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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Got safety plans to ensure OSHA compliance? These employers didn’t, and look what happened to them. Here are some recent OSHA enforcement actions that highlight the need to implement effective safety plans to avoid accidents, injuries, and OSHA breathing down your neck. OSHA Says Manufacturer Willfully Exposed Workers A manufacturer in Ohio faces $536,000 in […]
Workers who operate and maintain machinery suffer approximately 18,000 amputations, lacerations, crushing injuries, abrasions, and over 800 deaths per year. Most of these incidents are caused by improper guarding of workplace machines. In fact one of the most frequently cited OSHA regulations is machine guarding. One common method of protecting workers who use mechanical power […]
When would a court support a “willful” citation? Find out how one federal appeals court ruled. As a construction company began work on the shell of a three-story building, a representative of the local utility showed up and said, “You can’t continue working here with those power lines so close by. They have to be […]
Which violations rise to the level of “willful” in the eyes of OSHA? Find out what compliance officers are trained to look for. According to the OSHA Field Inspection Reference Manual, a willful violation of OSHA standards occurs whenever the evidence shows either an intentional violation or “plain indifference” to the requirements of the regulations. […]
Here’s a quick overview of basic RCRA recordkeeping requirements for hazardous waste generators. The importance of proper recordkeeping for compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is best illustrated by the fact that many of the most common hazardous waste generator violations issued involve a lack of proper recordkeeping. The regulations require […]
Yesterday, we highlighted OSHA’s 2010 Top 10 list. Today, we talk about OSHA cooperative programs, which can help you avoid citations and penalties as well as achieve other important benefits. On the flip side of OSHA’s Top 10 and other enforcement actions there’s a whole different world of regulatory compliance—the carrot rather than the stick. […]
Every year OSHA publishes its Top 10 violations list, and every year employers fall into the same trap, garnering citations and often hefty fines. Last year was no different. The top 10 OSHA violations for fiscal 2010 were: Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) Hazard communication standard, general […]
OSHA is proposing revisions to 29 CFR 1910, Subparts D and I. Here’s what may change. Revisions to 1910, Subpart D (Walking and Working Surfaces) and Subpart I (Personal Protective Equipment) are necessary, says OSHA, to reduce workplace slips, trips, and falls, which are a leading cause of worker-related injury and death. Every year more […]
HazCom featured in third place on OSHA’s top 10 violations for 2010. Two big HazCom issues are labels and MSDSs. A variance is an alternative procedure of compliance with some part of a safety and health standard, which is granted to an employer by OSHA. For example: You are not able to comply fully and […]