Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
When you think about chemical safety and compliance, the first standard that comes to mind might be the hazard communication standard. However, there are a lot of standards that apply to hazardous chemical safety. Yesterday, we looked at two employers that failed to comply with Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, personal protective equipment, and […]
There are many chemicals in use in modern workplaces—and there are a lot of ways workers can be exposed to them. Three employers that were cited within a 1-month period earlier this year provide instructive examples of the kinds of mistakes that lead to overexposures.
Yesterday, we looked at the six essential elements of a HAZWOPER site analysis. Today, we’ll look at the requirements for site management and site control.
Make sure employees who get anywhere near hazardous materials understand the risks and the precautions. Depending on the hazardous material and the amount, hazards can range from moderate to deadly. Your employees also need to realize that hazardous substances can be hazardous in different ways. They can be:
The steps in the decontamination process vary depending on the hazards involved, the equipment available, and the terrain and circumstances. However, this list is typical of what would be set up for a complex decontamination. Station 1: Segregated Equipment Drop Deposit equipment used on-site (tools, sampling devices and containers, monitoring instruments, radios, clipboards) on plastic […]
Toxic substances are found in many facilities, and employees can suffer a variety of illnesses as a result of unprotected exposures. According to Understanding Toxic Substances, a guide for employers and employees published by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries: "The toxicity of a substance is its ability to cause harmful effects. These effects […]
Yesterday, we focused on OSHA’s safer chemicals toolkit. Today, we turn to its annotated PEL tables. OSHA recognizes that many of its permissible exposure limits (PELs) are outdated and inadequate for ensuring protection of worker health. Most of OSHA’s PELs were issued shortly after adoption of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970, and […]
