Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The EPA is taking steps to address the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water and other media, but, to date, the Agency’s actions involve gathering more information rather than issuing regulations. In its latest announcement, the EPA discusses its use of nontargeted analysis to identify PFAS in samples. This method allows […]
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ran out of patience with the EPA’s conflicting positions on the pesticide chlorpyrifos and ordered the Agency to revoke all food tolerances and cancel all registrations for the chemical within 60 days of the court’s August 9, 2018, opinion (League of United Latin American Citizens, et […]
In a letter of interpretation dated August 3, 2018, U.S. OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs provided several valuable insights into the extent chemical manufacturers, distributors, or importers may make use of trade secret protections when completing safety data sheets (SDSs), formerly material safety data sheets (MSDSs).
Slips, trips, and falls are a perpetual thorn in the side of EHS professionals. The hazard is so complex (and persistent across all types of industries) that it can be very difficult to manage. However, awareness is key—and to help boost awareness with strategies for fall prevention, we’re talking with Thom Disch, author of Stop […]
When considering the effectiveness of workplace safety regulations, some debate whether strong standards alone are sufficient to protect workers or whether strong standards are of little value without equally strong enforcement. These questions often come up when comparing federal OSHA and Cal/OSHA, and, at least in the area of standard-setting, Cal/OSHA is significantly stricter than […]
The EPA has issued a direct final rule—that is, an action for which there was no prior opportunity for public comment, and, in this case, one that is effective immediately—that appears to put an end to a 10-year dispute over whether air emissions from animal waste at farms should be subject to reporting under the […]
As a result of the devastating wildfires blazing through southern California, Morneau Shepell has opened its 24/7 crisis support hotline to help anyone affected by the natural disaster.
In our first environmental enforcement report for August 2018, there were two fines of over $1,000,000. In our second roundup for the month, there’s another one! Of course, there was also a fine for a mere $350, so it’s a wide range. Take a look at six recent cases and the penalties that were doled […]
A Seattle company that manufactures electronics mounting systems and other products is facing more than $250,000 in fines for multiple serious and willful worker safety and health violations discovered during three separate inspections this year.
The fourth-season premiere of Better Call Saul landed last Monday evening, and it was every bit as entertaining and brilliant as fans have come to expect. But it also included a detailed, accurate, and dryly hilarious scene wherein a main character takes stock of a large corporation’s major safety and security failings.