colden

Greg W. Richey, MS, CIH, CSP, CPEA
Principal

Education

  • Temple University, 1979
    Master of Science, MS concentration Industrial Hygiene
  • The Pennsylvania State University, 1971
    Bachelor of Science, BS Fuel Science

Professional Certifications

  • Certified Industrial Hygienist - Comprehensive Practice (1976 – present) and Indoor Air Quality Subspecialty (1994 - present) - American Board of Industrial Hygiene
  • Certified Safety Professional - Management Aspect, Board of Certified Safety Professionals (1992 - present)

Professional Experience

Colden Corporation

Principal Owner 1997 - present

Providing the following:
Mr. Richey is one of four owners of the firm and a corporate officer. Colden Corporation is an occupational health, Risk Management, safety and environmental consulting firm located in Philadelphia , PA. Greg provides project management and a full range of technical consulting to industrial, commercial and institutional clients. Mr. Richey specializes in auditing clients against standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and in assisting them in compliance issues related to OSHA inspections and citations. Detailed project experience is outlined below.

Galson Corporation

Regional Manager for Northeast Hygiene Safety and Industrial Hygiene Department Manager 1984 – 1997

A wide variety of industrial, commercial, institutional and government clients were served. Galson Corporation was an environmental health and safety consulting firm employing about 300.

BP - Amoco

Staff Industrial Hygienist 1981 – 1984

Greg was a staff EHS representative at the Amoco Research Center in Naperville, IL. This facility then employed 1400. It houses research functions for Corporate Services, Amoco Chemical Company and Amoco Oil Company. The site includes a full service analytical laboratory.

  • The site is involved in research concerning petroleum refining; chemical synthesis; polymer science; synthetic fuels; traditional fuels and lubricants; microelectronics, and chemical safety. Examples of tasks Mr. Richey completed at the site includes:
    • An audit of chemical exposures in all analytical laboratory personnel performing key analyses.
    • Review of reproductive hazards to specific employees as requested by the site physician.
    • Investigation of occupational illnesses as requested by the site physician.
    • Laboratory safety training
    • Other evaluations involving chemical catalyses, synthetic and traditional fuels pilot operations, fuel and noise exposures during automotive testing, etc.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Compliance Safety and Health Officer, Philadelphia Area Office Supervisor and Regional Industrial Hygienist, Compliance Safety and Health Officer 1977 – 1981

Performed both field and administrative functions.

  • Served many industries including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, steel, coke, foundries, heavy and light manufacturing.
  • Attended informal and settlement conferences. Acted in Area Director’s capacity in his absence when assigned. Testified in administrative hearings regarding cited occupational hazards.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources

Industrial Hygienist 1971 – 1977

Provided state consultation and enforcement in a wide variety of industrial settings including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, steel, mines, heavy transportation, electronics, universities, and many others.

Expertise

  • Hazard Assessment - Mr. Richey has performed many hazard-specific assessments. He performed safety and industrial hygiene assessments in automobile, metal casting, military, aviation, chemical, radioactive waste, petroleum, educational, network television, glass/ceramics, railroad, and food manufacturing facilities among others. Mr. Richey provided OSHA compliance advice to 10 National Laboratories under the management of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science.
  • Chemical Hazard Information – Mr. Richey managed projects to search available literature for the most current information on the toxic and physical hazards associated with several unusual compounds. Label information and material safety data sheets were prepared and kept current. Several commercial computer databases were used in addition to articles in printed periodicals. Records of hazard documentation were organized and maintained.
  • Occupational Safety and Health Program Development - Mr. Richey prepares written occupational safety and heath programs. He has created facility-specific programs on hazard communication, specific toxic substances (lead, arsenic, etc.), respiratory protection, OSHA laboratory standard compliance, personal protective equipment, lock out/tag out of energy sources, confined space entry, emergency response, bloodborne pathogens, fall protection, ergonomics, industrial noise and others.
  • Ergonomics Evaluations – Mr. Richey performs ergonomic risk assessments. He spent six months on a project to evaluate ergonomic risk factors at four Air Combat Command Air Force bases that covered virtually all operations at the bases. Detailed ergonomics assessments were performed at high risk operations. Deliverables included control recommendations and cost estimates.
  • Safety and Industrial Hygiene Training - Mr. Richey prepares and presents program implementation training for employees and management. Training has been provided for all of the programs defined above. Mr. Richey is an active member of the AIHA Communications and Training Committee. As Sub-chair of the Training Evaluation Group he lead in the preparation of a brochure on Training Evaluation recently published by the AIHA.
  • Indoor Environment Quality in Non-manufacturing Facilities - Mr. Richey has considerable expertise in the evaluation and control of indoor air quality problems in office, commercial and institutional indoor environments. He has led teams of experts in building ventilation, industrial hygiene, microbiology, architecture, and remediation in resolving serious indoor air quality problems that have impaired employee productivity. Mr. Richey has served on the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Indoor Environmental Quality Committee, helping to develop a certification program for industrial hygienists in the field of non-manufacturing indoor environmental quality.

Select Litigation Support Consulting Project Experience

Workers Compensation

Perform environmental and occupational exposure assessments for various chemical and physical agents in the manufacturing environment in defense of employee allegations of exposure and damage. Determine relevancy of purported occupational hazard to outcomes of concern.

Performed case analysis in a fatality at a construction site. Reviewed the worksite and performed an accident investigation to determine culpability in this multiemployer worksite. Made a determination that the attorney’s client was neither a creating, exposing, correcting or controlling employer and was henceforth not responsible for the fatality.

Personal Liability

Performed analysis of airborne and wipe sampling data for defense counsel in a house purportedly contaminated with diazinon by an exterminator contractor. Reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency’s risk assessment for banning diazinon for commercial use and determined its relevancy to this case with respect to potential health effects. The case went to binding arbitration and was resolved favorably for the attorney-client.

Performed an in depth indoor environment quality survey and exposure assessment for asbestos, volatile organic compounds, radon and other contaminants in a high school with purportedly increased cancer rates among the teachers. Performed a retrospective analysis of the schools land use including evaluation of archived school records and aerial photographs, as well as resident interviews to determine historical use of land and its potential contribution to current environmental and occupational exposures.

Served as defense expert for New York State in an asbestos claim made by an inmate in Attica prison. The inmate claimed exposure to asbestos while cleaning a boiler room. Mr. Richey testified regarding information on record. The attorney-client was successful in their defense.

Professional Associations

  • President – American Industrial Hygiene Association, Philadelphia Chapter (2002-2003)

Invited Presentations

  • A Comparison of Three Methods of Personal Exposure Sampling for Crystalline Free Silica in Pennsylvania Quarries, Presented at the American Industrial Hygiene Association Conference in Miami, FL 1975.
  • Resolution of an Indoor Air Quality Crisis in a Department Store, Presented at the AIHA Conference in Salt Lake City, UT, 1994.
  • Employee Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica Dust in Peanut-Processing Facilities, Presented at the AIHA Conference in Anaheim, CA, 1995.
  • Reduction of Heavy Metals Exposures During Maintenance of Modular Mass Burn Incinerators by Engineering Controls, Presented at the AIHA Conference, Kansas City, MO, 1996.
  • Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Your Industrial Hygiene and Safety Training Programs, Presented at the AIHA Conference, Toronto, ON, 1999.
  • Pyscho-Social Factors Affecting Perceived Indoor Environmental Quality, Presented at a Professional Development Course, American Industrial Hygiene Association, Philadelphia Chapter, Wayne, PA 2003