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The Future of TSCA: Will EPA Regulate ‘Finished Articles’?

In a keynote speech at the Product Stewardship Society’s annual meeting on September 28, 2021, Michal Freedhoff, head of the EPA chemical program, “clearly articulated an intent by the Agency to reverse course and aggressively seek to regulate finished articles under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA),” according to an analysis in JD Supra by […]

Fall Protection Again Tops Most Frequently Cited Standards List

The construction industry fall protection standard (29 CFR §1926.501) continues to top the list of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) most frequently cited standards for the 11th year in a row. The agency unveiled a preliminary list of violations for fiscal year (FY) 2021 in a virtual presentation at the National Safety Council’s (NSC) […]

OSHA Ranks Top 10 Workplace Safety Violations of FY 2021

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2021. Patrick Kapust, Deputy Director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, presented the list virtually during the 2021 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, a tradeshow held live in Orlando, Fla., and virtually Oct. […]

Faces of EHS: A Service Mindset Fuels Brian Fleck’s Passion for Safety

Brian Fleck has been involved in the field of environmental, health, and safety (EHS) for more than 25 years. For our latest “Faces of EHS” profile, we sat down with Brian to discuss how he got his start in the industry, his biggest influence, as well as his thoughts on trends and best practices for […]

Study: Most U.S. Companies Moving Toward Sustainability

Eighty percent of U.S. companies have sustainability initiatives in place, according to a new study released by Honeywell. Businesses around the world are taking notice of their carbon footprint, and sustainability has fast become an important investment—and commitment—for companies across all industries. A company can achieve numerous benefits by investing in a sustainability roadmap—from lowering […]

OSHA Cites Paint Manufacturer, Seeks $709k Penalty

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited an Ohio paint and resins manufacturer with two willful and 33 serious safety violations in connection with a fatal April 8 fire and explosion at Yenkin-Majestic Paint and OPC Polymers Corporation in Columbus. The agency proposed penalties totaling $709,960 and placed Yenkin-Majestic in its Severe Violator Enforcement […]

Ask the Expert: Alternative Control Under Lockout/Tagout

In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by the team of industry experts at EHS Hero®, we look at a recent question from a subscriber asking what is considered alternative control under the lockout/tagout standard. See what the experts had to say. Q: What is considered alternative control under the lockout/tagout […]

FMCSA Establishes State Drug, Alcohol Restrictions

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) October 7 issued a final rule closing a loophole in the enforcement of the agency’s drug and alcohol regulations by requiring states to deny or downgrade commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) or learner’s permits for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers with drug or alcohol violations (86 FR 55718). Under […]

Back to Basics: Preventing Work-Related Hearing Loss

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine how to reduce risks from noise exposure in the workplace. In nearly every industry, there are workers at risk for work-related hearing loss. It’s among the most common work-related illnesses thanks […]

Cal/OSHA Getting New Enforcement Powers in 2022

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) will have expanded enforcement authority starting January 1, 2022, with the creation of two new classes of violations: enterprisewide and egregious. Governor Gavin Newsom (D) recently signed S.B. 606 into law, authorizing the new citation and penalty authority. If a cited employer has multiple worksites, there […]