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

CWA Jurisdictional Case goes to the Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court continued its keen interest in the reach of the Clean Water Act (CWA) by agreeing to hear a case about whether a jurisdictional determination (JD) by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) constituted a final action by the Corps. The Supreme Court will review a ruling by a panel of […]

EPA’s eDisclosure Portal has Launched!

Effective December 9, 2015, the EPA launched a new tool that allows regulated entities to electronically report self-discovered violations. The tool, called eDisclosure, will function under the Agency’s two self-policing incentive policies—the 2000 Incentives for Self-Policing Discovery, Disclosure, Correction and Prevention of Violations and the 2000 Small Business Compliance Policy.

Two Court Cases Find in Favor of the EPA

EPA’s nonattainment designations of two counties—one in Montana and one in Michigan—under the Agency’s 2010 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2) were challenged in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in two separate petitions that the court consolidated. According to the court, the two claims had “virtually nothing […]

Report Identifies Ongoing Concerns at Indiana OSHA

An assessment of Indiana OSHA’s (IOSHA) progress in meeting performance goals paints a picture of a potentially floundering agency. Federal OSHA recently reported on its follow up Federal Annual Monitoring Evaluation (FAME), which assessed the state OSHA program’s progress in meeting goals identified in an evaluation last year. Current findings list staff shortages; problems with […]

New Violations Revealed in the VW Case

In its September 18, 2015, announcement that Volkswagen AG had installed illegal emission defeat devices in 500,000 four-cylinder diesel vehicles sold in the U.S. since 2008, the EPA said it would continue testing the company’s vehicles for compliance with the Clean Air Act.

Don’t Get Penalized for Common Hazwaste Container Violations

By: Elizabeth Dickinson, JD Are you in compliance when it comes to container management? The most common Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulatory violations cited by state environmental regulatory agency inspectors are in connection with containers of hazardous waste. So, what are the most common mistakes in managing containers, and how can you avoid them […]