Chemicals

Changes occurring within an organization’s operations are inevitable, and it’s imperative that the crucial process of Management of Change (MOC) procedures be completed to assess and address the risks or unintended consequences that stem from changes made.   MOC is a systematic method for identifying and controlling safety, health and environmental risks associated with planned […]

By Phil Molé, MPH After years of preparatory work, OSHA recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on heat injury and illness prevention that will affect many outdoor and indoor US worksites. Employers across different industries will need to understand the potential requirements in OSHA’s new heat injury and illness proposed rule and start […]

In all my research and study of OSHA workplace standards over the years, I’ve yet to come across a specific requirement that employers must apply and document a job safety analysis (JSA) to comply with an OSHA standard. In fact, you don’t really see any references to JSAs within the text of OSHA’s volume of […]

By Phil Molé, MPH It’s finally happened! OSHA has published its long-awaited final rule updating requirements in its Hazard Communication (HazCom) Standard. The publication of the final rule ends months of waiting and uncertainty by manufacturers and users of hazardous chemicals and aligns HazCom with updated versions of the UN’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification […]

The July 1 deadline for Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)/Form R reporting is quickly approaching. This year, an additional challenge that many EHS professionals may not know about is that EPA added additional per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of TRI reportable chemicals. You need to know whether you have TRI-listed PFAS in your […]

by Phil Molé, MPH EHS professionals are always seeking out ways to improve their workplace safety management programs, and implementing a safety management software system represents a major milestone along that journey. Good safety software simplifies key tasks such as safety data sheet (SDS) management, completion and tracking of inspections, incident investigations, training, and management […]

Since the 1990s, the field of ergonomics has experienced a remarkable evolution in assessing musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk using simple, paper-based assessment tools and helping organizations reduce MSDs in the workplace. For example, the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) have long been considered easy-to-use assessment tools. They’re simple and […]

The #9 most frequently cited standard for 2023, was one again Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment—Eye and Face Protection. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), workers suffered 18,510 eye-related injuries and illnesses in 2020. That means there were roughly 1.7 cases per 10,000 full-time workers. OSHA states thousands of people are blinded each […]

The countdown continues in the VelocityEHS Blog series on OSHA’s Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards for 2023! We’re down to #6 on the list with the Control of Hazardous Energy Standard, better known as Lockout/Tagout or LOTO. Employees servicing or maintaining machines or equipment are at risk of life altering injuries or death if […]

Continuing our digest of OSHA’s Top 10 List of Most Frequently Cited Standards, we move on to the second most-commonly cited workplace violation – Hazard Communication (HazCom).   OSHA’s HazCom standard addresses chemical hazards for chemicals produced in and imported into the workplace. It also governs the communication of hazards to workers, specifying the responsibilities of […]