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
In the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, the EPA finalized 215 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a decrease in enforcement actions—down from 482 penalties issued in Q3. The actions taken resulted in $7,739,116 in fines. Here are some of the highlights. CAA violations yield biggest fine from […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) continues to carry out inspections and issue citations to employers that expose workers to hazardous conditions. We’ve summarized some of the key enforcement cases from the past few months for a look at where OSHA is focusing its efforts. Roofing contractor faces $328K in fines A Newark construction […]
In 2025, many facilities that have never had to complete Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reporting will be required to submit reports on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This is because of the addition of more than 196 PFAS to the TRI list in 2024 and the elimination of the de minimis exemption, which allowed facilities […]
On January 7, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) issued a wildfire smoke alert in response to the Palisades Fire’s impact on air quality in Los Angeles County’s Pacific Palisades area. The state agency reminded California employers of their duty to protect workers from the health effects of wildfire smoke. Cal/OSHA’s wildfire […]
In November 2024, the EPA released the final revised risk determination and final supplement to the risk evaluation for 1,4-dioxane. The evaluation determines that 1,4-dioxane presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health under the conditions of use. This chemical is used primarily as a solvent in a variety of commercial and industrial applications, such […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine how workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities are tracked by the federal government. The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) collect and disseminate […]
There are many risks to consider when working on a job near water. Here’s what you need to know about worker safety around water.
On December 6, 2024, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) announced the final approval of amendments that “will make the Proposition 65 (Prop 65) short form warning more informative to consumers by adding at least one chemical name and providing additional warning options from which businesses can select,” according to an OEHHA […]
The EPA recently released a draft of the Interim Framework for Advancing Consideration of Cumulative Impacts, which is intended to provide EPA employees and decision-makers with tools and principles to consider cumulative impacts in their work. The EPA defines cumulative impacts scientifically by the totality of exposures to chemical and non-chemical stressors and their effects […]
California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted December 19 to make the state’s emergency respirable crystalline silica (RCS) standard permanent. The rule aims to protect workers, especially those who work with artificial, man-made stone, from silica exposures. According to the standards board, the RCS standard strengthens the emergency temporary standard (ETS) that went into […]