07/17/2015
07/14/2015
According to a US EPA press release dated July 13, 2015, four companies in Washington State will pay civil penalties for noncompliance with the EPA’s Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) chemical reporting requirements. Between them, the facilities will pay more than $300,000 in civil penalties and commit nearly $200,000 in supplemental environmental projects...
Under Section 311 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), facilities subject to OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard must submit copies of Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) to Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs), State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs), and local fire departments. The Environmental Protection Agency has promulgated rules in 40 CFR 370 that cover both initial and revised submissions of SDSs to those agencies....
07/13/2015
The US DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is planning a Fall 2015 Final Rule to address hazardous materials in the “reverse logistics” supply chain. “Reverse logistics” applies primarily to the retail industry, where employees face the challenge of shipping defective, damaged, or returned hazmat products—like batteries, pharmaceuticals, or household products—back to the manufacturer or vendor...
07/09/2015
Last month, a Hayward, CA battery manufacturer was fined $63,000 by US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for violations of the Hazardous Materials Regulations...
A memo released late last month by the US EPA’s Office of Civil Enforcement (OCE) provides insight into the steps EPA officials follow when determining the amount of a civil penalty for environmental violations...
07/07/2015
In response to a letter from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, OSHA has reevaluated its classification of applying kinesiology tape as a form of “medical treatment beyond first aid...
Experts predict a $22 billion market for lithium batteries in 2016. The rising popularity of these batteries makes it crucial that manufacturers, shippers, and consumers who handle and use lithium-battery-powered devices know the safety hazards these products pose. By following some basic handling and storage guidelines, everyone who comes in contact with lithium batteries can avoid short circuits, fires, and injuries...
07/06/2015
The United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to propose changes to the RCRA hazardous waste generator regulations this month (July 2015). Named the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule, the forthcoming proposed rule “will suggest changes to the RCRA hazardous waste regulations to improve the effectiveness and clarity of the generator rules...
07/01/2015
The US EPA announced on Monday, June 29, that it will soon publish a Final Rule to update its underground storage tank (UST) regulations. While many states have kept their UST rules up-to-date with changing technology and environmental requirements, this is the first major change to the Federal standards since the rules were originally written in 1988. Hundreds of thousands of US facilities rely on underground storage tanks—because they either sell petroleum products or use the tanks to store gasoline for their own vehicles...
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Safety professionals can use this guide as a quick reference to OSHA’s regulations for training hours, days of field experience, refresher training, and HAZWOPER regulatory references where more information is available. The guide also includes course recommendations for managers or personnel in need of OSHA-required HAZWOPER training.