Memo on mobile office equipment and staffing requirements, Sept 2007

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

BS® IB W James J. Roberts, P.E. IS To- Deputy Commissioner, BWSO

From: PersisLuke Director, Environmental Health and Safety

Fred Chyke-Okpuzor Manager, Health & Safety Emily Uoyd ; .: Date: September 21,2007

Subject: Respiratory Protection for Field Operation Managers Responding to Emergency Incidents or Situations

Roberts. P.E,

Background The nature of the work performed by BWSO field operation crew and managers places them in locations around the five boroughs where they can unintentionally end up in the midst of a hazardous emergency situation (e.g. the Con Edison steam explosion incident in midtown).

lilili! As a result of several events that have occurred in the not too distant past, notably, the Con Edison steam explosion of July 18,2007, the Deutsche Bank fire incident and the September 11* World Trade Center terrorist attacks; there continues to be a pressing need to re-evaluate our position on

H8S8S® being able to provide respiratory protection to BWSO field personnel who are expected and called upon by the City to carry out critical functions

biisl related to assessing and/or providing critical water service.

Although we are not first responders like the NYPD or FDNY, we are required to assess the impacts or damage to the water supply infi-astructure;

bss»g and also provide essential support roles that could be as simple as turning a water valve, or as complex as a multi location repair within an impacted area. Depending on the location of the incident, BWSO employees can sometimes be placed in hazardous environments (natural or man-made).

hisoi EH&S has in the past, received concerns from field operation personnel regarding possible airborne exposure to harmful contaminants when providing support to FDNY crew combating fires around the 5 boroughs. Their concern is magnified especially when FDNY persoimel are seen in respiratory protection and we are not.

The echoes of the health effects of inadvertent contaminant exposure to several responders, volunteers and the public has been an issue of medical and government concern in recent times. Bns

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