RUBEN J. ROJAS
Richland
Summary
Skilled Industrial Hygiene Technician with background in conducting field assessments and inspections to ensure worker safety. Possess strong knowledge of health hazard evaluations. Known for taking the lead in the field working with multiple crafts and maintaining compliance with OSHA standards. Impactful contributions include implementation of successful preventative measures yielding improved workplace conditions and safety.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Industrial Hygiene Technician (IHT)
Central Plateau Cleanup Company
Richland
01.2021 - Current
- Currently assisting in maintaining an IHT field lab for a small group IHT’s.
- Assisting with OJT/OJE process with new IHT’s.
- Working in a D-4 Demolition group, decommissioning and then demolishing buildings, including chemical tank yards. Supporting asbestos abatement, Be work, Lead work in Rad and clean areas.
- Assisting in the work planning for D4 projects, from start to finish.
- Daily use of direct reading instruments/monitors, gas monitors - hand held and stationery, sound level meters, noise dosimetry, physiological monitoring equipment, and many other direct reading instruments.
Industrial Hygiene Technician (IHT)
Washington River Protection Solutions
Richland
01.2014 - 01.2021
- Assisted at the Hammer Training Center as a Worker Trainer assisting in the Beryllium Curriculum. Assisted in updating Beryllium course content leading to high visibility impact on the success of the program and company goals.
- Successfully executed a lead position within the group as the IHT Training Lead. Assisted the WRPS Training Group with completely revising the IHT OJT/OJE objectives. Responsible for keeping a group of 65 IHT’s current in their IHT qualifications through various means of tracking, training, and communications.
- Successfully created, led, and organized an IHT Refresher Program by effectively using any downtime as an educational opportunity to refresh workers on instrumentation and procedures. Organized attendance, invitations, and communications for entire group (approx. 40 staff). Reviewed procedures and communicated proposed changes to subject matter experts leading to weekly meetings with SME’s, Training department personnel, and management.
- Worked directly with HSWET and Crystal Reports to periodically review for delinquencies and assisted in expediting completion of training as required.
- Served as IHT Field Lead assigning job assignments to IHT’s for daily work in the field. Subsequently moved into a more administrative IHT Lead role. Demonstrated initiative by broadening IHT daily tasks including establishing proficiency with Excel spreadsheets, notifying Level 1 management and IHT’s of daily assignments, tracking IHT field activity, attending job planning meetings, and procedure review both new and old. Responsible for assigning up to 35 IHT’s to as many as 15 different jobs.
- Assisted in a support role for various Hanford work craft working in Hanford Tank Farms 200 East. Field role is very intricate and detailed, requiring efficiency on numerous different types of Industrial Hygiene instrumentation. Daily use of direct reading instruments/monitors, gas monitors - hand held and stationery, sound level meters, noise dosimetry, physiological monitoring equipment, and many other direct reading instrumentations. A large portion of IHT duty is to capture occupational health samples, using NIOSH recognized methods for assembling sample pumps, sample media tubes, particulate cartridges, assigning unique identification numbers to each sample, preparing chain of custody paperwork and delivering to Lab pickup location. Work takes place in IH Lab setting as well in the Tank Farms field, year-round regardless of environmental conditions.
Decontamination/Decommission Worker
Washington Closure Hanford
Richland
01.2009 - 01.2014
- Assisted Safety and Health Professionals setting perimeter sample pumps in asbestos regulated and radiologically controlled areas. Directed others and controlled time logs for entry/exit points and duration of stay for mask required areas. Monitored environmental conditions and work types and directed staff for duration work period for work/rest regiments.
- Performed all work required to stabilize, decontaminate, disassemble, and/or package items identified for stabilization, decontamination, and/or decommissioning including any property, facility, structure, equipment, or system such as piping, machine, electrical, ventilation, or others.
- Mechanical aptitude for use of a variety of supplies, tools, and equipment in the decontamination, disassembly, packaging process, and waste disposal.
Education
General Education Degree -
Columbia Basin College
Skills
- Environmental monitoring
- Industrial hygiene regulations
- Safety compliance
- Training development
- Effective communication
- Problem solving
- Team leadership
- Continuous learning and development
- Confined space entry
- Industrial hygiene standards
- Air sampling techniques
- Gas detection equipment
- Personal protective equipment
- Air sampling
- Respiratory protection
- Hazard identification
- Training program development
Certification
- 40-hour Hazardous Waste Card (current)
- RadWorker II Certification (current)
- HGET (current)
References
Available upon request.
Timeline
Industrial Hygiene Technician (IHT)
Central Plateau Cleanup Company
01.2021 - Current
Industrial Hygiene Technician (IHT)
Washington River Protection Solutions
01.2014 - 01.2021
Decontamination/Decommission Worker
Washington Closure Hanford
01.2009 - 01.2014
General Education Degree -
Columbia Basin College