Regulatory & Standards


Safe Work Australia Chairman Tom Phillips

Australia Passes Milestone for National Safety Laws

The nation's OSH regulatory agency will become operational in November 2009, and it will deliver the laws by December 2011, Chairman Tom Phillips promised.

Any Driving Distraction is Dangerous: ASSE

Revised ahead of the DOT Distract Driving Summit later this month, the society's position statement notes distractions are not limited to electronic devices. The statement also discusses technological solutions.

This 3M photo shows the back of a Scotchlite segmented trim T shirt.

Big Expansion Coming for High-Vis Apparel

When it comes out later this year, the 2009 version of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices will expand the requirement for high-vis safety apparel to workers on all roads, not just federal-aid highways.

APIC Event Seeks to Provide CMS Compliance Assistance

An educational program titled "Infection Prevention for Ambulatory Care: Meeting CMS Conditions for Coverage" will be hosted by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) from Nov. 6-7 in Dallas. The event will provide a foundation in infection prevention designed to help outpatient care providers meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revised conditions for coverage.

DOL Certifies Approximately 4,700 Workers for Trade Adjustment Assistance

The Department of Labor has announced that approximately 4,700 workers from companies in 13 states--Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin--are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance.

Residential fire sprinklers remain controversial.

Residential Fire Sprinkler Battle Still Ablaze

Getting home fire sprinklers added to the 2009 International Residential Code wasn't easy. Opponents are still fighting to remove that requirement from the code, and NFPA and its allies have readied their arguments for hearings next month.

logo of the European Chemicals Agency

15 Chemicals May Get SVHC Tag from European Chemicals Agency

The agency has published proposals to identify the group as Substances of Very High Concern because of their carcinogenic, mutagenic, and/or reprotoxic properties and potentially serious effects on human health, or for persistent, bioaccumulative environmental effects. Comments to ECHA are due by Oct. 15.

FCC Tallies Telecom Access Complaints

For the first quarter of 2009, the agency's Disability Rights Office received 142 informal complaints raising closed captioning issues but no complaints regarding hearing aid compatibility issues.



Recent food safety investments by the Canadian government total $188 million.

Canada Invests $75 Million More in Food Safety

The agriculture and health ministers announced Friday the addition of 166 new food safety staffers, 24/7 availability of health risk assessment teams, and improved tracking of food illnesses through a national surveillance system.

National Child Passenger Safety Week Begins Today

According to CDC, the use of booster seats has been found to reduce the risk for injury by 59 percent in children aged 4-7 years old, compared with use of adult seat belts alone.

New Vibration Standard for Rotodynamic Pumps Released

The standard applies to the evaluation of vibration on rotodynamic pump applications, specifically when the vibration measurements are made on non-rotating parts (bearing housing vibration).

The First Alert SA302CN is a dual sensor smoke alarm.

Iowa Dual Sensor Rule Now Set for April 1

The upcoming rule from the State Fire Marshal requiring dual sensor smoke detectors affects new homes, dormitories, and multi-unit residential buildings.

OSHA Updates Eye-, Face-PPE Standards; Ruling Effective Oct. 9

"Workers exposed to occupational hazards requiring head, foot, or eye and face protection will now be provided protection based on a standard that reflects state-of-the-art technology and materials," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab.

Care-Tech Laboratories to Discontinue Unapproved Antimicrobial Products

The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that St. Louis-based Care-Tech Laboratories Inc. and its principal officers, John C. Brereton and Sherry L. Brereton, have signed a consent decree, agreeing to stop the illegal manufacture, marketing, and distribution of over-the-counter (OTC) antimicrobial drugs used to treat and prevent infection.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa

Harkin Takes HELP Chairman's Post

The Iowa senator accepted the position vacated by Sen. Ted Kennedy's death, after Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chose to retain the Banking Committee's chairmanship.

3rd U.S.-China Consumer Product Safety Summit Coming Next Month

In addition to overarching policy discussions, the summit agenda will include topical discussions of product safety issues, with toys, lead in children's products, all terrain vehicles, lighters, and fireworks representing specific product areas where systemic progress may be made. A special, full-day program is planned for ATV issues.

FDA Opens Reportable Food Registry Electronic Portal

As a way to head off potential cases of foodborne illness, the Reportable Food Registry is what food industry officials must use to alert FDA quickly when they find their products might sicken or kill people or animals.

HSE's Crane Register May Cover Construction Only

The agency is asking for comments by Oct. 9 on the proposed register, which would be in effect next year and require employers to submit information to HSE. About 1,000 tower cranes are in use at any one time, the agency estimates.

Contractor Faces $148,000 in Fines Following Arc Flash Injury

OSHA has proposed $148,000 in fines against C.W. Pond Contractors Inc., a Norwalk, Conn., electrical contractor, in connection with a March 4 electrical fire at the Old YMCA at 980 Washington Blvd. in Stamford, Conn.

Shell Chemical Cited Again for CWA Violations

The most recent charge—with a proposed penalty of $153,057--is in addition to a penalty of $1.025 million the company paid in May for similar violations of the Clean Water Act.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence