08
UP FRONT
GOODBYE TO JEANNE
Jeanne Zmich, doyenne of the North American hazardous materials compliance scene, has retired after more than 40 years with Labelmaster. Zmich, who helped define the hazmat regulatory compliance industry, has achieved a number of significant industry milestones during her illustrious career, which ended with her in the post of vice- president of research and development at the Chicago-based specialist. Zmich played a major role in the
development of a number of regulatory resources and publications. She co-authored the original two-volume set of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard, the first commercially available product to help employers comply with that Standard and a publication accepted into the Library of Congress. “Patrick McConnell and myself
researched and wrote over a two-month period the two-volume set of OSHA Hazard Communication Standard,” says Zmich. “Because it was the first product of its kind, it sold very well and helped us build a strong customer base.” Zmich also coordinated a collaboration with the National Paint and Coatings Association (now the American Coatings Association - ACC) to produce and develop the first Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) labelling hazard rating standard.
THINGS SNOWBALL But things were not always so structured. Zmich recalls her first days with the firm: “When I joined Labelmaster in 1974 it was
the very beginning of transportation regulations for placarding and labelling. The original owner, Harry Fund, who was a great entrepreneur, had studied the Federal Register and learned that placards and labels would be required in the months and years ahead. We started advertising before we even had product. “Soon afterwards, we hired Abe Samuels and had boxes and boxes of orders,” she says. “We couldn’t produce anything until the regulations were final and once they were established we began developing our products.” “It is amazing to see how this industry has changed over the past 42 years as well as how the current Labelmaster owners, the company
and the brand have evolved to support the needs of our customers and our industry,” Zmich adds. “Keeping hazmat goods moving safely and compliantly from point A to point B is getting more complex and our customers are looking for practical help to manage the risk across their entire supply chain and to be confident in their transport activities.” Until her retirement, Zmich continued
to monitor the daily pulse of the regulatory changes and interpretations. She was Labelmaster’s first books and programs products manager and led the company to produce a number of regulatory publications, including the Early CFR 49 concept, an innovative regulation manual that is still produced annually, and the first Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG). Zmich also served on a number of industry
associations and represented Labelmaster at the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Materials (COSTHA), where she served on its board of directors. In recent years she led COSTHA’s initiative to raise the profile of hazmat professionals and encourage a new generation to join the business. “The government likes to keep you on
your toes and there is always something new with regulations,” says Zmich. “It was very enjoyable to help customers effectively comply with the ever-changing and shifting regulations.” Zmich now plans to spend time
travelling with her husband, who she met at Labelmaster, and to spend time with her son and grandchildren. HCB would like to wish Jeanne a long and happy retirement.
HCB MONTHLY | SEPTEMBER 2016
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