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Original Date: 04/01/1993
Revision Date: 01/19/2007
Information : Environmental Improvement Program
Before 1990, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (MDA) did not have a strategic Occupational Safety, Health, and Environmental (OSHE) Plan. The company was operated using internal procedures and a safety manual. In 1989, A.D. Little performed an OSHE Management Assessment and identified a need for a formal process to define and manage environmental risks and a need for management to develop a clear policy for environmental guidance.
McDonnell Douglas Corporation developed a criteria for evaluating risks and included risk categories of Health and Safety, Environmental, Regulatory Compliance, Operational Concerns, Liability, and Reputation. These categories include different levels of risk. To evaluate these risks, topics or issues are listed with fact sheets for each issue. A risk matrix, containing the likelihood and magnitude of risks, is prepared for each issue and the matrix is evaluated. A technology team works on process changes to reduce risks.
The program has top management support which is necessary for achieving compliance. Some specific issues which require action are air emissions, including toxic and ozone depleters, and waste minimization. Some of the successful projects in reducing air emissions include water soluble lubricants, the replacement of methyl chlorides for paint stripping and clean-up, new efficient vapor degreasers, and the replacement of Freon 113 with Citro-Kleen, a terpene-based cleaner. To reduce hazardous wastes, in-plant uses were found for out-of-date chemicals. Hazardous materials no longer needed were returned to the supplier, donated to universities, or sent to a recycler.
MDA recognized the need for a definitive environmental policy and created a policy that clearly directs its activities in environmental areas. It identified and assessed the risks, including their magnitude and likelihood. This policy enabled MDA to move decisively in removing those risks. This policy allows it to meet the environmental requirements today and well into the future.
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