Safety and Health Topics: Brownfields

	Brownfields
	Hazard Recognition

In addition to the risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals, the potential hazards at a brownfields site may resemble those found on a construction site and could include heat stress; falls from elevated work surfaces; slips, falls, or cave-ins in excavations or trenches; mechanical and impact hazards associated with heavy equipment and hand-held tools; electrical hazards; and noise exposure. The following references aid in recognizing hazards at a brownfield site.

Brownfields Health & Safety: For Sites Evaluated & Remediated under Federal Brownfields Initiatives or State Voluntary Clean-up Programs. OSHA Question and Answer Sheet. Provides compliance information about site assessment and clean-up activities on brownfields.
Envirofacts Data Warehouse. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (2008, February). Provides links to several EPA databases (i.e. RCRIS and CERCLIS) listing sites that may be considered government-identified uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
Brownfields Tax Incentive State Contacts. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Brownfields and Land Revitalization. Contains links to voluntary clean-up programs for all fifty states, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, which can provide information about their requirements for determining the status of a site.
Superfund Technical Assessment & Response Team Contracts. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Provides links to regional assistance.
Road Map to Understanding Innovative Technology Options for Brownfields Investigation and Cleanup. Clean-Up Information (CLU-IN) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (2005, September). Helps identify resources and assist in the selection of innovative technologies. "Site Assessment" describes the Phase I process and identifies useful resources. Several resources help to determine when a brownfields site is also considered a government identified uncontrolled hazardous waste site. "Site Investigation" (Phase II) describes site sampling activities and identifies appropriate resources.
Field Analytic Technologies. Clean-Up Information (CLU-IN) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Contains field-based site characterization technology summaries and training modules.
Enviromental Site Assessments. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). Identifies Phase I Site Assessment activities (generally off-site and non-intrusive), as well as Phase II Site Assessment activities (on site and generally intrusive).

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Content Reviewed 05/04/2009