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.
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The EPA filed a proposed consent decree agreeing to review and potentially revise regulations governing emissions standards for the synthetic chemical manufacturing industry (SOCMI), which includes petrochemical plants. The consent decree was published in response to a lawsuit (Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (TEJAS), et al. v. Regan, No. 1:20-cv-03733-RJL) filed by environmental groups in […]
The EPA and the Department of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) posted proposed updates to the definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS) in the Federal Register on December 7, 2021. The proposed rule would define WOTUS as: Traditional navigable waters, interstate waters, and the territorial seas and their adjacent wetlands; Most impoundments […]
Two employers in Alabama and Arkansas are facing six-figure Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties following workers’ amputation injuries. OSHA cited iSpice LLC of Jackson, Alabama, with two repeat, serious and six serious safety and health violations and proposed penalties totaling $146,751. The agency cited Maxwell Hardwood Flooring Inc. of Monticello, Arkansas, with one […]
As the year winds down, we’re taking a look this week at some highlights from 2021. Today, we’re highlighting excerpts from some of our favorites from our Back to Basics feature, which made its debut in late July. August 9: Common Hazards, Frequent Citations Don’t let all the new, exotic workplace hazards distract you from […]
An EHS audit is a key piece of your EHS management system, assessing your compliance with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards to ensure that your management system performs as intended. How Should You Prepare Your Facility and Staff for an EHS Audit? To prepare your facility […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it has proposed more than $3.3 million in penalties in 54 inspections at Dollar General store locations nationwide since 2016. The agency most recently cited a Mobile, Alabama store for three repeat violations and proposed $321,827 in penalties. The store’s operator, Dolgencorp LLC, failed to keep the main […]
California Assembly Bill 1346, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 9, 2021, seeks to eliminate the retail sale of new gas-powered, small off-road engines (SORE) as early as January 1, 2024. It now becomes the responsibility of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop and implement a plan to enforce the […]
A St. Croix refinery is facing $259,407 in proposed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties after the agency cited the company for 20 violations of the process safety management (PSM) standard. Releases of oil and vapor into the air and fiery flares at a St. Croix refinery in February and May led to an […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it is seeking proposed penalties totaling $374,603 following the death of a worker who fell about 60 feet from a roof during demolition of a Brooklyn building. OSHA cited Richmond Construction Inc. of Jamaica, New York, for two willful, one repeat, and six serious violations of workplace […]
Doug Parker, the new assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, previously headed the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). How might the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) begin to resemble Cal/OSHA? Federal OSHA already has three rulemakings in the works that delve into issues already regulated in California: […]