When in doubt, wear a cape!

May 7, 2012

On  May 3, 2012, I had the honor to present “20 Years of  Making the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) work for business’ in Massachusetts” at the Cancer Council Autralia’s (CCA) Cancer in the Workplace – A forum on practical solutions for prevention. I was amazed at the feedback I received and of the hope my presentation gave to the attendees. I was even more amazed at the great research and presentations that I was asked to be part of. The presentations opened my eyes to Australia’s biggest occupational health issues of mesothelioma (working with/mining asbestos) and melanoma (sun exposure).

New Friends-Cancer Coucil Australia

I was able to attend a strategic planning meeting with the CCA. When I was about to leave they asked me to give my two cents of advice on how to get a TURA-like law rolling. I reminded CCA that TURA was first ignited by Ken Geiser (then at Tufts) and Mike Ellenbecker (then at U Mass Lowell) who were from acadamia…not the legislature. Maybe the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology could be the starting point. Also, that starting off with Victoria, one state, rather than going country-wide would have a greater chance of success. Lastly, I said don’t forget TURA’s secret sauce…mandatory reporting/planning…voluntary implementation based on a viable business case.

Lucy Servidio The Cape Crusader

When saying good byes and giving hugs Terry Slevin, CCA said to me that they weren’t sure what they were going to get when we they asked me to come down to speak, but one minute into my speech they knew we had asked the right person…I remarked, “Did the cape frighten you?” He replied, “Not at all.” His only fear was that Dr. Tim Driscoll, Professor at University of Sidney, would start wearing one.

For those of you who have never wore a cape when making a presention, I would highly recommend it…it did make me feel like I could do or say anything!

  

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Posted by lservidio

It feels good to share

May 3, 2012

New Friends -Australian Council of Trade Unions

Today I met with the staff from the Australia Council of Trade Unions and Work Safe Victoria (our equivalent to OSHA).

I was welcomed warmly and was happy to share stories about TURA and how by getting workers involved in the TUR process so we can create safer work places. Though I did not have quantitative dollar amount saved in workman’s compensation claims and a direct correlation between TURA and a reduced percentage of cases of cancer, we all agreed that if we can reduce the amount of carcinogens used in the workplace and the amount of carcinogenic byproducts produced, it’s reasonable to deduce that the risk of workplace related cancer is likely to eventually be reduced.

Stay tuned to this blog for more insight from Lucy from her meetings and travels in Australia . 

1 Comment | Health and Safety, TUR Planning | Permalink
Posted by lservidio

It’s hard to say no to a Super Hero…

April 26, 2012

 

I’ve been asked to present industry’s perspective on practical solutions to reducing toxics in the work place at a forum sponsored by the Cancer Council of Australia in Melbourne, Australia on May 3 2012. I’m following a presentation given in 2009 by Pam Eliason of the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) where she was introduced as having the answers to all of industry’s toxics use problems. I thought only a super hero could meet those expectations so I got myself a cape and now I am Super TURP ( Toxics Use Reduction Planner).

My super power is opening people’s minds to new ways of doing things. This results in using less toxic chemicals and generating less byproduct per widget manufactured. This mind bending ability can make companies more profitable and protect their greatest assets, their employees!

In order to prepare for my Australia presentation I attended a conference that  TURI held on April 12, 2012. I was interested in learning more about safer alternatives and attended the Green Chemistry track. I must confess, I had an ulterior motive to attending the conference. I wanted to get interviews with TUR Planners about their successes with TUR planning so that I could share them with the folks in Australia.

I decided to wear my Super TURP cape to the conference in order to get street cred, or maybe sympathy, from the crowd. It worked! I was able to get 10 companies to give me their input on what they think is the biggest benefit is to using the TUR planning process in their companies.

Please listen to the comments from Cindy Keegan, Manager, Environmental, Health& Safety Analogic Corporation and David Kiddo, Global Business Manager, Wire & Cable, Alpha Gary by clicking on each of the play buttons below.

Comments from Cindy Keegan

Comments from David Kiddo

Isn’t it great that Australia is looking to Massachusetts as a model for reducing cancer in the workplace? I’m proud to be representing TUR Planners and spreading the good word about the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA).

Need some assistance in making your company’s TUR Plan leap over tall buildings in a single bound…reduce payback periods…open up TUR Team minds to new ideas…we have a team of super heroes at CAPACCIO…just waiting to wear our cool capes!

Look for future blogs from down under …there will be photos with emus…maybe…Lucy

(Right) CAPACCIO’S Lucy Servidio with the Photofabrication Engineering TUR Team

CAPACCIO’s Travis Wheeler…Boy Wonder (Helping companies reduce the use of toxic chemicals)

Leave a Comment » | Environmental, EPCRA/TURA, Hazardous Materials, Health and Safety, MassDEP, TRI, TUR Planning | Permalink
Posted by lservidio

Lucille Servidio to be a Keynote Speaker at the Cancer Council of Australia’s ‘Cancer in the Workplace’ forum

April 25, 2012

Capaccio Environmental Engineering, Inc.’s Senior Vice President, Lucy Servidio, CHMM, TURP, will be among the keynote speakers at the Cancer Council of Australia’s ‘Cancer in the Workplace’ forum in Carlton, Victoria, Australia. The national forum is set to take place on May 3, 2012.  The forum will provide practical solutions for prevention and is open to occupational health and safety professionals, industry representatives, unions, researchers, public health professionals, and anyone with an interest in occupational cancers.

Ms. Servidio will present information on how and why Massachusetts adopted the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) more than 20 years ago.  She will highlight the law’s importance of reducing the amount of toxics in industry and its role in keeping workers and communities safe.  Ms. Servidio will outline how TURA has evolved and changed over the years and provide information on how TURA has helped to reduce carcinogens in the workplace.  Attendees will receive information on how to create and implement a TUR Plan, and Ms. Servidio will present case studies showing how some Massachusetts companies developed TUR Plans and made their processes more effective while reducing their use of toxic materials.

More information on the program content and the international, national, and local speakers can be found at: http://www.cancer.org.au/File/Aboutcancer/CancerintheWorkplace2012/speakers-cancer-in-the-workplace-forum-flyer-final.pdf

Lucy will be posting blogs pertaining to the conference as well as interesting stories about her travels in Australia. Stay tuned to Capaccio’s regulatory news site for her upcoming blogs.

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Posted by karynt

MassDEP News – Important Time Sensitive Notice/TUR Regulations

December 27, 2011

Dear Facility Manager or Toxics Use Reduction Planner:

I am writing to remind you that 2012 is a planning year under the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) and that facilities covered by TURA are required to complete their TURA plan (or in some cases an Environmental Management System or Resource Conservation plan) for this planning cycle by July 1, 2012. 

Employee Notification
Please note the TUR regulations1 require that notice to employees regarding the upcoming planning process must be completed by January 1, 2012.  If a facility is unsure of which type of plan it will develop, it should notify its employees that the facility will be developing either a Toxics Use Reduction (TUR), Resource Conservation (RC) or Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Plan.

For further information:  http://www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/tura/planning.htm .  Because there have been no changes to the planning requirements, the guidance on the web is still valid.  However an updated version containing minor changes to the reporting form will be posted in the coming months.

[1] [310 CMR 50.42(5) and 310 CMR 50.92(6), respectively]

Paul Walsh
MassDEP, BWP, Business Reporting and Fiscal Operations
One Winter Street
Boston Ma 02108
Office 617-556-1011

 

 

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Posted by capaccioems

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