August 2012
New Fall Protections Measures Soon to Take Effect
In an effort to reduce the number of falls in residential construction projects, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) will soon begin its enforcement measures stemming from its latest residential fall protection directive (STD 03-11-002).
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Employers on OSHA Severe Violators List Nearly Double in Past Year, Data Show
In the two years since the start of the Severe Violator Enforcement Program, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration continues to add employers to the list of offenders (40 OSHR 531, 6/24/10).
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March 2012
US Department of Labor's OSHA revises Hazard Communication Standard
To better protect workers from hazardous chemicals, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has revised its Hazard Communication Standard, aligning it with the United Nations' global chemical labeling system. The new standard, once implemented, will prevent an estimated 43 deaths and result in an estimated $475.2 million in enhanced productivity for U.S. businesses each year.
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OSHA, American Society of Safety Engineers renew Alliance to promote best practices to prevent worker exposures to health, physical hazards
Promoting best practices for reducing and preventing worker exposures to health and physical hazards is the goal of a renewed Alliance between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE). The renewed Alliance will continue to address non-English or limited English-speaking workers, motor vehicle safety, and awareness of workplace safety and health for public sector employees.
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February 2012
Obama Administration Announces Commitments to Protect the Health of Every American/ Agencies publish environmental justice strategies designed to ensure that all communities are protected from environmental harm and benefit from federal programs
Today, federal agencies, led by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), released environmental justice strategies, implementation plans and progress reports, outlining steps agencies will take to protect communities facing greater health and environmental risks. These strategies represent a significant step forward in the Administration's commitment to integrating environmental justice into federal decision-making and programs in areas such as transportation, labor, health services, housing and others.Click here to find our more about the PACNY Environmental Conference.
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EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Testimony Before the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittees on Energy and Power, Environment and the Economy
Thank you for inviting me to testify on the President's Fiscal Year 2013 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency. I'm joined by the Agency's Chief Financial Officer, Barbara Bennett. EPA's budget request of $8.344 billion focuses on fulfilling EPA's core mission of protecting public health and the environment, while making the sacrifices and tough decisions that Americans across the country are making every day.
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OSHA extends temporary enforcement measures in residential construction
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited two Chicago companies, T2 G.C. LLC, which operates as T2 Construction, and Gramek Construction Inc. for failing to protect workers from asbestos hazards at a job site in May. T2 Construction faces proposed fines of $141,600 and Gramek Construction faces proposed fines of $138,600, for a combined total of $280,200.
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January 2012
The 16th Annual PACNY Environmental Conference
This year's PACNY Environmental Conference will be held at Turning Stone Resor & Casino in Verona, NY on March 1 and 2. In addition to an extended list of presenters, the conference also features an exhibitor's area where you can meet suppliers and manufacturers of abatement and safety equipment.
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Proposed Overhaul of the NYSDOL Notification Fee Structure
PACNY is asking everyone to promote passage of this non-partisan bill. Contact your assemblymen, senators, chambers of commerce and trade groups if you support this bill. This bill would amend Section 904 of the Labor Law to provide that the asbestos notification fees for non-friable material in square feet be changed from the current structure.
Click here to read the bill.
General Contractor/Construction Management Firms cited by OSHA for Exposing Workers to Asbestos
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited two Chicago companies, T2 G.C. LLC, which operates as T2 Construction, and Gramek Construction Inc. for failing to protect workers from asbestos hazards at a job site in May. T2 Construction faces proposed fines of $141,600 and Gramek Construction faces proposed fines of $138,600, for a combined total of $280,200.
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OSHA directive continues targeted inspection program for protecting federal workers
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited two Chicago companies, T2 G.C. LLC, which operates as T2 Construction, and Gramek Construction Inc. for failing to protect workers from asbestos hazards at a job site in May. T2 Construction faces proposed fines of $141,600 and Gramek Construction faces proposed fines of $138,600, for a combined total of $280,200.
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December 2011
OSHA Aims to Protect Workers During Winter Storms
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created a web page to help protect workers from hazards they may face during winter storm response and recovery operations. The Web page provides guidance on how employers and workers involved in cleanup and recovery operations can recognize snow storm-related hazards and the necessary steps that employers must take to keep workers safe while working in these conditions. The page includes guidance for workers clearing heavy snow in front of workplaces and from rooftops, workers encountering downed power lines or traveling on icy roads, and utility workers restoring power after winter storms.
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EPA Enforcement Cuts 300 Million Pounds of Pollution in Great Lakes Region
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its annual enforcement and compliance results. Nationwide, EPA enforcement actions eliminated more than 1.8 billion pounds of harmful pollution during the past year, including 300 million pounds of pollution in the Great Lakes region.
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November 2011
OSHA Animated Educational Videos Show How to Protect Workers From Construction Hazards
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released 12 educational videos about potential hazards in the construction industry. The educational videos are easy to understand, short segments and geared to employers and workers. Each year, nearly 800 construction workers die on the job; one in every five workplace fatalities occurs within the construction industry. The videos are based on real-life incidents and include detailed depictions of hazards and the safety measures that would have prevented these injuries and fatalities.
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Statement From Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA on Increase of Nonfatal Occupational Injuries Among Health Care Workers
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics today released detailed data on nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work in 2010. The incidence rate for health care support workers increased 6 percent to 283 cases per 10,000 full-time workers, almost 2 1/2 times the rate for all private and public sector workers at 118 cases per 10,000 full-time workers. The rate among nursing aides, orderlies and attendants rose 7 percent, to 489 per 10,000 workers. Additionally, the rate of musculoskeletal disorder cases with days away from work for nursing aides, orderlies and attendants increased 10 percent to a rate of 249 cases per 10,000 workers.
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October 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Crown Battery Manufacturing Co.
FREMONT, Ohio - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Crown Battery Manufacturing Co. in Fremont for three health violations, which relate to exposing employees to lead hazards. The company faces penalties totaling $97,000 following a February inspection.
"Repeatedly failing to take basic safety precautions to protect workers from known workplace hazards such as lead is unacceptable," said Kimberly Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo. "Employers are responsible for knowing what hazards exist in their workplaces and ensuring that workers are not exposed to risks that could result in injury or death."
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US Labor Department's OSHA proposes more than $589,000 in fines to Tewksbury, Mass.-based DeMoulas Supermarkets for hazards at New Hampshire stores Market Basket store failed to call emergency services after employee fall injury
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its annual inspection plan under the Site-Specific Targeting* 2011 (SST-11) program to help the agency direct enforcement resources to high-hazard workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.
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OSHA publishes new and revised materials on worker safety and health
WASHINGTON - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently published new and revised information that explains workers' and employers' rights, as well as how to protect workers from hazards in the construction, general and maritime industries.
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September 2011
Lead Poisoning Case Favors Plaintiff
A 23-year-old Rochester woman, left with a learning disability after being exposed to lead as a child, will receive some compensation for her injuries. A jury Wednesday awarded Ashley Hicks $221,000 for economic loss from the neurological effects that lead poisoning will have on her capacity for future earnings.
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OSHA Issues 2011 Annual Inspection Plan for Protecting Workers in High-Hazard Workplaces
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued its annual inspection plan under the Site-Specific Targeting* 2011 (SST-11) program to help the agency direct enforcement resources to high-hazard workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.
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New Guidance Document Helps Construction Employers and Workers Prevent Nail Gun Injuries
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have developed new guidance, Nail Gun Safety - A Guide for Construction Contractors*, to help construction employers and workers prevent work-related nail gun injuries.
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August 2011
Judge Acquits Last Construction Supervisor in NYC Bank Fire Trial
Criminal Court Judge Rena K. Uviller acquitted Mitchel Alvo, 58, a site manager for the subcontractor at the former Deutsche Bank building, which was undergoing asbestos abatement and demolition at the time of the fire in 2007. The jury cleared two other former managers, Jeffrey Melofchik and Salvatore DePaolo, on June 29.
Uviller also tossed out the major charges against the subcontractor, The John Galt Corp., convicting the company only of a misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment. Alvo and the firm had opted for a bench trial by Uviller, whose deliberations took longer than those by the jurors.
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Major Recall of Shock Absorbing Lanyards Under Way
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued a new directive establishing a National Emphasis Program for the Primary Metals Industries. The purpose of this NEP is to identify and reduce or eliminate worker exposures to harmful chemical and physical hazards in establishments producing metal products.
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Statement by Secretary of Labor on Heat Waves Sweeping the Country
Four weeks into the summer, the nation continues to experience record heat. For outdoor workers, this means being at risk for heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Employers must take the precautions needed to protect outdoor workers:
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July 2011
OSHA Announces Three Month Phase-in for Residential Construction Fall Protection
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced a three month phase-in period to allow residential construction employers to come into compliance with the Agency's new directive to provide residential construction workers with fall protection.
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New OSHA National Emphasis Program Helps Protect Workers from Chemical and Physical Hazards in the Primary Metals Industries
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued a new directive establishing a National Emphasis Program for the Primary Metals Industries. The purpose of this NEP is to identify and reduce or eliminate worker exposures to harmful chemical and physical hazards in establishments producing metal products.
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Feds Launch Action Plan to Protect People and Families from Radon/Radon, One of the Leading Causes of Lung Cancer
U.S Environmental Protection Agency, the General Services Administration, and the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, and Veterans Affairs have joined forces to help save lives and create healthier home and school environments for America's families. The plan brings together commitments that help to reduce exposure to radon and protect the health of Americans through leveraging and advancing existing state, local, and national programs.
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June 2011
Maine Renovator Faces Penalty for Violations of Lead Renovation Rule
A Rockland, Maine renovator is facing penalties for allegedly violating requirements designed to protect children from exposure to lead-based paint during painting and other renovation activities.
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Lead Paint Law Claims First Contractor
By the end of 2010, after most remodelers and installers had complied with training and certification requirements under the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule, we were on the lookout for an EPA enforcement action.
An announcement of the first such action in the U.S. rolled out of the EPA's Office of Public Affairs for New England this week. In a legal complaint dated May 6, the agency alleges that Colin Wentworth, a renovator based in Rockland, Maine, violated requirements designed to protect children from exposure to lead-based paint during painting and other renovation activities, according to an EPA press release.
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May 2011
US Labor Department Launches National Outreach Campaign to Protect Workers From Heat-related Illnesses
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today will announce, from Anaheim, Calif., a national outreach initiative by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration to educate workers and their employers about the hazards of working outdoors in the heat and steps needed to prevent heat-related illnesses.
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US Labor Department Fall Protection Directive Upheld in US Court of Appeals
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rejected a challenge by the National Roofing Contractors Association to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's December 2010 directive on the use of fall protection in residential construction. The directive withdrew an earlier one that allowed certain residential construction employers to bypass some fall protection requirements.
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Former Buffalo Bills Player Charged With Asbestos Removal Violations
A former Buffalo Bills football player who operates an asbestos removal company faces federal charges of illegally handling asbestos in New York.
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April 2011
A Record Turnout Makes For A Successful PACNY Conference - Part 1
On March 10-11, 2011, we went to the Professional Abatement Contractors of New York's (PACNY) 15th Annual Environmental Conference at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York. The event this year was well attended with over 220 attendees. Future Environment Designs (FED) increased our participation this year, by deciding to become one of the Conference Sponsors and joined the other vendors in the Exhibit Hall.
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Successful PACNY Conference Gets Even Better The Second Day - Part 2
The exhibit hall, which was open both days and the first day reception was in, was alot of fun with over 25 vendors represented including Aramsco, DiVal, Grayling, Fiberlock, United Rentals, NY State Laborers Cooperation & Education Trust, Ashtead Tecchnology Rentals, and Cornerstone Training Institute, to name a few. One of the interesting items in the exhibit hall was...
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PCBs in caulk: a looming issue for the construction and demolition industry
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contained in building materials, particularly caulk, are rapidly becoming a large issue for the demolition and construction industry, and for society as a whole. At the same time, environmental remediation of PCBs presents C&D contractors with a widening stream of new revenue opportunities.
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Scaffold Collapse Shows Fall Protection Saves Lives
The March 4 scaffold collapse that left two construction workers suspended 13 stories above a Yonkers street illustrates that knowing and adhering to fall protection safeguards saves lives, notes the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Each worker was wearing a personal fall arrest system and attached to a lifeline. These safeguards prevented them from falling and allowed them to be rescued by the Yonkers Fire Department.
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February 2011
Innovative Energy Technology Transforms Wasted Heat into Electricity
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing two companies for innovative new products that recycle wasted energy and turn it into usable electricity in homes or small buildings. Micro combined heat and power (CHP) systems are an emerging technology that can help change how we use and produce energy in our homes while protecting people's health. When offsetting purchases of coal-generated electricity in cold climates, this emerging technology can reduce energy use and curb carbon dioxide emissions by 20 to 30 percent.
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US Labor Department's OSHA fines Rochester, NY, pizza shell manufacturer more than $195,000 for failing to correct workplace hazards
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Bona Via Inc., a Rochester, N.Y., manufacturer of pizza shells, for failing to correct safety hazards identified during a prior OSHA inspection and for newly identified hazards at its 10 White St. plant. The company faces a total of $195,200 in proposed fines.
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OSHA issues enforcement guidance on personal protective equipment to protect general industry workers' safety, health
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued the Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry*, a directive that provides enforcement personnel with instructions for determining whether employers have complied with OSHA personal protective equipment (PPE) standards. The directive was effective Feb. 10.
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Statement from assistant secretary of labor for OSHA supporting promotion of job creation - Agency doing everything possible to support good, safe jobs
Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, today issued the following statement as the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce holds a hearing on "Investigating OSHA's Regulatory Agenda and Its Impact on Job Creation."
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EPA Seeks Public Comment on Plan to Review Regulations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting the public to provide input on a plan that will guide EPA's retrospective reviews of regulations as part of the agency's response to President Obama's January 18, 2011 Executive Order (EO) 13563, "Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review."
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January 2011
US Department of Labor's OSHA cites Cherry Hill, NJ, company for worker exposure to silica, other health and safety hazards
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited KOL Marble and Granite for 15 workplace health and safety violations, including employee exposure to silica, at its Cherry Hill facility. Proposed penalties total $48,600.
OSHA initiated an inspection on Oct. 8, 2010, in response to a complaint alleging that employees were exposed to silica dust while dry cutting stone. As a result of the inspection, the company received citations for 14 serious violations and one other-than-serious violation.
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OSHA renews strategic partnership with power transmission and distribution trade associations to reduce worker injuries, deaths
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today renewed a strategic partnership with the Electrical Transmission and Distribution Construction Contractors, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and other trade associations to reduce injuries, illnesses and deaths among electrical transmission and distribution industry workers, among other goals.
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December 2010
OSHA directive continues targeting inspection program for protecting federal workers
OSHA recently updated its Federal Agency Targeting Inspection Program (FEDTARG) directive for fiscal year 2011. FEDTARG directs programmed inspections of federal agency establishments that experienced high numbers of lost time injuries during FY 2010.
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OSHA bulletin and alert recommends safety measures to protect workers from exposure to diacetyl and diacetyl substitutes
A new OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin and companion Worker Alert recommend that employers use safety measures to prevent exposing workers to the potentially fatal health effects of butter flavorings and other flavoring substances containing diacetyl or its substitutes.
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US Labor Department's OSHA proposes $71,000 in fines against Rochester, NY, stainless steel fabricator for recurring and other hazards
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics today announced that the number of reported nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases that required days away from work to recuperate decreased by nine percent to 1,238,490 cases in 2009 for private industry, state government and local government. Additionally, BLS reported that the total incidence rate decreased by 5 percent to 117 cases per 10,000 full-time workers.
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US Labor Department's OSHA Renews Partnership with Electrical Contractor Groups to Decrease Workplace Injuries and Fatalities
As part of continuing efforts to improve safety and health for electrical workers, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has renewed a strategic partnership with the National Electrical Contractors Association Central Ohio Chapter, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 683 of Columbus and Union 1105 of Newark, Ohio.
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EPA Announces 2010 Enforcement and Compliance Results / More than 1.4 billion pounds of harmful air, land, and water pollution to be reduced
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the release of its annual enforcement and compliance results. In fiscal year (FY) 2010, EPA took enforcement and compliance actions that require polluters to pay more than $110 million in civil penalties and commit to spend an estimated $12 billion on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects that benefit communities.
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This Winter Keep the Heat Indoors with Five Easy Energy Star Tips
TWith cold weather setting in across the United States, homeowners are looking for ways to heat their homes while reducing their energy bills to save money. The average family spends $2,200 a year on energy bills, nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star program offers five easy energy saving tips that can help families stay warm while keeping money in their wallets. In addition to saving money, reducing energy use at home can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help fight climate change.
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November 2010
OSHA will hold informal public hearing on proposed rule to prevent worker injuries on walking-working surfaces
OSHA will hold an informal public hearing starting Jan. 18, 2011, on the proposed rule revising the Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards to improve worker protection from slip, trip, and fall hazards.
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US Labor Department's OSHA Cites New York and Pennsylvania Contractors Following Scaffold Collapse at Binghamton University that Injured 6 Workers
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited two contractors for alleged serious violations of safety standards following a June 2 scaffold collapse at Binghamton University in Vestal, N.Y., that injured six workers.
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Statement by OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels on Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Away from Work in 2009
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics today announced that the number of reported nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases that required days away from work to recuperate decreased by nine percent to 1,238,490 cases in 2009 for private industry, state government and local government.
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US Labor Department's OSHA Renews Partnership with Electrical Contractor Groups to Decrease Workplace Injuries and Fatalities
As part of continuing efforts to improve safety and health for electrical workers, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has renewed a strategic partnership with the National Electrical Contractors Association Central Ohio Chapter, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 683 of Columbus and Union 1105 of Newark, Ohio.
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EPA Recognizes Nation's First WaterSense Labeled Homes/Water efficiency program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the first WaterSense labeled homes in the country. WaterSense is a partnership program sponsored by EPA that seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water
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EPA Identifies Areas Violating Lead Standards/ Reducing Lead Emissions will Improve Public Health, Especially for Children
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that 16 areas across the country are not meeting the agency's national air quality standards for lead. These areas, located in 11 states, were designated as "nonattainment" because their 2007 to 2009 air quality monitoring data showed that they did not meet the agency's health-based standards.
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September 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA Reports on State-Run Occupational Safety and Health Programs
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that it has concluded a special evaluation of state-run occupational safety and health programs under its jurisdiction.
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Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis Announces Partnership with US Dept of Transportation to Combat Distracted Driving by Workers
Because motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of worker fatalities, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a partnership between the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation to combat distracted driving.
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OSHA seeks members to serve on committee protecting construction workers' safety, health
OSHA is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH). The committee advises the Secretary of Labor on developing standards and policies that affect the safety and health of construction workers.
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US Dept of Labor's OSHA Awards $8 Million in Safety and Health Training Grants
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today awarded $8 million in Susan Harwood Capacity Building Grants to 45 organizations, including nonprofit and community/faith-based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, and colleges and universities.
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Obama Administration Moves Long-Term Gulf Plan Forward / Mabus recovery plan focuses on funding, governance, involvement / EPA Administrator to lead ecosystem task force
The Obama administration has put forward an aggressive restoration plan, including a call for dedicated funds, to help strengthen the gulf region's environment, economy, and health following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
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EPA Will Propose Rule to Protect Waterways by Reducing Mercury from Dental Offices / Existing technology is available to capture dental mercury
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced it intends to propose a rule to reduce mercury waste from dental offices. Dental amalgams, or fillings containing mercury, account for 3.7 tons of mercury discharged from dental offices each year.
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EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grants Awarded for New York
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is making a $20 million investment in the Great Lakes through New York State, targeting the most significant environmental problems facing the Great Lakes.
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August 2010
BP to Pay $50.6 Million to Resolve US Labor Department litigation
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that BP Products North America Inc. will pay a full penalty of $50.6 million stemming from the 2005 explosion at its Texas City, Texas, refinery that killed 15 workers and injured 170 others...
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Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis Comments on Decline in Fatal Occupational Injuries During 2009
Preliminary results from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries released today show a decline in workplace fatalities in 2009 compared with 2008. Last year, 4,340 workers died from work-related injuries, down from a final count of 5,214 fatal work injuries in 2008. Last year, 4,340 workers died from work-related injuries, down from a final count of 5,214 fatal work injuries in 2008. In response, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement...
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Administrator Highlights Importance of Agency's Science Laboratory in New Jersey; Announces New Resources for National Environmental Response Team Lab Facilities
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson toured the Agency's Edison Environmental Center in Edison, NJ. Jackson was joined by Congressman Frank Pallone and Edison Mayor Antonia Ricigliano to highlight the Agency's commitment to science, and protecting human health and the environment...
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EPA to Take Action on Chemicals Used in Dyes, Flame Retardants, and Industrial Detergents Efforts to Limit Exposure and Reduce Harm to People
As part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's commitment to strengthen and reform chemical management, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released action plans today to address the potential health risks of benzidine dyes, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and nonylphenol (NP)/nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). The chemicals are widely used in both consumer and industrial applications, including dyes, flame retardants, and industrial laundry detergents...
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CONSUMER ALERT: EPA Advises Care When Selecting Pesticides for Bedbug Control
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to alert consumers that there has been an increase of individuals or companies who offer to control bedbugs with unrealistic promises of effectiveness or low cost. Because bed bug infestations are so difficult to control, there have been situations where pesticides that are not intended for indoor residential applications have been improperly used or applied at greater rates than the label allows...
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EPA Proposes Improvements to Chemical Reporting Actions to Help Keep Children, Families Safer
As part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's commitment to strengthen and reform chemical management, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing several actions to improve reporting on chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The Inventory Update Reporting Rule enables EPA to collect and make current information on volumes of chemical production, manufacturing facility data, and how the chemicals are used...
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Advanced Planning for Back-to-School Can Save Money and Help the Environment
Even with a tight economy parents and students still need the back-to-school shopping trip for clothes, backpacks, computers and school supplies. A survey conducted by the National Retail Federation found that this year consumers expect to spend an average of $606 for back-to-school needs. A little advanced planning can help both the environment and your pocketbook. Here are a few tips from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that can point you in the right direction...
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July 2010
Statement of US Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Passage of Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 by House Committee on Education and Labor
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the passage of the Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 by the Committee on Education and Labor of the U.S. House of Representatives...
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US Labor Department's OSHA & Association Whistleblowers.gov Offers Quick Worker Access to Whistleblower Protection Information
Workers who "blow the whistle" on prohibited or unlawful practices in the workplace as well as safety and health discrimination play an important role in assuring compliance with federal laws. Today, OSHA unveils a dedicated Web address for its whistleblower protection program - www.whistleblowers.gov. The site is designed to provide workers, employers, and the public with easily accessible information about the 18 federal whistleblower protection statutes that OSHA currently administers.
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OSHA Review Project Eliminates Outdated Requirements, Brings Standards Up-to-Date
OSHA has announced Standards Improvement Project (SIP)-III, a proposed rule to revise and remove requirements within several OSHA standards that are outdated, duplicative or inconsistent. This rulemaking will help keep OSHA standards up-to-date and will help employers better understand their regulatory obligations.
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New OSHA Training Emphasizes Workers' Rights
"Introduction to OSHA," a new training component emphasizing workers' rights, is required content in every OSHA 10- and 30-hour Outreach Training Program class. OSHA developed the information in support of the Secretary of Labor's goal of strengthening the voice of workers.
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EPA Releases Rulemaking Guidance on Environmental Justice
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing an interim guidance document to help agency staff incorporate environmental justice into the agency's rulemaking process. The rulemaking guidance is an important and positive step toward meeting EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson's priority to work for environmental justice and protect the health and safety of communities who have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.
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EPA Recognizes Rochester's Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning for Outstanding Community Leadership
The Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning has been selected as a winner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Justice Achievement Award for its leadership in community-based efforts to prevent childhood lead poisoning in the city of Rochester, New York. The Coalition has influenced major lead-related public policy changes, including a local lead ordinance requiring inspections for lead paint hazards.
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EPA Launches a Collaborative Web Site for Integrated Environmental Modeling
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is launching a new on-line tool for scientific collaboration and knowledge sharing that was built by Purdue University with support from the agency. TheIntegrated Environmental Modeling Hub (iemHUB) allows environmental researchers to analyze environmental problems and combine environmental models so that a better understanding of the environment can be developed - everything from keeping beaches clean to predicting climate effects.
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June 2010
US Labor Department's OSHA & Association of Energy Service Cos. Renew Alliance to Promote Safety and Health in the Oil and Gas Well Industry
Enhanced workplace safety for oil and gas well workers is the goal of an alliance renewal signed today by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Association of Energy Service Conservation.
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OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Directive Effective June 18
OSHA announced today that the Severe Violators Enforcement Program directive is effective June 18th. The agency announced in April that it was implementing the program to focus on employers who continually disregard their legal obligations to protect their workers.
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New OSHA Training Emphasizes Workers' Rights
"Introduction to OSHA," a new training component emphasizing workers' rights, is required content in every OSHA 10- and 30-hour Outreach Training Program class. OSHA developed the information in support of the Secretary of Labor's goal of strengthening the voice of workers.
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EPA Proposes Updating Drinking Water Rule to Better Protect Public Health
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to revise a national primary drinking water regulation to achieve greater public health protection against waterborne pathogens in the distribution systems of public water systems. Waterborne pathogens can cause a variety of illnesses with symptoms such as acute abdominal discomfort or in more extreme cases, kidney failure, hepatitis or chronic concerns.
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EPA Releases Health Risk Assessment of Processing and Disposal of Onondaga Lake Sediment in Town of Camillus
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released a supplemental Human Health Risk Assessment that evaluates the safety of disposing of contaminated sediment from Onondaga Lake in Wastebed 13 in Camillus, NY designated to receive this type of material. The risk assessment, conducted in response to concerns raised by residents and requests from elected officials, looked at potential risks associated with the operation of the new facility. The assessment found no significant health risks to local residents.
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EPA Withdraws Emission Comparable Fuels Rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has withdrawn the Emission Comparable Fuels (ECF) Rule, a rule that was finalized in December 2008. The rule sought to remove regulatory costs by reclassifying fuels that would otherwise be regulated as hazardous waste, but generate emissions similar to fuel oil when burned
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May 2010
Dept of Labor's OSHA Seeks to Partner with Local Building Inspectors
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis has sent letters to the mayors of the selected cities, proposing that OSHA work with and train local building inspectors on hazards associated with the four leading causes of death at construction sites. Under this program, building inspectors would notify OSHA when they observe, during the course of their work, unsafe work conditions. OSHA, in turn, would send a federal agency compliance officer to that workplace for a safety inspection.
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EPA Releases BP's Response to Directive on Dispersants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released BP's response to EPA's directive on dispersants. EPA's directive to BP required them to evaluate available, pre-approved dispersants for toxicity and effectiveness and report back to EPA within 24 hours. After receiving their response late Thursday night, EPA immediately called a meeting with BP to discuss the issue on Friday, May 21. EPA will continue to work over the next 48 hours to ensure BP is complying with the directive.
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EPA Expands Public Participation on Hazardous Waste Cleanup
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched an initiative to help communities more effectively participate in government decisions related to land cleanup, emergency preparedness and response, and the management of hazardous substances and waste. The Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) plan lays out specific steps EPA is taking to provide communities with better information and opportunities to understand and influence decisions on environmental cleanups.
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City of Oswego, NY., Agrees to Invest $87 Million in Upgrades to Sewer System to Comply with Clean Water Act
To resolve long-standing problems with unpermitted sewer overflows, the city of Oswego, N.Y., will invest an estimated $87 million in improvements to its west side sewer system, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was also a partner in the agreement.
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OSHA Seeks Members to Serve on Committee for Improving Construction Worker's Safety, Health
OSHA is accepting nominations for individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH). The group advises the Secretary of Labor on developing safety and health standards and policies that affect the safety and health of construction workers and the construction industry.
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April 2010
EPA Awards $2 Million to Small Businesses to Develop Ground-Breaking Technologies
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $2.38 million to 34 small businesses to develop innovative, sustainable technologies to protect human health and the environment. These efforts will help improve air quality, protect our water, work to decrease the effects of climate change, and support green jobs.
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US Department of Labor's OSHA Takes Action to Protect America's Workers with Severe Violator Program and Increased Penalties
Every day, about 14 Americans fail to come home from work to their families. Tens of thousands die from workplace disease and more than 4.6 million workers are seriously injured on the job annually. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, in an effort to address urgent safety and health problems facing Americans in the workplace, is implementing a new Severe Violator Enforcement Program and increasing civil penalty amounts.
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US Labor Department's OSHA, Mexican Consulate Form Alliance in Houston
Enhanced workplace safety for construction workers in the states of Texas and Louisiana is the goal of an alliance signed today at the National Action Summit for Latino Worker Health and Safety by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Consulate General of Mexico in Houston to promote safety and health rights in the workplace for Mexican and other Spanish-speaking workers.
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OSHA Program Protects Federal Workers
Hazardous federal worksites are the focus of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Federal Agency Targeting Inspection Program 2010 (FEDTARG10). The nationwide program emphasizes workplace safety and health for federal workers and contractors supervised by federal personnel.
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March 2010
IMO Adpots Proposal for Emission Control Area/Move safeguards health of port communities and those beyond
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) today officially accepted the proposal to designate waters off the North American coasts as an Emission Control Area (ECA) - a move that will result in cleaner air for millions of Americans. Large ships that operate in ECAs must use dramatically cleaner fuel and technology, leading to major air quality and public health benefits that extend hundreds of miles inland. The ECA was proposed in March 2009 and the IMO adopted it in the fastest possible timetable.
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Boat Sewage Ban Proposed in New York State Canal System
In an effort to improve the water quality of upstate New York, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given preliminary approval to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) proposal to establish a "No Discharge Zone" throughout the New York State Canal System. If the proposal is approved, the discharge of sewage from boats into canal waters will be prohibited. Boat sewage discharge can contain harmful levels of bacteria and chemicals such as formaldehyde, phenols, and chlorine, which negatively impact water quality and impair marine life. EPA is asking the public to comment on this plan.
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Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health meeting scheduled for Apr 14 & 16
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will hold a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) April 14 and 16, 2010, in Houston. For more than 35 years, ACCSH and OSHA have collaborated to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the construction industry caused by such hazards as falling objects, unstable trenches, power tools, and silica inhalation.
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Washington Briefs: OSHA warns 15,000 employers about injury rates
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sent letters to about 15,000 employers with high injury rates, urging them to take immediate steps to protect their workers.
"Receipt of this letter means workers in that particular establishment are being injured at a higher rate than in most other businesses of its kind in the country," said OSHA Administrator David Michaels.
OSHA identified high-injury workplaces by analyzing injury and illness data reported by employers.
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February 2010
US Labor Dept's OSHA and Scaffold Industry Association form alliance to promote safety and health in construction industry
Enhanced workplace safety for construction workers in the states of Louisiana and Texas is the goal of an alliance signed today by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Scaffold Industry Association (SIA), South Central Regional Chapter in Houston.
"We welcome this opportunity to join with the SIA toward emphasizing employer awareness of hazardous working conditions in the construction industry," said Dean McDaniel, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas, Texas. "It is hopeful that this cooperative effort will help prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities."
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Secretary Hilda L. Solis presents US Department of Labor budget request for fiscal year 2011
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today, through a national online discussion with stakeholder groups, the general public and the news media, outlined the president's fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget request for the U.S. Department of Labor, which is built around the vision of "good jobs for everyone." The budget launches innovative ways to prepare workers for 21st century jobs, and makes new investments in programs that protect workers' rights, safety and health in the new economy. It reaches out to diverse audiences to ensure that all people from all communities are included in the jobs of the future.
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Supreme Court Denies 3 High-Profile Environmental Cases
In its first set of orders since returning from a monthlong recess, the Supreme Court declined yesterday to consider three separate industry challenges to federal environmental regulations.
Environmentalists hailed the court's decision not to review a year-old ruling requiring farmers to secure Clean Water Act approval for the use of pesticides already permitted under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. U.S. EPA is now reviewing the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System to devise a permitting system that complies with the ruling.
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January 2010
New OSHA videos provide respirator and facemask safety guidance
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has developed two new videos for healthcare workers that feature training and guidance on respirator safety.
OSHA's "Respirator Safety" video demonstrates how to correctly put on and take off common types of respirators, such as N95s. "The Difference between Respirators and Surgical Masks" video explains how they prevent exposure to infectious diseases.
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DOL/OSHA schedules conference on Latino worker safety and health
Following a Labor Day announcement from Secretary Hilda Solis, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will convene a National Action Summit for Latino Worker Health and Safety, April 14-15 at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston. The conference is co-sponsored by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
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DOL Doles Nearly $190 Million for Green Jobs
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced nearly $190 million in training grants for green jobs, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grants are designed to teach workers the skills required in emerging industries, including energy efficiency and renewable energy. This set of green grants is the third awarded in as many weeks by DOL.
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Cornerstone Training Institute and Safety Council of Central and Western NY Join Forces to Provide Local Workers with Asbestos Training
The Safety Council of Central and Western New York has used some of its grant money to provide workers with asbestos removal training at Cornerstone Training Institute. The classes will be provided to the first 24 registrants of the Asbestos Handler Initial class to be held at Cornerstone from January 18th - January 21st, 2010.
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December 2009
US Department of Labor's OSHA fines Huntington, W.Va., printing company nearly $160,000 for workplace safety and health hazards
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Chapman Printing Co. for workplace safety and health violations. Proposed penalties total $158,400.
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Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) Announces 2010 International Asbestos Awareness Conference
The Asbestos Diseases Awareness Organization (ADAO) has announced the dates for their sixth annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference, to be held in Chicago April 9-11, 2010. Every year, the ADAO conference brings together renowned doctors, scientists, researchers and most importantly, asbestos victims and their families in a united forum to promote asbestos awareness, education and collaboration.
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November 2009
US Labor Department's OSHA issues Compliance Directive to Address Flu Prevention for Health Care Workers
For the protection of frontline health care and emergency medical workers at high risk of infection, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today issued a compliance directive to ensure uniform procedures when conducting inspections to identify and minimize or eliminate high to very high risk occupational exposures to the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus.
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US Department of Labor Welcomes GAO's Report on Under-Reporting of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) welcomes the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) report on the under-reporting of workplace injuries and illnesses and OSHA's audit process.
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Military Defense Contractor Faces Class Action Lawsuit
KBR, formerly Kellogg, Brown, and Root and previously a subsidiary of Halliburton, faces injury lawsuits filed by both military and civilian personnel for burning toxic waste, including asbestos, as a cost-saving means of avoiding proper toxic waste disposal. Since 2003, toxic waste was burned in open-air burn pits that produced thick palls of chemically fetid smoke that, according to the class action lawsuit, endangered or caused long-lasting health problems in a minimum of 100,000 people.
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October 2009
State Worker-Safety Efforts Scrutinized
The Labor Department said Tuesday that it would step up oversight of all state workplace-safety programs, a signal of more-stringent enforcement following a report critical of Nevada's response to a string of workplace deaths.
The action follows calls from unions and senior congressional Democrats -- including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and U.S. Rep. George Miller of California -- for a tough response to 12 construction deaths that occurred on the Las Vegas Strip between December 2006 and June 2008 amid a building boom.
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OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety Course Now Compulsory in Seven States
It is now law on the books of the seven states that require construction workers to complete the OSHA 10-hour construction safety training course before they can work on certain construction projects. The states with an OSHA law already in effect are Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and most recently, Missouri. The state of Nevada OSHA training law becomes effective January 1st, 2010.
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