Lion News

04/26/2016

How to Manage Aerosol Cans Under RCRA Hazardous Waste Rules

Updated: In late 2019, US EPA finalized a rulemaking to add aerosol cans to the universal waste program at 40 CFR Part 273. 

01/21/2016

Newport, WA Plant Fined $1.3M for Explosion that Injured 17

A Newport, WA plastics and composites production plant where a July 2015 explosion injured seventeen workers has been cited for willful and serious violations of OSHA’s work safety standards. 

12/31/2015

California DTSC Rescinds Universal Waste Guidance

The California Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) has officially rescinded hazardous waste guidance which had required facilities to count Universal Waste toward monthly generator status. The move follows new legislation in the California Health & Safety Code (HSC) which allows generators to exclude Universal Waste when calculating the volume of waste generated in a given month.  

09/01/2015

Know Your Safety Agency: The CSB

The US Chemical and Hazard Investigation Board, or CSB, made headlines this year when its chairman resigned amid controversy. President Obama appointed, and the US Senate confirmed, a new chairperson in March. As the new Chair-former Chief Counsel for PHMSA, Vanessa Sutherland-begins her term, the time is right to ask: What exactly is the CSB, and what does it do?

07/23/2015

Some “Retail Facilities” No Longer Exempt from OSHA PSM Requirements

In a new Interim Enforcement Policy, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) announced on July 22, 2015 that certain employers will no longer be exempted from compliance requirements under the Process Safety Management (PSM) standard for highly hazardous chemicals at 29 CFR 1910.119...

06/11/2015

OSHA Memos Clarify PSM Enforcement Policies

On June 8, 2015, OSHA issued two memos for regional administrators and State plan designees that address enforcement of the Process Safety Management standards. (Read more about what’s required under OSHA’s PSM rules  here)...

06/09/2015

EPA Risk Management Plan Rules

In 1990, the Clean Air Act was amended to mandate that the US EPA and OSHA develop regulations and guidance for chemical accident prevention. In response, OSHA created its Process Safety Management (PSM) requirements and EPA created regulations requiring companies that use certain regulated chemicals to develop a Risk Management Plan (RMP)...

06/02/2015

OSHA Standard for Accidental Release Prevention

In response to high-profile industrial accidents, such as the Richmond, California refinery fire, the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has called for changes to accidental release prevention regulations in the US. The CSB is pressing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)...

12/08/2011

EPA Guidance Document: How Do I Keep My RCRA Waste Containers "Closed"?