REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama — The Environmental and Munitions Center of Expertise (EM CX) leadership at the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center (Huntsville Center) provides implementation and training as the he army begins using a new hazardous materials management system (HAZMAT).

The new system, Web Compliance Assistance and Sustainment System-Enterprise (WEBCASS-E) Hazardous Material Inventory Database (HMID), is a commercial off-the-shelf system serving as the current environmental safety and sustainability management information system. Enterprise Occupational Health (EESOH-MIS) for Army installations worldwide starting this fiscal year.

Once implemented, the new system will continue to comply with federal laws and Army regulations while tracking and managing the procurement, storage and disposal of hazardous materials across the service.

The Army G-4 (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) is the sponsor of the Army Hazardous Materials Management Program (HMMP) and currently uses EESOH-MIS, a tracking tool developed by the Army ‘Air and used by many components of the Ministry of Defense. EM CX has been providing implementation and training in the use of EESOH-MIS for over a decade in more than 70 facilities around the world.

However, the Army G-9 (Installations) has proposed migrating from EESOH-MIS to WEBCASS-E HMID in 2021. Once fully implemented, WEBCASS-E will continue to provide commands and installations with the Army an integrated platform used across the Army’s environmental program, which will result in saving the Army millions of dollars annually in IT, licensing and of services.

The new system, which incorporates an improved and intuitive user interface hosted in a cloud environment, is expected to improve data management efforts and lead to better data integrity and more robust HAZMAT monitoring and reporting, according to the G -9.

Once the decision to transition was made in 2021, G-4 engaged EM CX to facilitate the transition from EESOH-MIS to WEBCASS-E HMID.

One of EM CX’s primary missions is to support the Army’s environmental missions while maintaining cutting-edge technical expertise and skills in hazardous materials remediation.

Lannae Long, EM CX environmental regulatory specialist, said this is what makes the EM CX a good choice for operating the WEBCASS-E HMID Army-wide, because the ‘EM CX promotes trust, innovation, communication, quality and knowledge throughout the environmental community. of practice.

“We will help the Army transition to WEBCASS-E HMID as easily and smoothly as possible,” Long said.

Part of Long’s role in the process is to keep EESOH-MIS running as it currently is and then begin helping facilities transition to WEBCASS-E HMID.

“Army installation personnel moving from EESOH-MIS to HMID are probably thinking, ‘Argh, really?’ Are you making me do something new? But they need to recognize that the hazardous materials tracking actions will be pretty much the same,” she said.

“The muscle memory and activities will basically be the same – it’s just a different system.”

For example, Long said HMID uses different nomenclature because a hazardous materials checkpoint (under EESOH-MIS) will be called a problem point (under HMID).

When EESOH-MIS was implemented, Long said, because the program started from scratch, there was a “learning curve” of skills to overcome. She said today’s HAZMAT users have a fairly high skill level. The transition from EESOH-MIS to HMID will be easier.

Regardless of which hazardous materials tracking platform the Army uses, Long said the primary goal of the EM CX Regulatory Program is to support the Army’s Hazardous Materials Management Program (HMMP).

“We are here to help Army installations meet environmental safety, industrial hygiene and worker safety requirements through EESOH-MIS, HMMP and, in the coming years, WEBCASS-E HMID,” she declared. “This requires commitments at all levels.”

Army Regulation 200-1 requires garrison commanders to implement an installation-wide HMMP and hold tenant units accountable for compliance with installation policies and standards and ensure that applicable environmental requirements are integrated into all procurement actions.

“The Assistant Secretary of the Army (for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) focuses on reducing the volume and toxicity of hazardous materials by integrating environmental management into appropriate acquisition regulations, policies, and procedures ” she said.

As a supporter of HMMP, she said the G-4 Deputy Chief of Staff integrates environmental requirements into materiel management, logistics, procurement, transportation, maintenance and training.

The commitment of Army installation commanders, Long said, is vital to HMMP as they are responsible for complying with environmental laws and guidelines at the installation level and converting to the WECASS-E system.

As chair of the installation’s HMMP Committee and Environmental Quality Control Committee (EQCC), installation commanders ensure that their installation’s units and workshops are in compliance with all policies and standards. At the user level, the commitment is to establish the Authorized Use List (AUL), order only hazardous materials listed on the AUL, track the purchase and use of HAZMAT, and use HAZMAT as indicated.

“They’re the ones on the front lines,” Long said. “They are the ones who use HAZMAT to carry out their mission. They know exactly what they need to do their job.

Long said the commitment of all parties regarding hazardous materials tracking was aimed at achieving the goals and objectives.

“The Army’s goal is to reduce unused hazardous materials and hazardous waste generation. The goal is to protect human health and the environment.

The EM CX, part of the Huntsville Center, provides high-quality technical, scientific and regulatory support to environmental remediation, munitions response and compliance programs worldwide.