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New OSHA Letter of Interpretation Clarifies Rules for Imports and Exports
OSHA is readying to publish a new Letter of Interpretation that provides a further explanation of labeling rules for importing and exporting hazardous chemicals under the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS 2012). OSHA issued the letter as a response to an inquiry from the American Coatings Association (ACA) around labeling best practices for goods that will be […]
OSHA’s December 1, 2015 Deadline Passes — Now What?
The December 1, 2015 OSHA deadline has now passed for all distributors of hazardous chemicals to begin sending only GHS-labeled products and safety data sheets. What does this mean for American workplaces? Well, theoretically, now every hazardous material that ships will feature the new GHS-compliant labels. However, in practice, it’s likely the case that many […]
Top 10 OSHA Violations of 2015
OSHA named the Top 10 OSHA violations of 2015 at this year’s National Safety Council Congress and Expo in Atlanta. Once again, Hazard Communication maintained a stranglehold on the #2 spot, second only to Fall Protection. Here is the complete Top 10, as well as the listings for previous years: Most Cited Violations of 2015 […]
Fall Reminds Us of the Importance of Back to School Chemical Safety
As students across the country head back to school, it’s important to understand the kind of complex chemical ecosystem they will face on K-12 and university campuses. In addition to cleaners and maintenance chemicals, these facilities often feature chemical labs with an array of hazards comparable to those found in an industrial setting. And with […]
Heat Exposure: a Deadly Hazard for Workers – How to Stay Safe
According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 3,100 American workers suffered from heat-related illness requiring at least one day away from work to recover in 2013. In the same year, 34 workers died from exposure to extreme temperatures. The total climbs to 126 when you add that to the […]
Manual Material Handling Calculators
Here are the links to two publicly available manual material handling calculators. For further information on this topic, view the archived webinar we presented last week on warehouse ergonomics. NIOSH – https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/niosh/calculating_rwl.html Refer to this link to utilize the NIOSH Lifting Equation calculator from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. As long as […]
OSHA’s June 1, 2015 GHS Deadline Less than a Month Away – Clock is Ticking!
June 1, 2015 is the deadline by which manufacturers, distributors, and importers must reclassify chemicals and update all SDSs and labels to the new GHS format. Many in the industry are in the process of preparing, but some still have questions about what will change for them, and what they’ll need to do in order […]
The Importance of Human-Centered Workplace Design
by James Mallon, CPE Now more than ever, today’s business leaders are making the necessary investments to drive continuous improvement throughout their organization. These leaders do so in order to reduce costs and waste, make better products faster, increase customer satisfaction, and therefore, become more profitable. In manufacturing or industrial environments, engineering generally drives these […]
Ethyl Acetate: A Sweet-Smelling Safety Hazard
What is Ethyl Acetate and Where is it Found? Ethyl acetate is a relatively common chemical used in a variety of industrial and household products. This compound liquid is colorless, with a characteristically sweet, pleasant odor. Due to its potential hazards, ethyl acetate should be stored and handled appropriately to avoid hazards to your health. […]
Safety with Salt – Sodium Chloride Safety Information
Sodium Chloride Safety Information & Tips Sodium chloride is the chemical name given to salt or table salt. It’s a white crystalline mineral substance that’s used as a seasoning in many foods, as well as in many workplace situations for a wide variety of purposes. Sodium chloride solutions are used medically to treat or prevent […]