CORRESPONDENCE_2000-2005 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. John Caynak -2- COMPLAINT NORTH COUNTY LANDFILL FINDINGS: Based on my investigation of the incident, I have determined the following: • The alleged incident occurred during the site inspection by the Environmental Health Inspectors during their inspection on October 16, 2002. At that date,the inspectors entered the landfill about 20 minutes before 7:00 a.m. The site was not open to the public; the inspectors did not stop and inform County employees that they were on the site, and they proceeded to the top of the landfill over module three. • County landfill employees were not in the incident,nor were they placed in s; harms way. The employees did not report to work until 7:00 a.m. The employee nearest to the scraper operation was operating a landfill compactor about 340 feet from the scrapers. Another employee was stationed at the entrance road, about 450 feet from the scrapers. His duty was to stop traffic and not let vehicles, or County employees on road that the scrapers were using until they finished hauling their loads. Scrapers owned and operated by the County were not being used during the time that the inspectors were on site. • Landfill employees were not within the alleged 20 feet of the scraper operation. • When landfill employees arrived on the scene,they observed the Environmental Health Inspectors parked and standing within 20 feet of the edge of the haul road. • The 657e scrapers and operators were furnished by Ford Construction Company. They were traveling fully loaded,up a dirt haul road about 400 feet in length with slopes of 10 to 14 percent. According to the manufacturer,the scrapers are controlled by governors, and have a top speed of 33 mph, on level terrain. The top speed would have been much lower while climbing the steep slopes where the inspectors were standing. r Further,the 400 foot.long haul road had two sharp curves If the Scrapers had F x been traveling at the alleged speed,they would have been unable to negotiate the turns without tipping over. • Ford Construction company has completed its contract work, and no longer operates on the site. If the incident reported was in connection with the Environment Health Inspectors, it appears that they greatly exaggerated the speed of the equipment, and were wrong in their insinuation that landfill employees were within 20 to 30 feet of the scrapers. In fact,the inspectors placed themselves in harms way by entering the site before opening hours,not reporting to landfill officials that they were on the site, and proceeded to park their vehicle and stand near an operation that they thought was unsafe. Since landfill employees were not placed in harms way, and that scrapers were operated by a private contractor,this does not seem to be a legitimate complaint against the North County Recycling Center and Sanitary Landfill.