Safety

“Everyone can have an impact on safety”. You can’t spend much time with Dustin Rusch, chief safety officer at J. F. Ahern Co., without hearing those words. Dustin and his team are putting those words into practice with the launch of their safety impact program that encourages all employees to take actions that have a […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has published its fall agenda for federal agencies, which includes over 70 proposed rules, prerules, or final rules for the Department of Labor and/or OSHA. (OSHA’s rulemaking process is a multi-stage affair that usually lasts several years, as this OSHA flowchart explains.) The new agenda contains timelines for […]

What is Ammonia? Ammonia is a colorless gas with a characteristically pungent odor. One of the most common industrial chemicals in the U.S., ammonia is used primarily as an agricultural fertilizer. Other uses for ammonia include: Potential Ammonia Health Hazards Ammonia gas reacts instantly with the moisture in the skin, eyes, mouth, and respiratory tract […]

OSHA’s annual February 1 deadline for posting injury and illness information is fast approaching, and to help get EHS professionals up to speed VelocityEHS is hosting a series of free webinars. Every year, as part of the OSHA Recordkeeping Standard, non-exempt employers are required to post OSHA Form 300A — a summary of injuries and […]

What is Xylene? Xylene is a colorless liquid chemical with a somewhat greasy consistency. This chemical is present in small quantities in gasoline and other fuels, comprising approximately 0.5-1% of crude oil. Millions of tons of xylene are produced each year, as the chemical is used as a solvent in the printing, leather, and rubber […]

This month, Mexico announced that it has made GHS alignment mandatory beginning in 2018. The official announcement, published in the Official Journal of the Federation of Mexico, states that during the three-year phase-in period, older standards can continue to be used. Mexico based its alignment on Revision 5 (Rev. 5) of the GHS, first published […]

According to OSHA, eye injuries cost U.S. businesses more than $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses and worker compensation, and NIOSH reports that about 2,000 U.S. workers suffer job-related eye injuries each day. Clearly, eye injuries are a major concern for both workers and employers. October is Eye Injury Prevention Month, […]

A previous post concluded with the advice to manage MSD risk factors and mitigate risks properly. That brings up another question: How do you manage MSD risk factors and identify the appropriate metrics to manage your ergonomics process properly? Here are 5 key metrics to track. A risk profile is critical to identify where exposures […]