PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management, Department of Health, University of Rhode Island Center for Pollution Prevention, and the William Davies Career and Technical High School will hold a news conference to announce a collaborative initiative focusing on pollution prevention, environmental compliance, and occupational health and safety issues in the auto body industry. In attendance will be DEM Director Jan Reitsma, Health Director Patricia A. Nolan, MD, MPH, and representatives from collaborating agencies.

Through a joint Memorandum of Understanding, which will be signed at the event, the agencies have formed a partnership to provide on-site technical and compliance assistance through a new environmental and occupational health certification program for auto body shop owners, auto body spray painters and technicians. The program will provide training on the most advanced, cost-saving technology available to the auto body industry, occupational health compliance assistance, blood lead testing for auto body repair technicians, x-ray diffraction sampling of environmental surfaces for lead, and worker outreach and education.

This is the first regional environmental and occupational health initiative of its type, involving state environmental and health departments, a state university and a vocational training institution, developed specifically for employers and employees in the auto body industry.

Crown Collision Center, Inc. is a participant in the program. Tours of the company's state-of-the-art facilities will be provided following the news conference.