Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Today’s workplace uses thousands of chemicals, many of which are hazardous. The resources in this section will help guide you in the safe and legal identification, storage, transport, and use of these chemicals, and in making sure that your employees right to know how to be safe around such substances is provided, as required by law.
Failure to have a written HazCom program consistently tops the list of OSHA general industry violations. Today we look at the essential elements of your written HazCom plan. The hazard communication standard (HazCom), also known as “worker right-to-know,” is one of OSHA’s most important standards. In summary, it requires chemical manufacturers, importers, and users to […]
Yesterday we reviewed hazardous waste regulations, control strategies, and container maintenance and storage best practices. Today we look at what your employees need to do to stay safe when working with or around hazardous wastes, and at management’s role in making sure that happens. It goes without saying that any employee who works with or […]
Hazardous materials remain hazardous even after they’re used. And other materials can become hazardous with use. Today we’ll review safety information about hazardous wastes that will help you protect your employees from harmful exposure. Hazardous Waste Defined According to the OSHA Required Training for Supervisors monthly newsletter, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) defines […]
Yesterday we looked at the debate swirling around the possible dangers of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in the production of food containers, water and baby bottles, and countless other consumer and industrial products. Today we’ll look at BPA in the workplace and at an upcoming audio conference on steps you can take right […]
In one of the latest shots fired in the war of words raging over the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), a new study has linked elevated concentrations of the chemical in human urine to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. BPA is an industrial chemical used primarily to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. […]
On Wednesday and Thursday, we looked at ways to protect workers’ skin from chemical and other workplace hazards. Today our Safety Training Tips editor discusses the importance of reading — and understanding — chemical warning labels. OSHA requires labels on chemical containers. The Hazard Communication Standard requires chemical manufacturers and distributors to label chemical containers […]
Yesterday we saw how frequent hand washing may lead to a higher incidence of contact dermatitis (an irritation of the skin caused by chemicals). We turn now to the larger issue of skin protection in general, and look at a resource that explains your legal obligations as well as best practices for limiting occupational skin […]
“Wash your hands!” your mom exhorted. And now you, as a safety professional, probably preach that to your workforce – you know that good hand hygiene is a fundamental of workplace safety. But where do you draw the line? In the healthcare setting, frequent hand washing is essential to prevent the spread of potentially serious […]
The old saying “don’t cry over spilled milk” applies to hazardous chemical spills, too. So don’t cry. Instead, says our Safety Training Tips editor, take these steps, and take them quickly and carefully! Health and lives could be in the balance. Put simply, a major spill can be catastrophic. Released in large quantities, hazardous chemicals […]