Safety Reporting Case: Was It Retaliation?
In a recent court case, a railroad transportation employee claimed that his supervisors retaliated against him after he filed reports about safety concerns. Here is what the court had to say.
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States Move to Shore Up Enviro Authority
Although the Trump administration has stated its intent and taken recent actions to reduce regulatory burdens for industry, environment, health, and safety (EHS) professionals cannot really breathe a sigh of relief because states are taking steps to make sure that they have the authority to develop and enforce environmental regulations no matter what happens on […]
Alaska Contractor Won’t Contest Safety Citations
An Anchorage building contractor has withdrawn its contest of nearly $300,000 in fines proposed by Alaska’s state-run safety and health program, the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
AGs Intend to Fight CPP Repeal
EPA’s proposed repeal of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) is only part of Act 1 of what will be a historic confrontation over the legality of the CPP that will be waged between the plan’s supporters and the Trump administration, which will be aided and abetted by many industry associations. The Agency’s proposal […]
Planning Ahead: The EPA Has a Plan for Disaster Debris—But Is Your State on Board?
Floods get lots of splashy news coverage—but flood cleanup, which can drag on for months, is less immediately dramatic. Many regions have faced the issue of removing millions of cubic yards of debris—much of it demolition debris, with contaminated or potentially hazardous wastes mixed in—in a way that protects public health.
Cal/OSHA Urges Protection Against Hepatitis A Virus
After outbreaks reported in San Diego, Santa Cruz, and Los Angeles counties, Cal/OSHA is encouraging employers whose workers are at risk of exposure to the hepatitis A virus to review preventive measures posted online.
Dicamba Manufacturers Agree to Change Labels
The EPA announced that it has reached an agreement with manufacturers of the herbicide dicamba, under which the companies will voluntarily change information on labels to mitigate spray drift of the substance.
Dealing with Debris: Do You Want It Done Quickly, Cheaply, or Cleanly?
After Hurricane Katrina devastated the Louisiana Gulf coast, the state had to figure out what to do with more than 38 million cubic yards of debris—including a quarter of a million trashed refrigerators full of rotting food and environmentally toxic refrigerant. And that was just refrigerators; debris that must be disposed of in the wake […]
The Latest Edition of NFPA Electrical Code Is Now Available
NFPA 70E 2018, the newest electrical safety code by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is now available at the association’s website, http://www.nfpa.org. The highly anticipated standard, which is updated every three years, clarifies accountability for electrical safety.
WOTUS Jurisdiction Argued Before Supreme Court
The issue of judicial efficiency was raised by Chief Justice John Roberts in oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court in a case that asks whether U.S. District Courts or U.S. Appeals Courts should hear challenges to the federal Clean Water Rule (CWR, also known as WOTUS for waters of the United States).