Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
On June 11, 2024, the EPA announced a settlement with Andersen’s Sales and Salvage Inc., based in Greeley, Colorado, resolving alleged violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) associated with releases of refrigerants. The consent agreement and final order require the company to pay a $195,000 penalty for these violations. “Andersen’s Sales and Salvage failed […]
EPA Clean Water Act (CWA) wastewater regulations are set to face U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) scrutiny. In the case City and County of San Francisco v. EPA, San Francisco is suing the EPA over generic water quality prohibitions in permitting decisions. “The EPA had urged the Supreme Court to decline the petition, insisting narrative limitations […]
The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved an indoor heat standard on June 20 to protect indoor workers from heat illness, the state Department of Industrial Relations announced June 21. The state already has an outdoor heat illness prevention standard. The new regulation requires that indoor workplaces be cooled to below 87 degrees Fahrenheit, […]
Crown USA Inc., a Woodbury, Georgia, plastic and resin manufacturer, faces a $98,699 OSHA fine after a 37-year-old employee suffered fatal injuries while performing machine maintenance, the agency announced June 20. The maintenance technician was crushed inside an unlocked hooding palletizer while servicing the machine, according to OSHA. Agency investigators determined that the employer’s violations […]
Kabco Builders Inc., a Boaz, Alabama, mobile home manufacturer, received an $81,463 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine following an employee’s fatal fall, the agency announced June 20. Investigators determined that an employee was alone loading shingles as they straddled a 2-foot-wide space between a platform and a mobile home’s roof when they slipped […]
Doskocil Manufacturing Inc., an Arlington, Texas, pet products manufacturer and distributor operating as Petmate, is facing $278,851 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties after an employee suffered severe facial burns, the agency announced June 17. OSHA investigators learned that three employees were using a pry bar to break off excess plastic, called “drool,” […]
J.H. Routh Packing Co., a Sandusky, Ohio, pork processing facility, faces a more than half-million-dollar Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine after exposing workers to a release of ammonia gas, the agency announced June 18. OSHA cited the company with 43 safety violations and proposed penalties of $528,441. Agency investigators opened inspections at HK […]
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 ergonomics can help reduce workplace injuries and the costs associated with them. Ergonomics are no big deal, right? There’s no federal standard for ergonomics or the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). […]
The workforce is aging, reflecting changes in society as a whole. Labor force participation rates for workers aged 55 or older are expected to rise through 2030, while participation rates for other age groups are expected to remain at the same level or decline. The Song of the Week takes a sarcastic look at getting […]
Overexertion, falls, and being struck by objects or equipment were the top causes of employers’ workers’ compensation costs, according to Liberty Mutual’s 2024 Workplace Safety Index, released June 11. The report from the insurer’s Risk Control Services ranked the top 10 causes of the most serious workplace injuries—those causing an employee to miss more than […]