Teecht. Bioenvironmental Technicians Proceed Guam Base Of Operations Safe

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Gerald Willis 36th Wing

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam, Oct. 30, 2017 — On the isolated Pacific isle of Guam, protecting the express natural resources in addition to establishing a security working surroundings is essential to mission success.

The 36th Medical Operations Squadron Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight hither takes on the undertaking of seeking out possible wellness hazards in addition to bolstering the mission yesteryear leading the means inwards personal safety.

In the same means that the Occupational Safety in addition to Health Act protects employees at work, bioenvironmental technicians monitor in addition to assure a security in addition to healthful working surroundings for service members.

"Our biggest undertaking is identifying in addition to quantifying hazards to brand a wellness gamble assessment in addition to certify weather condition are non hazardous to employees or the environment," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jean Archambeau, bioenvironmental applied scientific discipline flight's noncommissioned officeholder inwards charge. "Our chore is really vast, in addition to nosotros gibe into a multifariousness of specialties. We behave routine H2O sampling at diverse locations on base of operations -- to include the dining facilities, rider final in addition to schools -- to ensure drinking H2O is inside standards. We every bit good perform respiratory protection tests for industrial workers in addition to gas mask gibe testing for all service members."

Monitoring High-Traffic Sites

The flying monitors multiple high-traffic sites on base of operations twelvemonth round, oftentimes conducting tests such every bit chlorine in addition to pH aeroplane H2O examinations or oestrus index calculations using the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature system.

"Most days on Guam, the oestrus index reaches [90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher] in addition to tin live on a wellness number for those that move exterior if the proper controls are non inwards place," said Air Force Airman 1st Class Michael Jackson, a bioenvironmental applied scientific discipline technician. "The Wet Bulb Global Temperature is the safest means to mensurate the oestrus stress inwards forthwith sunlight. This information is used to assess risks in addition to activate security measures in addition to thus the mission may expire on every bit safely every bit possible inwards whatever environment."

As U.S. service members, Andersen airmen are trained often to live on able to consummate the mission inwards a multifariousness of hazardous working environments such every bit intense oestrus or grooming for potential chemical, biological, radiological in addition to nuclear threatened areas.

"For the operational readiness practise Sling Stone 17-1, nosotros stimulate got been outfitting the base of operations amongst the proper [personal protection equipment] through our M50 gas mask fitment program." Jackson said. "We stimulate got been treatment around fifteen mask gibe tests a twenty-four hr menses leading upward to the [operational readiness exercise], good on our means to our destination of getting the base of operations to 100 per centum fitted. During the exercise, it volition live on of import that all airmen are comfortable amongst their equipment in addition to security patch performing their duties."

Safeguarding Health

The technicians are dedicated to safeguarding the wellness of all airmen here. They stimulate got been instrumental inwards helping the Air Force to stimulate got the lowest illness in addition to nonbattle injury rating inwards the history of warfare every bit of 2015, according to Air Force Brig. Gen. medico Lee E. Payne, quondam Air Force Medical Operations Agency commander, who at nowadays is the Air Mobility Command surgeon.

"We are hither to protect all airmen from potential risks on whatever given day," Archambeau said. "Upholding the security standards in addition to properly outfitting our airmen amongst the protective equipment they demand for whatever surroundings volition e'er live on mission-essential."