SPCC Secondary Containment
Q. Is secondary containment necessary for storage containers under 55 gallons (i.e. 5 gallon buckets)?
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Oregon Bill Would Eliminate Coal Power
On March 2, 2016, the Oregon Legislature passed the Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Plan (Senate Bill (SB) 1547, B-eng.). Should Democratic Governor Kate Brown sign the bill into law—and she has preliminarily indicated that she will—Oregon will become the first state to set a deadline for eliminating coal-fired electricity generation by its major utilities. […]
States Begin to Adopt Portions of Definition of Solid Waste Rule
It’s been over a year since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register its long-awaited final rule revising regulations affecting recycling of hazardous materials under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Known as the 2015 Definition of Solid Waste rule (2015 DSW rule), this final rule exempts certain hazardous secondary […]
Are the Feds Giving the Brick Industry the Dust Off?
A one-two punch from the federal government will decimate a major American industry, according to a recent report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Or will it? Today we will look at new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements for controlling air pollution at brick and ceramic manufacturing plants. Tomorrow we will review the impact that […]
Clear the Smoke about Women, Cigarettes, and the Workplace
Employers have long been concerned about how smoking affects the workplace in terms of overall health and healthcare costs, the synergistic effects of smoking and workplace exposures, and fire safety. Recently, those concerns have been expanded to include vaping—which, as it turns out, is not really any safer for workers than cigarette smoking. And, just […]
O&G Employers Encouraged to ‘Step Up for Safety’ to Prevent Struck-By and Fire Deaths
In an effort reminiscent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) very successful “Safety Stand-Down” program to prevent falls in construction, the agency has launched a program to protect workers in the oil and gas (O&G) industry. It’s called “Step Up for Safety,” and OSHA and its partners are encouraging employers to conduct “Step […]
O&G Employers Encouraged to ‘Step Up for Safety’ to Prevent Transportation Deaths
In February, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) partnered with the National Service, Transmission, Exploration, and Production Safety (STEPS) Network and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to promote “Step Up for Safety” in the upstream oil and gas (O&G) industry. Employers are encouraged to take time out to conduct site […]
The Pitfalls of Noncompliance
Following safety regulations isn’t just the right thing to do—it keeps employers on the right side of OSHA enforcement and saves money by avoiding fines, legal fees, and more. Keep reading to learn about six companies that ran afoul of OSHA regulations and paid the price.
Winter’s Not Over Yet; Take Steps to Prevent Ice-Related Falls
There’s a hint of spring in the air in some parts of the country. But in Michigan, employers are being warned about the dangers of ice-related falls.
Q&A: Pedestrian Travel Paths
Recently, one of our subscribers asked the following question: For pedestrian safety, how wide does a designated protected employee travel path need to be? What type of stationary protective guards are acceptable to prevent forklifts from hitting pedestrians?