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
Recap: Under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) rules, and most state variations of the RCRA rules, there are three classes of generators: large quantity generators (LQGs), small quantity generators (SQGs), and conditionally exempt small quantity generators (CESQGs). The classes are defined by the amount of hazardous waste generated each month. If you […]
On July 9, OSHA announced a 60-day temporary enforcement policy for its Confined Spaces in Construction standard, which became effective August 3, 2015. The agency is postponing full enforcement of the new standard to October 2, 2015, in response to requests for additional time to train and acquire the equipment necessary to comply with the […]
OSHA’s latest regulatory agenda, released in late May, outlined the status of the agency’s currently pending prerules, proposed rules, and final rules. Today, BLR® Safety Editor Emily Clark provides information on what you can expect to see from OSHA in the coming months and which developments could affect your facility. Among the final rules, the […]
In this case, a foundry coke manufacturer in northern New York State will pay $2.75 million for alleged CAA, CWA, and EPCRA violations—and that is just the fine. ‘Citizen Scientists’ Complained A critical point in this case is that federal and state inspections came in response to local citizen complaints. The community even did their […]
So, are citizens’ tips a major component of enforcement programs? Primarily, the average citizen is not able to identify anything beyond the most blatant environmental problems. For example, the EPAinforms aspiring citizen inspectorsthat possible signs of an environmentalviolation include: Strong, offensive, or unusual chemical odors; Large numbers of dead animals, including birds or fish; Pipes […]
Recent enforcement statistics from the EPA show that during fiscal year (FY) 2014, enforcement actions required companies to invest more than $9.7 billion in actions and equipment to control pollution and clean up contaminated sites. Companies paid $63 million in combined administrative, civil, and criminal fines. And that’s just on the federal level! Follow these […]
Let’s face it. If someone in your community has a complaint about your facility, you would much rather hear from them than having the EPA alerted first. It’s all about communication. We’ve discussed some of these ideas before, but some of them bear repeating. These tips can help you in developing an open relationship with […]
When the EPA publishes a press release about an enforcement case, the release will likely contain a statement about how the Agency came to uncover the violations. Sometimes a routine inspection, sometimes a surprise inspection, but often you will find that the inspection was prompted by a citizen complaint. In essence, your neighbors are tattling […]
On March 3, 2015, OSHA cited Seldat Distribution, a distribution warehouse in Dayton, NJ, for 10 serious violations carrying $63,000 in proposed penalties. Inspectors were at the facility looking for electrical hazards in the wake of an employee’s electrocution, and they found many, including problems with the distributor’s electrical panels. They found other problems as […]
In March 2015, OSHA cited Dollar General Corp. for four repeated safety violations found in a December 2014 inspection of a Dollar General store in Atlanta, GA. Dollar General stores have been inspected more than 70 times since 2009—and many of those inspections have identified the same hazards over and over again. The most recent […]