Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
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Bring an employee to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration
distance to 3.5 feet.
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Have sufficient strength to withstand twice the potential impact energy
of a worker free falling a distance of 6 feet or the free fall distance per-
mitted by the system, whichever is less.
•
Remove systems and components from service immediately if they have
been subjected to fall impact until they have been inspected by a competent
person and deemed undamaged and suitable for use.
•
Promptly rescue employees in the event of a fall or be sure that they are able
to rescue themselves.
•
Inspect systems before each use for wear, damage, and other deterioration,
and remove defective components from service.
•
Do not attach fall arrest systems to guardrail systems or hoists.
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Rig fall arrest systems to allow movement of the worker only as far as the
edge of the walking/working surface, when used in hoisting areas.
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management
Industrial wastes are generated during routine construction, operations, and main-
tenance activities (e.g., lubricating oils, hydraulic fluids, coolants, solvents, cleaning
agents). These wastes are typically placed in containers, characterized and labeled,
possibly stored briefly, and transported by a licensed hauler to an appropriate per-
mitted offsite disposal facility as a standard practice. Impacts could result if these
wastes are not properly handled and are released to the environment. Environmental
contamination could occur from accidental spills of herbicides or, more significantly,
oil. Chemicals in open pits used to store wastes may pose a threat to wildlife and
livestock.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY: THE BOTTOM LINE
The supply of geothermal energy is vast and can be considered renewable, as long
as each site is properly engineered and operated to ensure that excessive water is not
pumped into the earth in one location in too short a time. Geothermal energy can be
and already is accessed by drilling water or steam wells in a process similar to drill-
ing for oil. Geothermal energy is an enormous, underused heat and power resource
that is clean (emits little or no greenhouse gases), reliable (average system availabil-
ity of 95%), and home grown (making us less dependent on foreign oil). Geothermal
resources range from shallow ground to hot water and rock several miles below
the Earth's surface, and even farther down to the extremely hot molten rock called
magma. Wells that are a mile or more deep can be drilled into underground reser-
voirs to tap steam and very hot water that can be brought to the surface for use in a
variety of applications. In the United States, most geothermal reservoirs are located
in the western states, Alaska, and Hawaii; however, before geothermal electricity can
be considered a key element of the U.S. energy infrastructure, it must become more
cost competitive compared with traditional forms of energy.
