Water Well Journal
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/752472
T he final issue of 2016 focuses on the state of the groundwater industry. With that in mind, there is a feature story on ensuring you have proper contracts for your customers, a column on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's new rule on silica, and a Q&A with authors of a new book focusing on the water well hydrofracturing method. There is even a feature story on all the valuable texts to have in your office so you stay up to date on the latest techniques in the industry. Freelance writer Jennifer Strawn discusses the importance of having proper contracts in place for your jobs in the cover story "Can I Get Your 'John Hancock'?" beginning on page 23. She points out the terms can seem like a lot of legalese, but it's critical contractors know the differences between traditional contracts, engineer-procure-construct contracts, and design-build contracts. Strawn goes over the differences as well as explaining the elements of a good contract as well as clauses to be aware of and others to add in certain situations when your job calls for them. The latest installment of the monthly Safety Matters column by Jerome Spear CSP, CIH, is titled "OHSA's New Silica Rule" and examines the importance of understanding what silica is, the rule, and how to make sure you are safe on the job site. Beginning on page 40, Spear points out about 2.3 million people in the United States are exposed to silica at work, so it is critical for companies to have a plan. He notes that OSHA has two separate standards addressing occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica: one for exposures in general industry, and another applying to the construction industry. He then details the provisions and compliance dates for both. WWJ caught up with Allen Comeskey, CPG, and Stuart Smith, CGWP, authors of the new book An Introduction to Water Well Hydrofracturing: A Form of Well Development and Cleaning, for its Water Well Journal Q&A on page 28. The book from NGWA Press discusses how hydrofractur- ing is now an established method for well development and trans- missivity enhancement, goes over its use for large-scale public water supplies, has a chapter on state regulations, and details safety and sanitation for the jobs. It is a revision of a book Smith first au- thored in 1989, Manual of Hydraulic Fracturing for Well Stimula- tion and Geologic Studies. In their interview with WWJ, Comeskey and Smith talk about what they hope readers will take away from the book, the significant changes since the first book was published, the state of water well hydrofracturing and its key issues today, the misconceptions about the process, and its future as a tool for contractors. The feature story "All I Want for Christmas . . ." on page 31 by Lana Straub takes a look at several books that are ideal for any groundwater professional. She recommends standard texts that nearly everyone has heard of, others ideal for young workers, some focusing on water law, others with strong visuals, and new texts as well. Among the standards she talks about are Groundwater & Wells, Third Edition and the Water Well Handbook. The well-known Groundwater & Wells is referred to as "the bible" and the Water Well Handbook is called an "old standby." Straub provides two recommendations on books that are certainly not as popular. However, the titles focus on water laws and she says the content of these books can prove vital to the continued understanding of water—your chosen profession—and the laws governing it. Disclaimer Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association provide information for guid- ance and information purposes only. This publi- cation is not intended to provide investment, tax, or legal advice. The information contained herein has been compiled from sources deemed reliable and it is accurate to the best of our knowledge and belief; however, Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association cannot guarantee as to its accuracy, completeness, and validity and cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. All information contained herein should be independently verified and confirmed. Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association do not accept any liability for any loss or damage howsoever caused in reliance upon such information. Reader agrees to assume all risk resulting from the application of any of the information provided by Water Well Journal and the National Ground Water Association. Trademarks and copyrights mentioned within Water Well Journal are the ownership of their respective companies. The names of products and services presented are used only in an edu- cational fashion and to the benefit of the trade- mark and copyright owner, with no intention of infringing on trademarks or copyrights. No endorsement of any third-party products or services is expressed or implied by any infor- mation, material, or content referred to in the Water Well Journal. Subscriptions/Back Issues For questions, changes or problems with your subscription call Carol Clark. Subscriptions: Water well contractors and other qualified groundwater industry personnel in U.S. and Canada — free; others in U.S. and Canada — $115 per year; $15 per copy. International: $150 per year; $35 per copy. Subscriptions available through NGWA offices only. We re- serve the right to refuse subscriptions to any- one not directly engaged in the groundwater industry. Claims for missing issues must be made in writing within three months of publi- cation and will be subject to the availability of back issues. Advertising Disclaimer Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for all content (including text, repre- sentation, and illustrations) of advertisements printed and also assume responsibility for any claims arising therefrom made against the pub- lisher. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising that it believes is not in keeping with the publication's standards or is deemed unsuitable or misleading. In this ISSUE waterwelljournal.com 10 December 2016 WWJ Jennifer Strawn Jerome Spear Stuart Smith Allen Comeskey Lana Straub