Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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.
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Yesterday, we reported several big OSHA enforcement actions with costly price tags for the employers cited. Today, we’ll review a couple more big-dollar cases involving willful, repeat, and serious violations. Ohio Steelmaker Faces More Than 500K in Proposed Fines A steelmaker in Lorain, Ohio, faces $563,000 in proposed fines for inadequate lockout/tagout procedures and for […]
2011 was a busy year for OSHA enforcement. Here’s a quick roundup of some of the most costly actions. As we start another year under the watchful eye of an OSHA administration that has not been reluctant to propose large penalties when citing employers for safety and health violations, it may be helpful to take […]
Here’s a UST checklist to help you out with the paperwork: Have owners and operators kept on file the following information (40 CFR 280.34(b)): Corrosion expert’s analysis of site-corrosion potential if corrosion-protection equipment not used (40 CFR 280.20)? Documentation of operation of corrosion protection equipment (40 CFR 280.31)? Documentation of UST system repairs (40 CFR […]
Surprise! Don’t get caught without the necessary records in the event of a surprise EPA or state agency inspection. Here are some tips for getting and keeping your records organized. Employee training records should be filed by date and topic. In an effort to keep employee records organized, most supervisors put employee training records in […]
Dos DO talk to your legal counsel before destroying any records. Although federal and state law may require record retention for only a specific period (usually 3 to 5 years), DO talk to your legal counsel before destroying any records. For example, environmental experts advise that biennial reports be kept indefinitely as these reports provide […]
Now, to achieve these goals, EPA promises to “Pursue vigorous civil and criminal enforcement that targets the most serious water, air, and chemical hazards in communities. Assure strong, consistent, and effective enforcement of federal environmental laws nationwide.” The FY 2011–2015 EPA Strategic Plan is accompanied by five crosscutting fundamental strategies that seek to adapt into […]
In today’s Advisor, we get labor’s views about OSHA, its efforts, and its critics. Like OSHA’s Jordan Barab (see yesterday’s Advisor), Peg Seminario, long-time safety and health director of the AFL-CIO, disputes the idea that the cost of regulation is stifling growth or that regulatory uncertainty is stopping employers from hiring. "There’s no truth to […]
OSHA turned 40 this year. For the latest on what’s happening at the agency and how OSHA initiatives are affecting U.S. business, BLR turned to Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor Jordan Barab and Joe Trauger, vice president of human resources policy for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) At 40, OSHA may be middle-aged, but […]
Yesterday, we talked about the meaning of “work-related” and how to compute lost workdays under OSHA’s recordkeeping standard. Today, we review another important recordkeeping issue—the difference between medical treatment and first aid for recordkeeping purposes. In a webinar entitled "Safety Recordkeeping: Maintaining Records that Pass Inspection and Build Strong Safety Culture," Adele L Abrams, Esq., […]
OSHA recordkeeping requirements can be difficult to navigate. Here’s some help on two key issues from an attorney who specializes in safety law. In a recent BLR webinar entitled "Safety Recordkeeping: Maintaining Records that Pass Inspection and Build Strong Safety Culture," Adele L Abrams, Esq., CMSP, of the Law Office of Adele L. Abrams PC, […]