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
After reviewing the evidence presented in Pamela Stone, et al. v. High Mountain Mining Company LLC et al., Colorado Federal Judge William J. Martínez ordered High Mountain to pay $500,000 in fines for Clean Water Act (CWA) violations. Wyoming-based High Mountain owns and operates the Alma Placer Mine, a gold placer mine located near Alma, […]
This week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced citations for a Davie, Florida, erosion prevention contractor and a Savannah, Georgia, crawl space remediation company in separate worker fatalities. On October 13, the agency announced it cited Erosion Barrier Installations Corp. of Davie for 2 willful and 10 serious violations, with proposed penalties totaling […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ordered ExxonMobil Corp. to reinstate two illegally terminated employees when the company suspected the two leaked information to The Wall Street Journal, the agency announced October 7. OSHA ordered the employees’ reinstatement following a whistleblower investigation under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and ordered the company to reinstate the employees […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced October 6 it cited Pennsylvania-based metal coatings manufacturer Regal Industrial Corp. for 5 willful, 15 serious, and 1 other-than-serious violation at its Millvale, New Jersey, facility, seeking $573,681 in proposed penalties. The willful citations relate to respirator, written hazard communication program, safety data sheet (SDS), fall protection, […]
On September 22, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) announced fines totaling more than $144,000 issued to 2 contractors for violations, including repeat offenses, of state fall protection rules at worksites in Salem and Woodburn. The violations put multiple workers at risk of serious injury or death from falls to lower levels, […]
The EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a press statement on September 13, 2022, announcing it will begin an investigation into the Jackson, Mississippi, severe water crisis. The city’s water system has been plagued with issues for years, having been the subject of many EPA enforcement actions, including emergency orders and notices of noncompliance. […]
Are you ready for an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection of your powered industrial truck compliance? In the warehousing and storage industry, the powered industrial truck standard is OSHA’s most frequently cited standard. The agency currently has several powered industrial truck regional emphasis programs (REPs), as well as industry-specific REPs for warehousing and […]
On September 15, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced an expansion of its Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP). The program’s new criteria include violations of all hazards and OSHA standards and will continue to focus on repeat offenders in all industries. Under the agency’s 2010 policy, an employer could be placed in the […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is working to update its own processes as it emphasizes the need for businesses to truly embrace health and safety. Speaking at the National Safety Council’s 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo in San Diego last week, OSHA’s Assistant Secretary of Labor Doug Parker noted that in 2020, […]
On August 22, 2022, the EPA announced Smith Frozen Foods Inc. of Weston, Oregon, agreed to pay a $100,000 fine for Clean Air Act (CAA) violations. During a 2016 inspection, the EPA found the company failed to maintain and implement its required Risk Management Plan (RMP) when using and storing anhydrous ammonia, which is used […]