Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Could a one-two punch from the federal government decimate a major American industry? Yesterday we looked at new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements and cost controversies for controlling air pollution at brick and ceramic manufacturing plants. Today we will review the impact that OSHA’s silica dust rule will have on EHS management tasks at such […]
Employers have long been concerned about how smoking affects the workplace in terms of overall health and healthcare costs, the synergistic effects of smoking and workplace exposures, and fire safety. Recently, those concerns have been expanded to include vaping—which, as it turns out, is not really any safer for workers than cigarette smoking. And, just […]
In an effort reminiscent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) very successful “Safety Stand-Down” program to prevent falls in construction, the agency has launched a program to protect workers in the oil and gas (O&G) industry. It’s called “Step Up for Safety,” and OSHA and its partners are encouraging employers to conduct “Step […]
When an employee “blows the whistle” on an employer’s alleged illegal activity, employers must tread very carefully. If any action has been taken that the employee could claim is unfavorable, the he or she may feel that the action is retaliatory. When that happens, the employee may file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and […]
Every environment, health, and safety (EHS) manager is faced with the daunting and tedious task of ensuring that the hazardous chemicals in their workplace are correctly classified. And, every EHS manager is aware that the correct classification of chemicals and their hazards is the first critical step in ensuring the safety of the workers who […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is modernizing its approach to environmental compliance and efficiency through a project called “E-Enterprise for the Environment.” Yesterday we reviewed EPA’s plans for E-Enterprise as outlined in the Agency’s 2017 budget pertaining to air quality, water quality, and inspections. Today we will look at EPA’s budgetary plans for compliance […]
A lot of OSHA standards have requirements that must be fulfilled annually. In particular, OSHA’s fire safety standards have a number of inspection, testing, and training requirements that apply on an annual basis. Keep reading for a checklist of fire safety related annual requirements. Bulk Plants Handling Flammable Liquids At bulk plants handling flammable […]
A lot of OSHA standards require that you prepare a written program, provide training, or perform inspections as part of your compliance with the standard. Some of these requirements need only be completed one time; some only require review or updating when there is a change affecting them. But some OSHA standards require you to […]
Yesterday, we looked at the health hazards OSHA identified in the paint room at a Connecticut amusement park. But paint rooms pose more than just health hazards. The chemicals involved in paint spray operations also pose fire and explosion hazards that must be addressed. When it inspected the paint spray room at Lake Compounce Family […]
Last fall, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule that would make significant changes to regulatory requirements for the management of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals. Comments were accepted until December 24, 2015. Yesterday we reviewed some comments from healthcare facilities. Today we will look at some comments from pharmaceutical manufacturers and retailers. All […]