ONYX Experts
Scott Skelton, PhD, CIH
Co-Founder
Principal Exposure Scientist
Derek Kliethermes, PhD, CIH
Co-Founder
Principal Exposure Scientist
Dr. Scott Skelton
Dr. Scott Skelton is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) with 20 years of experience in emergency response, industrial hygiene, and health and safety industries. Scott received a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Arkansas State University, and a Master of Science in Industrial Hygiene from Montana Tech University. Scott also completed his Ph.D. in Fire Science from Oklahoma State University with research emphasis on benzene exposure during crude oil tank firefighting. This research explores exposure prevention for firefighters engaged in post-fire liquids mitigation with emphasis on aromatic hydrocarbons and liquid-phase diffusion in variable liquid temperature zones.
Experienced in short-term strategy development amidst dynamic conditions, Scott excels in the investigation, assessment, and development of practical exposure controls. Scott also has experience resolving emerging threats such as lithium battery fires, and new processes with complex hazardous agents.
Dr. Skelton brings strong academic training and an extensive background in emergency response, toxicology, industrial hygiene, fire safety, and health and safety.
Exposure Science/IH
Passionate about solving worker exposure to hazardous agents in unique working environments.
Fire Science
Focused on using sound fire science principals to mitigate workplace exposure to flash and explosion risks.
Engineered Controls
Experienced in the development of engineering controls designed for effective outcomes and practical implementation.
Dr. Derek Kliethermes
Dr. Kliethermes is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) with the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), as well as a FEMA E/L 954 All-Hazards Safety Officer. Dr. Kliethermes has over 15 years of extensive experince in emergency response and industrial incidents involving large scale chemical releases, train derailments, on-shore/ off-shore well control, industrial fires, and chemical reaction/ thermal runaway events with lithium battery fires and large-scale pool chemical warehouse fires. As a consultant, Dr. Kliethermes has coordinated resources scaling from individual investigation to multi-state responses with thousands of responding workers in support of health & safety work plans derived by himself and fellow exposure scientists. Dr. Kliethermes & colleagues patented The Sentinel Protocol; a remote-located, real-time gas chromatography (GC) speciation system for complex chemical mixture spills, involving volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This protocol, co-located with photo-ionization detectors (PIDs), has been used to communicate remote worker exposure in-situ.
Dr. Kliethermes completed his PhD in Fire Science with research emphasis on benzene exposure during crude oil tank firefighting. The research consists of firefighter exposure prevention and post-fire liquid mitigation efforts following the thermal chemistry involved in the firewater / foam application to hydrocarbon storage tank fires, with emphasis on steam cracking and benzene regeneration during extinguishment efforts.
Exposure Science/IH
Passionate about solving worker exposure to hazardous agents in dynamic working environments.
Fire Science
Focused on using sound fire science principals to mitigate workplace exposure to flash and explosion risks.
Innovative Tools
Development of unique solutions adapted for field application from software to adaptive data collection, for threat monitoring.