Regulatory & Standards


Comments Sought on IAEA Radioactive Materials Transport Regulations Draft

"Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material" is an international standard promoting the safe and secure transportation of radioactive material, a standard IAEA reviews and updates periodically. And IAEA has released its draft for a 120-day Member State review.

After reviewing current Medicare emergency preparedness regulations, CMS found the regulatory requirements were not comprehensive enough to address the complexities of emergency preparedness.

CMS Issues Final Rule to Increase Facilities' Emergency Preparedness

The rule will require Medicare and Medicaid participating providers and suppliers to develop an emergency plan using an all-hazards approach and to meet other industry best practices.

FDA Provides $21.8 Million for Produce Safety Rule Implementation

The funds will help local farmers with implementation.

OSHA Wants Input on Shipyard Fall Protection Rules

Falls are a leading cause of shipyard fatalities, according to OSHA, which states that 40 percent of all fatal incidents in shipyard employment from 1992 to 2014 resulted from falls to a lower level, citing BLS data. The current standards haven't been updated since 1971.

Celebrating Labor Day 2016

"The best way we, in the occupational safety and health community, can honor workers today and throughout the year, is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for every man and woman—young and old alike," NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard wrote in his Labor Day 2016 message.

OSHA, Health Canada Develop Joint Workplace Chemicals Work Plan

The updated plan will align labeling and classification for the hazards of workplace chemicals.

2015-2016 Construction Safety Highlights

From OSHA's National Safety Stand-Down to bridge collapse investigations and trenching hazards, the construction industry can learn from mistakes in order to boost its safety performance.

New FAA Drone Rules Go Into Effect

New FAA Drone Rules Go Into Effect

The rules are the first for operational use for routine non-hobbyist drones.



Major incidents at oil and gas refineries pose a significant risk to refinery workers and nearby communities while costing Californians an average of $800 million a year in disruption to fuel supplies, according to the state agencies behind the new safety regulations.

Two Weeks Left to Comment on California's Refinery Regs

The Department of Industrial Relations, the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, and the California Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules to strengthen safety at oil refineries statewide in July.

The agency has not proposed a specific set speed but has considered the benefits of 60, 65, and 68 mph. Those three limits would save anywhere from 27 to 498 lives annually, NHTSA estimates.

NHTSA and FMCSA Propose Speed Limiters for Large Commercial Vehicles

The agencies have not proposed a specific set speed but has considered the benefits of 60, 65, and 68 mph. Those three limits would save anywhere from 27 to 498 lives annually, they estimate.

"A year after the Mount Carbon crude oil train fire, residents there know that they narrowly escaped their town becoming the American Lac-Mégantic – an outcome of a fiery derailment that could still happen at any moment," NTSB Board Member Robert Sumwalt wrote Feb. 18, 2016.

Washington State Adopts Crude Oil Train Notification Rule

Four facilities in the state currently receiving crude oil shipments by rail and two pipelines that transport crude, along with new facilities and pipelines that are built, must notify the Washington Department of Ecology in advance.

EPA and DOT Finalize Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks

EPA and DOT Finalize Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks

In terms of emissions and energy use, trucks are the second-largest segment in U.S. transportation.

Labor Department to Study Paid-Leave Programs

Labor Department to Study Paid-Leave Programs

The Women's Bureau has awarded $1.1 million in grants for research on how these programs can be developed in the United States.

The final rule establishes a scoring system for new transit buses that would be purchased using FRA funds.

Final Rule Aims to Boost Transit Buses' Safety

A new scoring system addresses these categories: structural integrity, safety, maintainability, reliability, fuel economy, emissions, noise, and performance.

Respirable Coal Mine Dust Rule Enters Final Phase of Implementation

The overall respirable dust standard in coal mines is reduced from 2.0 to 1.5 milligrams per cubic meter of air.

An industrial vacuum is ready to vacuum swarf from a pit. (Vac-U-Max photo)

Can an Industrial Vacuum Solve Confined Space Hazards?

From grain handling operations to heavy blast material, pit cleaning with vacuums allows workers to clean outside of confined space.

The Plan-Do-Check-Act model, which both DHS and FEMA use, really helps when implementing and practicing your emergency preparedness plans.

Getting Ready for Emergencies

The Plan-Do-Check-Act model, which both DHS and FEMA use, really helps when implementing and practicing your emergency plans.

Padlocks should be standardized by size and color so that workers can easily identify function and ownership.

Six Tips to Improve Your Lockout/Tagout Program

A program that encourages communication can identify strengths and weaknesses much more efficiently than a program that remains static and unchanging after initial training.

Blue Bell Agrees to Follow Recognized Industry Standards

The standards to be followed are Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs); Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs); a Pathogen Monitoring Program (PMP) for Lm that includes environmental, ingredient, and finished product testing; and a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan and/or a written Food Safety Plan.

Final Rule Requires Transit Agencies to Maintain Capital Assets

Grantees will have to develop plants for assets, including vehicles, facilities, equipment, and infrastructure. In 2013, FTA says, the transit industry deferred maintenance needs to a tune of $86 billion, representing more than 12 percent of total assets nationwide.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence