Chemicals

The extreme dangers of improper hazardous chemical storage are far too often overlooked, yet time after time, we are given shocking reminders of their deadly and destructive toll. As we continue to provide news and information around workplace safety during National Safety Month, we must not overlook two of the largest hazardous chemical disasters in […]

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) quietly issued a final rule on June 2, 2016, titled “Hazardous Materials: Miscellaneous Amendments,” which amends its Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The implications are far reaching, affecting many PHMSA regulations, as well the shipping processes and chemical management tasks for various […]

In many cases, workplace dangers that put employees at the most risk are not the most apparent ones. Such an example concerns mine and quarry workers. While subject to all kinds of sudden, dramatic dangers on the job that can cost life and limb, there is one part of their body that is under constant […]

People who work in the maritime industries know that safety is always the number one priority. This is much more than just a saying, though. Whether you’re in marine construction, shipping, commercial fishing, transportation, offshore oil and gas exploration, or dockside support services, the hazards that surround the maritime industries and the marine environment are […]

There are many manufacturing jobs that exist, each with their own set of hazards. For machine shop employees who work with metalworking fluids (MWFS), designed to cool their machines and remove metal particulates produced as the machines operate, potential hazards stem from exposure to these common substances. Workers can breathe in aerosols created from machining, […]

This week marked the culmination of the years-long effort to align OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard with GHS, the UN’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. But it’s not the end! As Winston Churchill might say, it’s just the end of the beginning! OSHA has indicated an intent to review and potentially align […]

As reported in the Wall Street Journal late yesterday, the U.S. House has approved the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act by a vote of 403-12. The bill is poised to require an unprecedented analysis of many hazardous chemicals to determine their safety and environmental impacts. It would set new exposure standards […]

What exactly does the new Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica final rule mean for employers in terms of training? Who must be trained? On what precisely? We’ll break it down for you here, and answer the most commonly asked questions. Under the new rule, what do employees need to be trained on?  First of […]

Despite the political brinksmanship in Washington during this election year, Congress is close to sending a bill to the President’s desk that would strengthen the provisions of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and give the EPA greater authority to identify and regulate hazardous chemicals. Last June, the TSCA Modernization Act of 2015 (H.R. 2576) […]

VelocityEHS is reminding chemical end users to file Tier II Hazardous Chemical Inventory Reports by the March 1, 2016 deadline. Any facility with hazardous materials present at or above threshold amounts established by EPA may be subject to reporting obligations. Visit our blog to learn more about how the VelocityEHS chemical management solution, streamlines the […]