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Two Conditions Under Which You May Not Need a Permit The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or your state may waive applicable requirements in a permit for a stormwater discharge from construction activities that disturb fewer than 5 acres. The intent of the waivers is to waive only sites that are highly unlikely to have […]
A series of storms raged across Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma over Memorial Day weekend, 2015, killing as they went. Among the dead were some who were washed away by floodwaters, others who died in tornadoes, and at least three people who were working on post-storm cleanup. Is your workplace prepared for a natural disaster? The […]
It’s a Small Project—Do You Need a Stormwater Discharge Permit? The operator of a small construction activity site is required to obtain coverage under a stormwater discharge permit if: The construction project will disturb more than 1 acre but fewer than 5 acres. The construction project will disturb less than 1 acre of land but […]
At 5:50 p.m. on May 9, 2015, a transformer exploded at the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester, New York, 50 miles north of Manhattan. Sprinkler systems activated as emergency response crews scrambled, working to keep the fire from the nuclear installation just 200 yards away. The crews poured specially designed fire-fighting foam on […]
As an employer, you can promote shared transportation among your employees in several ways. Employer-sponsored vanpools. The employer buys or leases vans, but employee/drivers may be responsible for planning routes, recordkeeping, collecting fares, and maintaining the van. Drivers are often allowed to use the vans during nonworking hours. Vanpools/Buspools. Third-party firms operate vanpool fleets and […]
In today’s Advisor, we present an exercise from BLR’s Training the Trainer audio presentation. This exercise allows trainees to begin to develop a training session that meets a need at their workplace. Trainees will write objectives, plan content, plan methods of encouraging participation, and develop exercises or proficiency demonstrations for evaluating participants. First, review with […]
According to the EPA, anyone who ships hazardous wastes off-site needs to comply with both EPA’s training requirements for generators and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) requirements for training hazardous materials employees. The generator’s certification language on the manifest is essentially the same certification language that the DOT refers to as the “shipper’s certification.” […]
Note: A hazardous waste manifest is the shipping paper for hazardous waste. The paper manifest travels with the hazardous waste from the point of generation, through transportation, to the final treatment, storage, and disposal facility (TSDF). Each party in the chain of shipping, including the generator, signs and keeps a manifest copy, creating a “cradle-to-grave” […]
Organizations invest large sums into computer equipment—desktops or laptops, monitors, keyboards, mice, and peripherals—and installed software, applications, Web technology, and other telecommunications components. Sometimes, they don’t get the full benefit from those investments, not because of the technology acquired but because of the work environment in which they are used. To maximize the value of […]
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, musculoskeletal injuries, also called overexertion injuries, account for approximately 30% of lost-time injuries. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers experience the highest number of overexertion injuries. These injuries often involve strains and sprains to the lower back, shoulders, and upper limbs. A new publication from the National […]