REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center (Huntsville Center) Environmental and Munitions Center of Expertise (EM CX) Directorate is providing implementation and training as the Army begins using a new hazardous material (HAZMAT) management system.
The new system, Web Compliance Assistance and Sustainment System-Enterprise (WEBCASS-E) Hazardous Material Inventory Database (HMID) is a commercial off-the-shelf system serving as the current Enterprise Environmental Safety and Occupational Health – Management Information System (EESOH-MIS) replacement program for Army Installations worldwide beginning this fiscal year.
Once implemented, the new system will continue meeting federal laws and Army regulations while tracking and managing the procurement, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials across the service.
Army G-4 (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) is the proponent of the Army Hazardous Material Management Program (HMMP) and currently uses the EESOH-MIS, a tracking tool developed by the Air Force and used by many components of Department of Defense. The EM CX has provided implementation and training for EESOH-MIS use for more than a decade at more than 70 installations around the world.
However, Army G-9 (Installations) proposed migrating from EESOH-MIS to WEBCASS-E HMID in 2021. Upon full implementation, WEBCASS-E will continue providing Army commands and installations with an integrated platform used for the entire Army Environmental Program resulting in saving the Army millions of dollars per year in IT computing, licensing, and service costs.
The new system, which incorporates an enhanced, intuitive user interface hosted in a cloud environment, is expected to improve data management efforts, and lead to better data integrity and more robust HAZMAT control and reporting, according to G-9.
Once the transition decision was made in 2021, G-4 tapped the EM CX to aid with the transition from EESOH-MIS to WEBCASS-E HMID.
One of the primary EM CX missions is to support Army environmental missions while maintaining state-of-the-art technical expertise and competencies for HAZMAT remediations.
Lannae Long, EM CX environmental regulatory specialist, said that’s what makes the EM CX a good fit for getting WEBCASS-E HMID up-and-running Army wide as the EM CX fosters trust, innovation, communication, quality and knowledge throughout the Environmental Community of Practice.
“We will help the Army transition to WEBCASS-E HMID as smoothly and easily as possible,” Long said.
Part of Long’s role in the process is to keep EESOH-MIS running as it is now, and then begin helping installations transition to WEBCASS-E HMID.
“Army installation personnel moving from EESOH-MIS to HMID are probably thinking “Argh, really? You’re making me do something new?’ But they need to recognize that the actions for tracking HAZMAT is going to be about the same,” she said.
“The muscle memory and the activities are basically going to be the same – It’s just a different system.”
For instance, Long said HMID uses different nomenclature, as a hazardous material control point (under EESOH-MIS) will be called an issue point (under HMID).”
When EESOH-MIS was implemented, Long said because the program started from nothing, there was a proficiency ‘learning curve’ to overcome. She said today’s HAZMAT users are at a pretty high-level of proficiency. It will be an easier transition from EESOH-MIS to HMID.
No matter what HAZMAT tracking platform the Army is using, Long said the main goal of the EM CX regulatory program is supporting the Army Hazardous Materials Management Program (HMMP).
“We’re here to help Army installations meet the requirements for environmental safety, industrial hygiene and worker safety through EESOH-MIS, HMMP, and the next several years, WEBCASS-E HMID,” she said. “That requires commitments from all levels.”
Army Regulation 200-1 requires garrison commanders implement an installation wide HMMP and hold tenant units accountable for complying with the policies and standards of the installation and ensure that applicable environmental requirements are incorporated into all procurement actions.
“The Assistant Secretary of the Army (for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) is focused on reducing volume and toxicity of hazardous material by incorporating environmental management into appropriate acquisition regulations, policies and procedures,” she said.
As a proponent of the HMMP, she said the Deputy Chief of Staff G-4 incorporates environmental requirements in materiel management, logistics, supply, transport, maintenance, and training.
Commitment from Army installation commanders, Long said, is vital to the HMMP as they are charged with complying with environmental laws and directives at the installation level, and conversion to the WECASS-E system.
As chairperson for the installation’s HMMP committee and Environmental Quality Control Committee (EQCC), installation commanders ensure their installation’s units and shops are complying with all policies and standards. At the user level, the commitment is to establish the authorized use list (AUL), only order hazardous material listed on the AUL, and track HAZMAT purchase and usage and use the HAZMAT as directed.
“They are the ones at the front line,” Long said. “They are the ones using HAZMAT to complete their mission. They know exactly what they need to do their job.”
Long said the commitment from all parties regarding HAZMAT tracking is focused to reaching goals and objective.
“The Army goal is to reduce unused HAZMAT and generation of Hazardous waste. The objective is to protect human health and the environment.”
The EM CX, as part of Huntsville Center, provides high-quality engineering, scientific and regulatory support to environmental remediation, munitions response and compliance programs around the world.
| Date Taken: | 11.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.15.2024 14:02 |
| Story ID: | 485427 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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