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On August 10, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) announced it will increase its physical presence in Fresno, Santa Barbara, and Riverside counties. The move will enable agency field inspectors to respond more efficiently in the Central Valley, Inland Empire, and Central Coast areas, according to Cal/OSHA. The state agency will start […]
The EPA recently announced its final rule requiring reporting on all six fiber types of asbestos. Issued under Section 8(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the rule requires asbestos manufacturers (including importers) and processors to report certain use and exposure information from the past 4 years, including information on asbestos-containing products (including as […]
Effective August 14, 2023, the EPA’s rescission of the Trump-era rule “Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Clean Air Act (CAA) Rulemaking Process” will be finalized. The rule (Benefit-Cost Rule) was rescinded “because the changes advanced by the rule were inadvisable, untethered to the [CAA], and not necessary to effectuate […]
Norfolk Southern Corp. has entered into a settlement agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Teamsters’ railway union to address health and safety concerns at a train derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio. A Norfolk Southern train derailed on February 2, 2023, causing a 49-railcar pileup, including 11 tank cars of […]
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is joining businesses nationwide to recognize the successes of workplace safety and health programs during Safe + Sound Week, Aug. 7-13. The annual event involves thousands of worksites that will promote the benefits of safety and health programs that include management leadership, worker participation, and a […]
The EPA recently announced its framework for addressing new per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and new uses of PFAS and published its final rule adding nine new PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). These actions advance the goals of the Agency’s PFAS Strategic Framework. New framework to prevent unsafe new PFAS from entering the […]
On August 4, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) cautioned employers to protect workers from heat illness. The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings and heat advisories for parts of the state. “Cal/OSHA will be visiting worksites in agriculture, construction, landscaping, and warehousing industries to make sure employers are taking the […]
An Amazon warehouse in Logan Township, New Jersey, required employees to perform tasks leading to bodily stress that had caused or was likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced August 3. OSHA cited Amazon for ergonomic hazards, proposing penalties totaling $15,625, and issued a Hazard Alert Letter regarding […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced August 2 that a Houston steel erection company is facing $266,416 in proposed penalties for fall protection violations. Sonny Steel Erectors Inc. has a history of serious and repeat violations dating back more than a decade, according to the agency. However, the employer again failed to correct […]
Biden administration officials announced final regulations to allow the easier relocation of animals and plants outside of their historical habitats. This action is considered a last resort measure for species that are on the verge of extinction due to climate change. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized revisions to section 10(j) regulations under […]