Regulatory & Standards


An image of Chandra Wilson.

OTC Cough and Cold Ads Feature 'Grey's Anatomy' Star

Starring Chandra Wilson, who plays Dr. Miranda Bailey in ABC's weekly drama series, the public service announcements have important tips for parents and caregivers to follow when using OTC oral cough and cold medicines.

Strike Three: Waste Hauler Cited for Idling Again

Waste Management Inc. has paid almost $330,000 in penalties for violating Massachusetts' five minute idling limit three times.

The Bigger the Better: N. Texas Air Quality Improves

Ozone levels exceeded 84 ppb only nine days this summer, compared to 40 days in the late 1990s.

FDA Issues Warning to Bayer HealthCare for Marketing Unapproved Drugs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to Bayer HealthCare concerning two unlawful, over-the-counter (OTC) aspirin products--Bayer Women's Low Dose Aspirin + Calcium (Bayer Women's) and Bayer Aspirin with Heart Advantage (Bayer Heart Advantage).

New York Contractor Faces $111,000 in OSHA Fines for Fall Hazards

OSHA has cited Precision Plaster Paint & Contracting LLC, a Utica, N.Y., contractor, for alleged willful, repeat, and serious violations of safety standards at a Utica worksite. Precision, which was installing a new stucco coating on a commercial building at 430 Court St., faces a total of $111,000 in proposed fines, chiefly for an improperly erected and maintained scaffold, and lack of fall protection for employees.

DHS Setting Up Ammonium Nitrate Regulatory Program

A 2008 appropriations bill directed the agency to "regulate the sale and transfer of ammonium nitrate by an ammonium nitrate facility . . . to prevent the misappropriation or use of ammonium nitrate in an act of terrorism." DHS is taking comments until Dec. 19.

OSHA Reports At Least 180 Million Page Views in FY 2008

Since the agency's Web site went online in 1995, its traffic has consistently increased by 12 percent to 15 percent annually, according to OSHA, reaching more than 110 million visitor sessions annually, at last count.

Citizens Sue EPA over PVC Plant Emissions

If successful, the lawsuit would trigger protections against several harmful pollutants associated with a wide variety of serious adverse health effects.



DOL Orders Charles Schwab to Reinstate Fraud Whistleblowers

The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered The Charles Schwab Corp. to reinstate and pay back pay and damages to two employees who were fired in violation of the whistleblower provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The whistleblower complaint was filed with OSHA on June 15, 2007, naming The Charles Schwab Corp., Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Charles Schwab Bank, and three individuals as defendants.

EPA to Conduct Public Workshop on Antimicrobial Pesticides Proposal

The event will be held in Arlington, Va., but also will be broadcast via the Web for those unable to attend in person.

Company Managers Convicted of Illegally Dumping Untreated Liquid Waste

In September, the company pleaded guilty to related charges and agreed to pay a fine of $600,000 plus an additional $150,000 to fund a community service project for the benefit, preservation, and restoration of the environment and ecosystems in the waters adjoining the two nearby rivers in Michigan.

Novartis Replacing Flu Vaccine Syringes with Fixed Needle

The syringes have been distributed nationwide; Novartis said in August it planned to have 20 million doses available by the end of September. Cal/OSHA and OSHA rules require needles with built-in sharps injury protection.

Two More States Pass Thermostat Recycling Laws

"Mercury is one of the biggest health hazards found in everyday household products, and the proper recycling of these products is essential to protecting the environment," said PSI Executive Director Scott Cassel.

Chao, Foulke Say BLS Injury Data Show System is Working

Nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers declined from 4.4 cases per 100 workers in 2006 to 4.2 cases in 2007.

How Close is Too Close to Energized Circuits? OSHA Seeks Comments

The agency has reopened the record on a proposed rule regarding electric power generation, transmission, and distribution because the technical committee responsible for the 2005 version of the rule discovered an error in its calculation of minimum approach distances for certain voltages.

Opponents of MSHA's Drug/Alcohol Testing Rule Get Another Shot

Criticized after some miners were unable to testify at the initial hearing, MSHA announced another one Oct. 28 will be broadcast to sites in West Virginia, Alabama, and Minnesota.

CPSC to Consider Rulemaking Addressing Crib Defects

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging parents and caregivers to closely inspect the hardware and stability of their cribs to ensure all parts are in place and secure. The warning by CPSC comes after the agency's Early Warning System has identified concerns with the durability of cribs, especially those with drop sides that can disengage and lead to dangers of entrapment and strangulation.

protective ear plugs

ANSI Standard for Measuring Attenuation Revised Ahead of Labeling Change

The S12.6 standard for measuring hearing protectors' real-ear attenuation will be "heavily referenced" in EPA's rule changing protector NRR labels, which is expected to be issued soon.

OSHA Issues Workplace Electrical Product Safety RFI

OSHA recently announced that a proposed Request for Information (RFI) related to its Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) program will be published in the Oct. 20, 2008 Federal Register. A copy of the proposed RFI currently is available on OSHA's Web site. The public comment period on the RFI will close on Jan. 20, 2009.

California Ends Statewide Enforcement Sweep of Construction Firms

Officials with California's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Labor Commissioner's Office) issued 115 citations totaling $477,966 in fines to construction firms across the state for various labor law violations in a recent two-day enforcement activity that concluded on October 16.

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