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As extreme heat continues to punish much of the U.S., states are enacting additional rules to require employers to increase protections for outdoor workers. One such state is Washington, which on July 13 released emergency heat exposure rules for employees exposed to extreme heat, including those working in agriculture, construction, and other outdoor industries. The […]
Back to Basics is a new weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine emergency planning, and specifically, how to conduct a vulnerability analysis of your business. If there’s one thing we’re seeing as the summer of 2021 wears on, it’s that disasters and […]
Employers in New York state must have an infectious disease exposure prevention plan in place by August 5, according to a state Department of Labor spokesperson. However, the precautions under the plans only go into effect when state public health authorities make a “highly contagious communicable disease” declaration. At the moment, there is no such […]
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that almost 11,000 facilities exceeded their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted wastewater discharge limits and illegally discharged wastewater pollutants in 2018. “EPA has a goal to reduce by half significant noncompliance with individual NPDES permits by the end of FY 2022,” according to the GAO. “But the […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited a Bergen County, New Jersey, roofing contractor with violating a settlement agreement and 10 new safety violations. The agency is now seeking $600,741 in penalties for the new violations. Janiec Roofing Inc. of Lodi, New Jersey, entered into a settlement agreement with OSHA after two 2019 inspections […]
In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by the team of industry experts at EHS Hero®, we look at a recent question from a subscriber regarding when an HVAC technician can return to driving after having a seizure. See what the experts had to say. Q: An HVAC technician recently had […]
On July 12, 2021, the EPA announced per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are among a new group of contaminants being considered for monitoring under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The PFAS were part of the EPA’s “Draft Contaminant Candidate List 5 (CCL 5), which provides the latest list of drinking water contaminants that are known […]
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, safety has been a priority for everyone more than ever before. For Brittanie Buckley, her safety intuition has guided her in the field which she has leveraged to help prevent injuries on worksites for 25 years. In this “Faces of EHS,” Buckley, EHS Manager for Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Aerospace, […]
Most employers know the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires them to consider a disabled employee’s request for a reasonable accommodation so she can perform an essential function of her position. In a recent decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (whose rulings apply to all New York employers) held an employee’s […]
The entire Pacific Northwest region has suffered through a recent period of unprecedentedly high temperatures, even for summer. In response, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon-OSHA) has adopted emergency heat safety rules that apply whenever employees must work when the heat index is 80 degrees or more. What Is Heat Index? The heat […]