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Greetings!
It's Earth Day, April 22, and in honor of the occasion, the U.S. EPA has released a video interview with Stephen L. Johnson, EPA Administrator, in which he discussed Earth Day 2008, environmental responsibility and the major accomplishments of EPA. Click here to see the interview.Considering the stakes for the automotive repair industry when it comes to practicing pollution prevention and following best management practices as a part of standard operations, shouldn't every day be "Earth Day" at your business or school? Regards,
ROBERT G. STEWART
CCAR President
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 EPA's "Collision Repair Campaign"
Aims to Reduce Auto Body Emissions
The U.S. EPA's
Collision Repair Campaign is an effort to address health threats
through a two-year campaign to drastically reduce auto body emissions
at the national level. EPA regional offices involved in the
campaign will work with their respective partners (e.g. community,
industry, small businesses, etc.) to significantly reduce human and
environmental exposure to air toxics from auto body shops. While
similar work has been done in the past in pockets around the country,
the campaign represents a unique, unprecedented nationwide effort to
accomplish bold goals in toxic reductions. The community campaign
aimed at reducing toxic exposures from collision repair shops is
voluntary.
The campaign's goals are:
- To
reduce the negative environmental and health impacts on employees and
surrounding communities by reducing Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAP, also
known as air toxics), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), and Particulate
Matter (PM) emissions.
- To
provide training, technical assistance, and outreach to local
communities and shop owners about established best management and
pollution prevention practices.
- To provide information
about the upcoming National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants: Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating
Operations at Area Sources Rule and encourage early compliance.
Click here to learn more about the Collision Repair Campaign.
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 CCAR Named as Preferred Supplier of Online Training to AAA Clubs and Approved Auto Repair Network
The Coordinating
Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) has been named as a Preferred Supplier
of online training programs by AAA, North America's foremost motoring and
leisure travel organization, including AAA clubs and Approved Auto Repair
facilities throughout the U.S.
and Canada.
CCAR's
online training programs include "S/P2," addressing environmental and safety
issues for automotive mechanical service and collision repair facilities, and
"HazmatU," which trains automobile dealers and parts distribution facilities on
the transportation of hazardous materials, as required by the U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT).
"This agreement will not only benefit
AAA's nearly 51 million members, but all motorists who look for the AAA
Approved Auto Repair sign when selecting a repair facility," said Marshall L.
Doney, AAA Vice President, Automotive. "The programs offered by CCAR complement
the high professional standards maintained by AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities."
The
AAA Approved Auto Repair program was created in 1975 to address one of the most
frequent consumer complaints in America
- unsatisfactory automobile repairs. The program does this by identifying auto repair facilities that maintain high professional
standards, and have the proper equipment and training to provide motorists with
quality automotive maintenance and repair services. As of January 2008,
there are more than 7,800 AAA-approved repair facilities in the U.S. and Canada.
"All of us at CCAR are immensely pleased to have this opportunity
to work with AAA and its Approved Auto Repair network," said Robert G. Stewart,
CCAR President. "We welcome them as partners in CCAR's ongoing efforts to help
the automotive industry reach a greater understanding of its compliance
responsibilities in environmental- and safety-related matters."
As
North America's largest motoring and leisure
travel organization, AAA provides nearly 51 million members with travel,
insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in
1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate
for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the
Internet at AAA.com.
Seen above at the January meeting of Preferred Suppliers at the AAA National Office are (left to right)
Robert G. Stewart, CCAR President; Dee Ann Riegle Torres, CCAR Vice President; Ruth Ehlinger, AAA Manager, Auto Repair Network Programs &
Services; and Marshall L. Doney, AAA Vice President, Automotive.
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 S/P2 Monthly Meeting Topic:
Training Video Library
The Pollution Prevention Regional Information Center (P2RIC) strives to
improve resource sharing between the programs, businesses, and agencies
of EPA Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska) that provide waste
reduction services and expertise to business and industry. One of the services provided by P2RIC is an online video library on pollution prevention topics. The videos may either be viewed online or downloaded for later showing during your monthly S/P2 meeting. Among the videos available are:
- Auto Shop Pollution Prevention: Protecting Your Environment, Your Business and Yourself (Source: Boston Public Health Commission)
- Everything But the Rattle - Best Management Practices for the Auto Recycling Industry (Source: Ohio EPA)
- Preventing Pollution at Your Auto Repair Facilities-Part 01, Aqueous Parts Cleaners-Part 02, Aqueous Brake Washers-Part 03, Refillable Spray Bottles-Part 04, Spill Prevention and Floor Cleanup-Part 05, Oil and Antifreeze-Part 06, Oil Analysis and Oil Filtration (Source: California DTSC)
- Profit from Waste - New Strategies for Vehicle Servicing Facilities (Source: Ohio EPA)
Click here to visit the P2RIC home page
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 May 15 is Compliance Date for Implemention of New PPE Rule
Employers have until May 15 to comply with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational and Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) new personal protective equipment (PPE) Rule. The new rule requires employers to pay for their employees' PPE. All PPE required for use under ordinary safety and health hazards, with a few
exceptions, must be provided at no cost to the employee. The final rule contains a few exceptions for ordinary safety-toed footwear, ordinary prescription safety eyewear, logging boots, and ordinary clothing and weather-related gear. For example, OSHA is not requiring employers to pay for everyday clothing, even though they may require employees to use such items as long pants or long-sleeve shirts. In addition, the new PPE rule clarifies OSHA's requirements regarding payment for employee-owned PPE and replacement PPE.
For more information: November 2007 OSHA release announcing the final PPE rule
Employer Payment for Personal Protective Equipment; Final Rule
OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
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 CCAR Salutes Competitors in 2008 National Automotive Technology Competition
CCAR extends its congratulations to all 36 teams that took part in the 2008 National
Automotive Technology Competition, held last
month in conjunction with the New York
International Auto Show and sponsored by the
Greater New York Auto Dealers Association.
The top three finishers were:
First
Place
Team
Mazda
Toronto
Automobile Dealers Association
School: Central
Technical School,
Toronto, Ontario
Students: Janos Mann, Julien Predas
Instructor: Tony Rende
Second
Place
Team
Mazda
New
Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association
School: Mascenic
Regional High
School, New Ipswich,
N.H.
Students: Matt Parison, Adam Sesia
Instructor: Vincent J. Fittante
Third
Place
Team
Honda
Automobile Dealers Association of Mega Milwaukee
School: Grafton
High School, Grafton, Wis.
Students: Paul Bretl, Christopher Cheek
Instructor: Carl Hader  At
right, Natalie Schoonover (right), CCAR Environmental/Safety
Specialist, distributes an S/P2 Safety Kit to a competitor in the 2008
National Automotive Technology Competition.
Again in 2008, CCAR supervised a safety/environmental workstation for
the high school competitors on the event's
opening day. CCAR's special thanks go to the
following donors that generously provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and related material for the
S/P2 "Safety Kits" given to all students in this year's competition: - 3M
- Lab Safety Supply
- Mechanix Wear
- SAS Safety Corp.
- Kansas Division of Emergency Management
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 NAOSH Week is May 4-10
The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair is one of many organizations around the nation participating in and promoting "NAOSH Week," which takes place May 4-10.
The
goal of the event is to focus attention of employers, employees, the general public and all
partners in occupational safety, health and the environment on the importance
of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, to: - increase understanding of the benefits of investment in occupational health and safety;
- raise awareness of the role and contribution of safety, health and environmental professionals; and
- help reduce workplace injuries and illness by encouraging new safety, health and environmental activities.
The American Society for Safety Engineers (ASSE) has an electronic took kit available for businesses that wish to participate in NAOSH Week 2008.
CCAR
has a limited quantity of NAOSH Week 2008 posters available (shown
above). The posters display the winning entries from ASSE's sixth
annual Kids' "Safety-on-the-Job" contest. To request a poster for your
business or school, e-mail your request (including your name and
mailing address) to ccarinfo@ccar-greenlink.org, with "NAOSH Poster" as the subject.
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 This Month's Survey
What are your procedures for handling used antifreeze?
Click here to take our April survey!
Results from last month's survey:
For
Collision Repair Shops: How do you expect the EPA's new "Paint Rule"
to impact your business?
Comments received -
Added
cost for booth updating, somewhat unsure at this point, have not seen it yet.
Have read a lot about it.
No impact
whatsoever.
Total responses - 9
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Environmental, Safety and Industry News
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