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Ready For OSHA? Navigating Rights, Responsibilities, and Beyond

Understanding OSHA Inspections in Greater Detail As an employer, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of OSHA inspections, from the reasons for their occurrence to the potential consequences of non-compliance. This article will explore these topics, and more, to help you maintain a safe, compliant workplace. Reasons for OSHA Inspections While the primary reasons […]

OSHA Reaches Settlement Agreement in 2019 Explosion, Fire

Chemical manufacturer AB Specialty Silicones LLC has agreed to pay $1.3 million in penalties in connection with a May 2019 explosion and fire at its Waukegan, Illinois, plant that claimed the lives of four workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced October 2. Following OSHA’s investigation, it proposed penalties totaling $1,591,176 for four […]

Nebraska Grain Cooperative Facing $535K OSHA Fine

Legacy Cooperative, a Nebraska grain cooperative, faces a $536,965 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine for two willful and 22 serious violations, the agency announced October 3. OSHA initiated an inspection as part of its local emphasis program (LEP) for grain-handling facilities in the state. Agency inspectors identified life-threatening hazards at the employer’s Hemingford, […]

OSHA Completes Regional Office Restructuring

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on October 1 it completed the restructuring of its regional offices. OSHA’s most significant change is the creation of a Birmingham, Alabama, regional office responsible for employer assistance, inspection, and enforcement in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. Kentucky and Tennessee are the […]

Federal Judge Rules EPA Must Review Fluoride Levels

On September 26, 2024, California Federal District Court Judge Edward Chen ruled in favor of environmental groups in Food & Water Watch, Inc., et al. v. EPA. In his ruling, the judge stated, “Plaintiffs have proven, by a preponderance of the evidence, that water fluoridation at the level of 0.7 mg/L—the prescribed optimal level of […]

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EPA Extends PFAS TSCA Reporting Deadline

On September 5, 2024, the EPA published a direct final rule granting a deadline extension for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) reporting requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8 (a)(7). The reporting period was scheduled to begin on November 12, 2024, but the final rule delays the beginning of the reporting period […]

EHSDA Song of the Week: Burnin’ for You

When people think of October, they tend to think of the beginning of fall or Halloween, but it’s also Fire Prevention Month. Fire safety is obviously a huge part of workplace safety. In honor of that (and next week being Fire Prevention Week), the Song of the Week returns with a hard rock classic from […]

EPA Adds Electronic Reporting Requirement for Stationary Combustion Engines

On August 30, 2024, the EPA published a final rule for “National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP): Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS): Internal Combustion Engines; Electronic Reporting.” This amendment added electronic reporting provisions and made a small number of clarifications and corrections to these rules, as well as […]

EPA Launches Climate-Resilient Project Support Website

On September 11, 2024, the EPA announced the launch of a new website, the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Funding Toolbox (CRAFT). “CRAFT is a user-friendly resource for technical assistance providers working with federal funding applicants and recipients to develop, apply for and implement climate-resilient investments,” according to an EPA news release. “The website provides simple, […]

OSHA Orders Maryland Trucking Company to Reinstate Driver

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ordered a Maugansville, Maryland, trucking company to reinstate a driver and pay nearly $30,000 in back wages and damages after finding the employer wrongly terminated the worker for refusing to drive an oversize load in an unsafe manner, the agency announced September 27. OSHA investigators found that TrueStart […]