Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Members of Congress continue to ask President Donald Trump to not cut EPA programs that offer particular benefits to their states or districts. One such request was made by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), who has been fighting to preserve the Agency’s Federal Vehicle and Fuels Standards and Certification Program, which would receive zero funding under […]
Getting employees back to work after a work-related injury or illness is important to you and to the employee. Here are some best practice tips from experts in the field. In a BLR webinar entitled "Workers’ Compensation: 30 Can’t-Miss Program Tips in 60 Minutes," Deborah Cordes, Senior Claims Manager at Medtronic Inc., with 20 years […]
Early detection of breast cancer means almost 100% chance for survival. Make sure your employees know the facts. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (www.nbcam.org), so it’s a good time to give a brief wellness training on this topic. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS – www.cancer.org), more than 200,000 women a year—and 2,000 […]
How well are you communicating safety? Benchmark these recommendations against your performance and share them with frontline supervisors. Establish a clear-cut, easy, nonthreatening method for employees to make safety suggestions or register safety concerns. This could be a dedicated Web page, a traditional suggestion box, or a mail slot in your office. Act promptly on […]
In March 2023, the Environmental Crimes Section (ECS) of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) issued revisions to its Voluntary Self-Disclosure (VSD) Policy. The revisions set forth: Standards for what constitutes a VSD of misconduct to the ECS, A description of benefits ECS prosecutors will confer on companies that […]
OSHA is proposing to revise its Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting (recordkeeping) regulation by restoring a column on the OSHA Form 300 to better identify work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The proposed rule wouldn’t change the existing requirements for when and under what circumstances you must record MSDs on your injury and illness log. […]
OSHA recordkeeping and reporting requirements appear straightforward, but the devil is in the details. Pound for pound, obese workers cost you plenty. Here are some facts that should disturb you. Which employee health issue costs employers more, obesity or smoking? If you guessed obesity, you guessed right. A study in the Journal of Occupational and […]
Settlement Preserves Rare Wetlands In mid-August 2014, the EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) reached a settlement with the owners of a California ranch for violations of the CWA involving the destruction of more than 80 acres of rare wetlands in Tehama County. According to the EPA, the wetlands, known as “vernal pool” wetlands […]
Although most employees on workers’ comp follow their rehabilitation programs conscientiously, a few workers fabricate symptoms, cancel therapy appointments, and are insincere about getting off compensation and back on the job. The costs of workers’ comp fraud fall not only on employers, but also on the malingerer’s fellow employees. They are often the one’s who […]
OSHA spends millions to promote safety. But some say their efforts produce just the opposite by diverting resources to compliance that could be used in injury prevention. Which side of the controversy are you on? OSHA is one of Washington’s most established agencies, with an extensive program, a half-billion dollar budget, and 2,000 employees, all […]