Chemicals

by Phil Molé An employee at a popular chain restaurant recently died due to chemical exposures from a reaction between common, but incompatible, cleaning compounds. This incident, like many others before it, is disturbing because the chemicals used are so common, and tragic because it is avoidable. It’s an unfortunate reminder that HazCom management is […]

Do know your requirements for hazardous chemical safety and risk management under EPA’s General Duty Clause? If not, here’s what you need to know: Like the EPA’s Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rule, the EPA’s General Duty Clause is intended to help minimize the risk of chemical releases and chemical-related emergencies at facilities that store, process […]

On September 30, OSHA published a final rule representing the latest revisions to its evolving Beryllium Standard. The rule, which is effective immediately, retains the ancillary provisions of OSHA’s beryllium standards for construction and shipyards while setting new compliance deadlines and maintaining current exposure limits for beryllium. If you’re in the construction or shipyard industries, this final […]

As one of the main pillars of OSHA’s Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard, employee training is a critical part of your company’s workplace safety and regulatory compliance. Yet, HazCom training is also one of the most commonly overlooked elements of safety programs, as many employers struggle to make it effective, engaging, and relevant. In our article […]

Today’s workplace is far different than it was in the past. Workers from multiple employers are increasingly working side-by-side at the same worksites, and employers are sharing responsibility for worker safety more and more. When chemicals are involved, confusion can arise over who has obligations under OSHA’s HazCom Standard. We know that, because people often […]

VelocityEHS was in attendance Tuesday morning at the Society for Chemical Hazard Communication’s Fall 2019 Meeting in Arlington, Virginia. Representatives from OSHA and Health Canada, along with industry subject matter experts convened to deliver important regulatory updates, and lend their expertise on a wide range of hazard communication and chemical safety topics including OSHA’s Hazard […]

Earlier this summer, Health Canada published a number of formal guidance documents and other resources intended to help Canadian hazardous products suppliers navigate their requirements under the recently implemented Hazardous Products Act (HPA), Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) and other WHMIS 2015 legislation. Below, we’ll provide a little background on each of these guidance documents and […]

OSHA just announced its preliminary list of Top 10 Most Cited Violations in 2019 at the National Safety Council Congress and Expo. Among the top risks worker health and safety, Hazard Communication once again lands near the top of the agency’s list, as questions and confusion resulting from its adoption of GHS and the changes […]

The job of an EHS professional is never over. There’s always work that needs doing, including an ever-growing list of tasks we need to complete to address risks and maintain effective workplace safety programs. Making life more difficult, the work has a way of multiplying. Sometimes, it seems that for every item we cross off […]

VelocityEHS will once again provide disaster relief to organizations, emergency responders and local businesses affected by Hurricane Dorian through access to its VelocityEHS safety data sheet (SDS) library at no cost. For a limited time, all customers and non-customers located in the storm’s path can visit www.EHS.com/disaster and search through the millions of safety data […]