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The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board meets December 16 to consider readoption of the state’s COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS). The ETS, originally adopted in November 2020, was readopted June 17 and expires January 14, 2022. Under California administrative law, emergency standards remain in effect for 180 days, but the board may twice […]
With COVID-19 cases surging and the fear of contracting the next highly transmissible contagion widespread, American workers are placing a renewed emphasis on cleaning, according to a new survey by the Cleaning Coalition of America. The survey finds that U.S. workers increasingly value enhanced cleaning of the workplace and feel safer seeing professional cleaners on site—a […]
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced in a Total Worker Health (TWH) update that the institute’s grant partners are conducting research on the impact of opioids in the workplace. Extramural researchers have been studying and developing resources related to the prevention of opioid misuse and overdose in working populations. NIOSH has […]
A St. Croix refinery is facing $259,407 in proposed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalties after the agency cited the company for 20 violations of the process safety management (PSM) standard. Releases of oil and vapor into the air and fiery flares at a St. Croix refinery in February and May led to an […]
The emergence of a new COVID-19 variant has put employers on notice that they may need to beef up their safety protocols or change reopening plans as the omicron variant makes its entrance in the United States. The new variant was discovered abroad in late November. Then, on December 1, the White House confirmed the […]
Across industrial and commercial sectors, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is changing how enterprises approach employee safety, health, performance, and quality. Cloud-connected personal protection wearables can deliver comprehensive real-time safety for at-risk workers, including those working alone or in remote areas, near hazardous gases or in confined spaces. No matter if it’s an injury, […]
Nearly half of workers exposed to hazardous occupational noise do not use hearing protection, according to a recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study. The study appeared in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Researchers found that some of the industries in which noise is a well-recognized hazard had high prevalences of hearing […]
In our latest installment of Ask the Expert, brought to you by the team of industry experts at EHS Hero®, we look at a recent question from a subscriber asking whether an N95 or N99 mask protects the user from fumes when cutting stainless steel. See what the experts had to say. Q: Does an […]
Back to Basics is a weekly feature that highlights important but possibly overlooked information that any EHS professional should know. This week, we examine managing permit-required confined spaces. Are there spaces in your facility or at your worksites where you need to limit access? Are there spaces that contain a hazardous or potentially hazardous atmosphere, […]
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released findings from its latest “Fire Loss in the U.S.” report, which shows that the total number of U.S. fires overall rose 8% from 2019 to 2020. While some year-to-year fluctuation is normal, NFPA said this increase reflects a “far from typical” year due to the pandemic. “In […]