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Beyond Training: Make Supervisors and Employees Practice What You Preach
A contractor presents evidence that it had provided training to a supervisor who violated safety regulations. Will this be enough to get the contractor off the hook with OSHA? The construction company in question builds and installs water supply and sewer pipes. On July 10, 2009, while the company was performing trenching work to install […]
Reduce Waste at Work
Writing/Printing Paper Establish a companywide double-sided copying policy, and be sure future copiers purchased by your company have double-sided capability. Reuse envelopes or use two-way (send-‘n-return) envelopes. Keep mailing lists current to avoid duplication. Make scratch pads from used paper. Circulate (rather than copy) memos, documents, periodicals, and reports. Use outdated letterhead for in-house memos. […]
Mosquito Madness
Ahhh, August. Long summer nights around the backyard barbecue, on the beach, or at the campfire. Scenes of idyllic bliss … until the sound of incessant buzzing is heard. Darn those pesky mosquitoes! Ensuring mosquito-free work and recreation is more than just a quest for unhindered relaxation. Mosquitoes can carry several harmful diseases, which include […]
Employee Involved in Vehicle Crash—Are You Liable?
The issue of employer liability for motor vehicle crashes, especially in distraction-related accidents, is heating up as more of these cases make it through the legal system. Yesterday, we talked about distracted driving policies. Having a policy can do more than put employees on notice that you’re serious about phone use. It can even potentially […]
Calculating Secondary Containment for Your SPCC Plan
Amanda Czepiel, J.D., SPCC Expert aczepiel@blr.com
Simplifying Secondary Containment at SPCC-Regulated Facilities
Amanda Czepiel, J.D., SPCC Expert aczepiel@blr.com Well, SPCC regulations and the EPA’s guidance are very specific about what needs to be included, and you don’t want to be caught unprepared: an insufficient SPCC plan is one of the top SPCC violations, and fines are hefty. Why does my facility need secondary containment? Secondary containment systems […]
Distractology 101: A Quick Course in Deadly Driving Distractions and What to Do About Them
The battle against driving distractions is being fought in state houses, on highways, and in corporate offices, where employee driving policies are being revised to help stem the surge of distracted driving accidents on the job. Consider the facts about work-related road accidents: Motor vehicle crashes account for nearly one-quarter of all fatal occupational injuries […]
Reducing Energy Consumption: Get In the Game
UST Best Management Practices: Spill Buckets
By Nancy W. Teolis, J.D., BLR Legal Editor-Environmental nteolis@blr.com Federal rules require USTs to be protected from spills, overfills, and corrosion. What is a Spill Bucket? Spill Bucket USTs must have spill buckets at each fill pipe where fuel is delivered into the UST to contain spills that may occur as a result of fuel […]