Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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. […]
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 […]
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced May 20 it updated its Site-Specific Targeting (SST) program of workplace inspections. The program directive (CPL 02-01-067), signed on April 8 and effective May 20, replaces a directive issued on February 7, 2023. The process for selecting establishments for inspection uses OSHA Form 300A data from […]
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), a group of labor unions representing workers in education, manufacturing, mining, and nursing, and a personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer filed a suit in federal court to reverse the recent reorganization of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the AFL-CIO announced […]
After ordering federal workers back to the office, the Trump administration sent an e-mail informing employees it will employ the use of technology to ensure they’re back, Reuters says. For example, it will track laptop logins, employee badge swipes, and other information to monitor where work is being completed. “Most EPA employees have returned to […]
On April 9, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) announced it’s launching a campaign to restore staff and funding to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently reorganized several agencies, removing NIOSH from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and combining NIOSH […]
On March 24, 2025, a webpage was added to the EPA website announcing the creation of an electronic mailbox to allow impacted regulated community to request a Presidential Exemption under Section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Eligible industry was given until March 31, 2025, to submit an e-mail request. “The [CAA] allows the […]
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s recent announcement of 31 historic actions the Agency plans to undertake “in the greatest and most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history” sent shockwaves throughout regulated industry, environmental groups, state and local regulatory agencies, and other concerned stakeholders across the nation. Although the Agency’s announcement labels these actions as historic, […]
On April 2, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) expressed concerns about reductions to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as part of a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) restructuring plan. The group also voiced concerns about a proposal not to renew leases for Occupational Safety and Health and […]
In a letter dated February 11, 2025, a group of leading Texas business associations urged new EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to expedite and approve Texas’ application for primacy authority to approve permits for carbon dioxide (CO2) storage wells, also known as Class VI wells. Supporters believe carbon capture and storage (CCS) deployment is the next […]