Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
On September 13, 2023, the EPA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to amend the General Provisions for National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) to address applicability and compliance issues resulting from the addition of a compound to the list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) under the Clean Air Act (CAA). […]
The EPA estimates approximately 9.2 million lead pipe lines are used to carry drinking water to homes across the United States. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made $15 billion available through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to provide loans in support of lead pipe replacement projects in cities across the nation. “Washington, Oregon, Maine […]
Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su will join American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) President Jim Thornton and New York Governor Kathy Hochul on October 11 to dedicate a memorial in New York City to the 146 garment workers killed in the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, the ASSP announced September 27. The ASSP was […]
On September 25, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied a motion in Utah v. EPA to stay the EPA Good Neighbor Plan, which regulates air pollution crossing state lines. The single-page ruling states the motion was denied because the plaintiffs “have not satisfied the stringent requirements for a stay […]
The new final rule requiring reporting on all six fiber types of asbestos went into effect August 24, 2023. Issued under Section 8(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the rule requires asbestos manufacturers (including importers) and processors to report certain use and exposure information from the past four years, including information on asbestos-containing […]
On September 8, 2023, the EPA published a proposed consent decree to finalize nationwide standards that will protect U.S. waterways from harmful vessel discharges. Under the agreement, the agency must release final regulations on ballast water discharges by September 24, 2024. The proposed consent decree is to settle Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine the hierarchy of controls for workplace safety. Exposure controls are critical for protecting workers, and they either remove hazardous conditions or place barriers between workers and hazards. Ventilators might remove airborne pathogens, […]
An Augusta, Georgia, battery manufacturer faces $160,727 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines for exposing employees to unsafe levels of lead, the agency announced September 27. OSHA made its determination based on personal air monitoring of workers and lead accumulation on respirators and counters in areas where workers took their lunch breaks. The […]
An Oklahoma contractor agreed to pay $370,680 in criminal and civil penalties to avoid federal prosecution for a worker’s fatal fall, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced September 27. Skinner Tank Company entered into a deferred prosecution agreement on one count of ignoring federal safety regulations that resulted in a worker fatality in […]
Do you have effective ergonomics interventions in place at your facilities or worksites? How much are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) costing you? Ergonomic hazards are among the costliest workplace hazards, according to Liberty Mutual’s latest Workplace Safety Index (WSI). “Overexertion involving outside sources” (lifting heavy loads) tops the insurer’s WSI. Overexertion injuries collectively cost employers $12.84 […]