David A. Breitigam, CIH, CSP Industrial Hygienist & Certified Safety Professional

David A. Breitigam, Industrial Hygienist & Certified Safety Professional

David Breitigam is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and a Certified Safety Professional with nearly thirty years of professional experience involving manufacturing and processing operations, including both chemical and metal manufacturing, focusing on the improvement of environmental health and safety. He applies his expertise in industrial hygiene and safety to forensic casework involving injuries and exposures, environmental contaminations, and contractual disputes.

Across a range of facilities and industries, David has held responsibility for site specific and corporate Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE). In a recent role he was responsible for safety across all facilities and operations of a petrochemical processing company that received, processed, stored, and transported a broad range of specialty chemicals. David was the Corporate Manager of Health, Safety, Environmental and Process Safety at the Marathon Petroleum Corporation with responsibilities to include oversight of refineries, petroleum storage tank farms, pipelines, terminals, rail assets, vehicle fleets, and a marine fleet. In addition to safety and leadership experience within the petrochemical industry, David has HSE experience involving high hazard manufacturing operations, bulk material operations and has actively consulted with organizations to improve operations and workplace process safety.

David is recognized as a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene, and as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) by BCSP Foundation. He earned a Master of Science Degree in Occupational Health and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health.

Certified Industrial Hygienist and Safety Professional with nearly 30 years of experience in the recognition, evaluation and control occupational health and safety hazards involving chemicals, metals, and physical agents, as well as machinery, equipment, products and manufacturing processes and change management. With extensive experience in the chemical, petroleum refining, manufacturing, and construction industries and has developed a deep understanding of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations and requirements for the protection of human health and the environment.

Areas of Industrial Hygiene Expertise Include:

  • Identification and control of physical, chemical, and biological hazards
  • Beryllium and beryllium compounds
  • Lead
  • Asbestos program
  • Ergonomics
  • Sampling techniques
  • Laboratory quality assurance and data validation
  • Statistical analysis of data
  • Employee and contractor training

Areas of Safety and Security Expertise Include:

  • Strategic planning and implementation of various safety programs including but not limited to work permits, hazard communication, confined space, lockout/tagout and fall prevention
  • Construction safety
  • Behavior-based safety
  • Industrial fire brigade
  • Injury reduction techniques
  • Emergency planning and response
  • Management of change
  • Incident investigations
  • Process safety management
  • Risk management identifying, evaluating, and the prioritization the mitigation of risks
  • Radiation safety
  • OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)
  • Team organization and development
  • Employee and contractor training
  • Refinery security and active shooter response

Areas of Environmental Expertise Include:

  • Clean Air Act (CAA) regulating air emissions from stationary and mobile sources
  • The Clean Water Act (CWA) – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Requirements
  • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations
  • High level EPA negotiations
  • Developing and tracking company key performance indicators (KPIs)

Industries: Refining and chemical manufacturing, transloading facilities, municipal landfills, ferrous and non-ferrous (i.e. beryllium) foundries and mills, construction and demolition, food processing plants, electroplating shops, metal working plants, plastic injection molding, and printing plants.

Manufacturing Processes: General machining, metal forming, foundry operations, welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, metal inert gas (MIG) welding, brazing, grinding, soldering, oxyacetylene cutting, hot isostatic pressing, aligning, shrink fitting, blending, drying, dry solids handling, slurry handling, and liquid handling.

Refining and Chemical Manufacturing: Process safety regulation and requirements, oversight of large construction projects, steam, condensate, feed water, liquid fuel systems, natural gas, chemical feed systems, process water, waste water treatment, fire protection systems, gas detection and monitoring, distillation, reforming, heat exchangers, chillers, compressors, cooling towers, air handlers, boilers, underground storage tanks (USTs), above ground storage tanks (ASTs), automatic tank gauge (ATG) systems, Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR), radiation safety, and security.

Construction: General construction, framing, drywalling, electrical, plumbing, painting, flooring, roofing, pneumatic tools and fall restraint systems, asbestos, radon systems, and lead.

Material Handling Processes: Forklift trucks, forklift handlers including pallet, container and drum handlers, pallet jacks, hand trucks, carts and lifting devices.

Manufacturing Procedures, Standards and Specifications: Pressure vessels, power piping, pipe welding, structural welding, and hazardous area requirements.

Testing Methods, Data Evaluation, and Specifications: Hydrostatic testing, static, acceptance sampling, data quality assessment, and analytical laboratory quality assurance/control.

Engineered Systems: Automated liquids bottling, hydraulic power, pneumatic power, pneumatic control, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, clean room design, inert gas systems, liquid fuel systems, fuel delivery systems, vapor recovery, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration systems.

Machinery: Diesel engines, high-speed centrifuges, cable winches, pumps, drive gears, clutches, turbines, jib cranes, monorail cranes and hoists, overhead bridge cranes, milling machines, lathes, presses, screw conveyors, belt conveyors, roller conveyors, chain conveyors, spreader beams, lifting and rigging gear, and material shredders.

Professional Experience

Robson Forensic, Inc.

Associate

2021 to present

Provide technical investigations, analysis, reports, and testimony toward the resolution of commercial and personal injury litigation involving manufacturing and industrial safety practices and processes; occupational health exposures from chemical, biological, and physical agents; human factors and warnings; personal protective equipment; and ergonomics.

HSE Strategic Advisors, LLC

Owner

2014 to present
  • Expert witness testimony for plaintiff which experienced chronic exposure to hexavalent chromium.
  • Identified equipment and developed monitoring and mitigation strategies for employees exposed to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at a transloading facility.
  • Investigated employee complaints to inhalation of chlorine (Cl) gas and mist in a food services company. Found ventilation design to be inadequate.

American Refining Group, Inc.

Vice President Health, Environmental, Safety, Security and Process Safety

2017 to 2020
  • Developed an industrial hygiene exposure monitoring strategy for benzene, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and noise.
  • Implemented 4-gas monitors to mitigate worker exposure (i.e. Oxygen, LEL, Hydrogen Sulfide, Carbon Monoxide) for all employees and contractors.
  • Developed the risk management standard and risk matrix to mitigate worker exposures to dangerous conditions (example of simplified risk matrix).
  • Represented ARG as their corporate representative in an electrical arc flash incident.
  • Developed an incident investigation standard operating procedure.
  • Reformatted safety, health, and process safety standards to assist in employee understanding of the standards and their usability.
  • Focused organization on life critical safety standards (i.e. work permit, lockout/tagout, working at heights, confined space, hot work). Implemented monthly Health, Environmental, Safety and Security (HES&S) communication packet for all departments and employees.
  • Developed an internal safety, environmental and process safety audit program.
  • Revamped safety orientation and training including the transition to computerbased training.
  • Revamped safety orientation and training including the transition to computerbased training.
  • Developed near miss program.
  • Developed a behavior-based safety program.
  • Developed a process safety standard and program.
  • Oversight of the emergency response team, provided training to incident command and served as incident command safety officer to help mitigate hazardous spills, fires and other refinery emergencies.
  • Oversight of $20 MM Tank regulatory Consent Order and Agreement Project, $10 MM Flare Project, and $7 MM Fire Water Project.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Advanced Sr. HES Professional

2005 to 2017

Various technical and leadership positions over 12 years in Refining, Pipeline, Terminals, Transport and Marine (TT&M) and Corporate.

  • Developed an industrial hygiene exposure monitoring strategy for benzene, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and noise. Implemented 4-gas monitors (i.e. Oxygen, LEL, Hydrogen Sulfide, Carbon Monoxide) for all employees and contractors.
  • Developed personal protective equipment program.
  • Developed structured safety system to improve safety communications and accountability.
  • Revamped safety and health training for employees and contractors. Developed safety and health standards with focus on life critical procedures (i.e. work permit, lockout/tagout, working at heights, confined space, hot work).
  • Developed and field safety audit program.
  • Developed near miss program.
  • Developed behavior-based safety program.
  • Developed agenda and facilitated safety committee meetings.
  • Oversight of fire water improvement program.
  • Developed process safety program and designated lead for PSM National Emphasis Program Audit.
  • Led 2 locations to prepare and eventually become OSHA Voluntary Protection Program locations.
  • Led efforts to improve machine guarding at two refineries.
  • Led efforts to implement elements of American Chemistry Council Responsible Care certifications.
  • Served as Incident Command Safety Officer.
  • Led efforts to implement the Pipeline Safety Management System.
  • Developed safety organization for a $3 billion Coker Expansion Project.
  • Implemented serious injury and fatality process to focus organization on investigating the critical incidents.

Innovene, Inc. (formerly BP Chemicals)

Senior Industrial Hygienist Specialist

2001 to 2005
  • Developed and conducted industrial hygiene monitoring strategies inhalation, dermal exposure, and noise levels. Physical and chemical hazards monitored included acrylonitrile, acetonitrile, ammonia, amines, 1,4-butanediol, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, radiation, and noise.
  • Safe work permit design and implementation for hot work, coldwork, confined space, electrical, and trenching.
  • Conducted safety training for employees and contractors on a variety of subject matter including hazard communication, lockout/tagout, personal protective equipment, confined space, work permit, hot work, working at heights and ergonomics).
  • Oversight of asbestos contractor and program management.
  • Developed and implemented an ergonomics program.
  • Participated in local emergency response team and BP America Response Team to mitigate the release of hazardous materials, fires, and other emergencies.

Materion, Inc. (formerly Brush Wellman, Inc.)

Managing Industrial Hygienist

1995 to 2001
  • Employee inhalation exposure monitoring of beryllium particulates.
  • Design of ventilation to capture and control of beryllium dust and fumes created by manufacturing operations.
  • Implemented clean room designs including air showers and tacky mats.
  • Personal protective equipment survey to evaluate the availability, use, acceptance, and deficiencies of personal protective equipment and its implementation.
  • Statistical analysis and interpretation of large set of employees’ workplace exposure data.
  • Safety and industrial hygiene training for employees on topics including hazard communication, Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), personal protective equipment, hot work, working at heights and beryllium.

Centrex Corporation

Corporate EHS Manager

1993 to 1995
  • Implemented glove program to reduce cuts from knives and plastic flashing.
  • Oversight of Workman’s Compensation Program.
  • Injury investigation and root cause analysis.
  • Developed initial safety programs for Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout, personal protective equipment and hazard communication.
  • Developed a drum labeling program.
  • Conducted routine sample for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Conducted environmental cleanup of buildings containing discarded products and drums to prepare for demolition.

Professional Credentials

  • American Board of Industrial Hygiene, Certified Industrial Hygienist
  • Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Certified Safety Professional
  • Prosci® Change Management Certification

Education

M.S., Occupational Health, Medical College of Ohio at University of Toledo, 1997
B.S., Environmental Health, Bowling Green State University, 1993

Continuing Education

  • Mold Investigation and Report Interpretation, 2022
  • Basics of Mold Sampling for IAQ Investigations, 2022
  • 17th Global Congress on Process Safety Conference, 2021
  • Behavior Based Safety, 2020
  • Occupational Noise Exposure, 2020
  • Office Ergonomics, 2020
  • Machine Guarding, 2020
  • Material Handling Safety, 2020
  • Dropped Object Prevention, 2020
  • Spill Prevention, 2020
  • Active Shooter, 2020
  • Radiation Safety, 2020
  • Metal Shop Safety, 2019
  • Waste Management & Asbestos, 2019
  • Alarm Management, 2019
  • Respiratory Protection, 2019
  • Hazard Communication & Global Harmonized System, 2019
  • Electrical Basics, 2019
  • Walking Safely in Icy Conditions, 2019
  • Office Safety & Waste, 2019
  • Security, 2019
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – Automated Electronic Defibrillation, 2019
  • Scaffold User & Inspection, 2019
  • Stop Work Authority, 2019
  • Suspended Loads, 2019
  • Stop & Think, 2019
  • Risk Management, 2019
  • 15th Global Congress on Process Safety Conference, 2019
  • HM 126F DOT Rail Car/Tank Truck Hazardous Materials Training, 2019
  • Hazardous Materials Non-Bulk Training, 2019
  • Human Factor in Process Safety, 2019
  • American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHCE), 2018
  • Introduction to Alarm Management Practices and Principles, 2018
  • Preventing Harassment, Discrimination, Violence in the Workplace and Bullying, 2018
  • Essentials for Chemical Engineering for Non-Chemical Engineers, 2018
  • PDC 414: Electrical Safety II Energized Work Practices/ARC Flash/NFPA 70E, 2018
  • PDC 102: Strengthening EHS Leadership and Teamwork, 2018
  • Communication and Training International: Usability MappingEngineering Documents for Users, 2018
  • Operational Excellence: Creating A High-Performance Organization, 2018
  • Wheeled and Portable Fire Extinguishers, 2018
  • HAZWOPER Awareness, 2018
  • Fire Safety, 2018
  • Lead Awareness, 2018
  • Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures, 2018
  • Access to Exposure and Medical Records, 2018.
  • Waste Management and Asbestos Awareness, 2018
  • Incident Investigation, 2018
  • American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Conference, 2017
  • PDC: Cognitive Bias in Safety: Controlling the Consequences, 2017
  • PDC: Establishing Your Place in the C-Suite, 2017
  • CCPS: Process Safety Bootcamp, 2017
  • Cooling Towers, 2017
  • National Incident Management System (IS-00700.a), 2017
  • Introduction to Incident Command System ISC-100 (IS-00100.b), 2017
  • Ethics for the OH&S Professional, 2017
  • American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Conference, 2016
  • Clean Air Act and New Source Performance Standards/National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, 2016
  • PDC: Strategic Thinking for Excellence in Safety, 2016
  • American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, 2015
  • Recognition, Evaluation and Control of Legionella in Building Water Systems, 2015
  • PDC 425: Managing Indoor Mold, 2015
  • PDC 301: Designing Effective EHS Organizations Using Management Systems, 2015
  • American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, 2014
  • Layer of Protection Analysis, 2014
  • PDC 425: Bayesian Statistics: Applications in IH Data Interpretation, 2014
  • PDC 102: Health, 2014
  • PDC 410: Lean Safety Health and Sustainability, 2012
  • PDC 406: Beryllium Work Protection: A Model for Success, 2011
  • PDC 103: EH&S Management Systems, 2011
  • Industrial Hygiene Ethics: Know Where Your Liabilities Are Lurking, 2010
  • OSHA Hazardous Waste Site Worker Refresher, 2005

Professional Memberships

  • American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)
  • American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
  • Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)
  • American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)

Speaking Engagements

  • American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufactures: Hydrogen Sulfide Sampling and Mitigation, 2010
  • American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition: Beryllium Sampling Strategies, 2000

v. 05/5/22

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