ESOHCAMP to assess Shaw Published Aug. 10, 2006 By Senior Airman John Gordinier 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- The Environmental Safety Occupational Health Compliance Assessment and Management Program is a base-level assessment that will be performed at Shaw Aug. 21-25. About 20 personnel from Air Combat Command Headquarters, to include contractors, will look at every shop's paperwork, hazardous lockers and even housekeeping, to see if there are any environmental problems or findings, said Sam Johnson, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron environmental quality manager. "This is not an inspection; it is an assessment," he said. "The difference between them is an inspection is pass or fail whereas an assessment involves reviewing a program to show how that program is doing." "The personnel performing the assessment are basically another set of eyes," said Heyward Singleton, 20th CES chief of environmental oversight. "They look to see if there is anything that needs attention in order to help us stay environmentally compliant with Air Force, state and federal regulatory agencies." "Shaw's last ESOHCAMP was in August 2003," Mr. Johnson said. "We did very well and were the fourth best out of ACC. Out of 14 protocols, which are different areas of the assessment, two were benchmark and four were model programs. This means that two programs were the best they had ever seen and four were used as models that other installations could follow. "Although we did very well, there were still plenty of small findings in the last assessment that we can prevent. Forty percent of those findings involved personnel not following plans and procedures that are in place." "To prepare for this assessment, people need to pay attention and follow the plans and procedures for everything," Mr. Johnson added. "Try to make environmental, occupational health and hazard safety an everyday thing. Focus on hazardous waste storage and removal, storage tanks, pollution prevention, recycling, hazardous materials handling, hazardous communication and personal protective equipment cleaning and maintenance." Also, good housekeeping is another good tactic, he said. If an evaluator walks into a dirty shop, he will likely assess more in depth than he would if he walked into a clean shop. A clean shop gives the evaluator a good first impression. "There will be awards given out to the superior performers for this assessment at the assessment out brief Aug. 25," said Mr. Singleton. "Everyone at Shaw plays a pivotal role in our environment and we should all be good stewards," said Mr. Singleton. "If we make environmental management a part of our everyday efforts, it will become as basic as drinking water. When we do, there won't be a need to prepare for ESOHCAMP, because Shaw will be ready for any assessment or inspection any time, any day and anywhere."