If there are no contaminants at your worksite or the concentration levels are below the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), you, as the employer or Respiratory Protection Program Administrator, may allow your employees to wear respirators for relief from nuisance dusts or other contaminants, including relief from nuisance odors. But before you give the go-ahead, you need to know what your responsibilities are and the options you have as the Employer/Program Administrator.
The Food and Drug Administration has sent a warning letter to Procter & Gamble notifying the company that its Vicks DayQuil Plus Vitamin C and Vicks Nyquil Plus Vitamin C are illegally marketed combinations of drug ingredients and a dietary ingredient.
The Senate panel overseeing Dr. David Michaels' nomination has instead chosen to go with a mostly written question-and-answer format, with an option for individual members to meet with the nominee if they choose.
OSHA has cited VersaCold for alleged workplace safety and health violations at its former Nazareth facility, proposing $51,000 in penalties.
The Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward without an evidentiary hearing to implement the agency's May 2009 final rule revoking tolerances, or residue limits, for the pesticide carbofuran.
Citing that nearly 22 million American workers are exposed to hazardous noise on a daily basis and that occupational hearing loss continues to plague industry, the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) has made a request to OHSA to reduce the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for noise exposures.
Instead of focusing on safety (i.e., the avoidance of employee injury), many safety managers are focused on compliance (i.e., the avoidance of regulatory action taken against them). To put it another way, compliance-first is a mindset that asks, "What do I need to do to stay safe in the eyes of the government?" while a safety-first mindset frames the issue more simply: "What do I need to do to stay safe?"
OSHA has cited New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. for alleged repeat and serious violations of workplace safety standards following an inspection at the shoe manufacturer's Lawrence, Mass., distribution center. The company faces a total of $42,225 in proposed fines.
The Department of Transportation has proposed a $466,200 fine to Enterprise Products Operating LLC for alleged violations of federal pipeline safety regulations. The fine follows the DOT's investigation into the pipeline company’s September 2007 failure near Englewood, Kan.
Seen by some as OSHA's much bigger brother, EPA waded into several big safety issues this fall.
The U.S. Postal Service, El Paso Postal Distribution Center, has earned merit recognition in OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) for its employee health and safety achievements. The recognition ceremony took place today at 8401 Boeing Drive.
OSHA has cited Crane and Grain Service LLC of York, Neb., for alleged violations of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970.
"They still have a systemic safety problem in this refinery," said acting OSHA chief Jordan Barab today, announcing an additional 439 new violations found in 17 follow-up inspections at the refinery in Texas City, Texas.
At the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee hearing Thursday that followed OSHA's report criticizing Nevada OSHA, acting chief Jordan Barab said his agency will conduct a baseline evaluation of every state plan, just as it did with Nevada's.
In comments sent to the Department of Transportation on the "Safety Management System" proposed rule, the American Society of Safety Engineers commends the Federal Aviation Administration for pursuing this rule which requires FAA certificate holders, product manufacturers, applicants, and other employers with which it does business to develop safety management systems.
The Department of Justice recently announced a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Brookline, Mass., to ensure access to medical facilities and services for individuals with disabilities.
Developers conducting work in Idaho are facing $125,000 in proposed penalties for violating the federal Clean Water Act at a construction site in Smiths Ferry, Idaho, according to a complaint issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.
They want feedback on proposed regulations to implement the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which makes it easier for individuals to establish they have a disability covered by the law.
NIST's report on the May 2 collapse of the Dallas Cowboys' Indoor Practice Facility recommends evaluating the performance of fabric-covered steel frame structures under wind loads. Comments are invited until Nov. 6.
The agency announced a Nov. 10 public hearing in Bethesda, Md., to get feedback about the plan, which carries out a provision of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.