Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
December 31, 2017, was the deadline OSHA set for employers to submit their injury data for calendar year (CY) 2016. OSHA now says more than half the 350,000 businesses OSHA believes are subject to filing did not do so in time. OSHA now has until June 15, 2018, to issue citations for noncompliance with the […]
If the operator of a public water system (PWS) uses a registered pesticide product to treat the water, which federal law takes precedence—the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) or the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)?
Federal safety and health rules require all employers to provide a safe and healthful workplace. OSHA’s general housekeeping and sanitation requirements apply to nearly all permanent places of employment. OSHA’s housekeeping and sanitation rules for general industry (29 CFR 1910.22 and 1910.141) require employers to keep workplaces clean and sanitary in order to promote a […]
An op-ed opinion piece entitled “The Supreme Court votes for clarity from Congress. How refreshing” by George F. Will in The Washington Post drew an opposing viewpoint letter to the editor entitled “The court erred in EPA case,” published June 11, 2023. Will’s original opinion piece took the stance that “the nation will be better […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has long had enforcement guidance in place enabling it to enter into settlements that affect the operations of an entire corporation, rather than just a single facility. But these were mutually negotiated agreements; they were not something OSHA considered itself statutorily empowered to impose and enforce. That may […]
Costs and Benefits of EPA’s Proposed Ozone Standards Since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, the EPA claims harmful air pollution has been reduced “by about 70% while the U.S. economy has more than tripled,” with ground-level ozone dropping about 33% since 1980. Overall, 90% of the areas in the United States that […]
As of now, no federal combustible dust rule has been released, and the CSB is taking steps to increase pressure on OSHA to issue one. In 2006, in the wake of a series of deadly major explosions and fires caused by combustible dusts, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) issued a set of recommendations for […]
When an unforeseeable emergency occurs at your retail motor fueling facility, are your employees adequately trained and prepared to respond to the situation? Retail motor fueling facilities, such as gas stations, have underground storage tanks (USTs) containing regulated substances. Unforeseen situations such as fires, spills, or severe-weather-induced power outages can have serious consequences on a […]
Citing his authority under section 107(d)(1)(B) of the Clean Air Act, Administrator Scott Pruitt of the EPA has announced that he will extend by 1 year the deadline for initial area designations pursuant to the Agency’s 2015 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone (October 26, 2015, FR).