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Compressed Air Safety
Compressed air is used in a multitude of applications in industry — pneumatic tools and equipment, pumps, valves, tires, robotic arms, conveyors, packaging machines, some welding operations, metal cutting, surface preparation, breathing air, natural gas extraction,...
Supreme Court’s Overruling of Chevron Deference Will Change How Regulations are Written and Interpreted
On June 28, in the Supreme Court case Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, a doctrine established in 1984 called the “Chevron deference” was overturned and will no longer be used when it comes to courts interpreting the meanings of regulations when there are...
Summer Safety
We talk about the holiday season being a big time of distraction when one is focused on a bunch of other things where safety may not always be top of mind. However, the summer can be a big distraction too. There’s a lot of things that we do in our non-work lives...
Severe Weather — Tornadoes
Tornadoes are violent storms that don’t only strike in the traditional “Tornado Alley” region of the U.S. The southeastern part of the U.S. is starting to experience many more tornadoes over the past few years. Tornadoes can strike anywhere, including places like...
OSHA Updates Walk Around Rule for Inspections
A new final rule issued by OSHA gives employees the opportunity to designate an employee representative to accompany an inspector during OSHA inspections. The original rule, at 29 CFR 1903.8(c), allowed for employers to have a representative to accompany an inspector,...
OHSAS 18001 and ISO 45001: What’s the Difference?
Need assistance with ISO 45001? iSi can help! On November 27, 2017, a final version of the new International Standards Organization (ISO) 45001 standard was published, creating an official ISO standard for occupational health and safety programs. In the early 2000s...
What is a Toxic Release Inventory (aka TRI, SARA 313, Form R)?
What Is It? TRI first came into existence in 1986 as part of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). TRI’s creation was influenced by an event in Bhopal, India in 1984 where a cloud of...
Example General Duty Clause Citations to Look for in Your Workplace
OSHA has a number of regulations that govern many aspects of the workplace. When there is not a specific regulation reference, they will often cite the General Duty Clause. What is the General Duty Clause? The General Duty Clause is found in Section 5(a)(1) of the...
What’s the Difference Between the HAZWOPER’s Emergency Response Plan and an Emergency Action Plan?
Being prepared for emergencies at your facility is vital, and having that plan communicated to your employees is even more critical. OSHA references a couple of different plans in its regulations, one is the Emergency Action Plan and then OSHA’s HAZWOPER standard...
PSM Compliance Audits: How Often Are They Required? What’s Involved?
Companies that fall under Process Safety Management (PSM) requirements because of their highly hazardous chemicals are required to recertify that they have completed an evaluation of PSM compliance. Compliance evaluations must occur at least once every 3 years. ...
Which Environmental Regulations Apply to Emergency Power Generators?
Emergency power generators can be critical pieces of equipment for any facility, especially in the stormy seasons of spring or winter or in disasters such as floods and the hurricanes of summer and early fall. If you have one in your facility now, or are thinking...
EPA Makes Final Rule to Update RMP Requirements
EPA has issued a change to its Risk Management Program, or RMP regulations for those who process, produce, handle or store hazardous substances or chemicals. The changes are in an amendment to the rule, officially called the Safer Communities by Chemical Accident...
OSHA Looks to Issue “Emergency Response” Standard, But Despite Name, Will Have Little Effect on HAZWOPER
In January, OSHA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to replace the existing general industry Fire Brigade standard at 1910.156 with a new broader standard called “Emergency Response.” Despite the name, the standard will still not be the same as the current...
Grade D Breathing Air: What Requirements Do I Have to Meet for My Breathing Air System?
Compressed air, either through a fixed or a portable system, can be used to supply air to employees as they perform tasks that could not be done using an air purifying respirator. Supplied air respirators are respirators that supply the user with breathing air from a...
What is Process Safety Management, or PSM and Which Companies Are Required to Comply?
Process Safety Management, or PSM, is an OSHA regulation that is concerned with processes at your facility that use highly hazardous chemicals. PSM provides a compliance framework to evaluate each process with the end goal of no spills, fires, explosions, reactions,...
OSHA Electronic Injury and Illness Reporting Due March 2
OSHA's final rule on electronic injury and illness reporting that passed in 2023 took effect on January 1, 2024. The new rule added some new companies and increased some of the reporting requirements. Electronic reports for 2023 injuries and illnesses are due March...
Which Annual Environmental Training Should You Add to Your Calendar?
Recently we covered the required annual OSHA safety training requirements your company should be scheduling each year. What about the most common annual EPA or environmental training requirements? RCRA Hazardous Waste Training is required for anyone handling or...
Hazardous Waste Biennial Reports Due March 1
Every even-numbered year, large quantity hazardous waste generators must submit their Biennial Hazardous Waste Reports by March 1. The rule is part of EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste regulations. It requires facilities to report the...
Christmas Safety
Christmas can be a wonderful time of the year, but it can also be a time for accidents. Keep Real Trees Watered: The combination of shorts in electrical lights and a tinder-dry tree can be deadly. Keep your tree well-watered. Water levels should never get below the...
Inspection Data Shows Common Hazardous Waste Violations
We decided to take a look at some of the EPA enforcement sites to review hazardous waste violations issued across the U.S. within the past couple of years. We wanted to see if there were some common themes that readers should be on the lookout for because sometimes...
Are You Required to Have IMDG Training?
Recently one of our clients had a shipment of their product rejected at a port in Europe. They had been sending it there for years without incident, but this time was different. Inspectors chose to verify their paperwork and they were missing crucial IMDG dangerous...