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The Office of Inspector General (OIG) on August 4 issued its semiannual report, “Compendium of Open and Unresolved Recommendations: Data as of March 31, 2021.” The completion of the compendium is required by law and mandates that each inspector general prepare semiannual reports for Congress, which must include “an identification of each significant recommendation described […]
Scientists working in the EPA’s New Chemicals Division recently filed a disclosure revealing several tactics managers use that prevent adequate safety assessments of new chemicals, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). “One tactic managers have used to complete assessments within 90 days is forbidding assessors from communicating with other specialists,” according to PEER. […]
Willie Sease got his start in the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) field as an intern with The Heritage Group while completing his undergraduate studies at Indiana University Bloomington. The nearly year-long internship not only allowed him to apply the classroom knowledge he was learning in the field, but it also ignited his passion for […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited a Wayland, Massachusetts, contractor and his processor and successor companies with 28 willful, repeat, serious, and other-than-serious safety and health violations following two trenching fatalities. The agency seeks a total of $1,350,884 in penalties. Atlantic Coast Utilities LLC/Advanced Utilities Inc.; its predecessor company Shannon Construction Corp.; their […]
Unique climate changes have been reported across every region in the world and in the entire climate system, according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, released on August 9, 2021. “Many of the changes observed in the climate are unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years, and some […]
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 about enforcing safety rules and requirements with contractors. See what the experts had to say. Q: Can we or should we enforce our safety rules/manual/requirements […]
The EPA on August 5 announced proposed rulemaking regarding stronger greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks through model year (MY) 2026. The proposal also outlines the Agency’s plans for subsequent rulemakings for standards for MY 2027 and beyond. Additionally, the Agency announced upcoming rulemaking to address stricter emissions standards for […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on August 10 cited Safeway Inc. with violations of the agency’s lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and other standards at the company’s dairy facility. OSHA proposed penalties totaling $339,379. The agency inspected a Denver milk packaging plant operated by Safeway after a worker lost four fingers while operating a molding […]
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 create a fatigue risk management system. Worker fatigue is a serious problem that can lead to dangerous work conditions, lower productivity, injuries, and even death. According to OSHA, employers […]
The Joint Commission, which oversees accreditation of hospitals and other healthcare facilities, issued new and revised workplace violence standards that take effect January 1, 2022. The workplace violence prevention standards will apply to all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and many states, along with private insurers, […]