Safety
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OSHA: Oil Spill Cleanup Workers Entitled to PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and Special Training
UPDATE: 6/17/2010 Dr. Michaels discussed cleanup workers on C-Span this morning. Learn more at the ProPublica Blog. Continuing its series of public service blogs related to the Gulf oil spill, VelocityEHS looks at PPE’s and worker training. Workers involved in the oil spill cleanup face a multitude of hazards; consequently, they are entitled to […]
Not Making MSDS Available Burns Employee, Employer and OSHA
In a story by Kelly Holleran, the Southeast Texas Record reported that a Beaumont, Texas man is suing ExxonMobil for not adequately warning him about the significant levels of a caustic substance present in a drain line he was working on. According to the article, the employee was told of “possible caustic residue” in the […]
MSDS information for Oil Spill Dispersants Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 and Safety Info from EPA, CDC, & OSHA
We have noticed a significant number of searches on our database for MSDS information related to Nalco products Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527, the two dispersants being used in the oil spill cleanup effort. As a public service, and in an effort to assist the EPA in making MSDS information about these two dispersants more […]
OSHA Proposes Recordkeeping Rule Change
OSHA’s Recordkeeping Rule, 29 CFR 1904, has been center stage in the EH&S world as of late. We’ve had the recent implementation of a national emphasis program (NEP) on recordkeeping due to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study that revealed underreporting, and now we have an OSHA proposal on the floor to revise future injury and […]
Crystalline Silica – A Dangerous Dust
If you haven’t noticed, OSHA has been following through on its commitment to do more to update, create and modify guidance provisions, at least in the way of providing new guidance documentation. The agency has released two new guidance publications in recent months, both happen to address dust-particle dangers. The latest document, Controlling Silica Exposures […]
Are MSDSs Required for Consumer Chemical Products?
Just back from the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) show in San Antonio. Great show and thanks to all that stopped by our booth. A number of people at the show asked me if material safety data sheets (MSDSs) are required for consumer products like Windex or Lysol? This is a common question we […]
Working in Extreme Temperatures
Yes, it’s that time of year, when the sweltering heat of summer begins to set in and brings with it a host of additional safety and health concerns for employers and workers across the country. Being able to identify and respond to the warning signs of heat stress can truly become a life or death […]
Is electronic MSDS management OSHA compliant?
As you can guess, we get this question often. So let’s clear the air once and for all. The answer, of course, is YES… as long as you meet these three criteria: Have a back-up system in place in case of a foreseeable emergency. Ensure that your system is integrated into your overall hazard communication plan. […]
The Demise of Industrial Hygiene professional… or is it an evolution?
On a recent post at NAEM’s GreenTie blog, Alex Pollock asked for our thoughts on the “demise of the Industrial Hygiene profession as we know it.” He noted changes in staffing, reliance on “EHS generalists” and changes to the profession over the past 20+ years. It is my experience that the changes within the IH […]
Perspective and Priority: Wellness vs. Health & Safety
In a post titled “The 8 Top Corporate Wellness Programs“, Konstantin Koss comments that “Health Risk Assessment (HRA)”…is used to ” determine the safety and health concerns of workers by assessing the appropriateness of the facilities and equipment against the needs of the employees.” In our experience, this statement blurs the facts and may overstate […]