Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Fifteen attorneys general (AGs) have filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, requesting that the court order the EPA to meet its Clean Air Act (CAA) nondiscretionary obligation to declare which areas of the country are in nonattainment with the Agency’s 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) […]
Summer begins in just under 2 weeks. The summer solstice brings with it rising temperatures and increased humidity. So it’s important for all employees to know how to cope with the heat. Whether they’re outdoors in the heat for work or play, or whether they work indoors in a hot environment, employees need to know […]
Interest is growing in a “directive” EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt may have issued regarding a new Agency position to the so-called sue-and-settle approach to federal environmental rulemaking. In sue and settle, which gained notoriety with the Obama EPA, the Agency responds to a lawsuit demanding new environmental protections by entering into a consent decree in […]
The U.S. Supreme Court continued its keen interest in the reach of the Clean Water Act (CWA) by agreeing to hear a case about whether a jurisdictional determination (JD) by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) constituted a final action by the Corps. The Supreme Court will review a ruling by a panel of […]
Two upcoming rulemakings for which the EPA is looking for small business involvement and plans to conduct Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) panels follow: NSPS for oil and natural gas. The development of a rule that proposes to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), including methane, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under its New Source […]
OSHA turned 40 this year. For the latest on what’s happening at the agency and how OSHA initiatives are affecting U.S. business, BLR turned to Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor Jordan Barab and Joe Trauger, vice president of human resources policy for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) At 40, OSHA may be middle-aged, but […]
According to a growing number of reports, OSHA has been seriously understating workplace injuries and illnesses — and relying on flawed audits rather than addressing the problem. Don’t look now, OSHA, but the shoe is on the other foot. The agency that inspects America’s workplaces is itself coming under increasing scrutiny, with lawmakers and academics […]
Preparing for emergencies to reduce the potential for employee injury or death is a large and complex task. To carry out your responsibilities effectively, you have to consider all the plans, policies, and people involved in emergency response. Bad things happen to good companies and to their employees. Since September 11, 2001, U.S. businesses large […]
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has published a revision to its voluntary national consensus safety standard covering the latest safety practices and training recommendations for the construction, demolition, modification, and maintenance of communication structures. The updated ANSI/ASSP A10.48 standard will be effective on January 1, 2024. The digital standard establishes minimum criteria that […]