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Domestic workers, such as caregivers, gardeners, and house cleaners, who are employed by companies in California are now covered by the state’s workplace safety and health laws, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) announced July 1. Changes in state law allow Cal/OSHA to enforce regulations for covered employers in the domestic services […]
On June 20, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a 7–2 ruling in Diamond Alternative Energy v. EPA, granting fuel producers “standing” to challenge the EPA’s 2022 approval of California’s vehicle emissions standards waiver. At the simplest level, standing means the legal right to bring a lawsuit. Legally, the concept of Article III standing comes […]
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 deal with common workplace injuries. Some workplace injuries can be tragic, like amputations, severe burns, and fatal falls, and more frequent or common worker injuries can result in costly workers’ compensation […]
On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) laid down rules to resolve split circuit court opinions, determining which EPA Clean Air Act (CAA) cases should be heard by regional district courts and which must be heard by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Before making its determination, SCOTUS heard two cases: The […]
The president’s proposed fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget for the EPA totals $4.16 billion, a 54% decrease from the FY 2025 enacted budget level, according to the FY 2026 EPA Budget in Brief. If enacted, it will represent the smallest budget the Agency has seen in 50 years. The FY 2026 budget supports 12,856 full-time […]
On July 1, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) took significant steps at deregulation by proposing changes to medical evaluation requirements in the respiratory protection standard. It also proposed changes to several toxic and hazardous substances standards to allow different types of respirators, remove provisions that duplicate requirements of the respiratory protection standard, or […]
On July 1, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) took its first steps at deregulation, publishing one final rule and many proposals. The final rule revokes 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §1911.10, the requirement for the assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health to consult with the Advisory Committee on Construction […]
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will withdraw a proposed rule that would have required the use of speed-limiting devices on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced June 27. The announcement was part of a “pro-trucker package” unveiled by Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, which also includes plans to “eliminate […]
On June 25, the Department of Labor (DOL) outlined its policies for referring regulatory enforcement cases to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal prosecution (90 Fed. Reg. 27057). The DOL’s Office of the Solicitor published its policies in response to the May 9 Executive Order “Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations” (E.O. 14294; 90 Fed. […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine the importance of workplace psychological safety. While workers face many physical hazards on the job, it’s important to consider the non-physical hazards as well. Psychological safety is a crucial part of any […]