01/13/2015

Tier II Chemical Reporting for Ammonia

Now that 2014 is "in the books," many facilities will compile chemical data from last year's activities to prepare the various reports due this year. Hazardous chemical inventory reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) at 40 CFR 370 is one of these requirements...

01/06/2015

OSHA Injury & Illness Recordkeeping Changes

In the September 18, 2014 Federal Register, OSHA published a Final Rule to amend its injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting regulations in 29 CFR 1904. The new rule marks the first time OSHA has amended these requirements since 2001. Compliance with the new injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting rules is mandatory as of January 1, 2015...

12/23/2014

Reporting Releases under RCRA

Like many Federal environmental statutes, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) sets requirements for reporting releases. Several RCRA regulations address reporting releases of hazardous waste. The specific reporting requirement(s) a hazardous waste generator is subject to depends on...

10/28/2014

What Is an Emergency Coordinator?

Natural disasters, fires, industrial accidents, and other calamities are tragic. When hazardous waste is involved, these tragedies can be catastrophic. Because these events can happen without warning, the US EPA requires large quantity generators...

10/07/2014

OSHA Confined Spaces FAQ

In many industries, employees commonly perform work inside of “confined spaces.” To protect these employees, OSHA’s General Industry Standard includes specific rules employers must follow, including permitting requirements for certain confined spaces...

09/09/2014

Common Chemical Reporting Forms

Before a manufacturer or importer can make or import a new chemical substance, the business must submit information to the US EPA for review. Once EPA has reviewed the chemical and added it to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) master inventory list, manufacture or import can begin and the chemical can be distributed in...

08/26/2014

LDR Paperwork for RCRA “Prohibited Wastes”

08/12/2014

State EPCRA Variations

The United States is a big nation with citizens who experience life differently in each state. Different food, different geography, and different music are only part of what makes the US an exciting place to live and work. That said, EHS managers know that there is another important difference between states, one that can cause...

08/05/2014

When Lifting Objects, Do It Right

For many US employees, work involves tough manual labor, and one of the most common requirements is to lift heavy objects. Lifting objects is an everyday requirement of jobs in industries from manufacturing and construction to retail. Because heavy lifting is such an ordinary activity, workers may not take safety precautions seriously. Workers should be aware that...

07/08/2014

Updating Your EPA Risk Management Plan

Under the Clean Air Act, owners or operators of facilities at which a process uses “…more than a threshold quantity of a regulated substance…” [40 CFR 68.10] must create a Risk Management Plan (RMP) to prevent the accidental release of these substances to the ambient air and to minimize the consequences of releases that do happen...