Practical EHS Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
In February, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) partnered with the National Service, Transmission, Exploration, and Production Safety (STEPS) Network and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to promote “Step Up for Safety” in the upstream oil and gas (O&G) industry. Employers are encouraged to take time out to conduct site […]
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recently issued a final rule codifying the provisions of nine special permits for companies that transport certain bulk explosives. What are special permits and what kind of flexibility do they offer for transporting hazardous materials? How is training handled under special permits? How is PHMSA moving toward […]
Don’t get caught short by a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) roadside inspection. In its most recent data for fiscal year (FY) 2016, DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) had performed 26,570 roadside inspections of trucks targeting compliance with hazardous materials transportation regulations. During these inspections, DOT inspectors found 5,894 violations. The top violation […]
Training is a substantial investment of time and resources. So, naturally, you’ll want to make sure that your training is effective at what you want it to accomplish. Which is … what, exactly? In order to evaluate the effectiveness of your training, the first thing you’ll have to ask yourself is, What exactly would “effective” […]
The end of the year is a good time to review workplace injuries and illnesses. Yesterday we looked at the requirements for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A, The Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. Today we will address various scenarios for recording injuries and illnesses under OSHA’s regulations. Background. Under OSHA’s injury […]
As the year winds down, it is time to start preparing your Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A for posting. Today we will review the requirements for Form 300A, and tomorrow we will address various scenarios for recording injuries and illnesses under OSHA’s regulations. General Background Information Under OSHA’s recordkeeping regulation at 29 […]
There are advantages and disadvantages to various training delivery methods and formats (e.g., classroom, computer-based, hands-on training). Given the multitude of training requirements a company must address, it is best to have available various training delivery methods and tools, rather than rely on a “one-method-fits-all” program. The flexibility of mixing and matching training program components […]
Training is an essential part of any employer’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) compliance program, and some Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards have extensive training requirements. Employers spend a lot of money and a lot of worker hours fulfilling those requirements—but how can you know you’re getting […]
It seems that lithium batteries are everywhere. They are common in many products we take for granted, such as cell phones, laptops, watches, cameras, and toys, to name a few. However, shipping lithium batteries can be dangerous—especially when shipped by air. Yesterday we reviewed the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) recent amendments for […]
It seems that lithium batteries are everywhere. They are common in many products we take for granted, such as cell phones, laptops, watches, cameras, and toys, to name a few. However, shipping lithium batteries can be dangerous—especially when they’re shipped by air. Today we will review the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) recent […]