OSHA’s adoption of GHS has hit a snag. According to new information on OMB’s website, the changes to the Hazard Communication Standard have been tagged as “Review Extended”. This is the same status that has kept OSHA’s Silica Standard on the sidelines at OMB for over 10 months. OMB was supposed to complete its 90 [...]
This round up of news from OSHA and the EPA includes updates on GHS, I2P2, Silica Standard, the Mercury Standard and the new Greenhouse Gas Map.
MSDSonline, the leading provider of on-demand MSDS management and authoring services, is making it easier for chemical manufacturers, importers and distributors to transition to the Globally Harmonized System in the United States by offering its GHS Guarantee for MSDSs authored into the US GHS format.
1. Get Up to Speed on GHS. GHS adoption by OSHA is likely weeks away and time is running out to get a head start. Everyone covered by the Hazard Communications Standard (HCS) should be getting familiar with GHS and making plans for employee training. If you need to catch up, try this Free 30 [...]
A new Illinois law restricting the purchase or acquisition of corrosive or caustic acid – such as drain cleaners – quietly went into effect in Illinois on January 1, 2012. According to an article on Herald-Review.com by Brian Wellner, the law was unanimously passed by the General Assembly and signed into law on Aug. 21, [...]
February 1 is right around the corner which means it’s almost time for many companies to post OSHA Form 300A. Form 300A is a summary log of all work-related injuries for 2011. From February 1 through April 30, non-exempt companies are required by the OSHA Recordkeeping Standard to post a log.
What’s in your chemicals? It’s a simple question, yet one most users of hazardous chemicals can’t easily answer. If you don’t know what’s in your chemicals, how can you be sure you’re taking the necessary steps to keep your employees safe? How can you be sure you’re compliant with all of the local, state, federal and international regulations with jurisdiction over your facility or business?
Just a reminder, we will be having our last GHS Webinar of the year, December 28 at 11 AM EST. There is still a little room, but register soon as we expect this to fill up. We will also have additional Webinars in January, but if things are quiet at your work the week between [...]
OSHA’s revision of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to align with GHS is likely only a few weeks away (four to eight weeks by many estimates). And as the date approaches, there is a disquieting position being taken by some smaller workplaces that use chemicals — it’s the idea that they are “so small” they do not have to “worry” about changes to OSHA’s HazCom standard. It’s a false conclusion, providing a false security, which can lead to a dangerous end. This article will start by addressing that “too small to worry” mindset and end with two stories about hazard compliance from the past week that everyone should read.
Three items caught our attention this week that we wanted to share with you, starting with OSHA’s announcement that it issued a new National Emphasis Program (NEP) for chemical facilities. The NEP is specifically targeting worker protection against highly hazardous chemical releases. The new National NEP is essentially an upgrade of a 2009 pilot NEP that targeted chemical facilities in several regions.
