It’s the first week of June and here comes summer! If you haven’t yet implemented your workplace’s summer heat illness and injury prevention program, now’s the time! Heat stress and heat stroke are among the most common workplace illnesses and the summertime is the biggest period of the year where they tend to occur. Help protect your employees from these effects by getting ready now. Here’s the week’s regulatory news:
EPA
The agency has published new guidance related to the characterization of waste related to lithium batteries. This important guidance lays out several standards and how the agency interprets them. It features a lengthy “FAQ” list that attempts to address what the agency believes are the most common and pertinent question related to how lithium batteries are to be considered and treated as part of potential waste streams. Battery users that dispose of, recycle, or reuse such batteries may be affected, so it’s important to have a look. See the new guidance here:
Canada TDGR
The Ministry published the comments it received in reference to its pending international harmonization rule. The comments will now be considered in terms of changes to the final product, which will likely appear later this year.
See the comments HERE
FRA
The agency has proposed new rules that will mandate specific training and certification standards for both train dispatchers and signal service employees. At present, most railroads create and implement their own standards (many of which are quite stringent) but this new action, if implemented, will “harmonize” such standards across the industry.
See the first proposal HERE
See the second proposal HERE
OSHA
The agency published new ICR’s related to both hexavalent chromium and respirable silica in the workplace. Both of these chemicals represent significant health hazards, so OSHA tracks their use and any related issues. See the ICR’s here:
See the first ICR HERE
See the second ICR HERE
Chemical Safety Board
The board has amended its organization, operation, quorum and voting processes, and office location regulations. These changes are effective June 2, 2023.
Read more HERE
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