Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Today’s workplace uses thousands of chemicals, many of which are hazardous. The resources in this section will help guide you in the safe and legal identification, storage, transport, and use of these chemicals, and in making sure that your employees right to know how to be safe around such substances is provided, as required by law.
Each MSDS must contain certain information for each substance. Here’s what they’ve got to have. Chemical identity and composition The MSDS must describe the substance’s composition and, if a single substance, its chemical and common name(s). Mixtures It must describe the chemical and common name(s) of the ingredients that contribute to the known hazards and […]
Many training articles are focused on the content of training. But another equally valid consideration is when to train, which is the topic of today’s Advisor. There are many different scenarios in the workplace when training is necessary or recommended. For example: 1. New employees or transferred employees should be trained before they are initially […]
In 2012, EPA will continue to require manufacturers and processors of existing chemicals to test their chemicals for health and environmental effects and submit the data to the Agency. Chemicals produced in annual volumes above 1 million pounds are considered High Production Volume or “HPV” chemicals. This subset of HPV chemicals is the main focus […]
Adoption of GHS by OSHA will affect HazCom compliance in significant ways. But experts say the change is necessary and will benefit U.S. businesses and workers. Adoption of GHS by OSHA will trigger the need for considerable retraining, according to Bernard K. Russiello of RC2 Consulting in West Grove, Pennsylvania. For example, instead of being […]
GHS is on the way. It’s been called a “sea change” in the way we communicate chemical hazards. Are you prepared? A plan to bring the United States into alignment with other countries in its approach to hazard communication, the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), could become part of the OSHA Hazard Communication standard within the […]
The problem is so prevalent at colleges and universities that EPA developed a regulatory option (new RCRA Subpart K), intended to encourage officials in charge of thousands of academic labs to periodically collect old, unneeded, or expired chemicals (legacy chemicals), determine whether these chemicals are hazardous, and properly manage their disposal. If you are an […]
While EPA has yet to issue formal definitions for terms such as nanotechnology or nanoscale materials under any statute, the Agency understands those terms in the context of three conditions or elements: The material’s particle size measures typically between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers in at least one dimension. The material exhibits unique or novel […]
Get to know your ATGS. Get clear instructions from the installer on how to use your ATGS. Check that your ATGS is always on and plugged in to a power source. The ATGS cannot monitor leaks if it’s off. Believe it or not, EPA says, plenty of citations have been handed out after inspectors found […]
How do I calculate tonnage for substances under REACH? Each registrant has to calculate the yearly tonnage for the registration dossier. The yearly tonnage is calculated as the volume per manufacturer/importer per calendar year, unless stated otherwise. For phase-in substances that have been imported or manufactured for at the least 3 consecutive years, quantities are […]
If no one in your supply chain purchases materials from EU suppliers or exports to the EU, there is no REACH impact on your business–yet. But, don’t think other countries or U.S. states won’t adopt copycat legislation as has been done with other laws. China is already developing China REACH. Be prepared. Roles Under REACH […]