Archive for November 2020
Plastic Makers Applaud Governor Wolf for Signing Advanced Recycling Legislation Into Law
Legislation Could Help Pennsylvania Increase Recycling, Bring New Jobs Today Governor Tom Wolf signed HB 1808 into law, which will enable greater adoption of advanced plastics recycling. The American Chemistry Council (ACC) welcomed the legislation and issued the following statement, which may be attributed to Joshua Baca, vice president of plastics for ACC: “The American…
Read MoreWhy employers find it so hard to test for COVID
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance to employers to include COVID testing, and it advised that people working in close quarters be tested periodically. However, the federal government does not require employers to offer those tests, according to KHN TV San Francisco. But the board overseeing the California Division of Occupational Safety and…
Read MoreOSHA COVID-19 Violations Pass the $3-Million Mark
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic through Nov. 12, 2020, OSHA has issued 232 citations arising from inspections for violations relating to coronavirus, resulting in proposed penalties totaling $3,148,452. OSHA inspections have resulted in the agency citing employers for violations, including failures to: Implement a written respiratory protection program; Provide a medical evaluation, respirator fit…
Read MoreOSHA: companies can legally impose vaccine requirements
As we get closer and closer to a COVID-19 vaccine, employers are now weighing whether they should make it mandatory for their staff, according to Yahoo News. According to OSHA, companies can legally impose a vaccine requirement. OSHA has stated that employers can legally impose a flu vaccine requirement on their workforce, but employees have the right…
Read MoreEPA won’t require industry to guarantee funding for toxic waste cleanups
EPA is declining to require oil and gas, coal, chemical and mining companies to have insurance to cover major spills and accidents, according to The Hill. Critics say the final rule, announced by the agency Wednesday, poses the greatest risk to communities of color and low-income communities that most often live in the shadow of…
Read MoreOSHA inspector numbers increase for first time in Trump’s term
For the first time in President Donald Trump‘s term in office, the number of OSHA inspectors increased from the previous year’s staffing level, according to newly released agency data, according to a Bloomberg Law report. OSHA ended fiscal year 2020 on Sept. 30 with 790 compliance and safety officers, numbers Bloomberg Law obtained through a Freedom…
Read MoreAmazon workers across the world protest on Black Friday
Amazon workers across the globe banded together in a series of coordinated Black Friday protests over workers’ rights and environmental justice, according to a Fox Business Report. Using the hashtag #MakeAmazonPay, employees in 15 countries, including the U.S., Europe, Mexico and Bangladesh, called on the e-commerce giant to raise wages, end union-busting, stop circumventing tax laws, rehire workers fired after they complained about workplace safety and pledge to reach…
Read MoreNIOSH approves MSA’s elastomeric respirator without exhalation valve
NIOSH has approved MSA Safety’s elastomeric half-mask device, Advantage 290 LS Air-Purifying Respirator (APR). The first-of-its-kind respirator, designed without an exhalation valve, provides personal protection and source control. It provides a reusable and alternative PPE option for Covid frontline workers. Covering the wearer’s nose and mouth, Advantage 290 LS Respirator uses twin filters to provide…
Read MoreTop California air, climate regulator Mary Nichols hopes to run Biden EPA
Over four decades, Mary Nichols has been the regulator behind some of the nation’s most ambitious climate policies and, in recent years, she’s been their staunchest defender against President Donald Trump’s effort to dismantle them, according to an Associate Press report. With Joe Biden heading to the White House, Nichols hopes she is not done…
Read MoreEPA Plans Draft Risk Assessment of Ethylene Oxide
As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pursues its mission to protect human health and the environment, addressing ethylene oxide (EtO) continues to be a major priority, the agency said in a news release. As part of a cross-agency effort, EPA took the next step in its review of the pesticide registration for EtO by releasing…
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