10/15/2013
In an October 2 Final Rule published in the Federal Register, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) added a number of lithium battery-related shipping mistakes to its list of Frequently Cited Violations. The unique hazards posed by lithium batteries caught the attention of regulators in part due to a growing number of uses for these batteries, an increase in shipping volume, and many...
10/08/2013
Most Americans are familiar with flagship U.S. EPA’s programs like the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Safe Drinking Water Acts. EHS managers and industry professionals know that in addition to these high-profile programs, the EPA also regulates hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), chemical manufacturing under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and...
10/01/2013
A Pennsylvania manufacturer faces a $61,600 fine for failing to have proper machine guarding on equipment, which led to a worker suffering a laceration injury. “Exposing workers to lacerations and possible amputation injuries by neglecting to ensure machine guarding is in place is unacceptable,” said OSHA Area Director Kim Nelson in Toledo. “Companies must be aware of...
09/27/2013
A new joint rulemaking by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) aims to prevent highway-rail grade crossing crashes. The new rule prohibits drivers of commercial motor vehicles containing certain consignments of hazardous materials from driving across highway-rail grade crossings unless there is...
09/24/2013
Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), solid waste generated from the treatment, storage, or disposal of hazardous waste remains hazardous waste unless excluded elsewhere in the regulations. This is known as the “derived-from” rule and is designed to ensure that wastes that are treated, but which may still pose a threat to human health or the environment, do not fall through the cracks of RCRA regulation...
09/17/2013
09/10/2013
When we talk about the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), we often talk about the inventory reports chemical manufacturers, processors, and distributors must submit to the EPA. In addition to requiring these inventory reports, TSCA also includes reporting and recordkeeping standards for two specially identified situations: Companies must report to the EPA on any...
09/03/2013
Shipping papers are a crucial part of safely shipping hazardous materials. See the top 5 mistakes shippers make on shipping papers, and how to avoid them.