Surviving the CFATS Site Security Plan — Tips for Inspection & Resubmission

As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) moves forward with the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), the program continues to evolve. This white paper describes the ongoing CFATS compliance process (which is a combination of technical, procedural, and personnel security) and also provides insight regarding how the process has been adjusted to allow for an additional step, the Pre-Authorization Inspection (PAI). Recommendations are relevant to Site Security Plans (SSPs) for all tier levels and should also be considered for a facility's initial SSP submission.

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Setting an Agenda for the Social Studies of Nanotechnology

by Hyungsub Choi, Sarah Kaplan, Cyrus C. M. Mody and Jody A. Roberts 

To foster greater collaboration between social scientists and stakeholders in the nanotechnology arena, the Wharton School and the Chemical Heritage Foundation presented a joint symposium to encourage debate about the most productive role of the social sciences in nanotechnology.

Social scientists benefited from hearing various nanotechnology stakeholders discuss what research would be most helpful. Stakeholders, in turn, had the opportunity to consider what social scientists can offer in terms of understanding the evolution of technology, technology-in-use, and the economics of technical change, risk analysis, and communication.

Download the 'Setting an Agenda for the Social Studies of Naotechnology' white paper here.

Community-Based Science: A Strategy for Achieving Environmental Justice and Improving Environmental Knowledge

by Gwen Ottinger

Many residential areas are also home to industrial facilities that emit toxic chemicals and other forms of pollution. On issues of environmental quality and health in these communities, scientists and residents often talk past one another: residents’ claims about the harms of industry tend not to meet the standards of scientific study, while scientists’ studies tend not to address residents’ complaints.

Community-based science—defined as studies conducted by residents and scientists working in collaboration—is seen as one possible solution. This paper outlines the characteristics that make community-based science effective and summarizes major challenges to creating successful scientist-community collaborations. It recommends ways to overcome those challenges, in large part by meeting obstacles at the structural or institutional level.

Download the 'Community-Based Science' white paper here.

The Hidden Danger of Static Electricity – A White Paper

The NFPA reports that an average of 280 serious “static-caused” incidents occur every year. And danger presented by static electricity is ever-present – a static charge may be generated continuously by simple motion, wherever materials come into contact and separate.

Typical examples include liquids flowing through pipelines or filling into drums and tanks, powder dropping down a chute – even a person walking across an insulating floor. Static electricity is particularly hazardous in operations involving flammable solvents or other flammable, low-conductivity materials. A static spark in such hazardous locations can result in fires or actual explosions, causing property damage, lost production… even serious injuries or fatalities.

Download 'The Hidden Danger of Static Electricity' white paper here.