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 American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing 7,500 of the EPA’s 14,300 employees, “signaling its dissatisfaction with the White House’s level of action on climate,” will ask the Biden administration to declare a climate emergency, reports Bloomberg Law. “The request represents a marker for the [AFGE] Council 238 when it sits down with the […]
In light of a steep decline in EPA enforcement, a coalition of 55 environmental groups and 144 EPA alumni sent a letter dated May 4, 2022, to U.S. Senate leaders urging the confirmation of the Biden nominee to lead the EPA enforcement division. Annual enforcement reports published by the EPA reveal approximately a 50% decline […]
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) released a pair of videos on chemical accident investigations that concluded last fall. The safety videos explored the causes of an explosion and a fire at the AB Specialty Silicones in Waukegan, Illinois, which killed four workers, destroyed the facility’s production building, and caused extensive damage […]
A House committee examining issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic alleged that meatpacking companies enlisted the help of political appointees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to weaken worker safety and health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). On May 12, the […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Region 8, which includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming, will begin the enforcement phase of its Regional Emphasis Program (REP) for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss on May 17. Enforcement begins with the end of a 90-day outreach program. The REP targets manufacturing industries with high […]
On Thursday, April 28, 2022, California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta announced his office is launching an investigation to hold the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries accountable for their alleged role in creating and continuing a global plastic pollution crisis. “For decades, these industries have aggressively promoted the development of oil-based plastic products and campaigned […]
The EPA is serious about compliance, especially when it comes to home renovations containing lead-based paint. “Reducing childhood lead exposure and the associated health impacts is a top priority for EPA,” states an EPA news release. “That’s why EPA inspectors will be working actively in overburdened communities … to encourage greater compliance with the federal […]
On April 22, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a newly issued Local Emphasis Program (LEP) for food processing facilities in Wisconsin. The OSHA outreach, inspection, and enforcement program is aimed at addressing machine and amputation hazards in food manufacturing facilities. From 2014 to 2020, OSHA investigated multiple fatalities, dozens of amputations, fractures, […]
On April 26, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it issued a hazard alert letter to Amazon after six contractors were fatally injured and another severely injured when a December 10, 2021, tornado struck the company’s Edwardsville, Illinois, warehouse. OSHA is requiring Amazon to review its severe weather emergency procedures. After interviewing Amazon […]
How likely will your facility or worksite be subject to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection? The number of OSHA compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) has declined over the past decade, while the number of U.S. businesses has increased, the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) recently pointed out. […]