Penn State HazWaste Staff Boosts Efficiency With Handheld Computers

July 24, 2000

University Park, Pa. --- Handheld computers are helping Penn State Environmental Health and Safety personnel enhance field operations and automate government-mandated record keeping.

The Penn State team is believed to be the first among schools in Pennsylvania and the first in the Big Ten to adopt the use of handheld computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs) for use in this type of application.

Janet Jonson, associate research engineer at Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory (ARL), managed the team that developed the applications and new software. She says, "Field tests of the applications are showing that they can save significant amounts of personnel time, enhance record accuracy and help provide a higher level of client service."

Harold L. Brungard III, environmental health and safety assistant, is a member of Penn State's hazardous waste (HazWaste) management staff and has been participating in the field tests of the new paperless system since they began a year ago. He estimates that the PDAs are saving 5 to 10 hours a week of data entry time as well as improving data management accuracy. He expects the team to continue to use the devices after the field tests are over.

Brungard explains that the HazWaste staff responds to between 75 and 150 requests to collect and manage hazardous waste each month. The materials include flammable solvents, corrosives, toxic materials and other hazardous wastes. On average, the team picks up about 500 containers and more than 15,000 pounds of waste each month. Federal and state regulations require container tracking from "cradle to grave," he says.

University personnel who want to dispose of waste material access a form on the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) website, complete it and send it back electronically to EHS. The information on the form, when submitted, is loaded into a database. HazWaste staff uses the database to generate an itinerary for their daily collection rounds. They can also download information from the database into their 3-Com Palm III computers and edit the information while on their route.

Brungard, who worked with ARL to design the electronic forms, says a display on the PDA lists pick-up location, chemical name, quantity of material, number of items, phone number of a contact at the location, and hazard class. If, when a staff member arrives for a pick up, for example, the number of containers differs from the information in the database, the team member can edit it on the spot with a point and click. Names of chemicals are also validated on site. At the end of the day, the edited information can be uploaded into the database by simply putting the handheld computer in its cradle.

"Previously, we spent time editing the information that was submitted to us and printing it out for pick ups. Somebody would also have to put the information we collected on the route into the database by hand at the end of the day," Brungard says.

"Now, the data collection is a logical process driven by the computer which automatically assigns inventory numbers. Customer service is more efficient and ?so is the use of staff time."

The EHS project development team included Maurine Claver, EHS Director; Kate Lumely-Sapanski, EHS manager; and Bill Dreibelbis, EHS manager, as well as Brungard. ARL staff members, besides Jonson, who participated in the development of the applications and software, include Ed Crow, associate research engineer; Bob Walter, research engineer; and Eric Grele, research assistant.

The computers are being provided by Vanguard Cellular Services, Inc. (AT&T Wireless Services). In 1997 Penn State and Vanguard entered into a multi-year technology services trial. The arrangement allows the University to gain experience with new digital wireless services and provides assistance to Vanguard in understanding capacity and deployment issues.

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Contacts:

Barbara Hale (814) 865-9481 (o)/ (814) 238-0997 (h)

Vicki Fong (814) 865-9481 (o)/ (814) 238-1221 (h)

EDITORS: Janet Jonson is at (814) 863-4458 or by email; Harold Brungard is at 814-865-6391 or by email.