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On March 25, 2016, OSHA published its final rule on Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica. Since 1971, crystalline silica exposures have been subject to a permissible exposure limit found in 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-3; the new rule establishes a substance-specific standard for crystalline silica. Substance-specific standards include extensive compliance requirements not found in […]
In 1989, OSHA published a guidance document to aid employers in creating an effective umbrella program encompassing all of its safety and health management activities. OSHA issued a draft update of these guidelines in November 2015, for public comment. The comment period closed in February, and OSHA is poised to issue its updated guidelines.
Nanoscale applications are rapidly moving from the research lab to industrial and commercial settings. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), examples of workplaces that may use nanoscale materials (nanomaterials) include chemical or pharmaceutical laboratories or plants, manufacturing facilities, medical offices or hospitals, and construction sites. Yesterday we explored nanomaterials hazards and ways […]
In a final rule published March 25, 2016, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated requirements for eye and face protections for workers in general industry, shipyards, longshoring operations, marine terminals, and construction.
Nanoscale applications are rapidly moving from the research lab to industrial and commercial settings. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), examples of workplaces that may use nanoscale materials (nanomaterials) include chemical or pharmaceutical laboratories or plants, manufacturing facilities, medical offices or hospitals, and construction sites. Today we will explore nanomaterials hazards and […]
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 […]
Sierra Club de Puerto Rico and other environmental groups could not persuade a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that their challenge to a Clean Air Act (CAA) rule the EPA promulgated in 1980 was timely. According to the groups, that rule provided an illegal definition of any air pollutant […]
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 […]
In the midst of a record construction boom, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced tough new sanctions for serious construction safety lapses. Find out who’s being targeted and why.
OSHA’s new confined space standard for construction has been in effect since August.