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The final deadline for hazardous chemical manufactures, importers, and distributors required to comply with the Hazard Communication (HazCom) label requirements that were amended when OSHA adopted the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) has passed. The June 1, 2016, deadline for employers to update alternative workplace labeling and their hazard communication […]
Recently, we received a question from a subsciber about the potential hazards of a worker wearing a wristwatch in an isopropyl alcohol washroom used for washing parts. See what we had to say.
A series of storms raged across Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma over Memorial Day weekend, 2015, killing as they went. Among the dead were some who were washed away by floodwaters, others who died in tornadoes, and at least three people who were working on post-storm cleanup. Is your workplace prepared for a natural disaster? The […]
At 5:50 p.m. on May 9, 2015, a transformer exploded at the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester, New York, 50 miles north of Manhattan. Sprinkler systems activated as emergency response crews scrambled, working to keep the fire from the nuclear installation just 200 yards away. The crews poured specially designed fire-fighting foam on […]
Ethanol is a renewable, domestically produced fuel that can be made from grains, such as corn or wheat, or from cellulose sources, such as prairie grass or agricultural, forestry, or municipal wastes. In the United States, ethanol is primarily made from corn. EPA’s Office of Underground Storage Tanks regulates tanks storing petroleum and biofuels. Under […]
A 20-year-old employee at a manufacturer of rice cakes and other snack products was shocked while performing service work on an electrical panel on August 18, 2014. The employee missed 2 days of work. After hearing of the injury, OSHA inspected the facility and identified several problems with the employer’s electrical safety work practices.
In yesterday’s article, we looked at the labeling requirements for solid materials, specifically, when a solid material is an “article” that does not require labeling and when it is a potentially hazardous chemical that must be labeled. Today, we’ll look at other unusual labeling situations that may arise and how to handle them.
In today’s Advisor, we focus on standards and other considerations that can help manage combustible dust hazards.
Combustible dust explosions have destroyed workplaces and killed employees. Take action now to prevent a disaster. A comprehensive approach to preventing and controlling combustible dust hazards is essential to prevent deadly explosions. Some general rules include the following: Do not allow employees to use compressed air, dry sweeping, or other cleaning methods that can disperse […]
OSHA has issued guidance for its inspectors to determine if makers and importers of chemicals have correctly classified products as combustible dust hazards under the revised Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard (or HCS). The recent guidance, issued as an interpretation and sent to OSHA regional administrators, affects manufacturers and importers of chemicals (“classifiers”), not users. In […]