The Fundamentals of Professional Practice (FOPP) course is comprised of six months of mentored distance learning followed by a two-and-a-half-day seminar that emphasizes professional communication in the world of private practice. Attendees are expected to complete weekly reading assignments, quizzes, and three reports as part of a research project.

“Insofar as rising stars’ professional development is concerned, nothing comes even remotely close to FOPP. No seminar or webinar. No book or video. Nothing. FOPP stands alone. Participants earn recognition just by being selected. Enrolling someone in FOPP says, “We believe in you. We want you here for the long haul. You are a future leader.””

–FOPP

Almost every year, BSK selects two employees to participate in this distinguished program. Congratulations to Maggie and Kevin for completing the distance learning course!

BSK Associates is certified for PFAS analyses by EPA Method 537.1

The Water Board issued investigative orders to require monitoring of 25 to 38 Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) chemicals in likely source areas (e.g., fire-fighting foams at airports, bulk fuel terminals, and refineries, and the use of PFAS products in industrial processes, such as chrome plating) and those facilities receiving PFAS-containing waste materials (e.g., disposal of consumer products at landfills and industrial wastewaters at publicly-owned treatment works). Monitoring orders were also sent to public water systems to sample source wells located adjacent to the airports and landfills, and public water systems with prior Federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Rule Program 3 (UCMR3) PFAS detections. Those monitoring orders were expanded to include public water supply wells located around the initial set of wells that reported PFAS detections in 2020 and wells located near Department of Defense installations in 2021. The set of PFAS occurrence data resulting from these Orders now exceeds 8,400 drinking water and 5,700 non-drinking.

BSK Associates is certified by the CA ELAP to perform EPA Method 537.1 for the full list of 18 required compounds and for EPA 533 for the full list of 25 compounds.  BSK has performed PFAS analyses for over 6 years.  During that time, the laboratory completed thousands of EPA Method 537 analyses while participating in the EPA’s UCMR3 monitoring program.  BSK is well versed in reporting and regulatory quality requirements needed for these analytes.  We are also available to take samples.

For more information please contact: 

Cole Mackelprang 559-497-2888 ext. 160 or cmackelprang@bskassociates.com 

Additional EPA 537.1 Information Can Also Be Found at:

CA Water Board PFAS FAQs

Sampling Guidelines

US EPA PFAS Information

 

At BSK, we understand the important role we serve to our clients.  That is especially true of our Analytical Chemistry division, where it’s not always “Just another day at the office.” Emergency situations often come up that require testing, and they don’t always come up during business hours. There are times when public health and safety matters could be at stake, so having a team that is always prepared to respond to our clients’ needs, whatever the circumstances may be, is something we take very seriously.

Brenda Hamilton from our Sacramento laboratory location and Jaime LaFave from our Fresno laboratory location met with  the City of Davis staff on a Saturday afternoon last month and successfully assisted with an emergency situation that required a quick response, quick action and quick results turn-around.

“…the City needed emergency assistance and your team provided much needed professionalism and support.”

As a company, we feel it’s important to acknowledge one another’s efforts and achievements when something stands out. Everyone likes to know that their effort has some value. So we were pleased to find this letter in our mailbox acknowledging the effort and dedication of our team.

Click here  to read the full letter from the City of Davis.