Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Get a group of EHS professionals together and the subject of hazardous materials (hazmat) training will invariably come up. What does the Department of Transportation (DOT) expect? How can you be sure that your training is effective and compliant with the DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs)? Today we offer steps for developing a training program […]
DOT’s Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs) require that hazmat employees receive “adequate training” for their specific job duties. As a hazmat employer, you are left in the dark as to what “adequate training” actually means. As a matter of fact, DOT has written a letter of interpretation that states the agency’s position on the meaning of […]
Note: The OSHA industry standards for asbestos do not protect certain state and local government employees. The worker protection requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) ensure that the OSHA General Industry and Construction Industry Standards under 29 CFR 1910.1001 and 29 CFR 1926.1101 are applied to such employees, including those performing asbestos-related work […]
When you think of RCRA, you think of manifests, “cradle to grave” hazardous waste management, transportation, container management, and endless hours of recordkeeping. However, one important aspect of RCRA for EHS managers is training. There are specific training requirements for personnel at hazardous waste TSDFs and large quantity generators (LQGs). Small quantity generators (SQGs) are […]
Step 1: Know Which Agency Rules Apply The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), OSHA, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) each have separate training rules, but there is often overlap among the various training requirements. For example, an employer may have workers managing hazardous waste and have the […]
Green Business Strategies for 2015 Adopt environmentally preferable purchasing. This growing area of sustainable business combines contract language, specifications and policies, with environmental standards and guidelines, and product vendors and service providers to help business make environmentally sound purchasing decisions. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Database to help them […]
10 Things to Know about the Proposed Dental Amalgam Rule—Part 2 6. New Category—Dental Industrial Users. When the EPA promulgates categorical industrial pretreatment standards, the affected dischargers are called, in general, “Categorical Industrial Users (CIUs).” For the proposed new rule, the EPA is establishing a new CIU tailored to the dental offices covered, which is […]
10 Things to Know about the Proposed Dental Amalgam Rule—Part 1 1. The problem with amalgam discharges. Mercury is a toxic metal that can have serious neurological and developmental effects on animals and humans. Elemental mercury in dental amalgam is highly concentrated and when discharged to a POTW is generally separated with about 10 percent […]
Hazardous Waste FAQs for Construction, Demolition, and Renovation Projects by CESQGs Q: Do CESQGs have to comply with any recordkeeping and reporting requirements related to hazardous waste in C&D debris? A: As long as a generator remains a CESQG and is in compliance with the CESQG hazardous waste requirements of 40 CFR 261.5, it is […]
General Hazardous Waste FAQs for Construction, Demolition, and Renovation Q: Which regulations—federal or state—apply to C&D debris containing hazardous wastes? A: Hazardous wastes are regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and most states are authorized to implement their own RCRA programs. These programs must be at least as stringent as the federal […]