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Effective Wednesday, January 26, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is withdrawing its emergency temporary standard (ETS) that would have mandated COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing/masking requirements for employers with 100 or more employees. After the U.S. Supreme Court last week found the ETS to be an unconstitutional exercise of power and stayed the implementation […]
January is National Radon Action Month. When you say the word “radon,” most people probably think about residential homes. The majority of people probably never hear of radon until they buy or sell a house. But, the issue of radon spreads far beyond what can be found in homes. Radon found in commercial buildings is […]
Effective immediately, the EPA rescinded its March 2, 2020, final rule on the Agency’s procedures for conducting on-site civil inspections on behalf of the EPA. Because the EPA classifies this rulemaking as procedural rather than substantive, there is no required public comment period. The rescinded rule, promulgated in response to the Trump administration’s Executive Order […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited a North Point, Florida-based employer following an employee’s heat-related death in the Apalachicola National Forest. Agency inspectors found that Earthbalance Corp. had exposed workers to hazards related to high ambient heat and failed to adequately train someone to perform first aid and ensure he or she was […]
On December 27, 2021, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) issued a final rule for the reissuance and modification of nationwide permits (NWP), which authorizes “certain activities under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA) of 1899 that have no more than minimal individual […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we celebrate EHS Compliance Week by examining the dangers of bloodborne pathogens and how employers can help prevent their transmission in the workplace. Bloodborne pathogens are a dangerous hazard that can affect employees […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited PM Engineered Solutions Inc. of Watertown, Connecticut, with 40 serious and 8 other-than-serious violations and is seeking $236,201 in proposed penalties. The agency inspected the metal fabrication company after an employee was electrocuted on July 14, 2021, while repairing a portable water heater. PM Engineered Solutions lacked […]
Are you aware of and prepared for the hazards of winter? State and federal agencies were focused on heat stress after the Pacific Northwest’s heat dome last summer. We also saw renewed action on a federal heat stress standard. However, winter has its own hazards, like frostbite, hypothermia, and trench foot. It also can include […]
On January 4, 2022, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman of the Southern District of New York dismissed claims against Du Pont de Nemours and Co and its codefendants seeking payment for upgrades to five water treatment plants managed by Suez Water New York Inc. The suit, Suez Water New York v. Dupont, Corteva, Inc, and […]
Karen Hamel is a regulatory expert, trainer, and technical writer with more than 27 years of experience helping EHS professionals meet regulatory requirements and industry standards. She has more than 300 articles published on a variety of topics related to EHS. Karen is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), a Certified Instructional Trainer (CIT), a Walkway […]