This
3.5-day course provides participants with the fundamentals of risk assessment
as applied to the Superfund cleanup process. This course is designed to present
an introduction to the Superfund risk assessment process to Project Managers,
On-Scene Coordinators, Risk Assessment Reviewers, and potentially new Risk
Assessors working at hazardous waste sites or treatment, storage, and disposal
facilities. The course assumes little experience with toxicology and risk
assessment or knowledge regarding Superfund risk assessment guidance.
The course is based on the following EPA documents: Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS): Volume I - Human Health Evaluation Manual (Parts A, B, C, and D) (The student is also introduced to RAGS Parts E and F); Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund: Process for Designing and Conducting Ecological Risk Assessments - Interim Final (https://semspub.epa.gov/work/HQ/157941.pdf); and Guidelines for Ecological Risk Assessment (http://www.epa.gov/raf/publications/pdfs/ECOTXTBX.PDF).
The
risk assessment process is presented in an introductory format. The overall
goal of the course is for the student to have a good understanding of the risk
assessment process associated with Superfund (and similar) sites. Additionally,
the student is introduced to many of the primary EPA guidance documents used to
prepare Superfund risk assessments.
Topics
include: baseline risk assessment, screening level ecological risk assessment,
preliminary remediation goals; applicable statutes, regulations, and guidance;
data collection and evaluation; exposure assessment; toxicity assessment; risk
characterization; uncertainty analysis, principles of ecological assessment;
ecological risk assessment guidance for Superfund; and ecological data
collection methods. Current technical and information resources will also be
discussed.
Instructional
methods include lectures, videos, class discussions, and group exercises.
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe risk assessment and risk management.
- Identify the applicable statutes, regulations, and guidance pertinent to human health and ecological risk assessments under Superfund.
- Describe each of the four steps of the risk assessment paradigm.
- Describe the eight-step process for ecological risk assessment.
- Identify and describe similarities and differences between human and ecological risk assessments.
- Identify and describe some of the data collection methods specific to ecological risk assessments.
- Review and have a better understanding of Superfund risk assessments.
Note: Calculators are highly recommended.
THIS COURSE IS NOT OPEN TO ACADEMIA, CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, OR ANY PRIVATE ENTITIES.
*This course is offered free of charge to all registrants who are confirmed to attend.*
This course is a classroom course that requires only one room.