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Engaging Contractors in Safety Training: Strategies for Success

Safety training is a critical yet complicated aspect of any workplace, especially when it comes to contractors who may not be present on site all the time. Engaging contractors in safety training can be challenging but is essential for ensuring a safe and productive work environment. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to effectively engage […]

Back to Basics: Measuring the Safety Climate of Your Organization

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 measure the safety climate of your organization. As we celebrate Safety Culture Week, let’s look at measuring safety climate and how it impacts safety culture. Whereas safety culture broadly […]

The Colorado Fight for Oil and Gas Emissions Info

After calling for more accessible public emissions records from Colorado, the EPA abruptly changed course and “proposed to rescind its previous directive that required the State of Colorado to collect and maintain critical air pollution data from the oil and gas industry,” states a Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) press release. “A coalition of […]

Dairy Company Agrees to $93K Penalty for Alleged Chemical Risk Violations

The EPA recently announced that food producer Hiland Dairy Foods Company LLC of Norfolk, Nebraska, agreed to pay a $93,107 civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act’s (CAA) chemical accident prevention provisions. Reducing risks from accidental releases of hazardous substances at industrial and chemical facilities is a top priority for […]

Meat Processors Receive Conflicting Messages from Federal Government

In January 2024, the EPA proposed new effluent limitations guidelines (ELG) that would bring meat and poultry processing (MPP) facilities under EPA authority by requiring MPP facilities to add expensive water filtration systems to comply with the proposed regulation. According to an EPA Fact Sheet on the proposed rule, pollutants discharged from MPP facilities include […]

NIOSH: Men Three Times More Likely to Die of Workplace Homicide

Men are three times more likely than women to die of workplace homicides, according to findings recently published by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) researchers. The institute highlighted its findings in the October edition of its eNews newsletter. NIOSH researchers analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Census of Fatal […]

Essential Components of an Effective Emergency Response Plan for Workplace Injuries

As a medical equipment specialist, I’ve seen firsthand how a well-prepared workplace response plan can make the difference between life and death in an emergency. If you are looking to ensure your team is ready for anything, this guide will provide you with all the necessary insights. It will cover all the essential components of […]

Faces of EHS: John Branan on the Promise of Safety Technology

Some industry veterans may be wary of new technology, but not John Branan, corporate vice president of health, safety, environment, and engineering at Orbia. He said he’s “encouraged” by how quickly safety technology is growing and looks forward to it playing a larger role in the field. Branan has over 35 years of experience in […]

Ready For OSHA? Navigating Rights, Responsibilities, and Beyond

Understanding OSHA Inspections in Greater Detail As an employer, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of OSHA inspections, from the reasons for their occurrence to the potential consequences of non-compliance. This article will explore these topics, and more, to help you maintain a safe, compliant workplace. Reasons for OSHA Inspections While the primary reasons […]

OSHA Reaches Settlement Agreement in 2019 Explosion, Fire

Chemical manufacturer AB Specialty Silicones LLC has agreed to pay $1.3 million in penalties in connection with a May 2019 explosion and fire at its Waukegan, Illinois, plant that claimed the lives of four workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced October 2. Following OSHA’s investigation, it proposed penalties totaling $1,591,176 for four […]