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Reissued NWPs from Army Corps Leave Out WOTUS

There has been considerable interest in how the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) would address the Corps/EPA June 2015 final Definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule in its reissued set of nationwide permits (NWPs). Now published, the Corps’s final NWP rule essentially disassociates itself from the WOTUS rule pending the outcome of […]

Budget-Conscious Safety: When Training Just Isn’t in the Budget

Yesterday we looked at some ways to make the workplace safer even when major capital improvements or equipment purchases are just not in the cards. Today we’ll look at another area that tends to get back-burnered when funds run low: training. Training is not just a matter of cash outlay, it’s also a matter of […]

EPA’s Power Plant Effluent Rule Challenged by Water Groups

On December 5, 2016, the American Water Works Association and the National Association of Water Companies (AWWA/NAWC) filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, asking the court to order the EPA to reopen its Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Steam Electric Power Generating Point Source Category (ELGs, November […]

Guidance from NIOSH on Worker Health, Safety, and Well-Being

If you’re looking to jump start an occupational safety and health program, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has some help for you. The institute, and its Total Worker Health initiative, have released a workbook with valuable information and recommendations. Keep reading for details.

Final Rule on Beryllium Released by OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a final rule reducing the decades-old beryllium exposure limits. The standards apply to general industry, shipyards, and construction.

Budget-Conscious Safety: When You Can’t Buy New Equipment

Maybe you’re approaching the end of the fiscal year. Maybe your company was just acquired, and everything is on hold while things shake out. Maybe your company was affected by floods, wildfires, or some other recent disaster. Whatever the reason, there’s just no money to replace that big piece of process equipment or rolling stock […]

Congress Acting Fast on Regulatory Reform

On the first day of the 115th Congress, Republicans promptly introduced legislation to explicitly weaken the powers of federal agencies in promulgating regulations. For example, in the House or Representatives, the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 5) brings together six separate reform bills that have already passed the House in the previous Congress. H.R. 5 is […]

HazMat Spill Control Rules: What Did the Public Have to Say?

The EPA recently published a summary of comments it received at three meetings held to inform the public about the Agency’s upcoming proposed regulations to prevent spills of hazardous chemicals from onshore facilities and to contain spills that do occur.

Beryllium and More Are on Latest OSHA Regulatory Agenda

OSHA’s fall 2016 regulatory agenda, released in late December, enumerated more than 2 dozen planned actions for the agency over the next few months. But with a Trump administration taking the reins on January 20, it remains to be seen how OSHA’s priorities will evolve under new direction.