Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
As today’s workplace becomes more complex, regulation of that workplace increases. In this section, you’ll find the practical advice you need to understand exactly what OSHA, other federal agencies, and their state counterparts, require of you, and to comply in the ways that best satisfy both your and their needs. Look also for important court decisions, advice on how to handle enforcement actions, and news of upcoming changes in workplace health and safety law.
Free Special Report: What to Expect from an OSHA Inspection
The North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) announced an increase in starting salaries for workplace safety inspectors on June 2. The new starting salary for fully qualified compliance safety officers was raised to $61,000 annually, an increase of more than 5% for the state’s frontline safety professionals. Compliance safety officers in the NCDOL’s Occupational Safety […]
For years, industry groups have complained about the EPA’s failure to meet its deadlines for the reviews of new chemicals as required by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Earlier this month, the Agency announced “it would disperse scientists from its independent research office to other divisions where they … will be tasked with approving […]
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin recently announced a proposal to approve the state of Arizona’s request to oversee Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) permitting for all underground injection wells in the state. Carbon sequestration wells, also known as Class VI injection wells, store carbon dioxide (CO2) deep underground that has been captured from an emissions source […]
On June 4, 2025, the EPA announced a penalty settlement in the amount of $270,437 with Ultramar Inc., doing business as Valero Wilmington Refinery, over chemical safety violations under both the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). The facility uses hydrofluoric acid, a dangerous chemical that can cause […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission vacated a series of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citations of a Missouri construction company in a final decision on June 4. A review commission administrative law judge (ALJ) concluded that the Department of Labor (DOL) couldn’t establish evidence of an employer-employee relationship or employer knowledge of […]
The House of Representatives recently voted 216 to 212 to repeal the power plant rule that “prevents facilities previously subject to strict standards for seven hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act (CAA) from being reclassified into a less-strict category of regulation,” according to a Washington Examiner article on MSN News. No replacement rule […]
The EPA officially reports it lost 733 staffers from January 1 to May 30, 2025, according to an article by The Hill. However, that number is certainly higher, as staffers who opted out when the “fork in the road” buyout offer e-mail was sent are still counted as employees because they still draw a salary. […]
The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) recently cited Hillsboro-based Renner Trucking and Excavating Inc. for repeated violations of trench cave-in rules, the agency announced May 28. The state safety and health agency is seeking $80,804 in penalties. Oregon OSHA cited the employer following an inspection that found two employees working in a […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced June 4 that it has reached a settlement with Adidas America Inc., requiring the company to pay $235,000 in fines and implement enhanced safety measures at multiple facilities. OSHA conducted a 2024 follow-up inspection at an Adidas warehouse in upstate New York. The agency initially cited the […]
On June 2, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the launch of an “opinion letter” program across five agencies, providing workers, employers, and others with compliance assistance. The program includes letters of interpretation from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) explaining the agency’s regulatory requirements. The DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, Mine Safety and […]