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Tips for Assessing Applicability with the SPCC Rule

 Tips for Assessing Applicability with the SPCC Rule   Tip—Know the qualifying factors for coverage under the SPCC rule. The SPCC rule applies when the following are met at a facility*: The facility stores, transfers, uses, or consumes oil or oil products, such as diesel fuel, gasoline, lube oil, hydraulic oil, adjuvant oil, crop oil, […]

Healthy Products, Unhealthy Electrical Safety Work Practices

A 20-year-old employee at a manufacturer of rice cakes and other snack products was shocked while performing service work on an electrical panel on August 18, 2014. The employee missed 2 days of work. After hearing of the injury, OSHA inspected the facility and identified several problems with the employer’s electrical safety work practices.

Prevent Chemical Releases with Inherently Safer Systems

On August 6, 2012, a fire at a refinery in California shut down the facility for months and sent more than 15,000 nearby residents to local hospitals with breathing problems. The fire occurred when a 52-inch section of pipe leading from a crude oil distillation tower began leaking flammable hydrocarbons that formed a vapor cloud […]

2014 EPCRA Enforcement Roundup

2014 EPCRA Enforcement Roundup   What do a wood door manufacturer, an organic food company, a wire manufacturer, a cheese manufacturer, and an oil sands crude refinery have in common? On the surface, it would appear they are pretty different, but when it comes to compliance with EPCRA, all reached settlements with the EPA during […]

Are You Prepared to Respond to a Chemical Release?

On November 15, 2014, workers at a pesticide plant in Texas were trying to restart the methomyl production line after a 5-day shutdown. They were having problems: A line was plugged and the building ventilation wasn’t working properly. Around 4 a.m., workers opened a drain valve in the vent system to release pressure, without realizing […]

Green Planning Tips for Large Events and Conventions

Green Planning Tips for Large Events and Conventions   1) When considering different sites and venues, take into account the following before making the decision: Travel—Think about how attendees will get there and what public transportation is available on-site or nearby that is easy to use for attending the event and for getting around for […]

Mentoring Agreements Make Meaningful Training

January is National Mentoring Month (www.nationalmentoringmonth.org/), so each Friday this month, we’ll explore different aspects of mentoring and how this form of training can benefit your organization. Today, we hear more from mentoring expert, Lois Zachary.

Improving Worker Health and Safety by Design

Improving Worker Health and Safety by Design   NIOSH broadly defines “green” jobs as those “that help to improve the environment.” These may include jobs related to renewable energy like solar and wind, jobs in recycling, jobs in the manufacturing of cleaner more sustainable products, and jobs where workers use these greener products such as […]