Do texas indoor gun ranges have inspections for ventilation or state requirements etc
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Re: Do texas indoor gun ranges have inspections for ventilation or state requirements
lol, I went there when it was raining one time. It was entertaining.
lol, I went there when it was raining one time. It was entertaining.
Re: Do texas indoor gun ranges have inspections for ventilation or state requirements
I remember in the mid-1970s when Rice University closed their pistol range in the basement of Autry Court. It wasn't because anyone did any environmental testing. It was because a student actually got sick and was diagnosed with high levels of lead in his system. This was a rimfire-only range with about a dozen firing points. How bad did the airborne lead have to get for a student to actually suffer noticeable symptoms from lead poisoning? Pretty darn bad.
Whether Texas requires any testing or not, OSHA requires employee testing (in practical terms. The way I read the regs, if your air quality testing turns out super-duper results, the testing may not be required. As a practical matter, I can't imagine any range operator failing to test employees. You can read the regs here: Medical surveillance guidelines - 1910.1025 App C ) If a range is run correctly, all employees will get (at minimum) an annual blood test to check for elevated lead levels.
If a range is really bad, I imagine those tests would cause the problems to surface. If an employee loses 20 IQ points to lead exposure because the ventilation is garbage, they've got a worker's compensation claim and the range owner has one horrifically expensive problem.
So, I'd say 4 things about the original question:
1. I don't think so. I've looked and can't find anything. IANAL, though, so if you *really* need to know, you should ask one.
2. It shouldn't be a problem since no insurance company should be stupid enough to sell worker's comp insurance to any indoor shooting range that doesn't do a good job with this.
3. It shouldn't be a problem since the blood work on the employees will eventually show problems that will then either get fixed or the range goes out of business.
4. Any indoor range operating without worker's comp insurance, without testing employees for lead, and without adequate attention to design and maintenance so as to prevent these problems does not deserve to stay in business.
The NSSF has a bunch of useful info on this in their digital library at NSSF | Shooting Ranges
A good paper to start with is http://www.nssf.org/ranges/rangeresources/library/NSRS/09TechnicalTrackIndoor/MngAirQuality.pdf
The only thing I found from the State of Texas has to do with hazardous waste disposal. They do have some regulations that apply to shooting ranges. If you're really curious about all this, you could contact them. They wouldn't be the right people, but they'd probably know the right people to talk to. Contact info is here: Questions About The Industrial and Hazardous Waste Registration and Reporting Program? - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - www.tceq.texas.gov
It's amazing how long bad situations are allowed to persist.
I remember in the mid-1970s when Rice University closed their pistol range in the basement of Autry Court. It wasn't because anyone did any environmental testing. It was because a student actually got sick and was diagnosed with high levels of lead in his system. This was a rimfire-only range with about a dozen firing points. How bad did the airborne lead have to get for a student to actually suffer noticeable symptoms from lead poisoning? Pretty darn bad.
Whether Texas requires any testing or not, OSHA requires employee testing (in practical terms. The way I read the regs, if your air quality testing turns out super-duper results, the testing may not be required. As a practical matter, I can't imagine any range operator failing to test employees. You can read the regs here: Medical surveillance guidelines - 1910.1025 App C ) If a range is run correctly, all employees will get (at minimum) an annual blood test to check for elevated lead levels.
If a range is really bad, I imagine those tests would cause the problems to surface. If an employee loses 20 IQ points to lead exposure because the ventilation is garbage, they've got a worker's compensation claim and the range owner has one horrifically expensive problem.
So, I'd say 4 things about the original question:
1. I don't think so. I've looked and can't find anything. IANAL, though, so if you *really* need to know, you should ask one.
2. It shouldn't be a problem since no insurance company should be stupid enough to sell worker's comp insurance to any indoor shooting range that doesn't do a good job with this.
3. It shouldn't be a problem since the blood work on the employees will eventually show problems that will then either get fixed or the range goes out of business.
4. Any indoor range operating without worker's comp insurance, without testing employees for lead, and without adequate attention to design and maintenance so as to prevent these problems does not deserve to stay in business.
The NSSF has a bunch of useful info on this in their digital library at NSSF | Shooting Ranges
A good paper to start with is http://www.nssf.org/ranges/rangeresources/library/NSRS/09TechnicalTrackIndoor/MngAirQuality.pdf
The only thing I found from the State of Texas has to do with hazardous waste disposal. They do have some regulations that apply to shooting ranges. If you're really curious about all this, you could contact them. They wouldn't be the right people, but they'd probably know the right people to talk to. Contact info is here: Questions About The Industrial and Hazardous Waste Registration and Reporting Program? - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - www.tceq.texas.gov
txinvestigator
TGT Addict
Re: Do texas indoor gun ranges have inspections for ventilation or state requirements
You are spot on about OSHA. That said, I know several ranges that never test employees.
You are spot on about OSHA. That said, I know several ranges that never test employees.
Re: Do texas indoor gun ranges have inspections for ventilation or state requirements
I just can't imagine someone that dumb being sharp enough to run a range well enough to stay in business.
I shoot at indoor ranges enough that I have my internist check *me* for lead levels. For a range owner to neglect this just boggles the mind.
That's idiotic. I don't doubt your word. Not at all. There are lots of incredibly stupid people in the world with enough money to start a shooting range.
I just can't imagine someone that dumb being sharp enough to run a range well enough to stay in business.
I shoot at indoor ranges enough that I have my internist check *me* for lead levels. For a range owner to neglect this just boggles the mind.
txinvestigator
TGT Addict
Re: Do texas indoor gun ranges have inspections for ventilation or state requirements
I agree. I never knew about the OSHA requirments until I went to work for a range that is strict in their enforcement rules for employees. They are brand new, have state of the art ventilation and require any employee doing any work "in the range" wear full protective gear. (RSOs have to limit their time actually on the line to pre-determined limits). They blood test regularly, and remove from inside the range duties anyone whose levels reach a level even lower than the OSHA standard. They are given other duties until the level reduces.
I agree. I never knew about the OSHA requirments until I went to work for a range that is strict in their enforcement rules for employees. They are brand new, have state of the art ventilation and require any employee doing any work "in the range" wear full protective gear. (RSOs have to limit their time actually on the line to pre-determined limits). They blood test regularly, and remove from inside the range duties anyone whose levels reach a level even lower than the OSHA standard. They are given other duties until the level reduces.
Re: Do texas indoor gun ranges have inspections for ventilation or state requirements
I suspect that most of your lead exposure comes from contact, not from breathing. That's another reason employees have the potential for high concentrations. Fix something on the range, then grab a sandwich, then (maybe) wash hands.
I suspect that most of your lead exposure comes from contact, not from breathing. That's another reason employees have the potential for high concentrations. Fix something on the range, then grab a sandwich, then (maybe) wash hands.
