Category: Enforcement and Inspection

As today’s workplace becomes more complex, regulation of that workplace increases. In this section, you’ll find the practical advice you need to understand exactly what OSHA, other federal agencies, and their state counterparts, require of you, and to comply in the ways that best satisfy both your and their needs. Look also for important court decisions, advice on how to handle enforcement actions, and news of upcoming changes in workplace health and safety law.

Free Special Report: What to Expect from an OSHA Inspection

Review Commission Vacates OSHA Citation in Boise Mall Shooting

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission vacated an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) General Duty Clause citation of a security firm following a mass shooting at a Boise, Idaho, shopping mall. In the February 5 decision, a review commission administrative law judge (ALJ) concluded that the Department of Labor (DOL) didn’t establish the […]

President Orders Deregulatory Review

President Donald J. Trump ordered all federal agencies to compile lists of regulations for possible removal in an Executive Order (E.O. 14219) signed February 19 and published February 25 (90 Fed. Reg. 10583). The president directed agency heads to conduct a process of regulatory review, coordinating with the director of the Office of Management and […]

Chemical Safety Board’s YouTube Channel Hits 365K Subscribers

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s (CSB) YouTube channel, @USCSB, which features the agency’s safety videos, now has 365,000 subscribers. The CSB recently received a Silver Play Button award from YouTube for having more than 100,000 subscribers, the board announced February 14. The CSB is an independent federal government board that investigates industrial […]

EPA Releases Final Risk Determination for Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP)

On January 14, 2025, the EPA released the final risk evaluation for diisononyl phthalate (DINP), which was conducted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The EPA concluded that DINP presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health because workers could be exposed to high concentrations of DINP in mist when spraying adhesive, sealant, […]

Outgoing U.S. Ag Chief Critical of EPA Biofuel Report

In one of his final actions before leaving office, outgoing U.S. Agriculture Chief Tom Vilsack harshly criticized the EPA’s 2025 Biofuels and the Environment Report. “The Third Report concludes that the effect of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program varies with time and the RFS Program had a modest positive effect on biofuel production and consumption […]

The Importance of Workplace Safety in the Warehouse

Employers must implement workplace safety measures to protect the lives of their employees. Warehouse professionals must follow these measures as it is a matter of life and death. According to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, there were more than 5,283 fatal work injuries in 2023. Warehouse professionals should wear proper protective clothing as a […]

RCRA Regs for Hazardous Waste Management and Cleanup After LA Wildfires

On February 3, 2025, the EPA announced it launched the largest wildfire hazardous waste cleanup in the history of the Agency as it assists local governments and residents in the wake of catastrophic fires in Los Angeles County. As of that date, the EPA had completed reconnaissance at 6,022 properties, which included 3,636 properties impacted […]

Ex-OSHA Administrator: Agency Data Can Help Reduce Injury Risks

In an analysis released before publication on February 13, Dr. David Michaels, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) longest-serving administrator (from 2009 to 2017), suggested that using injury data from OSHA and other sources can help reduce the risk of work-related injuries. Michaels is now a professor of environmental and occupational health at George […]

‘Fork in the Road’ for Trump’s EPA

President Donald Trump hit the ground running in his second term, issuing 36 Executive Orders (EO) in his first week of office compared with only four EOs in the first week of his first term in office. EOs impacting the EPA The following initial EOs provide insights into this administration’s agenda and directly affect EPA […]

Smelly Mel’s and Sewer Rat Plumbing Face $530K Cal/OSHA Fine

Smelly Mel’s Plumbing and Sewer Rat Plumbing face a total of $529,640 in state fines for violating safety regulations that resulted in serious injuries to a construction worker during a trench collapse in San Mateo, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) announced February 10. Cal/OSHA cited the two employers after finding a total […]