Our Practice Areas

• Environmental Health
• Environmental Policy Analysis
• Science Policy Support
• Program Evaluation
• Risk Assessment
• Risk Communication
• Homeland Security
• Redevelopment
• Technology Transfer
• Outreach
• Homeland Security
• Occupational Safety and Health
• Policy Formulation and Implementation
• Occupational Safety and Health Program Development
• Training
• Industrial Hygiene and Safety Consultation
• Litigation Support
• Research
• Telecommunications
• Underrepresented Populations
• Research
• Program Design
• Program Implementation

Homeland Security

Policy Analysis

MDB, Inc. staff members have played an important role in the evolving efforts to protect workers who respond to destruction caused by acts of terrorism. John Moran and Donald Elisburg authored the first national report on October 22nd, 2001 on the serious occupational safety and health risks facing responders at the World Trade Center Disaster. MDB staff authored a report on the technical feasibility of training and certifying construction workers to safely respond to disasters. MDB has worked closely with EPA, OSHA, NIEHS, DHS, and NIOSH on terrorism issues. MDB can provide the policy support needed for government and private companies to develop their own emergency response policies.

Technical Support

MDB staff headed a team of safety professionals assigned to protect the heavy equipment operators toiling in the burning debris at the World Trade Center site. MDB directed personal sampling of operators and issued respirators and other protective equipment. MDB staff have written several articles and a book chapter on the experience. Larry Reed, as the acting Director of the EPA Superfund Program, co-chaired an interagency workgroup with CDC and OSHA that coordinated daily multi-agency conference calls during the WTC response that allowed sharing of environmental and occupational sampling results. MDB also managed the EPA cooperative effort with CDC to analyze the dust samples in surrounding residences. Mr. Reed later worked on a rotational executive assignment with the EPA homeland security research program.
MDB can provide industrial hygiene, environmental and safety technical support that focuses on the complexities of disaster environments.

Training

Working with OSHA and NIEHS, MDB helped develop OSHA's Disaster Site Worker Course which is now being offered nationally through the OSHA Education Centers and NIEHS awardees. He also works with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Response team on issues of training responders. MDB is currently facilitating development of a national curriculum for responding to agro terrorism. MDB can develop training programs for at risk populations.