Regulations & Compliance

What is Isopropyl Alcohol? Isopropyl alcohol is a colorless liquid found in household and workplace products alike. Due to its high flammability and potential health hazards, it is important to handle isopropyl alcohol in a safe manner no matter what the setting. Common Uses of Isopropyl Alcohol Two of isopropyl alcohol’s most popular uses are […]

Although it’s not the most-dangerous chemical you might find in the workplace, proper handling of benzoic acid is a must to avoid injuries and health risks while on the job. Benzoic acid is a white, crystalline powder with a faint, non-offensive odor. It is a compound naturally found in many plants and is an important […]

OSHA has repealed Arizona’s state-specific residential fall protection regulation put forth by the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) — Arizona’s state OSHA plan. Because of this change, Arizona homebuilders will now be required to implement fall protection for workers in construction activities at heights of 6 feet or more. The repealed standard […]

Sodium bicarbonate (better known to the world as baking soda) is a soluble white powder that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It’s odorless, non-combustible and reacts with acids to release carbon dioxide gas and heat. The Versatility of Sodium Bicarbonate Sodium bicarbonate serves a variety of purposes, ranging from household uses such […]

Today’s best practices in EHS and Sustainability management strive to influence the culture at all levels of an organization to foster awareness and shared accountability for workplace safety and health and environmental stewardship. The implementation of an EHS software system does not tend to correlate directly to this goal, however it can have a tremendous […]

Under the proposed budget released by the White House last week, the Obama administration would increase funding for OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) by nearly $60 million for fiscal year 2016. Specifically, OSHA’s funding would increase from $552.8 million to $592.1 million, and MSHA’s from $375.9 million to $394.9 million. The […]

Last week, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced in a final investigation report that a fire at a Richmond, California Chevron refinery in 2012 was the result of a flawed safety culture within the corporation. The large fire endangered 19 Chevron workers, and sent over 15,000 local residents to the hospital for medical attention. […]

As we move forward into 2015, OSHA shows every sign of retaining its historically intense focus on protecting workers from carcinogens—that is, agents known to cause cancer. Carcinogens are addressed in specific OSHA standards for general industry, and also for shipyard employment and construction. According to OSHA, a special difficulty posed by carcinogens is that […]

As we bid goodbye to 2014 and settle into the new year, it’s important to stay focused on the issues that OSHA is likely to tackle in 2015 and to anticipate what the impact of any regulatory changes could be. Already on this blog, we’ve reviewed several areas in which OSHA looks likely to make […]

Earlier this month, OSHA announced that it has signed a two-year alliance with the National Service, Transmission, Exploration & Production Safety (STEPS) Network, an all-volunteer organization devoted to reducing injuries and fatalities among oil and gas producers, and also the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a federal agency that conducts research and […]