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.
Free Special Report: What to Expect from an OSHA Inspection
A federal administrative law judge (ALJ) ordered Class I railroad freight company CSX Transportation Inc. to reinstate two railroad workers who were wrongfully terminated for reporting safety concerns and pay the workers a total of $453,510, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced October 11. The decision out of the Department of Labor’s Office […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been developing three industry-specific rulemakings that could significantly impact healthcare industry compliance. By the end of the year, the industry could see one new final regulation and two proposed rules. The agency plans to issue a permanent standard sometime in December for exposures to COVID-19 in healthcare […]
Wholestone Farms Cooperative Inc., a Fremont, Nebraska, farm cooperative, faces $36,873 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines for exposing workers in a palletizing area to ergonomic stressors likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, the agency announced October 8. Investigators found that the company required workers to manually lift boxes weighing up to […]
After calling for more accessible public emissions records from Colorado, the EPA abruptly changed course and “proposed to rescind its previous directive that required the State of Colorado to collect and maintain critical air pollution data from the oil and gas industry,” states a Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) press release. “A coalition of […]
The EPA recently announced that food producer Hiland Dairy Foods Company LLC of Norfolk, Nebraska, agreed to pay a $93,107 civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act’s (CAA) chemical accident prevention provisions. Reducing risks from accidental releases of hazardous substances at industrial and chemical facilities is a top priority for […]
In January 2024, the EPA proposed new effluent limitations guidelines (ELG) that would bring meat and poultry processing (MPP) facilities under EPA authority by requiring MPP facilities to add expensive water filtration systems to comply with the proposed regulation. According to an EPA Fact Sheet on the proposed rule, pollutants discharged from MPP facilities include […]
Understanding OSHA Inspections in Greater Detail As an employer, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of OSHA inspections, from the reasons for their occurrence to the potential consequences of non-compliance. This article will explore these topics, and more, to help you maintain a safe, compliant workplace. Reasons for OSHA Inspections While the primary reasons […]
Chemical manufacturer AB Specialty Silicones LLC has agreed to pay $1.3 million in penalties in connection with a May 2019 explosion and fire at its Waukegan, Illinois, plant that claimed the lives of four workers, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced October 2. Following OSHA’s investigation, it proposed penalties totaling $1,591,176 for four […]
Legacy Cooperative, a Nebraska grain cooperative, faces a $536,965 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fine for two willful and 22 serious violations, the agency announced October 3. OSHA initiated an inspection as part of its local emphasis program (LEP) for grain-handling facilities in the state. Agency inspectors identified life-threatening hazards at the employer’s Hemingford, […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced on October 1 it completed the restructuring of its regional offices. OSHA’s most significant change is the creation of a Birmingham, Alabama, regional office responsible for employer assistance, inspection, and enforcement in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. Kentucky and Tennessee are the […]