Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A two-pronged effort—one by the EPA and one by Congress—is under way to reform the Clean Air Act’s (CAA) New Source Review (NSR) program. In December 2017 and March 2018, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt issued two memorandums for Agency regional offices, which somewhat loosened the criteria for determining if NSR is required. Now, House Republicans […]
When Taylor Farms workers in Tracy arrived for the morning shift on October 15, 2015, they immediately noticed a strong chlorine smell. Twenty workers, including two pregnant women, became sick enough that they evacuated the building and called 911. According to the Tracy Fire Department, the plant’s sanitation crew had accidentally mixed two cleaning chemicals, […]
October 2018 is the final deadline for complying with the remaining requirements of the federal 2015 underground storage tank (UST) amendments. If you are not already in compliance with these amendments, it is time to start preparing. Today we will look at the operation and maintenance (O&M) requirements for which you must conduct the first […]
Ladders create several potential hazards that your workers need to know about in order to avoid falls, injuries, and lost workdays. Our Safety Training Tips editor says that OSHA is quite specific about ladder design, inspection, and use, and has separate regulations for portable wooden ladders, portable metal ladders, and fixed ladders (29 CFR 1910.25, […]
It was 2:30 a.m. on February 7, 2016, when something went disastrously wrong at the JCG Farms Feed Mill in Rockmart, Georgia. A skeleton crew of seven workers was on duty that Sunday morning when the accumulated grain dust in the hammer mill exploded, killing 25-year-old Justin Deems and sending five other workers to the […]
OSHA’s new lockout/tagout (LOTO) directive tells you how the agency is interpreting the LOTO standards – and how its inspectors will be enforcing it. Wouldn’t you love to have the inside scoop on what OSHA inspectors will be looking for when they examine your lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures? Well, you can – courtesy of the agency […]
A road rage altercation allegedly led to the shooting death of 24-year-old Jesus Benitez-Jaimez on July 14, 2016. Benitez-Jaimez had pulled off the road in Panorama City, exited his vehicle, and walked back to confront the driver of another car behind him. When he approached the other driver’s window, Benitez-Jaimez was shot multiple times. He […]
On June 26, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the renewal of a national emphasis program (NEP) of outreach, inspection, and enforcement to address amputations in manufacturing. The new NEP replaces one set to expire June 27. The updated program will remain in effect for five years, according to the agency. Changes to […]