Millions of manufacturing workers — automotive, farm equipment, aircraft, heavy machinery or other hardware — are exposed to oil-based machining fluids every day.
Two competing bills designed to revise the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) were introduced this month, and only one is winning the approval of a public advocacy group that is concerned about the federal government's power to override states’ rights when it comes to chemical safety.
After receiving more than 1.5 million public comments, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell this month released final standards that she said will support safe and responsible hydraulic fracturing on public and American Indian lands. The standards are aimed at improving safety and protecting groundwater by updating requirements for well-bore integrity, wastewater disposal and public disclosure of chemicals.
Employees at a Wallingford, Conn. freight shipping terminal faced dangerous chemical, fire and explosion hazards on Oct. 6, 2014, as they tried to contain a highly flammable and explosive chemical spill without proper training and personal protective equipment, OSHA investigators have determined.
Confined spaces containing potentially hazardous atmosphere need to be tested prior to entry, and on-going ventilation and testing procedures must be utilized to ensure that the space remains safe for occupancy for the entire duration of the entry.