Current News

ES&H Industrial Group Purchases New Equipment
In a continuous effort to improve our level of service, ES&H Industrial Group has acquired two brand new, state of the art manway cannons. Also known as a “sludge buster”, the manway cannon fits into a tank manway while an operator controls it remotely from a control room located outside the tank. The cannons mount onto the manway and are equipped with lighting and a video recorder. These tools will allow ES&H to provide non-entry tank cleaning for our customers, allowing the job to operate more efficiently and safely. The tanks remain sealed while the robotic cannon liquefies sludge, which is then pumped out of the tank. At the client’s request, ES&H can separate the sludge by processing it with separation equipment. Because the tank remains sealed, there is no need for vapor recovery equipment and the cleaning process still complies with emissions regulations. While the cannon does the work, there is no need for personnel to enter the tank during the cleaning phase, making the process much safer than traditional tank cleaning methods. ES&H Industrial Group has the equipment necessary for any job, large or small, which puts us on the cutting edge of the tank cleaning industry.

ES&H... Expanding Again!
Over the past couple of years, ES&H has noticed a need for our services in the Mobile, Alabama area and doing what we do best, ES&H responded to that need! We recently opened a new response office, located at 5400 A Willis Rd. in Theodore, AL. This office will be able to perform many of the same services our customers require, such as, Emergency Spill Response, Industrial Cleaning, Product Sales, etc.

For more information on the Mobile office, please contact us by email at info@esandh.com.

 

Nicholls Reaches Internship Agreement with ES&H
Students in the College of Business Administration at Nicholls State University have a new opportunity to gain experience in their chosen professions, through an internship agreement with ES&H. 

“The plan is to cycle student interns through the company about every six months,” said Dr. Sonya Premeaux, associate dean of the College of Business Administration. “This is an excellent opportunity for our students to get hands-on experience in a highly respected company. We are very excited about this partnership.”

For its part, ES&H will provide work experience at the professional level consisting of both supervised training and on the job learning – not merely clerical or routine tasks. Students will work a minimum of 150 hours during a semester and will be evaluated at least twice, once at mid-term and once at the end of the semester.

Students wishing to intern with ES&H in accounting, marketing, information systems or human resource management submitted a completed internship program application, a resume and an official transcript to the college’s internship coordinator, who screened applicants with faculty and staff. ES&H made the final hiring decision.

The College of Business Administration at Nicholls State University established an internship program with ES&H on Tuesday, April 21. Pictured from left are Dr. Shawn Mauldin, dean of the College of Business Administration; Dr. Sonya Premeaux, associate dean; Keli Bonvillain, ES&H marketing director; Trey Boucvalt, ES&H president; Dr. Ken Chadwick, head of the Nicholls Department of Management and Marketing; and Dr. Michael Chiasson, head of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems

 

NPDES Vessel Discharge Permits Update
Do you have a vessel greater than 79 feet in length and greater than 300 gross tons or does it have the capacity to hold or discharge more than 8 cubic meters (2,113 gallons) of ballast water?  If so, then your vessel must be in compliance with the newly issued Vessel General Permit!  The permit and all background information regarding it are available via the EPA's website.  EPA is still proposing to have an electronic filing (eNOI) system in place before June 19, 2009. For more information on the eNOI system and deadlines for submittal, click here.  As soon as the electronic system is released, we are prepared to assist your vessel company with these filings, along with maintaining permit compliance!

New ES&H Houston OSRO Office
The ES&H Houston OSRO office has completed its move to a new location in Pasadena, Texas.  The new location will give ES&H ample yard space allowing us to now store Vacuum Trucks, Roll-Off Trucks/Boxes, and other equipment on-site.  In addition to the additional yard space, we now have a significantly larger office area that will allow us to house both our Houston OSRO and Consulting and Training Group divisions under one roof.  The address for the new office is 202 Preston Avenue, Pasadena, TX  77503.  Please give us a call if you would like to come by and visit our new location!

 

New ES&H Belle Chasse Office
The ES&H Marrero office is moving! ES&H purchased a building and adjacent yard space in Belle Chasse, located at 2305 Concord Road. The move from Barataria Boulevard in Marrero to Belle Chasse will provide ES&H with much more office space and yard space for our growing equipment. Concord Road is also just off of Highway 23, which is the main highway to Venice, Louisiana where many of our SMT customers have facility locations. Please give us a call if you would like to come by and visit our new location!

 

Vessel Discharge Permits
EPA issued the VGP (Vessel General Permit) and signed an order stating that the regulated community must comply with the permit by February 6, 2009; however, no vessel owner/operator is required to submit a NOI (Notice of Intent) before June 19, 2009. Vessels greater than 79 feet in length and greater than 300 gross tons or have the capacity to hold or discharge more than 8 cubic meters (2113 gallons) of ballast water will be required to submit an NOI. Vessels greater than 79 feet in length and less than 300 gross tons and not having the capacity to hold or discharge more than 8 cubic meters of ballast water, will not require an NOI to be submitted and will automatically receive coverage under the permit. An electronic filing system (eNOI) is being developed by EPA in order to submit the NOI and should be available in late Spring 2009 (before the June 19, 2009 submittal date). ES&H Consulting & Training Group is preparing to assist any vessel client with the submittal of the eNOI, as well as other permit requirements!

 

ES&H Set to Exhibit at IFSS Show
ES&H will be an exhibitor at the Industrial Fire, Safety & Security Show February 4 – 6, 2009 at the Reliant Center in Houston, Texas. The exhibition is held in conjunction with a conference designed to bring a large majority of the Gulf Coast industrial community together to discuss planning, preparedness, and response.

If you are not already registered to attend and would like a free VIP pass to the exhibit hall, ES&H would be more than happy to hook you up! Email info@esandh.com and ask for the free e-ticket to the IFSS show! Then make sure to stop by and visit the ES&H crew at booth # 743. For more information, please visit the IFSS website at www.ifssevent.com.

 

ES&H Increases Transportation Fleet
Throughout the past year ES&H has been consistently adding to our transportation fleet enabling us to be better equipped at responding to emergencies. We currently own over 164 response vehicles, 65 response vessels, and 116 response trailers equipped with decon supplies, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and other equipment used in responding to oil spills. Additionally, we have two storage barge sets, allowing for storage of up to 248 barrels of recovered oil each and over 20 roll-off boxes and vacuum boxes. We would be more than happy to show you around any of our facilities so you can see first-hand what ES&H has to offer!

 

ES&H Sends Care Packages to Our Troops
Several months ago ES&H began a program which allows employees the opportunity to donate new or used reading materials to be sent to members of America’s armed forces serving around the world in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Korea. Since then we’ve collected over fifteen 55-gallon drums of reading materials! These dedicated active duty servicemen and women have limited access to the everyday comforts of home and items as simple as reading materials can help! Please join us in showing our support for America’s troops by donating new or used magazines, newspapers, or books for the dedicated men and women serving our country. Together we can make a difference!

 

ES&H Hurricane Preparedness Plan Proved to be a Success!
ES&H is very pleased to report no major damages or injuries to our offices, equipment, or employees following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. All offices were secured and employees and equipment evacuated to safe areas more than 48 hours prior to impact. Our response personnel were ready to respond immediately following the storms and support personnel were back up and running the next day!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! Let’s hope we’ve already seen the worst of this hurricane season!

Following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, ES&H received the following words of praise for our hurricane preparedness efforts:

“I would like to thank you for keeping our company in mind while reaching out to your customers in their times of need. We were fortunate not to be in need of your services but in the event that we would, ES&H would be our first call.”

“We would like to recognize the exceptional effort and dedication shown by the ES&H on-site supervisor and crew involved in restoring normal operational activities and processes at our docks following Hurricane Ike.”

 

LOBOS Industrial Show
ES&H will be exhibiting at the 2008 LOBOS Industrial Show held November 19th-20th at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you will be attending LOBOS Baton Rouge, please let us know! We’d love to visit with you and discuss all the great things we have going on at ES&H! We’ll be located at booth #412 – please stop by and visit!

LOBOS focused expressly on petrochemical, pulp and paper, marine, refining, automotive, electronic, electrical facilities industries in the southern U.S. for 25 years. These regional trade events continue to serve as critical resources for industrial buyers throughout the Gulf Coast. For more information please visit their website at http://lobosservices.com.

 

CLEAN GULF Conference
ES&H will be exhibiting at the annual CLEAN GULF Conference held October 28th-30th at the Henry B. Convention Center, located in San Antonio, Texas. “The CLEAN GULF exhibition is a one-stop solutions event for today's busy oil and hazmat spill prevention and response professional,” reports the CLEAN GULF website. For more information on the exhibition and conference, visit their website at www.cleangulf.org.

If you will be attending CLEAN GULF this year, please let us know! We’d love to visit with you and discuss all the great things we have going on at ES&H! We’ll be located at booth #405 – please stop by and visit!

 

ES&H Responds to MS River Spill

In the early morning hours of July 23, 2008 ES&H received a request for emergency assistance to a vessel collision in the Mississippi River near the Greater New Orleans (GNO) Bridge. Since then we have been working vigorously with the United States Coast Guard, the responsible party, and federal, state, and local agencies to recover the spilled oil and restore the site to full operational conditions.

ES&H has been tasked with skimming operations near the accident site as well as in other impacted areas along the river. We are working to prevent impact in the Delta Wildlife Refuge by deploying snare boom, sorbent boom, and containment boom to protect these environmentally sensitive areas. ES&H is also assisting with Wildlife Hazing by deploying and maintaining scare cannons designed to scare birds away from the impacted area.

ES&H has extensive experience in the oil spill response industry. We are extremely confident that our resources, knowledge, and personnel will ensure a swift and efficient response to this incident

 

ES&H Increases Vessel Fleet

In a continuous effort to improve our level of service, ES&H recently received two of the nine new vessels that are being designed and built specifically for our oil spill response services. The design and build of the new vessels will enable them to better travel through shallow waters while still maintaining their ability to navigate rough seas. With a more open floor plan and the ability to carry extra weight, the new vessels will allow for a more efficient and quicker clean-up process. The vessels will also be equipped with GPS, SONAR, and RADAR systems. Most importantly the new design and build will allow for a safer navigation process through larger bodies of water.

ES&H also purchased two new storage barge sets, allowing for storage of up to 248 barrels of recovered oil each. This new addition will allow ES&H to store more recovered oil on-site, also providing a more efficient clean-up process. If you would like to view the new additions to our fleet of vessels, please call 1-877-437-2634 to schedule an appointment.

 

ES&H Opens an OSRO Office in Houston, Texas

Located at 8930 Lawndale Suite A, near the ship channel in Houston, Texas, is the newest ES&H OSRO office. ““We are excited about our expansion into the Texas market; it further signifies ES&H’s continued commitment to the future growth of our organization and our employees,” says Executive Vice President Davian Ploger. The Texas office is now equipped with a response vessel, fully stocked response trailer, containment boom, skimming units and other miscellaneous response equipment. Operations are already well under way, with the Texas office’s recent response to an environmental incident in east Texas.

Managing the operations in Texas is long-time ES&H employee, Peter Plaisance, who has been with the company since its inception. When ES&H first opened its doors, Plaisance began working for owner Trey Boucvalt as an oil spill technician. He then worked in various positions throughout ES&H including six years spent managing operations for our OSRO headquarters in Houma. “I am very excited about the opportunity I’ve been given to assist with ES&H’s expansion. We’re in an excellent location allowing for quick response time within the ship channel and surrounding industrial areas. We have a very prosperous future ahead of us in Houston,” comments Plaisance.

 

CLEAN GULF CONFERENCE

ES&H will be exhibiting at the 17 th Annual CLEAN GULF Conference held November 14 th – 16 th at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. “The CLEAN GULF exhibition is a one-stop solutions event for today's busy oil and hazmat spill prevention and response professional,” reports the CLEAN GULF website. For more information on the exhibition and conference, visit their website at www.cleangulf.org.

If you are going to be attending CLEAN GULF this year, please let us know! We’d love to visit with you and discuss all the great things we have going on at ES&H! We’ll be located at booth #500 – please stop by and visit!

 

ES&H LAPLACE OFFICE NOW OPEN

ES&H’s newest office, located at 1085 Bert Street, Laplace, LA, is home to ES&H Industrial Group and ES&H Turnaround Service, Inc. ES&H Industrial Group, LLC is an industrial cleaning company specializing in tank cleaning, asbestos abatement removal, remediation/restoration projects, and beyond. ES&H Turnaround Service, Inc. provides safety support services during turnaround projects, as well as construction safety management and more.

If you would like to take a tour of the new office, please contact Kevin Mire at 1-877-437-2634 or info@esandh.com .

 

ES&H CONDUCTS ICS TRAINING IN NORTH DAKOTA

Pat Bergeron and Mike Niles of ES&H Consulting and Training Group recently traveled to North Dakota to conduct Emergency Management/Incident Command System training for PetroHunt, LLC. The week-long classes focused on how the Incident Command System (ICS) is applicable to emergency management for the oil and gas industry during oil spills, as well as for other emergency events, such as adverse weather, fires, explosions, and search and rescue operations. Case studies of lessons learned from the Unified Command responses to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were also included in the training to assist in illustrating how ICS is applicable to all geographic areas. Pictured: Bergeron and Niles took a break from training to pose for a picture with the PetroHunt employees that participated in the classes.

ES&H is available to conduct almost all training courses on-site at your facility, as well as at our corporate office in Houma, LA and our Houston, TX office. for more information, contact Maria Champagne at (985) 851-5055.

 

MEET YOUR REGULATORS DAY WORKSHOP – HOSTED BY SCIA, CO-SPONSORED BY ES&H .

Over 175 people attended the SCIA Meet Your Regulators Day workshop co-sponsored by ES&H on May 1, 2007. Attendees heard presentations on the new TWIC program, U.S. DOT compliance issues, DEQ Environmental Updates, OSHA Compliance and much more! ES&H Vice President, Davian Ploger, was on hand to welcome attendees and also provided lunch for the entire crowd. If you were unable to attend the workshop, you can click here to receive a copy of the presentation slides. For more information, please contact info@esandh.com

 

ES&H GAINS POSITIVE REVIEWS FROM THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

For the past several months, ES&H has been assisting the USCG with the removal of hazardous material containing barges that were sunk due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The first of the four barges to be removed was completed in only 32 days, two weeks earlier than originally estimated.

When work began on the second barge, ES&H discovered more hazardous waste aboard than originally estimated, which would in turn increase disposal costs for the USCG. In an attempt to help the USCG save money, ES&H began considering other options. ES&H Industrial Group Manager, Audie Richard, developed the idea of operating a filter press system on site. This system will result in an estimated waste reduction of approximately 85% and will save the USCG an estimated $2 million in recovery costs.

 

ES&H PARTICIPATES IN EXXONMOBIL DRILLS

ES&H was recently invited to participate in the Annual Spill Management Team Table Top Drills for ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, Southeast Area in Baton Rouge, LA and also for the ExxonMobil SE ELIRT Team in Houston, TX. Our OSRO Group and Consulting and Training Group both participated in the drill, along with ExxonMobil representatives, State Regulatory officials, and other contractors.

The training and exercise is intended to measure the ExxonMobil Spill Management Team's ability to respond to an emergency. The drill is intended to test the Spill Response Plan and the ExxonMobil Spill Management Team's ability to effectively respond to an emergency.

ES&H places great importance on assisting our customers with remaining in compliance with the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Planning (PREP) Guidelines, found in 33 CFR 154.1055. Our OSRO group contributes hands-on experience and a wealth of knowledge on personnel and equipment, while our Consulting Group is available to facilitate the entire drill for our Spill Management Team customers. For more information on how ES&H can assist your company with meeting PREP guidelines, please contact ES&H via email at info@esandh.com.

 

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW… ES&H GETS NEW CORPORATE IDENTITY.

Since the inception of ES&H over a decade ago, the same corporate identity has been in place. We decided that it was time to give ES&H a “new look”. We started with a new logo, but didn’t stop there! ES&H also has new corporate stationary, business cards, corporate brochure, website, and even a new marketing DVD. We’re proud to share the new look of ES&H with you and hope you enjoy! Feel free to email us with your comments on our “updated” image.

 

ES&H PARTICIPATES IN COAST GUARD GOLF TOURNAMENT.

For the past six years, the MSU Morgan City/Marine Industry Golf Tournament has been held to “help foster the relationship between the industry and their Coast Guard counterparts,” says LT Thomas H. Brown, Inspector for the Marine Safety Office and organizer of the event. And once again, the golf tournament succeed its purpose - with 176 entries, this tournament was the largest to date!

ES&H is honored to be asked to serve as a food and beverage vendor year after year. As the sole agency responsible for the maritime safety of our public, the men and women of the USCG are very valuable to us, as individuals and as an industry. ES&H is very grateful to spend the day honoring these men and women who do so much for us!