Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The Senate voted 52 to 40 to override President Obama’s veto of Senate Joint Resolution (S.J. Res.) 22, which was written to prohibit the Agency from implementing its Clean Water Rule. The vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.
Workplace head injuries are a very serious safety concern because they can easily be fatal. Are your workers’ heads properly protected against all risks? To be effective, OSHA says all head protection should meet five basic criteria. It must: Absorb the shock of a falling object Prevent an object from penetrating it Resist water Burn […]
Every three years, EPA announces its key focus areas for NEIs whereby a national enforcement team is deployed to intensely scrutinizes, and penalize if necessary, entities that violate environmental regulations. Last year, EPA announced its intention to maintain the previous NEI focus areas through fiscal year 2016. That means the current focus areas will remain […]
To keep contact lens wearers safe in chemical environments, NIOSH recommends these guidelines. NIOSH recommends that workers be permitted to wear contact lenses when handling hazardous chemicals provided that the safety guidelines below here are followed and that contact lenses are not banned by regulation or contraindicated by medical or industrial hygiene recommendations. 1. Conduct […]
United States Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro has sent a letter to the acting head of OSHA expressing concern about vacant positions at the agency. In her communication to deputy assistant labor secretary Loren Sweatt, DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat, pointed out that despite the lifting of a federal hiring freeze in April, OSHA still has not filled […]
An Ohio manufacturer of cast steel freight components is facing more than $610,000 in proposed penalties after OSHA investigators found workers at a Groveport facility exposed to machine hazards and silica. One worker was hospitalized after suffering severe injuries when he was caught in a machine. At least four employees were exposed to excessive levels […]
Slips, trips, and falls account for more than 20% of lost work time incidents in the United States every year. That’s a figure that underscores the need for a good, effective fall prevention plan. OSHA says that slips, trips, and falls account for the majority of general industry accidents. That adds up to a lot […]
As frequent visitors to EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Online database already know, the Agency’s hazardous waste regulations prompt a constant stream of questions from both regulated entities and RCRA-authorized states about applicability, lack of clarity, and regulatory gaps. A small fraction of EPA’s answers and interpretations responding to such questions have now […]
Why Is the EPA Looking for Your Input? The current EPA is not shy about touting its outreach efforts and the current administrator’s less-than-shy personality may make you think that the Agency is just gung-ho about finding out how you feel about environmental regulations. However, especially if you are a small business (more about that […]