Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Workers have been trained to rely on chemical labels and safety data sheets (SDSs) for chemical hazard information—and rightly so, most of the time. However, some chemical hazards don’t come neatly packaged and labeled. That doesn’t make them any less dangerous. Yesterday, we looked at the hazards of vehicle exhaust and flammable vapors. Here are […]
Recently, one of our subscribers asked the following question:
Welding is a hazardous activity that poses a unique combination of both safety and health risks to more than 500,000 workers in a wide variety of industries. Because it is a common operation in many workplaces, its hazards are often underappreciated. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that more than four deaths […]
Yesterday we talked about some hefty fines that OSHA recently imposed on companies for exposing their workers to asbestos during a building renovation project. Today we will review required training for employees who must work with asbestos-containing material (ACM) in construction activities. In addition to the basic asbestos training requirements for general industry, OSHA has […]
OSHA has updated its voluntary Safety and Health Management Program guidelines. They’re not yet finalized; OSHA is accepting public comment on the revisions until February 15. Among the proposed revisions are new sections on program evaluation and multiemployer workplaces. A summary of the proposed changes is below. New Focus Areas for SHMP According to OSHA, […]
Recently, one of our subscribers asked the following questions: Is a confined space on a permanently moored casino vessel adjacent to a land-based hotel covered under OSHA’s more restrictive general industry rule or under the maritime rules? Since the general industry standards are more restrictive than the maritime standards, if the vessel does fall under […]
With more than 650,000 employers and 6-million-plus employees, construction is a solid pillar of the U.S. economy. According to the Associated General Contractors, the building industry creates nearly $1 trillion worth of structures each year.
In 2013, the trucking and road construction industries initiated a case to prevent the EPA from waiving federal emissions standards for nonroad diesel engines to allow the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to impose its own more stringent standards on those vehicles. The outcome of that dispute will carry major consequences for California businesses and, […]
When the temperature drops below freezing, your pipes are at risk. Most people, including most business owners, are aware of this risk with respect to ordinary plumbing found in bathrooms and kitchens. But, have you considered whether your workplace sprinkler system is at risk? Frozen sprinkler system piping that bursts can cause serious water damage […]
A company in Waverly, Ohio, was recently fined over $56,000 for violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) lead standard concerning exposure monitoring and the use of personal protective equipment. Today we will review the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for lead, take a look at what happened in this particular case, and urge […]