Environmental 5S and Awareness TrainingTheo Pichalski

11/13/2015

-Don’t jump into environmental problems. Start with the blue ridge mountains that surround the plant – all the recreational activities they provide, the aesthetic beauty, etc.-State some statistics. A plant of this size, in the heart of the blue ridge mountains, has the potential to have a substantial impact on the environment around it-If our culture does not have a strong integration of environmental conscientiousness we will start to see the impact directly

-These are some pictures I’ve taken over my co-op here that show environmental problems-Some were easy fixes and simple communication, but many require a shift in plant practices and plant culture-This training will be to spread awareness on new projects my team and I have implemented during the past 8 months - including outdoor nonhazardous disposal sheds, spill response stations, and rag compactors, and new policies including disposal techniques, hopper accountability, Environmental Action Requests, Digital Spill Reports, and Environmental Champion incentives

-Before we could begin tackling the problems, we needed to identify where and what they consistently were-As many of you know, we’ve reinvigorated the Environmental Champions program, starting with the 6 outdoor champions and re-designating indoor champions. These champions conduct weekly audits of their area and submit online check sheets of problems they’ve identified.

-We worked with IT to simplify the checksheets, making them applicable to each area and making it easy to elaborate on what the problem is, where exactly it’s located, if it is repeated, and if it requires immediate attention or a long term change of policy. We also integrated our corporate environmental audit hits into the check sheets so we knew what to look for and what we needed to improve upon. -Over the past few months we’ve successfully identified the problems, and had open conversations with associates on why they were happening and how we could solve them to minimally take away from production time while creating a sustainable solution.

-Previously, when an oil or hydraulic fluid leak occurred in our gravel lots, the nearest nonhazardous waste drum was inside the plant, and carrying the oily gravel was not time efficient or ergonomically ideal. -Tools were also located in many different areas to clean up the spill, and took away production time to gather them each time there was a spill (inevitable with the quantity of outdoor inventory).

-Our team designed and constructed four nonhazardous disposal sheds (they’re not outhouses!) to be located centrally in each of the gravel lots. -These sheds have all the tools needed for a spill located inside each of them for easy organization. -Each shed also has a 55-gallon nonhazardous drum inside with an easy open and close lid. -For larger spills, we designed the sheds on top of pallets so you can lift the shed with a fork lift and bring it to the spill for easier clean up.

-Previously for indoor spills, similar to outdoor spills, tools were located in multiple separate locations and took away from production time to retrieve them-The clean-up procedure was also confusing between indoor and outdoor, and asphalt and gravel situations

-To cover indoor areas and asphalt lots simultaneously, we created five Spill Response Stations central to inside areas most common to incur spills but also located near outside asphalt lots, just on the inside of bay doors. -We designed a moving tool dolley, using empty blue drums (to save money from buying expensive dolleys), that have all tools needed on them for a spill. -Each station has a WIPed area with one dolley, nonhazardous rags, instructions for various clean-up procedures, and our Environmental Policy.

-Through an increased awareness from the Environmental Champions program, and problem diagnosis through open communication with associates, we determined the underlying cause for trash dispersal around our plant was not from lack of hoppers but rather accountability to empty them. We’ve implemented an individual accountability system through assigning ‘champions’ to each hopper based on consistent usage and proximity to applicable disposal locations to be monitored by group leaders.

-To further reduce improper disposal, we utilized the color code of OSHA regulations to repaint various hoppers according to what material is being disposed of. We relocated hoppers according to proximity and quantity of disposal, and relabeled them to ensure our plant footprint is as small as possible.

-Although nonhazardous and hazardous waste are disposed of correctly, it was determined that they could be more financially efficient in disposal methods. -Since a good portion of nonhazardous material is oily rags, and given the cost of nonhazardous material per barrel, three rag compactors were invested in to substantially reduce the quantity of nonhazardous drums. -Our team trained all applicable areas on how to use the compactor, and what materials are able to be compacted-Smaller nonhazardous buckets were place around the plant to be emptied into the compactors at the end of each shift

-We’ve seen how successful our safety program has been, with over one year of no recordable injuries for either plant. This system is successful due to its proactive system rather than reactive, largely through implementation of the Safety Action Request (SAR) program. -We would like to transition our environmental program from reactive to proactive as well, utilizing the same successful policies. We again worked with IT to create and integrate Environmental Action Requests (EARs) into our plant programs. You can now submit an EAR through any computer on the plant floor, identifying an environmental hazard or problem in your area (or any other area), in order to continually increase environmental awareness. Almost identical to SARs, you fill out what the problem is, where the problem is, and a recommended fix, and we will work with you to remediate the problem.

Digitized spill report formsReduce friction of reportingReduce time spent reporting

-Spill reports were also digitalized to increase probability and simplicity of following up a spill (of quantity one gallon or greater) using a pdf completion form now available on all computers on the plant floor.

Environmental Champion T-shirts!!

-Finally, again similar to the safety department, our team is trying to incorporate positive incentives for the environmental department through Environmental Champion T-shirts! -These are meant to continue our movement towards increased environmental awareness and a culture of conscientiousness in everything we do-These t-shirts will be handed out when anyone fills out an EAR – because we want to hear from you! (No laughter – ‘tough crowd’)-They will also be handed out by the Environmental Champion team whenever they notice associates going above and beyond – volunteering time to clean a big spill, digging through hoppers to dispose of materials properly, etc.

Aaron WhitneyBen GriffinJohn HerrigMarc MorrisKelsey MooreKeith HylerJeremy SkiffGeorge MoserDaniel Perkins

Pat FrancisDwayne FitzgeraldChad WheelingCarl VassarChelsi HairstonMario PirrelloMike ReedPat FrancisTerry Adams