Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A 19-year-old worker in Florida suffered fatal injuries after a concrete mixer restarted while the teen tried to clean the machine’s inside. Now, Newnan, Georgia-based Foley Products Company faces $245,546 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties for one willful and six serious violations, the agency announced September 20. OSHA inspectors determined that two […]
On September 6, 2023, the EPA announced it reached a settlement with Suncor Energy Inc. (Suncor) resolving alleged violations of the Clean Air Act’s (CAA) fuels requirements at Suncor’s Commerce City, Colorado, refining operations. Suncor will pay a $160,660 civil penalty and has agreed to implement a supplemental environmental project, which requires the company to […]
On September 18, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it cited Holmes Foods Inc., a Nixon, Texas, poultry processor, for ergonomics hazards. OSHA cited Holmes Foods for five serious safety and health violations that also included failure to provide required eye protection; not developing lockout/tagout procedures to prevent sudden machine start-ups; and failure […]
A decision in Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation LLP v. EPA by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit found that a Clean Air Act (CAA) Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Permit wasn’t required to restart operations at a St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, refinery, even though the facility has been idle since […]
An EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) report, dated September 6, 2023, recommends that the EPA enhance oversight to ensure all refineries remain in compliance with benzene fenceline monitoring regulations. “Oversight by the EPA and delegated authorities has not ensured that all refineries that exceed the action level reduce their benzene concentrations at their fencelines,” […]
The National Priorities List (NPL) includes the most seriously contaminated Superfund sites across the nation. These sites contain uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination. The list serves as the basis for prioritizing EPA Superfund cleanup funding and enforcement actions. Only releases at nonfederal sites included on the NPL are eligible to receive federal funding for […]
A Millersburg, Ohio, roofing contractor faces $548,801 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines, the agency announced September 14. The agency cited JMH Roofing LLC with 8 willful and 2 repeat violations for again exposing workers to deadly fall hazards of up to 19 feet (ft) at 4 residential roofing jobsites in Canton, Uniontown, […]
The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Wage and Hour Division (WHD) are investigating workplace safety and child labor violations at a Hattiesburg, Mississippi, poultry plant following the death of a 16-year-old worker, the DOL announced September 11. “As federal investigators continue to try to understand how a 16-year-old died […]
The EPA’s proposed rules on regulating ethylene oxide (EtO) have sparked a catfight between the EPA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to several sources. In April 2023, the EPA issued two proposals aimed at reducing EtO emissions, including more stringent air emissions standards and additional protections for workers who are exposed to […]
On July 21, 2023, the EPA published a final rule in the Federal Register that removes the “emergency” affirmative defense provisions from the EPA’s Title V operating permit program regulations. Title V background The Title V program requires major sources of air pollutants, and certain other sources, to obtain and operate in compliance with an […]