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OSHA Kicks Off Safe + Sound Week with Focus on Worker Mental Health

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is joining businesses nationwide to recognize the successes of workplace safety and health programs during Safe + Sound Week, Aug. 7-13. The annual event involves thousands of worksites that will promote the benefits of safety and health programs that include management leadership, worker participation, and a […]

TSCA and TRI Complexities with the Increased Focus on PFAS

The EPA recently announced its framework for addressing new per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and new uses of PFAS and published its final rule adding nine new PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). These actions advance the goals of the Agency’s PFAS Strategic Framework. New framework to prevent unsafe new PFAS from entering the […]

Cal/OSHA Cautions Employers to Protect Workers from Heat

On August 4, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) cautioned employers to protect workers from heat illness. The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings and heat advisories for parts of the state. “Cal/OSHA will be visiting worksites in agriculture, construction, landscaping, and warehousing industries to make sure employers are taking the […]

OSHA Cites NJ Amazon Warehouse for Ergonomics Violations

An Amazon warehouse in Logan Township, New Jersey, required employees to perform tasks leading to bodily stress that had caused or was likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced August 3. OSHA cited Amazon for ergonomic hazards, proposing penalties totaling $15,625, and issued a Hazard Alert Letter regarding […]

Houston Builder Facing $266K in OSHA Fines

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced August 2 that a Houston steel erection company is facing $266,416 in proposed penalties for fall protection violations. Sonny Steel Erectors Inc. has a history of serious and repeat violations dating back more than a decade, according to the agency. However, the employer again failed to correct […]

Back to Basics: How to Prevent Back Injuries in the Workplace

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 prevent back injuries in the workplace. Many industries, ranging from nursing and construction to manufacturing and office work, can place significant demands on your back. Back pain can make […]

EHSDA Song of the Week: Dangerous Type

Job sites and workplaces are full of dangers, obvious and hidden. This week, the EHSDA Song of the Week is highlighting those hazards with a new wave classic from the Cars, “Dangerous Type.” Formed in Boston in 1976, the Cars made an immediate impact with their 1978 self-titled debut album, which had several hit singles […]

Revisions to Endangered Species Act Regulations

Biden administration officials announced final regulations to allow the easier relocation of animals and plants outside of their historical habitats. This action is considered a last resort measure for species that are on the verge of extinction due to climate change. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized revisions to section 10(j) regulations under […]

EPA and DOE Announce $1.5 Billion in Funding for Methane Emissions Reduction

On July 24, 2023, the EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) released a Notice of Intent (NOI) announcing the first in a series of funding opportunities to monitor and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and for environmental restoration of well sites. Methane […]

The Link Between Stress and Worker Safety

We all know stress is bad for our health, and working in an already stressful environment can impact work performance and safety. In fact, research from the Families and Work Institute found that 41 percent of workers experience stress “often” or “very often” on the job. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) […]