BioMax Environmental’s Senior Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and technical staff provides EH&S training to our clients and technical communities on a regular and ongoing basis.
With an increasing numbers of federal, state, and local environmental regulations, employers are faced with the monumental task of implementing and effectively maintaining required Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) programs. These programs commonly contain a number of task-specific provisions and more often than not, contain specific training requirements, as well. BioMax Environmental professionals are exceptionally qualified as trainers because of our hands-on technical experience in the field, our thorough knowledge of current and pending worker protection regulations, and our proficiency in effective presentation and communication to a diverse audience. This combination of skills provides our clients with training curricula that is both “book-smart” as well as “field-smart” and satisfies regulatory elements while keeping the subject matter applicable and interesting. Our staff has provided site-specific “tailor made” worker protection training courses for clients in both the private and public sectors. Our course materials are designed to serve as a permanent references as well as future learning aids. Our training sessions may also be presented on our client’s site (if requested) and will always be structured to meet site-specific client needs. BioMax professionals are flexible in presenting our training materials using a wide variety of audio and visual media in settings which range from the formal “boardroom” to the informal “tail-gate” meeting. Multilingual courses are also available upon request. Examples of our training include:
• Mold Hazard Awareness Training
• Microbial Mitigation Procedures Training
• Methamphetamine (Meth) clandestine Drug Lab Cleanup Training
• Hazard Communication Training
• Health Effects of Hazardous Substances
• Industrial Hygiene Principles Training
• 24 and 40-hour HAZWOPER Certification Training
• 8-hour HAZWOPER Refresher Training
• 8-hour HAZWOPER Supervisor Training
• General site-specific hazard training and “tail-gate” meetings
• Permit Required Confined Space Training
• Chemical Specific Training (e.g., vinyl chloride, silica, etc.)
• Lead in Construction Awareness Training
• Respiratory Protection Program Training
• Fit-Testing Training and Performance (qualitative and quantitative)
• Personal Protective Equipment Training
• Indoor Air Quality
• Laboratory Safety Training
• Lockout/Blockout – Lockout/Tag-out
• Department of Transportation (DOT) Awareness Training
• Violence in the Workplace Awareness Training
• Emergency Response Training
• Workplace Safety Training
• Ergonomic Training
• Bloodborne Pathogen Training
• PPE Hands-on Field Training
• Unexploded Ordnance Avoidance and Awareness Training
As a service to our communities, BioMax professionals frequently provide no-cost informational and technical seminars for trade associations, private industry, and concerned community organizations. Our staff has also developed curricula and presents numerous training courses for local colleges, universities, and university extensions. In fact, many of our professionals currently teach courses in industrial hygiene, worker protection, and regulatory compliance as regular faculty members within the educational institutions listed below:
- Solano Community College – Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene, Health and Safety Management Programs.
- University of California Berkeley Extension –, Advanced Environmental Law; Hazardous Materials Management; Hands on Compliance I and II; and Management and Administration of Health and Safety Programs.
- University of California Santa Cruz Extension – Hazardous and Toxic Materials Regulatory Framework.
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) – Comprehensive Review of Industrial Hygiene (5 day CIH Exam Preparatory course); Fundamentals of Workplace Safety, Management of Pesticide Contaminated Hazardous Waste Sites.
At BioMax Environmental, we pride ourselves in providing specialized training for our clients at their facility / job site as well as at our SF Bay area offices. Since BioMax staff are all field scientists who actively practice industrial hygiene and environmental consulting on a daily basis, we are uniquely qualified to provide technical training for our clients, to trade associations, and to professional organizations with emphasis on our real-life technical experience.
Faculty and Teaching Experience:
University of California’s Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH). Comprehensive Review of Industrial Hygiene – A five-day course focusing on the fundamentals rubrics of Industrial Hygiene for students preparing to take their exams in the comprehensive Practices of Industrial hygiene through the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH).
Solano College: Faculty member of Solano College’s Trade and Technical Division. Teaching semester courses entitled: Introduction to Industrial Hygiene and Organization and Administration of Safety Programs. Courses focus on the practical applications of industrial hygiene strategies and safety management issues surrounding the public and private industry sectors.
University of California’s Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH). Fundamentals of Workplace Safety – A two day course focusing on the historical and current practices employed in controlling worker exposures to hazardous physical and chemical substances.
University of California Berkeley Extension: Management and Administration of Health and Safety Programs – A two day intensive course focusing on the practical aspects of identifying, developing, and managing effective health and safety plans required in the workplace.
University of California Berkeley Extension: Advanced Environmental Law – Lecturer during a four day intensive course presenting a comprehensive framework for evaluating and interpreting hazardous materials and worker protection laws, as well as detailed reviews of specific regulatory requirements.
University of California Berkeley Extension: Hazardous Materials Management, Hands on Compliance I and II – A series of classes covering compliance strategies and “hands-on” implementation techniques designed to satisfy environmental health and safety (EH&S) requirements. Particular emphasis given in the development, implementation, and maintenance of corporate EH&S programs.
University of California Santa Cruz Extension: Hazardous and Toxic Materials Regulatory Framework – A four day intensive course over viewing hazardous materials and waste regulations and requirements on a federal, state, and local level.
University of California’s Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH). Pesticide Control strategies and Personal Protective Equipment – A two day course focusing on the hazard controls and health and safety issues anticipated during the remediation of sites and facilities which have been impacted by pesticide contamination.
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER). Mr. Polkabla regularly develops and conducts client specific HAZWOPER training and related hazardous material courses. Such training includes 40-hour HAZWOPER, 8-hour Supervisor, 8-hour Refresher courses.
Selected technical presentations have included:
California Unified Program Annual (CUPA) Annual Conference 2012. Current Practices in Methamphetamine Inspection, Assessment Sampling, and Clean-up Procedures.
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Crystalline Silica Health Hazards in Construction.
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). Current Practices in Methamphetamine Assessment and Cleanup. Keynote speaker
County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health. Clandestine Methamphetamine Lab Awareness Seminar key speaker
Department of Toxics Substances Control (DTSC). AB1078 Methamphetamine Contaminated Property Cleanup Act of 2005 Implementation Clinics presented in Los Angeles and Sacramento Current Practices in the Assessment and Control of Contaminated Sites.
Environmental Justice Drug Lab Pilot Project. Advisory committee member to the Department of Toxics Substance Control regarding setting appropriate assessment and cleanup procedures pertaining to methamphetamine contaminated properties.
Property Management Associations and Real-Estate Advisory Group. Strategies for the recognition and proper management of microbial contaminants found within real estate properties.
Residential Home Builders Associations. Management of microbial (Mold) contaminants within new and existing residential home constructions
Business Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). Fundamentals of Indoor Air Quality; and Current Issues in Ergonomics.
International Facilities Manager’s Association (IFMA). Current Strategies for Managing Indoor Air Quality.
Concrete Modification Contractors Association (CMCA). Health and Safety Issues Surrounding the Management of Lead In Construction.
Construction Contractors: Management of Indoor Air Quality through the Design and Selection of Building Materials.
Alburger, Basso de Grosz, Inc. Insurance Broker Risk and Loss Control Management in the Workplace.
S. J. Amoroso Inc. Managing Lead and Asbestos on Construction Projects and in the Workplace.
Engineering Contractors Association (ECA). Mold Awareness Training, Lead Hazard Awareness within Construction Projects and in the Workplace, Respiratory Protection.
American Welding Society. Hazard Awareness and Safety Training as pertaining to welding and machine shop operations.
Construction and Demolition Contractors. Lead in construction compliance and lead awareness training during demolition activities for site – specific activities.
Microbial Restoration Contractors. Microbial awareness training and safety procedures/methods employed during microbial clean-up and abatement activities.
Our instructors maintain current certifications in the following:
- OSHA 40 Hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training per 29 CFR 1910.120, current certification since 1991
- Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Supervisory training
- Hazardous Materials Transportation, HM 126F, US Department of Transportation
- Permit Required Confined Space Entry Procedures
- Certified Lead Professional with the California Department of Health Services
- Unexploded Ordnance Recognition and Avoidance, UXB
- Radiochemical Principles and Techniques, Amersham Corporation
- Preliminary Assessments/Site Investigations, US-EPA Region IX
- Ergonomic/Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Evaluation and Control Methodologies
- CPR/First-aid certified
Mr. Michael A. Polkabla, CIH, REA is the Senior Certified Industrial Hygienist with BioMax Environmental and has over 20 years of professional experience with training in northern California. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your project specific compliance needs in the field of environmental health and safety training.
