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Citizen Scientists: Air Pollution and Algae Projects

Although citizen scientists have always had a place in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) monitoring and surveillance regimen, information from the public now holds a prominent place in EPA’s new agenda. Yesterday we discussed two new projects using citizen scientists that the EPA is undertaking that could have a profound effect on facilities in […]

An Increase in EPA Penalties

As is the case each January, the EPA has finalized regulations adjusting its civil penalties to account for inflation. Therefore, effective January 15, 2018, the maximum civil penalties that the EPA may impose for violations of various environmental statutes have increased by 2 percent.

A Safer Workplace Is Everybody’s Job

Accountability for injury and incident prevention can vary significantly from organization to organization. Who is ultimately responsible in your company? Does everyone understand his or her role and responsibilities? In a safer workplace, management responsibilities include: Providing a workplace free from recognized hazards Evaluating workplace conditions, and controlling or eliminating potential hazards Complying with all […]

Next Steps for WOTUS

On August 5, 2021, the EPA and the U.S. Department of the Army announced upcoming community engagement opportunities for public input into their efforts to revise the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition. Redefining WOTUS is a two-part process for the agencies. The first rulemaking will restore the WOTUS definition to the version in […]

exhaust coming out of car tailpipe

EPA’s Actions on Vehicle GHG Standards Not Reviewable

Seventeen states, the District of Columbia, and seven of the nation’s top environmental groups petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to review the legality of the Trump EPA’s decision to withdraw the Obama EPA’s January 2017 determination that the Agency’s 2012 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for model year (MY) 2022–2025 […]

Training Hispanic Workers in Safety: Tips from the Experts

Training Hispanic workers in safety can present both linguistic and cultural challenges. Here are ideas from the experts on how to do it. “¡Peligroso! ¡No Entrar!” Imagine you’re touring a workplace and notice the sign above on a door. Would you go in? Not if you know, from taking Spanish in school or other experience, […]

USP Delays Hazardous Drug Standard Enforcement but Encourages Early Adoption

Chemotherapy was first used to fight cancer in the 1940s. By the 1970s, chemotherapy drugs were being used to treat noncancerous health conditions, such as lupus, vasculitis, and autoimmune disorders. By the 1980s, the adverse health effects of chemotherapeutic agents on healthcare workers were well known enough to prompt the publication of the first recommendations […]

Lifestyle and addiction issues in construction

At the recent Connecticut Construction Industries Association’s 3rd annual Safety Alliance Conference, local union and Labor Assistance Professional Kyle Zimmer delivered a presentation on substance abuse and lifestyle issues that impact construction workers. BLR Legal Editor Ana Ellington shares the highlights.