HEAVY METAL— BANNED


AMCOM is working to remove heavy metals from Army aircraft to ensure the health and safety of aviation personnel.


by Jacqueline M. Hames I


n some jobs, there is an inherent danger that simply cannot be avoided—urban window-washers risk falling from great heights; Soldiers risk being shot during wars. But others have dangers that can be


avoided. Aviation production and maintenance work- ers have been working with dangerous contaminants for many years, but the Army is putting a stop to that.


The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) is developing new ways to eliminate heavy- metal exposure from the workplace. Heavy metals are any naturally occurring metallic chemical elements that have a relatively high density, such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, thallium and lead. Some, such as zinc and iron, are required for good health in small amounts, but in larger amounts can be toxic. Others are just plain toxic in any amount—like mercury, cadmium and arse- nic. AMCOM is eliminating the heavy metals in the aviation fleet, in part, through use of a new anti-corrosive coating—a Class N primer. But getting the primer into the manufacturing process and onto existing aircraft isn’t exactly easy.


William Quinn, chief of operational safety in AMCOM’s Safety Office, and Mark Feathers, program manager for AMCOM’s toxic metal reduction program, sat down with


Army AL&T over the summer to talk about how their organization is making the workplace safer for Soldiers and civilians.


STEEL FRAME—RUSTED Corrosion is a natural, if undesired, part of the aviation life cycle. Rust—a type of iron oxide—is one of the most common forms of corrosion and can easily degrade metal equipment, helicopters and other vehicles in regular use if they don’t have an anti-corrosive coating.


“If you have iron in an oxidated environment, what will happen is the oxygen will adhere to the iron and it will form iron oxide,” Quinn said. “Over time that starts to


ENVIRONMENTAL HOTLINE


AMCOM’s Environmental Hotline is available 24/7 at 256-313-1711 to report heavy metals or exposure to heavy metals. You can also reach safety personnel via email at usarmy. amcom-environmental@mail.mil.


102


Army AL&T Magazine


Fall 2021


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