Regulations & Compliance

It seems almost every few months there’s another story in the news about a major chemical accident somewhere in the United States. On June 21, 2019 a major explosion at a petroleum refinery just outside of downtown Philadelphia, PA injured five workers and endangered thousands of nearby Philadelphia residents. The damage was so severe that […]

OSHA and PHMSA recently hosted a public meeting to discuss proposed changes and updates to the GHS in preparation for the 37th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS). During the meeting, OSHA accepted stakeholders’ comments on a series of working papers […]

Welcome to the sixth and final installment in our “Intro to HazCom” series! If you missed our previous posts in this series or want to refresh your memory, just follow the hyperlinks to read about the basics of HazCom (Parts One and Two), the challenges of chemical container labeling (Part Three), the requirements for a […]

If you’ve ever been through an OSHA inspection in your workplace, you already know how stressful a situation it can be. During an inspection, OSHA’s certified safety and health officers (CSHOs) will examine your work site, health and safety management programs, employees, records and other health and safety-related documents with a high degree of scrutiny. […]

EPA issued a final rule in April 2019 that imposes new restrictions on products that contain asbestos. Let’s take a moment to review the new rule and the impacts it may have on human health, as well as your business. The Background Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral found in rock and soil. For […]

In order to keep your employees safe, you must be aware of all the hazards they may encounter during their daily tasks, from chemical exposure to slips, trips and falls. A Job Safety Analysis (JSA) is a trusted process that helps you formally identify these hazards in order to make critical changes that protect workers […]

 In the series Ergo U:  Ergonomics Research Notes from the Field, VelocityEHS Director of Research and Ergonomics Engineer Blake McGowan meets with ergonomics researchers from leading universities and associations across the country to share their latest findings.  Field Notes:  On an icy January morning, Blake had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Jack Lu and Dr. […]

The recent chemical-related incidents in the news are a reminder of how important it is to have an accurate, up-to-date inventory of the chemicals you have on-site. Not only is an accurate inventory essential for safety, it’s a requirement under hazard communication regulations. For example, under OSHA’s HazCom Standard, employers must include a list of […]

A spill of anhydrous ammonia in Beach Park in Lake County, Illinois on Wednesday, April 25 has resulted in the closure of several area schools and at least 32 people being hospitalized so far. As of this time, the cause of the spill is still under investigation. Area news reports indicate that the Lake County […]

In the previous installments of our “Intro to HazCom” series, we went over the basics of HazCom (Parts One and Two), tackled some of the challenges of chemical container labeling (Part Three), and discussed how to develop a solid written HazCom plan (Part Four). If you missed any of these, don’t worry! Simply click the […]