Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by KPA, we hear from Jill Schaefer, product director of content management, about how to measure the effectiveness of an organization’s safety culture. Q: What’s the best way to measure the effectiveness of your company’s safety culture? The fact that you’re reading this article […]
On October 16, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) extended the public comment period for the agency’s proposed rule change regarding worker representatives during inspection walkarounds (88 Fed. Reg. 71329). Comments on the August 30 proposal, titled Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process (88 Fed. Reg. 59825), were due October 30, but they’re now due […]
On September 28, 2023, the EPA approved Ohio’s plan to reduce the amount of phosphorus flowing from the Maumee River into Lake Erie’s western basin. The plan establishes a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorus for the Maumee River Watershed. “The TMDL is a ‘pollution diet’ dictating the maximum amount of pollution the water […]
An analysis conducted by Enverus Intelligence Research (EIR), a subsidiary of the energy-focused software-as-a-service firm Enverus, predicts that proposed changes to Subpart W of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Program “would more than double 2021 reported methane and increase overall carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions by 41%,” an EIR news release states. Purpose of the revisions The […]
The EPA announced that Jens Schkade of Grand View, Idaho, has agreed to pay an $88,749 penalty over violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) related to the safe handling and disposal of asbestos. According to the consent decree, on October 5, 2021, Schkade wrecked a commercial building called the Square Deal Store, located at […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine toolbox talks and employee participation in safety meetings. A strong safety culture starts with clear, inclusive communication from the top down and from the bottom up. Safety management and leaders must […]
A new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rule issued October 13 limits exemptions from safety regulations during emergency declarations (88 Fed. Reg. 70897). Under the revised regulations, a presidential emergency declaration will continue to trigger a 30-day exemption from FMCSA safety regulations (49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 390 through 399), including hours-of-service […]
Worker mental health is often overlooked, but businesses are paying more attention to it these days. OSHA in August focused its Safe + Sound Week program on mental health and well-being and resources to help alleviate workplace stress and support mental health. This week, the EHSDA Song of the Week is Soundgarden’s “Fell On Black […]
IBC Engineered Materials Inc., a Wilmington, Massachusetts, manufacturer, overexposed employees to airborne concentrations of beryllium, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced October 11. IBC, which does business as IBC Advanced Alloys Inc., was cited for 11 serious violations and 1 other-than-serious violation for the hazardous conditions and faces proposed penalties totaling $69,251. Employees […]
According to research findings from the National Safety Council (NSC), investments in technology to reduce workplace musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can improve both worker well-being and an organization’s bottom line, the NSC announced October 4. However, employers may not have the access and knowledge they need to effectively assess and implement risk-reducing technologies, according to the […]