Regulatory & Standards


Court Orders Commercial Laundry to Compensate Whistleblower

"This employer's ongoing recalcitrance delayed but did not derail our efforts on behalf of the employee," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's regional administrator in New York.

New ANSI Standard for Rotodynamic Pumps Available

The pumps covered by this standard, which includes types, nomenclature, and definitions, are typically driven by vertical electric motors or horizontal engines with right angle gears.

OSHA Letter Addresses Limits of Some Shock-Absorbing Lanyards

If the distance between a lift's work platform and a lower level will be less than the minimum anchor point elevation stipulated by the lanyard's manufacturer, then a different fall-arrest or restraint system must be used.

Petrol Refiners' Settlement Expected to Reduce Harmful Emissions by 7,000 Tons Per Year

Two Wyoming and Kansas petroleum refiners have agreed in separate settlements to spend a total of more than $141 million in new air pollution controls at three refineries in Kansas and Wyoming. The settlements are expected to reduce harmful emissions by 7,000 tons per year.

NIOSH Extends Comment Period on Hexavalent Chromium Document

The document provides a review of the available literature and an update of the agency's policies on occupational exposure to the compounds, including an assessment of relevant quantitative risk assessments about exposure to them and appropriate methods for sampling and analysis of the compounds in the workplace.

peanuts

House Hearing Pries Open Peanut Corporation's Mailbox

E-mails posted by the Energy and Commerce Committee ahead of today's hearing on the salmonella outbreak show the company's president worried more about lost revenue than its customers' safety, Chairman Henry Waxman charged.

New Lead Limits Start Today, CPSC Spells Out Enforcement Policy

Starting today, consumer products intended for children 12 and under cannot have more than 600 parts per million of lead in any accessible part. This new safety requirement is a key component of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) aimed at further reducing children's exposure to lead.

DOL Provides Guidance on Fiduciary Duties

The Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), recently announced guidance on the duties of employee benefit plan fiduciaries in light of alleged abuses involving Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC.



California Safety Group Announces 21st Annual Cal/OSHA Update Seminar

The California Safety Services Group recently announced its 21st Annual Cal/OSHA Update Seminar Series will commence April 1, 2009. Cal/OSHA Representatives as well as recognized health and safety professionals will review and update significant Cal/OSHA regulation and policy changes, which occurred in 2008 as well as significant rulings of the Cal/OSHA Appeals Board.

Fruit Company to Spend $100,000+ Settling Risk Management Program Violations

The Yakima, Wash.-based company agreed to spend more than $85,000 within the next year for safety improvements and to purchase new communications and rescue equipment for local fire departments.

"Beyond the HIPAA Privacy Rule: Enhancing Privacy, Improving Health Through Research"

Report: HIPAA Privacy Rule Not Private Enough

Among its recommendations, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Health Research and the Privacy of Health Information urges all health research institutions take strong measures to safeguard the security of personal¬ly identifiable health information and advises the Department of Health and Human Services to support the development and use of new security technologies and self-evaluation standards.

HHS, FDA, CDC Pool Peanut Butter Recall Resources into Social Media Site

The Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have joined their efforts to provide important information about the recall of certain peanut butter and peanut-containing products that are associated with the recent Salmonella Typhimurium outbreaks through a new social media Web page at www.cdc.gov/socialmedia.

Lawmakers Reintroduce Combustible Dust Bill

U.S. Reps. George Miller, D-Calif., and John Barrow, D-Ga., have reintroduced a bill to force OSHA to issue a regulation intended to prevent combustible dust explosions. U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey, who chairs the Workforce Protections Subcommittee of Miller's Education and Labor Committee, joined them.

Comment Period Extended on Formaldehyde Emissions Rule

To encourage "more complete public participation" on the proposed rulemaking, EPA also has added an additional public meeting that will take place in New Orleans on March 4.

OSHA Proposes $108,000 in Penalties against Georgia Construction Company

OSHA is proposing $108,000 in penalties against Tippins Contracting Co. for seven safety violations that exposed its employees to possible injury or death at two construction sites.

Obama Looks to Accelerate Regulatory Reviews

The president's pick for chief performance officer and OMB deputy director for management, Nancy Killefer, withdrew yesterday. But he already had directed OMB Director Peter Orszag to produce recommendations for a new executive order on regulatory review within 100 days.

EPA Extends Comment Period for Universal Waste Rule Amendment

The public now has until March 9 to weigh in on the agency's proposal to add hazardous pharmaceutical wastes to the federal universal waste program.

Energy conservation is key to the new ICC-700 standard.

National Green Building Standard Approved

The new standard, ICC-700, provides guidance for safe and sustainable building practices for residential construction, including both new and renovated single-family to high-rise residential buildings.

MSHA Files Lawsuit against Kentucky Darby LLC

After failing to pay a $342,000 penalty by the Oct. 19, 2008 deadline, MSHA now seeks to collect $505,012--which includes unpaid civil penalties, additional penalties, interest, and administrative fees.

AIHA Obtains IACET Authorized Provider Approval

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recently announced that it has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) through May 31, 2011.

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