Archives

Clean air

Colorado Refinery Receives NOV for Alleged CAA Violations

On July 8, 2024, the EPA announced it issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc., alleging the Commerce City refinery failed to comply with air emissions laws. The NOV was issued in partnership with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The agencies allege Suncor violated or is violating […]

drinking water

Consumers Predicted to Bear the Cost of Treating PFAS in Drinking Water

Pushback against the EPA’s new regulations for maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water continues to accelerate, with state and public drinking water system officials claiming the costs of removal will be much more than the EPA estimates. PFAS drinking water regulations In April, the EPA finalized the first-ever […]

Back to Basics: How’s Your Hearing Conservation Compliance?

Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine how to comply with hearing conservation requirements. Do you have a hearing conservation program in place to protect your employees from workplace noise exposure? Are you taking the necessary steps to prevent […]

EHSDA Song of the Week: Good to Be on the Road Back Home

Ultimately, the goal of every safety professional is to ensure that workers get home safely to their families. It doesn’t get any simpler than that. In that vein, the Song of the Week is a 1997 gem from U.K. indie rock act Cornershop, “Good to Be on the Road Back Home.” Cornershop was formed in […]

Fall protection compliance

OSHA Cites Illinois Contractor for Continuing Fall Violations

Elmer Miller, an Illinois construction contractor operating as Miller Building Systems LLC, faces $354,912 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines after the agency again found workers were exposed to falls from elevation at four jobsites. The agency cited Miller with four willful fall protection violations, OSHA announced July 12. Agency investigators observed violations […]

Dollar General Settles OSHA Citations

Discount retail chain Dollar General entered into a corporatewide settlement agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), agreeing to make significant workplace safety improvements in stores nationwide, the agency announced July 11. Dollar General agreed to pay $12 million in penalties and implement corporatewide changes that would make employee safety a priority, according […]

Faces of EHS: Amanda Rawls on Creating a Company-Wide Safety Culture

Workplace safety starts from the top down at an organization, but it impacts everyone. That’s why Amanda Rawls urges company leaders to engage employees and seek their input to establish a company-wide safety culture. Rawls is an EHS district director at KPA, an EHS software and on-site consultation service for a wide range of businesses. […]

Elevating Agriculture Safety with Ergonomic Monitoring

With weather warming up and frost advisories fading into the distance, we’re entering peak growing season in the agricultural sector. These crucial months mean the bulk of revenue for farmers, but they bring with them a host of workplace safety issues. Now is the time to invest in both training and ergonomic monitoring measures to […]

EPA Enforcement Roundup Q2 2024

In the second quarter (Q2), the EPA finalized 388 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a large increase in enforcement actions—up from 235 penalties—issued in Q1 for 2024. The actions taken resulted in $11,061,445 in fines. Here are some of the highlights. CAA violations yield biggest fine from […]

Enhancing Health and Safety: The Importance of Visitor Management

In any environment where safety and well-being are accounted for, effective visitor management plays a crucial role. This is particularly true in settings such as construction sites, clinics, manufacturing facilities, and a range of workplaces in which controlling access and ensuring a safe environment are top priorities. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of […]