LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
ESOHCAMP program officials were pleased with the results following the completion of Lackland's annual base environmental and health performance assessment and inspection the week of June 6-10.
"There were very few major (infractions) and most of those were on the EMS (Environmental Management System) program itself," said Roland Lopez, 802nd Civil Engineer Squadron, EMS/ESOHCAMP program manager. "The program is brand new, and the base as a whole did a great job trying to conform."
ESOHCAMP is Lackland's Environmental Safety Occupation Health Compliance Assessment and Management Program.
It lessens the base's impact on the environment and the surrounding community by fulfilling executive orders requiring all federal agencies to implement energy efficiency and conservation programs, and reduce greenhouse gases.
New to the environmental compliance program are mandatory quarterly self inspections by each organization. Implementation of the new program began in April, and assessors reported 90 percent of the 107 facilities visited were aware of their ESOH responsibilities.
Ann Gabriel, EMS consultant, said included in 70 findings were eight positive.
"(Those positives) meant something organizations were doing above and beyond what was required," she said.
Mr. Lopez said as the program continues to roll out, it will pay future dividends to Lackland and the Air Force, adding, "Lackland was all in with the new EMS," now available on the Air Force network.
"Overall we're pleased with the program and going to quarterly self inspections," Mr. Lopez said. "The whole point is not to find what's wrong, but how to improve your process.
"All of this adds up to accomplishing the mission. We can't afford not to follow the environmental policies because they allow us to fulfill the mission, and insure the safety and health of our wingmen."
Areas covered by ESOHCAMP include health and environmental issues of air, cultural, natural, pesticide, hazardous waste, solid waste, storage tanks, toxics and wastewater.
In meeting executive mandates by reducing solid waste and fossil fuels, using recycled paper and water, and replacing energy inefficient buildings, wasteful spending is eliminated and funding for new initiatives is created.
"We have a new program and it's going to take time to execute," Mr. Lopez said. "When it does, it's going to be wonderful and not just at the functional level, but for the commanders.
"They won't have to interrupt work to prepare for inspections. They should be prepared all along and never have to be concerned with a safety or OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Agency) visit."