Archive through October 15, 2000

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Roger_Ramjet

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 04:43 pm Click here to edit this post
My line of work--well my job is to assist the company I work for to manage it's hazardous waste as compliantly and cost affectively as possible. My role in that has a number of duties. Our company does R&D work, so we have lots of dirrerent waste issues.

I work in a Part B permitted hazardous waste storage facility (called a TSDF in the business). I lead the company's waste designation program. Designating waste is a process of compairing what's in the waste and the process that created it to the regulations to determine if it meets the definition of a hazardous waste, then assign the correct codes. As part of that we also assign storage locatiosn withinour facility (and the other facility we use for storage), and to assign all DOT (Deprtament of Transportation) information.

I am also what is called the SME (subject matter expert) for the DOT regulations when it comes to packaging an shipping waste. I am also one of 4 trnasportation officers for our company of 3,500 at this loaction--I have the authorization to ship anything under the DOT regulations, including radioactive material of any type.

I am the person in our facility who knows the regulations for PCBs--I also know the haz waste regs "pretty well".

One of my major basic duties is a "shell answer man" (old TV commercial)--I get paid to answer questions about waste regaultions, shipping/packaging regulations, and just about anything to do with managing waste.

Another thing I do is to teach anyone and everyone I work with about all of these things. I don't give them the answers when I'm asked a question. They have to tell me what they think the answer is, why they think it, etc. If they aren't right, I ask questions to get then to think and to look in the right place. I don't "give them a fish"--I "teach them to fish". I get called a lot of names by my co-workers, although they keep coming back with questions, so they must want to learn more than be fed. My goal is to have them know everything I know--and through the way I learned it--through looking at things and doing the work.

Even though I'm more of a admin type (at least by my title and pay)I still go collect waste, package waste, help with shipments--get my hands dirty. It helps me relate the regs to the work.

I also deal with the explosives and reactive chemicals we get as waste. My experience and training allows me to take that extra duty on. I figure out how to make somerthing as safe as poosble for handling, moving, packaging, shipping, etc. There are some things we get that are caled "DOT fobidden" material--things that are so reactive or sensitve that they can't be shipped in the form they are in. I get to change all that. Also I look for ways to make it cost less for such items. I also am one of the ones that deals with spills.

Well, that's an outline of what I do at work. I still have all of my body parts connected, which I consider a very good thing!

Luke

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 04:54 pm Click here to edit this post
So you get stuck playing the piano all day long, and the entire world changes on you! I feel like i've been gone 1000 years! Is anyone in here?

Moondance

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 04:54 pm Click here to edit this post
Wow Roger ... Thanks for the description ... what a responsibility!!!

Not only do you deal with the dangerous side of it, you also do the administration side ... but that might get dangerous too! :)

Do you think Al Gore has a better perspective on waste disposal than GW Bush?
Just curious...

Moondance

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 04:56 pm Click here to edit this post
Hey sweetness... welcome back!!!!

Luke

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:05 pm Click here to edit this post
Ugh what a weekend... how's everyone doing? first thing--die ArReal leave?

Roger_Ramjet

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:05 pm Click here to edit this post
Well, Texas has a 15 mile strip of undustrial area that is one of the most polluted places in the nation. Of course it was that way long before he was in office. I think Gore has it as a higher priority (the environment in general I mean). Of course not much has been done to change the biggest problems in that area.

Superfund monies over the past 15 years has gone to lawyers for the most part--little of it has been used to actaully clean up sites! And there is the business of walking a line that allows for business to succeed and stil do the right thing. In the end, that will cost you and I exrta money--although not much of a choice.

I admit that I really love my job. I don't mean like it a lot. I have a true love for it. All of my extra hours (well not all) are my doing--I don't do it for the company. I do it because I want to. I admit to liking to make a diffence--of some kind. Although what I do and who I am are two different things!! lol

I get paid money for doing something I love--I find that so cool.

Roger_Ramjet

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:07 pm Click here to edit this post
Luke!!!! Hey, how ya doing!

Zebulon

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:08 pm Click here to edit this post
Roger, where exactly is this 15 mile strip? Just curious.

Luke

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:10 pm Click here to edit this post
I just popped in here so that you guys won't think I fell off the face of the earth... er... this board...
As a church musician, this weekend was filled with services and weddings...I feel like i've been gone a million years... I have one more commitment (for which I'm late already), and then i'll be chattin later this evening for the rest of the night... is eveyrone fine in here?

Zebulon

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:11 pm Click here to edit this post
I noticed we had a new Discussion topic.

Luke

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:12 pm Click here to edit this post
Weekends are the pits for me... they're the hardest... not only is my day packed, but i'm in the car going from city to city all over northern california... the price I pay for music... hehehe :)

Zebulon

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:13 pm Click here to edit this post
I'm doing great. That challenge is starting to become a pain in the ass, though. I hope we are close to a solution.

Luke

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:13 pm Click here to edit this post
Domestic abuse... oh no... i'm not going to start that right now... I'd be talking for hours... don't even want to look at it right now... too loaded a topic...

Roger_Ramjet

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:14 pm Click here to edit this post
Zeb--I think we are closing in on it--and we get till 6:00 pm tomorrow

Luke

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:15 pm Click here to edit this post
Roger--yeah... sorry we just missed each other the other night... i'm up for tonite if you are... just gotta get through one more dinner commintment and then I'm ALL OVER these boards... anyone else up for a LNC? (late night conversation)

Zebulon

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:19 pm Click here to edit this post
Roger, where is that 15 mile strip of waste-filled land?

Roger_Ramjet

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:29 pm Click here to edit this post
Zeb, are you familiar with a place called Deer Park?? It's that location. We send PCB waste to a dispoal facility that has an EPA permit for a PCB incenirator. It's one of the cleaner parts of the area from what the folks down there say.

Location sound familiar at all???

Roger_Ramjet

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:31 pm Click here to edit this post
Zeb--additional information--from what the folks in that area say, it isn't the waste business that causes the big chunk of pollution--or caused--it's the oil business??

Talisker

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:39 pm Click here to edit this post
Hi Luke! Nice to see you could pop in - missed you. I am afraid I won't be up for anything too late night - My house is a mess and I need to get it cleaned up before I go to bed. Purposely didn't take a nap today so I could try to sleep good tonight.

Moondance

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:40 pm Click here to edit this post
Roger... Thanks for you thoughts on the waste/Gore issue...
Congrats... I said it before, it is a blessing to have a job you love and are passionate about...

Luke, sounds like you have had a crazy weekend... glad to see you back!

Zeb ... think we feel the same about the Domestic issue

I think that covered everybody:)

Moondance

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:42 pm Click here to edit this post
Hi Tali!!!

Roger_Ramjet

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:42 pm Click here to edit this post
Moon, is acting your main profession, or do you have something else that helps pay the bills?? (I don't know how successful you are in the business)

Roger_Ramjet

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:44 pm Click here to edit this post
Tali--was there any place you didn't like when you were overseas in the AF??

I was wondering, because I didn't like where I was--I'm hoping not everyone has a bad experience.

Moondance

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:46 pm Click here to edit this post
If I work (no matter what I make) and do my passion... I call that success :)

I also am a private exercise trainer... I work people out in their homes.

Zebulon

Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 05:47 pm Click here to edit this post
Moon... It's a tough issue, but unless someone had ESP, I don't see how that particular tragedy could have been prevented...aside from the initiative of the husband and wife to go to therapy.

Roger... Yes, Deer Park sounds familiar. I'm going to find out what part of Texas that is in now.