Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released a tool for predicting N95 respirator needs in non-healthcare workplaces. In research published in the journal Health Security, NIOSH researchers unveiled a spreadsheet-based tool for estimating the number of N95 respirators needed to protect essential non-healthcare workers. The tool is available in the article’s […]
On May 23, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc., for misstatements about and omissions of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in making investment decisions for certain mutual funds that it managed. BNY agreed to a cease-and-desist order and a censure and to pay a $1.5 million penalty […]
On May 24, 2022, the EPA published proposed state implementation plan (SIP) disapproval notices for air quality plans submitted by California, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. In each case, the Agency cited that the state failed to adequately address compliance with the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). If the proposed disapprovals are […]
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released two press releases on May 25, 2022, announcing proposed rule changes intended to battle “greenwashing” claims by investment groups. Names Rule The current Names Rule requires registered investment companies with business names suggesting a focus on particular types of investments to adopt a policy to invest at least […]
Early in March 2022, the EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the return of the use of Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEP) as part of the available resources that can be utilized in enforcement actions. “An SEP is an enforcement tool that EPA used for more than 30 years until the previous administration brought […]
With high temperatures expected throughout California, on May 23, the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) reminded employers of outdoor workers to be prepared and take the necessary precautions to prevent heat illnesses. California has a state standard requiring that employers develop and implement written heat illness prevention plans, provide fresh water and […]
Have you recently checked on your permit-required confined space compliance? Risks can go well beyond hefty Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines. Potential outcomes of confined space entry can be serious, even fatal, and include asphyxiation, engulfed or trapped workers, explosions or fires, and electrical and struck-by hazards. There are confined spaces in workplaces […]
Challenges to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) COVID-19 emergency temporary standards (ETS) and employer noncompliance with reporting requirements hampered the agency’s pandemic response, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in a May 25 Congressional testimony. In a written testimony submitted to the House Committee on Education and Labor’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, […]
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regional offices in Boston and Dallas have publicly cautioned employers within the past week to protect workers from the hazards of excessive heat. OSHA’s efforts in the past year to address workplace heat hazards have included a national emphasis program (NEP) of outreach, inspection, and enforcement, as well as […]
The EPA has been underfunded for years, and this year is no different. Although the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress provided money for the EPA to fund wastewater and clean water programs and conduct hazardous waste cleanups, Congress missed the mark in its 2022 omnibus appropriations bill to fund the EPA’s infrastructure. The “EPA […]