Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Yesterday, we looked at substances that can cause or aggravate asthma that are often found in the work environment—both where they are being manufactured and also at the point of use. We also identified some industries in which exposure to asthmagens—asthma-causing chemicals—might be of greatest concern. Today, we’ll look at strategies employers can use to […]
On June 6, 2022, the EPA issued the first Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) test orders to the Chemours Company, DuPont De Nemours Inc., National Foam Inc., and Johnson Controls Inc. The orders require the companies to conduct and submit testing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In October 2021, the Agency announced its PFAS […]
On December 15, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board adopted nonemergency COVID-19 prevention regulations. The state’s COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETSs) remain in effect while the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) reviews the nonemergency regulations. The OAL has 30 days to conduct its review, but once approved, the nonemergency rules remain in […]
Ransomware and vulnerability exploitations together were able to “imprison” businesses across the globe in 2021, with manufacturing emerging as the most targeted industry while supply chain woes grew, according to a new report from IBM Security. While the annual X-Force Threat Intelligence Index found phishing was the most common cause of cyberattacks in general in the past […]
The Second Integrated Urban Air Report to Congress—What’s Next? With publication of the Second Integrated Urban Air Report to Congress, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fulfilled its three primary obligations under the 1990 Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments. These are: Report twice on accomplishments realized relative to reducing harmful air toxics; Regulate 90 […]
We are still months away from July 1, 2018, when reports covering 2017 (called the 2017 reporting year) required by Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)—commonly called the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)—must be submitted to the EPA. But, as the Agency is fond of pointing out, it is wise to […]
In the first quarter (Q1), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized 188 settlement agreements with companies small and large across the United States. This represents a significant increase in enforcement actions—up from 71 penalties issued in Q4 for 2019. The actions taken resulted in $4.1 million in fines. Here are some of the highlights.
For those who prefer to read rather than to listen, here is a continuation of the transcript of our recent EHS on Tap podcast episode with Regina McMichael, president of the Learning Factory and the Safety Training Ninja. Read on for more insightful safety training engagement tips from Regina, plus be sure to catch her […]
Underground Utilities, an Ohio excavation contractor, is facing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines totaling $251,517 for violations at three trenching worksites following the death of a 33-year-old worker in Columbus, the agency announced January 17. The worker was pinned between the “spreader” bars of a trench box and the wall of a 7-foot-deep […]
OSHA has awarded $10.5 million in one-year federal safety and health training grants to 77 nonprofit organizations nationwide. The grants will provide training and education for workers and employers on the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of safety and health hazards in their workplaces. They will also inform workers of their rights and employers of their […]