ORP Management in Wastewater as an Indicator of Process Efficiency

ORP Management in Wastewater as an Indicator of Process Efficiency

Posted by Patrick Higgins on Aug 22, 2013 2:02:00 PM

Oxidation-reduction potential, or ORP, has been used for many years in facilities that process wastewater generated by metal finishing plants, but recently it has become prominent in municipal wastewater treatment plants.  When using a typical ORP device, an operator inserts a probe directly into a plant’s tank or waste stream.  The probe contains a sensor that measures electrical charges from particles, called ions, and these charges are converted to millivolts (mV) that can be either negatively or positively charged.  Unlike “wet Chemistry” analysis that can be time-consuming and complex, ORP readings are instantaneous and easy to perform.  And like all sampling measurements taken by operators, they are snapshots in time that can indicate process efficiency and identify treatment problems before they affect effluent quality.  When using continuous monitoring and control instrumentation, this snapshot can become a real-time indicator. 
When used in wastewater treatment systems, oxidation-reduction potential is a measurement of the ability or potential of wastewater to permit the occurrence of specific biological (oxidation-reduction) reactions.  Important oxidation-reduction reactions in wastewater treatment systems include nitrification, denitrification, biological phosphorus removal, biological malodor production, and the removal of cBOD (carbon- and hydrogen- containing compounds).  These reactions involve carbon (C), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), and nitrogen (N) and their change from oxidized states (containing oxygen) such as nitrate (NO3-) and sulfate (SO2-4) and reduced states (containing hydrogen) such as ammonia (NH3) and sulfides (H2S).
ORP is measured in millivolts (mV) and on the ORP scale, the presence of an oxidizing agent such as oxygen increases the ORP value, while the presence of a reducing agent such as substrate or cBOD decreases the ORP value.
By monitoring the ORP of wastewater, an operator can determine what biological reaction is occurring and if operational conditions should be changed to promote or prevent that reaction.  For example, an operator doesn’t want denitrification or “clumping” to occur in a secondary clarifier; the operator, therefore, must maintain an ORP value of more than +50 mV to prevent clumping.  Similarly, an operator doesn’t want malodor production to occur in the sewer system.  So, the operator must maintain an ORP value of more than -50 mV to prevent sulfide formation and an ORP value of more than -100 mV to prevent volatile acid formation.
Let’s take a look at each of these reactions and their relation to ORP values in greater detail.

Nitrification

To satisfy discharge limits for total nitrogen or ammonia, wastewater treatment plants must nitrify.  Nitrification is the oxidation of ionized ammonia (NH4+) to nitrate (NO3-) and is performed by nitrifying bacteria when the ORP of the wastewater is +100 to +350 mV.

Denitrification

Denitrification is performed to satisfy total nitrogen discharge limits or destroy undesired filamentous organism growth.  Denitrification is the reduction of nitrate (NO3-) to molecular nitrogen (N2) and is performed by denitrifying bacteria with ORP of the wastewater is +50 to -50 mV.

Biological Phosphorus Removal

Wastewater plants conduct biological phosphorus removal to meet total phosphorus discharge limits.  The process consists of two treatment steps - first, biological phosphorus release and, second, biological phosphorus removal.  In biological phosphorus release, fermentative bacteria produce fatty acids in an anaerobic tank having an ORP range of -100 to -225 mV.  When the acids are absorbed by phosphorus-accumulating bacteria, the bacteria release phosphorus to the bulk solution.
In the second step - biological phosphorus removal - the phosphorus-accumulating bacteria degrade the absorbed acids in an aerobic tank and store the energy that was obtained from the degraded acids in phosphorus granules.  This storage of energy requires the removal of large quantities of phosphorus from the bulk solution.  The storage of phosphorus granules or biological phosphorus removal occurs when the ORP of the aerobic tank is +25 to +250 mV.

Sulfide Formation and Fermentation (Biological Malodor Production)

Biological malodor production occurs through two major biochemical reactions, sulfide (-SH) formation and acid formation  (fermentation).  Hydrogen sulfide is produced in large quantity when sulfate-reducing bacteria degrade substrate using sulfate (SO2-4).  Sulfate is found in groundwater and urine and when reduced through bacterial activity, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is formed.  Sulfide formation, which occurs when the ORP is between -50 to -250 mV, is a critical event in an anaerobic digester, where the sulfide serves as a sulfur nutrient for facultative anaerobic and anaerobic bacteria including the methane-producing bacteria.
During the equally critical event of fermentation, acid-forming or fermentative bacteria produce a large variety of volatile acids, nitrogen-containing compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds.  Many of these volatile compounds are malodorous.  Acid formation or fermentation occurs when the ORP is between -100 and -225 mV.  Fermentation is particularly crucial in biological phosphorus removal systems where the production of fatty acids is required for phosphorus release.  Fermentation is also important in anaerobic digesters where many of the acids and alcohols produced through fermentation are used by methane-forming bacteria to produce methane.
However, these reactions must be appropriately confined.  Septic conditions that permit sulfide formation and the discharge of sulfide into an activated sludge process should be corrected.  The presence of sulfide promotes the growth of undesirable sulfide-loving filamentous organisms such as Beggiatoa spp., Thiothrix spp., and type 021N.

cBOD Degradation with Free Molecular Oxygen

Removal or degradation of cBOD with free molecular oxygen (O2) occurs when the ORP in the reaction tank or aeration tank is between +50 to +250 mV.  The degradation is performed by cBOD-removing bacteria.  The bacteria are aerobes (using only free molecular oxygen) or facultative anaerobes (using free molecular oxygen or another molecule such as nitrate).

Methane Production

Methane (CH4) production is highly desired in an anaerobic digester and undesired in a sewer system.  Methane production is performed by methane-forming bacteria and occurs over a large range of ORP values, from -175 to -400 mV.

Knowing the ORP values associated with specific reactions has allowed operators to use ORP probes, and the information gleaned from them, in a variety of helpful ways.  Within a sewer system, for example, an ORP value less than -100 mV indicates the production of malodors due to sulfide formation and fatty acid production.  By adding sodium nitrate (Na2NO3) to a manhole, it’s possible to increase the ORP value above -50 mV and prevent biological malodor production.
In another example, the transfer of thickener sludge that is heavily laden with nitrate to an anaerobic digester may be regulated by monitoring the ORP of the digester sludge.  As the ORP increases from -400 mV, the transfer of thickener sludge may be terminated at a value less than -300 mV to prevent the loss of significant methane production.
Consider too that the absence of denitrification within a denitrification tank may be detected with the use ORP and hydraulic retention time of the tank or cBOD feed (methanol or acetate) to the tank may be adjusted to promote denitrification.  Likewise, the occurrence of biological phosphorus release may be monitored in a fermentative tank and if needed, hydraulic retention time may be increased in order to remove residual free molecular oxygen and nitrate that contribute to ORP values of more than -100 mV.
ORP probes are extremely versatile measurement systems for monitoring biological reactions within sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants, and for indicating to operators if acceptable or unacceptable biological activity is occurring.  Increasingly, they are a tool that wastewater treatment plants must have and that operators must know how to use.
Let us know your thoughts or ask Dr. Rob Smith your wastewater questions: rsmith@ysi.com.

Aquaculture Ponds - Understanding Ammonia

Understanding ammonia and controlling it is critical in aquaculture systems. If allowed to accumulate, ammonia is toxic to fish and can be detrimental to any fish production system. Once ammonia reaches toxic levels, fish are incapable of extracting needed energy from their feed. If the ammonia gets to a high enough quantity, the fish will eventually become slow, lethargic and eventually succumb to these high levels resulting in possible death.
In properly managed aquaculture pond setting, ammonia seldom accumulates to lethal concentrations. However, ammonia can have negative effects that don’t result in death but cause reduced growth rates, poor feed conversion, and reduced disease resistance. So, even though the fish don’t die directly from ammonia toxicity, it can affect the system in other ways and ultimately affect the overall crop.

Ammonia Dynamics
A single one-time measurement of ammonia concentration provides only a snapshot in time that the sample is measured. The processes that produce, remove and transform ammonia are complex and can change throughout the year. Sampling at different times and logging that data can provide more detailed, accurate information into the processes that affect your aquaculture system. Pictured right: An overhead view of ponds at an aquaculture facility. 
The main source of ammonia is simply through fish excretion. The excrement rate is directly related to the feeding rate and the protein level in the feed being used. As the feed’s protein is broken down in the fish’s body, some of the nitrogen is used to form protein 
(muscle), energy, and excreted through the gills as ammonia. The protein in feed is the ultimate source of most ammonia in ponds where fish are fed.
Another main source of ammonia is the diffusion from the ponds sediment itself. Large amounts of organic matter are produced by algae or added to ponds as feed. Fecal solids and dead algae settle to the pond bottom and begin the process of decomposition. This process produces ammonia which diffuses from the sediment bottom into the water column.

Ammonia Sinks
Luckily, there are a couple processes that also result in the loss or transformation of ammonia. The most important process is the loss of ammonia through the uptake by algae and other plants. Plants use the nitrogen as a nutrient for growth. Photosynthesis acts like a sponge for ammonia uptake so overall plant or algae growth in the ponds can help use up ammonia. Of course, excessive plant growth can have an effect on the diurnal cycles of dissolved oxygen levels causing DO to go very low during night time hours.
The other ammonia removal process is the transformation of ammonia through nitrification. Two main types of bacteria, Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacteria, effectively oxidize ammonia in a two-step process. First they convert ammonia to nitrite (NO2-) and then to nitrate (NO3-). Essentially, nitrification is a process of nitrogen compound oxidation (effectively, loss of electrons from the nitrogen atom to the oxygen atoms).
Several factors affect nitrification rates and understanding these and measuring ammonia at various times will provide a much better understanding for clear management decisions. Ammonia concentration, temperature, and dissolved oxygen concentration all play a major role. During summer, ammonia concentration is typically very low and so nitrification rates are also very low along with bacterial populations to handle excess ammonia. During winter, low temperature suppresses microbial activity. However, during the spring and fall, ammonia concentrations and temperature are at levels that favor higher nitrification rates. Spring and fall have common peaks in nitrite concentrations in many fish ponds.

Greatest Likelihood of Ammonia Problems
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established three kinds of criteria (one acute and two chronic) for ammonia (nitrogen), based on the duration of exposure. The acute criterion is a 1-hour average exposure concentration and is a function of pH. One chronic criterion is the 30-day average concentration and is a function of pH and temperature. The other chronic criterion is the highest 4-day average within the 30-day period and is calculated as 2.5 times the 30-day chronic criterion. The EPA criteria help determine when ammonia might be a problem.
Ammonia levels are heavily affected by changes in pH and temperature. Free ammonia is the toxic part of the Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN). Above pH of 8.0 the toxicity of the TAN rapidly rises. Source downloaded from www.aquaworldaquarium.com

Contrary to common assumptions, ammonia concentration tends to be greater during the winter (2.5-4.0 mg/L or higher) than during summer (~0.5 mg/L). The 30-day chronic criterion for ammonia (nitrogen) in winter ranges from about 1.5-3.0 mg/L, depending on pH. Ammonia concentrations may exceed these concentrations during the winter months during a time when fish immune systems are suppressed due to lower temperatures.
Another concern for ammonia problems occurs after a crash in the algae community. Rapid decomposition of dead algae reduces the DO concentration and pH and increases ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations. After an algae crash, ammonia concentrations can 
increase to 6-8 mg/L and the pH can decline to 7.8-8.0. The 4-day chronic criterion ranges from about 2.0 mg/L at 8.0 pH to about 3.0 mg/L at 7.8 pH. Therefore, ammonia concentration after the crash of an algae bloom may exceed the 4-day chronic criterion.
Daily variation in the concentration of toxic, unionized ammonia depends on changes in pH from photosynthesis and, to a much lesser extent, temperature. In the late summer or early fall, ammonia concentration begins to increase but daily changes in pH remain large. In these situations, fish may be exposed to ammonia concentrations that exceed the acute criterion for a few hours each day. If late afternoon pH is about 9.0, the acute criterion is about 1.5-2.0 mg/L total ammonia-nitrogen. These concentrations during the summer are typically less than 0.5 mg/L, so fish are unlikely to be stressed if the late afternoon pH is less than 9.0.

Ammonia Management
Even though practical ammonia management actions may be limited in a large pond aquaculture setting there may be some ways to reduce ammonia levels but others may exacerbate the situation - no method is a complete long-term solution in and of itself.
Reduce feeding rates - since excess feed and fish excretion are the main culprits of ammonia build up it seems reasonable to feed only what the fish need. This is not a short term fix but better managed over time to help keep ammonia levels reasonable. Using instrumentation
such as the YSI 5200A (www.ysi.com.5200A) or 5400 (www.ysi.com/5400) continuous monitors with built in Feed SmartTM software can easily manage feed delivery rates based on user input.
Increase aeration - aeration can be ineffective at reducing overall pond ammonia concentrations due to the relatively small area of the pond being aerated. However, it does increase DO levels causing fish to be less stressed. Avoid vigorous aeration to prevent stirring bottom sediment which can actually increase ammonia concentrations.
Lime - using lime agents such as hydrated lime or quick lime could actually make a potentially bad situation much worse by causing an abrupt and large increase in pH. Increasing pH will shift ammonia
toward the form that is toxic to fish. In addition, the calcium in lime can react with soluble phosphorus, removing it from water and making it unavailable to algae.
Pictured Right: Adding lime to control ammonia levels is not an effective long-term strategy.

Many fish ponds have sufficient alkalinity so increasing it above 20
mg/L as CaCO3 will not provide additional benefit. It only shifts the
distribution of ammonia from the toxic to the non-toxic form by moderating high pH in the afternoon without addressing the root causes of the high ammonia concentration.
Fertilize with phosphorus - Under normal pond conditions, algae blooms are very dense and the rate of algae growth is limited by the availability of light, not nutrients such as phosphorus or nitrogen. Adding phosphorus does little to reduce ammonia concentrations because algae are already growing as fast as possible under the natural conditions in the pond.
Adding bacterial amendments - Common aquatic bacteria are an essential part of the constant cycling of ammonia in pond ecosystems. Typical pond management creates very favorable conditions for bacterial growth. This growth and activity is limited more by the availability of oxygen and by temperature than by the number of bacterial cells. In most amendments, the most abundant bacteria are responsible for the decomposition of organic matter. Therefore, if bacterial amendments accelerate the decomposition of organic matter, the opposite deleterious effect could occur and ammonia levels could actually increase!
Measuring Ammonia
Research has indicated that brief daily exposure to ammonia concentrations far higher than those measured in commercial ponds does not affect fish growth. However, there are circumstances when it is definitely worthwhile to monitor ammonia levels.
Taking ammonia readings with an instrument like the YSI Professional Plus (ysi.com/proplus) and saving the data and viewing trends with Data Manager desktop software can provide valuable information in managing your aquaculture operation, stocking rates, issues with overfeeding and more.
In the South, for instance, ammonia concentrations in most ponds usually start increasing in September and reach a peak around mid-October generally 5-6 weeks after the last period of high feeding rates. About 2-4 weeks later nitrite concentrations will also peak. This is a generalized pattern and doesn’t occur in every pond. Ammonia or nitrite problems can occur with variable intensity at any time, especially between September and March and measuring will help indicate this pattern.
Ammonia should be measured after the crash of an algae bloom and at least weekly in cooler months of the year to help identify trends and potential problems not only with ammonia but also nitrite.
In summary, ammonia levels are difficult to correct quickly and effectively, especially in large ponds, so measuring and understanding your ponds natural ability to correct for high ammonia and nitrite levels can alleviate high concentrations. After seeing the difficulty in correcting high ammonia levels, measuring for ammonia can give a good indication of high nitrite levels and allow operators to effectively use salt to help protect fish against nitrite toxicosis. Extra vigilance after an algae crash is also warranted. Ammonia levels will typically fall back to “normal” levels again once the algae becomes re-established.
The primary key to proper ammonia management is to use fish culture practices that minimize the likelihood of such problems. This means stocking fish at a reasonable density, harvesting as often as practical to keep the standing crop from being too large, and using good feeding practices that maximize the proportion of feed consumed by the fish to help eliminate excess.
Measuring for ammonia and recognizing trends and levels for your operation is the easiest way to understand good operational decisions for your facility. Correcting ammonia problems can be difficult so maintaining a proactive sampling program can help prevent large ammonia and nitrite concentrations.
Some ammonia test kits can be time consuming if measuring many ponds or tanks and may only give an indication or an ammonia range. Handheld instruments with pH and ammonia sensors can give a much faster, accurate method for understanding your system’s ammonia issues and leading to faster operational decisions increasing facility efficiencies.

Paris plans to ban cars from its city center

By Liz Core on 8 Dec 2014

Paris is surging toward the front of the peloton of European cities racing for more bike- and pedestrian-friendly streets. Mayor Anne Hidalgo recently announced an ambitious plan to transform the historic city center into a “semi-pedestrianized” zone, where walking and biking will be encouraged, and automobile access will be limited to emergency vehicles, residents’ cars, and delivery trucks.
Now, when you finally get around to taking that dream vacation to the City of Love, you can travel via bicyclette — or go retro and rock a penny-farthing — down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées with fewer cars and less lung-choking smog. If Hidalgo gets her way, the ban will start on weekends, and eventually be all week.
Hidalgo wants to double the number of bike lanes in the city by 2020 as part of a $147 million cycling development program. She also hopes to implement an electric-powered bikesharing system, and to eliminate diesel cars by 2020 to curb carbon emissions, according to The Age:

In proposing a raft of anti-pollution measures, Ms. Hidalgo is building on the efforts of her predecessor and mentor, the former Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe.
He championed bike and car rental schemes, expanded bus and bicycle lanes, and reduced speed limits, as he sought to wean Parisians off cars in a bid to make the city more liveable.
Some 84 percent of Paris residents see fighting pollution as a priority and 54 percent supported a diesel ban in the city by 2020, according a poll of 804 people carried out by Ifop for the Journal de Dimanche.

The city enacted a temporary car ban this spring — and the French government even resorted to paying people to bike this summer — in an effort to fight Paris’s infamous smog. This new ban, although partial, is meant to be permanent. The pumped up efforts to encourage biking, walking, and public transportation should help fill the gaps.
Paris is already the host to the largest bikeshare system outside of China — the hugely popular Vélib, which was launched in 2007 and currently circulates about 18,000 bikes around the city. It’s no coincidence that 60 percent of Parisians go carless, up from 40 percent from 2011.
So while Hidalgo’s plan may appear overly ambitious from a U.S. perspective, given the speed at which Parisians are moving toward the car-free lifestyle, it may become a reality très bientôt.
Still, while Paris is surging, the Dutch still own the yellow jersey in the race to become pedestrian and bicycle friendly. (Sorry, Paris, we can talk about this when your bike paths are made of solar panels and your sidewalks glow.)

Informal Workers in Organized Sector

Informal Workers in Organized Sector

The Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya has said that no centralized data in this regard is maintained. Under the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970, Central Government is the “Appropriate Government” in respect of the establishments falling in Central Sphere.  The private companies, non-Government sector and unorganized sector come in State sphere. However, in the year 2013-14 the estimated number of contract labourers engaged by licenced contractors in Central Sphere was around 21.12 lakhs.               In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya said that the Ministry of Labour and Employment has launched a special drive to include contract and construction workers under EPFO pursuant to the initiative to provide Universal Account Number (UAN) to the EPF subscribers. The UAN will help them track their PF benefits across contractors. Hon’ble Prime Minister had launched Shramev Jayate Karyakram on 16th October, 2014 wherein a Shram Suvidha Portal was launched. This Shram Suvidha Portal currently applies to 4 major organisations under the Ministry viz. Office of Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS). This Portal, besides allotting a Unique Labour Identification Number to each establishment, will also comprise all details of both regular and contract workers. Till now, Unique Identification Number has been issed to 7,13,624 units. The Government has introduced transparent Labour Inspection Scheme in Central Sphere which will also lead to effective implementation of all the Acts including the Contract Labour Act. Further, Universal Account Number has been allotted to 4,21,000 EPF Subscribers to provide portability.             The Minister said that the interest of labourers in terms of wages and other service conditions are safeguarded under various social welfare legislations. Some of the prominent social welfare legislations are as follows: Ø  Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972                Ø  Employees’ Provident Fund & Misc. Provisions Act, 1952 Ø  Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 Ø  Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 Ø  Minimum Wages Act, 1948 Ø  Payment of Wages Act, 1936 Ø Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 Ø Equal Remuneration Act, 1976     Ø  Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 Ø  Workmen Compensation Act, 1923 Ø  Mines Act, 1952 Ø Factories Act, 1948 Ø Industrial Dispute Act, 1947 Ø  Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970. He said that as far as the security  in term of  wages to contract labourers is concerned,  under  Rule 25(2)(v)(a) of the  Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Central Rules, 1971, the wages of the contract labour shall not be less than the rates prescribed under  Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and in cases where  the contract workers perform  the same or similar kind of work as the workmen directly employed  by the principal employer of the establishment, the wage rates, holidays, hours of work and other conditions of service  shall be the same as applicable to the workmen directly employed by the principal employer doing the same or similar kind of work. The liability to ensure payment of wages and other benefits is primarily that of the contractor and, in case of default, that of the principal employer. ***** NSK/NN (Release ID :113562)

Arun Shourie on the Environment debate

Dec 28, 2014

Arun Shourie (File photo)

Arun Shourie, the winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for journalism in 1982, wrote in his book ‘We must have no price’ about the UPA’s official position on the  environment some of which has its relevant even today.

The four propositions on which India’s official position on environment had been articulated at various international fora in the past were :

1. On a per capita basis, emissions from India that harm world climate – CO₂ and the rest – are much, much less than those from the developed countries.

2. India is affecting perceptible, indeed substantial improvements – in area covered by forests (that is, in sequestering carbon), in energy efficiency (for instance, in energy-intensive industries like cement and steel), in improving the quality of air, etc.

 

3. Several of the measures and protocols that are being suggested will curb India’s growth rate, and, thereby, perpetuate India’s poverty.

4. And it is poverty which is the greatest pollution, it is also the greatest polluter: hence, India shall continue to strive to eliminate poverty and maximise growth. As they are the principal doers of harm, the developed countries must do their bit first before compelling countries like India into curbing their growth.

Mr. Shourie was of the opinion that the argument that others have problems, that others are exacerbating their problems and ours, is of little consolation: the deterioration that has taken place in India’s environment during the last 30 years because of things happening within India inflicts grave harm on Indians, here and now.
He also added that neither the then government’s draft on environment nor the pattern of development which underlied it were sustainable. According to him if things were to continue as they were, between then and 2050, close to 500 million people will be added to our cities. Mr. Shourie raised the question if India would be able to provide the quality of urban services that the urban resident of 2050 would demand. He added that India would have to do its bit, both for itself and also for the world.
While the amounts of emissions and pollutants that it releases per capital are lower than those of the developed countries, the totals of these are large, and, if Indians were to persist in acquiring consumption levels and adopting production processes of the developed world, these emissions will become fatally large because of the size of India’s population.
The renowned author and politician Arun Shourie, also suggested that India would be well-advised to set up national research missions to develop items such as the following:

» A cheaper and more efficient photovoltaic cell

» Cheaper and more efficient wind turbines

» The entire range of technologies and construction techniques that would enable us to set up off-shore wind farms along our extensive coast

» Technologies to harness tidal power

» An efficient hydrogen fuel cell

» Clean coal processes

» Desalination of sea water using solar and wind energies that are available in virtually endless supply along India’s long coastline

» Fast breeder nuclear reactors

» The thorium cycle for nuclear power

Mr Shourie stated that the entire discourse in India back then revolved around whether we will be growing at 6.7% or 7.6%. Quite apart from the fact that the way our GDP, etc. are estimated, such discourse places a concreteness on these numbers that is just not warranted, obsession with such growth rates obscures what is growing at these rates. Even a little reflection shows that were India to continue to pursue Western consumption patterns and production processes, twenty years hence all the steps taken together would have proven inadequate.
Mr. Shourie concluded by stating that there just aren’t the resources that could sustain that energy-intensive, high consumption, fossil-fuel dependent “growth”. Nor is it evident that higher and higher consumption and production of those commodities and services is what will contribute to what the Bhutanese have correctly identified as the goal towards which societies should strive – Gross Domestic Happiness.

Executives and business owners ask me about employee accountability all the time. They want to know how to make employees accountable.

Executives and business owners ask me about employee accountability all the time. They want to know how to make employees accountable.
I’d like to give you a resounding yes! Yes, you can improve employee accountability! But unfortunately I can’t tell you that.
I don’t believe employee accountability is a lost cause, but so many factors have an impact on the problem that there is not a simple solution. For example:  Were the employees raised to accept responsibility and be accountable; in their professional life have they worked for a company where accepting accountability was acknowledged or punished when things went wrong; are you certain they understood your request; did someone or something else get in the way? There are many factors to consider.
The single biggest factor in employee accountability, though, is you as the leader. We often believe we communicate clearly and our requests are understood, and I’m betting that more often than not it isn’t so.
I’m also betting that you assume that because they’re nodding their head, saying okay, or just sitting silently, they understand you and have agreed. Not so.
To improve employee accountability you have to begin with your own communication. Make sure you clearly define your expectations and the conditions of satisfaction (by when, how, who, what, color, etc., etc.). The next step is to confirm that they understood and agreed to complete your request.
Until these are handled well you will never be able to have the level of employee accountability you desire.

About the Author What make companies stellar performers? According to Linda Finkle, CEO of Incedo Group, it is the ability to communicate at all levels of the organization that makes them develop good strategies, work together to carry them out, and improve the bottom line. For over 25 years, she has left people talking, laughing, – and working

Read more: http://articles.bplans.com/employee-accountability-is-it-a-lost-cause/#ixzz3N1IX9j3F

5 Ways to Make Employee Scheduling Easy 

Employee scheduling is an important concern for every business manager. Managers can feel the pressure mounting when there is a lack of an effective scheduling process. Similarly, it hurts employee morale when they do not have a schedule that serves their skills and needs. To make matters worse, often the person in charge of staff scheduling is dealing with piles of timetables, schedules, availability calendars, and employee requests that they must managed manually or on a large spreadsheet. Some schedulers dedicate whole days or even weeks to developing, publishing, and editing employee schedules! There are dozens of schedule-related problems that need the attention of managers and staff alike. A well-managed schedule keeps the organization moving and resolves many complex situations. Let’s take a look at five ways to make the process easier.
1. Know your team
The first step to effective employee scheduling is to create list of staff who are currently working for your business or department. Along with their names and roles, you should also keep contact information handy, as well as any relevant skills and certifications. Additional information can include whether they’re part-time or full-time, as well as any overtime restrictions.
2. Create a process for staff availability
Give employees a chance to communicate their preferred work hours. Giving staff the option to voice their preferences offers managers a way to promote a collaborative environment. Additionally, knowing employee preferences can allow you to place staff in an available work shift that’s convenient for both parties. Availability can be kept in a calendar format or as a form. Employees should be able to pick more than one preferred shift. They should also be aware that they may sometimes have to work others shifts to cover all open business hours.
3. Make the schedule easily accessible
Once you’ve created the schedule, make sure that it is easy for staff members to view and access it. Often times, staff members can forget to look at the schedule if it is not in an easily visible place. Moreover, it’s easy for staff members to lose or misplace paper copies of their individual schedules. If the staff doesn’t have easy access to the schedule, they will often show up late to work (if they show up at all).
4. Plan for the worst
When you design the work schedule, keep the emergency factor in mind. A well designed schedule includes a plan B, so the manager won’t have to panic if any employee doesn’t show up or has to leave for an emergency. Having a well-organized availability chart will help here as well. Managers should also have clearly defined rules about shift trades and absences.
5. Schedule the right person for the job
Use your staff list to ensure that you are scheduling employees according to their talents and skills. Sometimes, especially in understaffed environments, managers are forced to fill the shifts even with staff who do not best suit the jobs. This may get the work done; however, your business will benefit greatly from processes that are perfected versus being just completed. Constantly scheduling staff members in positions that do not suit their preferences or abilities can also have a negative effect on employee morale.
To make employee scheduling easy, you may want to consider replacing the manual management process with a software solution.
Effective scheduling software will offer conflict management to produce error-free schedules and deliver the flexibility to handle your particular needs.  However you do your scheduling, covering all your shifts with the right person while making the process more efficient and less stressful should be your ultimate goal.

3 Reasons to Calculate Your Environmental Footprint

3 Reasons to Calculate Your Environmental Footprint Drive business opportunities by understanding your energy and environmental systems and incorporating best practices that increase profitability.
1. Knowing your environmental footprint will Improve Your Bottom Line: Your environmental footprint helps you to reduce utility bills; align your company with current regulatory compliance; minimize risk; cut expenses
on unnecessary waste; and more.
2. Environmental Stewardship: Be Part of the Solution, Not the Problem: Society is pressuring companies to conform. Recent studies indicate:
• U.S. organizations waste $2.8 billion/yr. and emit about 20 million tons CO2 from PCs that aren’t shut down at night
• Energy use could double by 2050
• In the past 50 years, humans have consumed more resources than in all previous history
• 55% of assessed river and stream miles are in poor condition
• 127 million people live in areas that exceed air quality standards
• 1.8 billion people will live in regions with fresh water scarcity by 2025
3. Positive Press for Your Company Drives New Business: Companies that understand their environmental impact are more likely to make changes –
driving positive write-ups, new business, increased suppliers, and potential partners.
How Do You Get Started?
Just as a fingerprint is unique to a person, an environmental footprint is unique to a company. Make sure you have the right resources and data to calculate yours.
Step 1: Understand the strategy and goals of your organization.
This is probably the most important step before delving into change.
Step 2: Determine what you want to calculate.
There are numerous footprints linked to environmental efforts that you can calculate. First you’ll want to determine which one is right for you? Examples include: carbon, greenhouse gas, water, energy, and more. Or is it more important for your company to calculate your entire systems environmental impact. By looking at it from a systems perspective, instead of a point solution, you will be able to identify your entire company’s impact and manage your company-wide risks.

Safety of Workers

Safety of Workers

The Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya has said that as per the available information from Chief Inspectors of Factories of States/UTs through Directorate General Factories Advice Service and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI) and Mine managements through Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), the total number of cases of occupational diseases reported State/UT-wise in factories and mines registered under the Factories Act, 1948 and Mines Act, 1952 during the last three years and current year are given at Annexure-I and Annexure-II respectively.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya said that the Ministry of Labour & Employment declared the National Policy on Safety, Health and Environment at Workplace on 20^th February, 2009. The purpose of this National Policy is to establish a preventive safety and health culture in the country through elimination of incidents of work related injuries, diseases, fatalities and disasters and to enhance the well-being of employees in all the sectors of economic activity in the country.  The following steps are taken by the Government to create health awareness amongst the workers/labourers:

(i)          In order to increase the awareness about safety and health issues amongst the mine workers, safety week/fortnight, rescue and first-aid competitions are organized in the mines every year.

(ii)         Safety and health training programmes are organized among Managers and Supervisors for improving safety and health standards in mines and factories.

(iii)         National Safety Awards are granted to mine workers and Prime Ministers’ Safety Awards are granted to the factories workers every year.

Annexure-I

Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) & (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred question No. 3464 for answer on 15.12.2014.

State wise details of Occupational Diseases reported in the registered factories under the Factories Act, 1948 for the Year 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014 (Till 30^th June)

Sl. No.	State / UT	Occupational Diseases	2011	2012	2013	2014 (TILL 30th JUNE)	Total
1.	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
2.	Andhra Pradesh	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
3.	Assam	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
4.	Bihar	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
5.	Chandigarh	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
6.	Chhattisgarh	Noise Induced Hearing Loss	Nil	Nil	Nil	14	14
7.	Daman& Diu and Dadra& Nagar Haveli	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
8.	Delhi	Occupational Dermatitis	Nil	Nil	Nil	NR	2
9.	Goa	Silicosis	Nil	Nil	1	Nil	1
10.	Gujarat	Byssionosis	6	1	1	Nil	24
		Noise Induced Hearing Loss	5	2	Nil	98	120
		Silicosis	2	1	1	Nil	18
		Deafness	7	Nil	Nil	Nil	19
		Nasal Septum Perforation	Nil	Nil	6	Nil	8
		Pneumoconiosis	Nil	Pneumoconiosis (silicosis)-12	Nil	Nil	13
		Asbestosis	Nil	Nil	Nil	1	22
		Dermatitis	Nil	Nil	1	Nil	1
11.	Haryana	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
12.	Himachal Pradesh	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
13.	Jammu & Kashmir	-	Nil	Nil	NR	NR	Nil
14.	Jharkhand	Silicosis	Nil	2	Nil	Nil	2
15.	Kerala	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
16.	Karnataka	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil

17.	Meghalaya	-	Nil	Nil	NR	NR	Nil
18.	Maharashtra	Noise Induced Hearing Loss	5	Nil	Nil	Nil	5
		Asbestosis	Nil	2	Nil	2	4
		Toxic Nephritis	Nil	Nil	4	Nil	4
		Silicosis	Nil	Nil	Nil	4	4
19.	Manipur	-	Nil	NR	NR	NR	Nil
20.	Nagaland	-	Nil	Nil	NR	NR	Nil
21.	Odisha	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
22.	Puducherry	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	NR	Nil
23.	Punjab	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
24.	Rajasthan	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
25.	Tamil Nadu	Silicosis – Pulmonary Fibrosis	Nil	Nil	3	Nil	3
26.	Tripura	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
27.	Uttaranchal	-	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
28.	Uttar Pradesh	-	NR	NR	NR	NR	Nil
29.	West Bengal	Byssionosis	Nil	Nil	Nil	NA	5
		Silicosis	34	Nil	Nil	NA	39
		Noise Induced Hearing Loss	297	Nil	55	NA	352
Total			371	35	88	128	726

Note: NR- Data Not Received in DGFASLI.                         NA-  Data Not Available with CIF.

Further the Details of occupational diseases as received from the State of Madhya Pradesh:

Sr. No.	Details	2011	2012	2013	2014
1	Number of workers died due to Silicosis	15	15	16	9
2	Amount  given	312555	356001	620200	156600
3	Number of workers given medical assistance	162	149	153	160
4	Amount of Medical assistance	1600000	1623000	2456400	1297500

Annexure-II

Year	State	Name of disease						Total no. of cases
		Silicosis		Coal workers Pneumoconiosis		Noise Induced Hearing Loss
		No. of cases	Occupation of affected person	No. of cases	Occupation of affected person	No. of cases	Occupation of affected person
2011	Odisha	1	Operator cum Technical (Gr. S.9)	4	Driver			5
					EP Fitter
					Shovel Operator
					Mining Sirdar
	Jharkhand			1	Overman			1
2012	Tamilnadu			3	Addl. Chief manager			3
					Tech. III
					Tech. III C
	Odisha			1	Shovel Operator			1
	Chhattisgarh			1	SDL Operator			1
	Maharashtra					2	U/G P.R. Worker	2
							U/G P.R. Worker
2013	Odisha	1	Jack Hammer operator					2
		1	Jack Hammer operator
	Karnataka	2	LDBH Machine Operator					2
			Loader Operator
2014*	Jharkhand	1	Timberman					1
*  up to 09.12.2014