If successful, the lawsuit would trigger protections against several harmful pollutants associated with a wide variety of serious adverse health effects.
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.
At 25 deaths on average per 100,000 workers in 2003-2006, this industry is on par with high-risk industries such as agriculture and mining. About a third of those who died of injuries in landscaping were self-employed.
A sentencing hearing has been set for Feb. 20, 2009. Knowingly storing hazardous waste without a permit carries a maximum fine of $50,000 for each day of violation.
"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.
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.
"Left uncorrected, these conditions expose employees to the ongoing threats of electrocution, lacerations, amputations, fires, falls, chemical burns, hearing loss, and crushing hazards," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in Hartford, Conn.
TOSHA's safety tips for National Fire Prevention Month include controlling combustible dust, ensuring exits are available and workers are informed about hazards, and keeping heat producing equipment clean and maintained.
Thirty years after the British rule was enacted requiring involvement of workers' representatives, the UK safety and health oversight agency is reminding stakeholders that involvement pays off.
"We will take action against any company that fails to follow these laws that protect emergency responders and the public in the event of an accidental release," said Daniel Meer, EPA's assistant Superfund director for the Pacific Southwest region.
Fall hazards, improper storage of compressed gas cylinders, restricted exit access, lack of machine guarding, inadequate fire extinguisher maintenance, and electrical hazards were among the unsafe working conditions OSHA found at Salmon-Challis National Forest.
"This case study effectively demonstrates how safety and health management systems can be successful if organizations take proactive steps to implement and encourage their use," said OSHA chief Edwin G. Foulke Jr.
The company, which manufactures sealing and bearing systems for the automotive and aerospace industries, was acknowledged for achievement in its employee safety and health program.
Effikal LLC, of Orion, Mich., in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has announced a voluntary recall of its Automatic Gas Vent Dampers.
The EPA determined the facility is subject to federal pretreatment standards under the Clean Water Act
However, for idling reduction devices to qualify for the tax break, they must be determined by EPA in consultation with the Department of Energy and DOT to reduce idling of such vehicles at a motor vehicle rest stop or other location where such vehicles are temporarily parked or remain stationary.
The new publication "is an essential resource for designers, builders, and others looking for reliable information on topics not covered in [ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2007] or seeking to go beyond minimum for high performance construction," said committee chair Steven Emmerich.
"In the new era of triple bottom line accountability on financial, social, and environmental contributions, the need for energy vigilance and conservation is greater than ever," said IFMA President and CEO David J. Brady.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has released a new 23-minute safety video, titled "Half an Hour to Tragedy," based on the deadly propane gas explosion at the Little General convenience store in Ghent, W.Va., in January 2007.
"These citations address a variety of hazards which, left uncorrected, expose employees to potential falls, fire, crushing injuries, lacerations, amputations, being caught in the unexpected startup of machinery or not being able to exit the workplace swiftly in the event of an emergency," said Christopher Adams, OSHA's area director in Syracuse, N.Y.