;
• Carbon adsorption;
• Vapor incineration;
• Condensation;
• Electrostatic precipitators;
• Cyclones;
• Fabric filters;
• Absorbers.

Some of the topics covered in the modules are:

• The different types of devices;
• How different devices work;
• How to tell if devices are working correctly;
• Causes of decreased performance;
• Performance monitoring.

Although these tools are not intended to be complete training in the inspection of these devices, they will foster a basic understanding of the different types of devices used. These video CDs will run on Windows-based computers. For more information, please contact Bill Wiley at (865) 974-8464 or by e-mail.

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6. QUALITY, MANAGEMENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY WORKSHOPS - January 2003 through February 2003

For more information about the courses listed below, please visit our Web site. Or, call us: (615) 532-8657 or toll-free at (888) 763-7439. To register for any of these courses, please use this registration form.

Certain courses are underwritten by TDEC Division of Community Assistance funding under the Waste Reduction Assistance Program contract. Tennessee Pollution Prevention Partnership (TP3) Partners and Performer-level members receive a discount on registration fees for these open-enrollment courses. To learn more about TP3, please call George Smelcer at (615) 532-4912, e-mail: gsmelcer@tennessee.edu; or contact Don Stone at (615) 532-4924, dstone1@tennessee.edu. Or, you may visit the TDEC Web site at www.state.tn.us/environment/dca/tp3.htm.

LEAN MANUFACTURING

Lean 101: Introduction to Lean Manufacturing Principles (TP3 Member discount available)

• Knoxville - January 21
• Nashville - January 22
• Jackson - January 23

Lean 202: Value Stream Mapping (TP3 Member discount available)

• Knoxville - January 28
• Nashville - January 29
• Jackson - January 30

Lean 204: Quick Changeover/Setup Reduction (TP3 Member discount available)

• Knoxville - February 18
• Nashville - February 19
• Jackson - February 20

Lean 207: Total Productive Maintenance (TP3 Member discount available)

• Knoxville - February 25
• Nashville - February 26
• Jackson - February 27

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY REPORTING

Hazardous Waste Annual Report (8 a.m.- noon) (TP3 Member discount available)

• Memphis - January 29
• Jackson - January 30
• Johnson City - February 4
• Knoxville - February 5
• Chattanooga - February 6
• Cookeville - February 12
• Nashville - February 13

Tier II Report (noon - 5 p.m.) (TP3 Member discount available)

• Memphis - January 29
• Jackson - January 30
• Johnson City - February 4
• Knoxville - February 5
• Chattanooga - February 6
• Cookeville - February 12
• Nashville - February 13

HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE WORKER

8-Hour Site Worker Refresher

• Knoxville - January 16
• Memphis - February 13

8-Hour Emergency Response Refresher

• Murfreesboro - February 20

DOT COMPLIANCE

16-Hour DOT

• Memphis - February 11-12

SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND COMPLIANCE

TOSHA Recordkeeping

• Nashville - January 21
• Knoxville - January 22
• Memphis - January 28

8-Hour Confined Space Entry

• Murfreesboro - February 19

8-Hour Excavation Competent Person

• Murfreesboro - February 18

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In-plant courses on topics such as Lean Manufacturing, Quality Management, Human Performance Technology, eBusiness, Manufacturing Management and Operations, and Environment, Health and Safety also are available on your schedule. Please visit our Web site for course information, or call us at (615) 532-8657 or (888) 763-7439 to request a catalog.

SUBSCRIBE FREE: http://www.tmep.utk.edu/

Feedback by e-mail: gsmelcer@tennessee.edu
Feedback by phone: (615) 532-8657 or (888) 763-7439
WRAP Sheet archive: http://www.tmep.utk.edu/formspub.html
WRAP Sheet is published by the Tennessee Manufacturing Extension Program: http://www.tmep.utk.edu

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