Richard E. Fairfax, OSHA’s Director of Enforcement Programs, issued the following letter of interpretation regarding whether written programs may be kept solely in an electronic format, posted on OSHA’s web site January 16. Here are excerpts:
The Jan. 21 edition of the Federal Register will contain an OSHA Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on occupational exposure to diacetyl and food flavorings containing diacetyl.
US Airways flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) were instrumental in the evacuation of 150 passengers earlier this week as Flight 1549 made an emergency water landing in New York’s Hudson River. Mike Flores, AFA-CWA US Airways President issued the following statement praising the professionalism of the three Charlotte, N.C., crew member.
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) issued a press statement in which the association expressed its sadness at the loss of ASSE Past President Charles Robert “Bob” Dancer, P.E., CSP, of Hilton Head Island, S.C., who died at his home on January 4 after an extended illness.
The City of Chattanooga, Tenn. is among 13 communities nationally that are receiving EPA brownfields job training grants geared toward cleaning up contaminated properties and turning them into productive community assets, according to a recent EPA press release. The grant will teach environmental assessment and cleanup job skills to individuals living in areas near brownfields sites.
A 10-member panel of occupational and environmental health and safety professionals has completed an evaluation of the scope of the industrial hygiene profession in preparation for the Fall 2009 Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) examination.
The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) applauded a legal interpretation from OSHA that will bring clarity and predictability to respirator manufacturers’ requirements for product certification and preserve the availability of important worker protection, according to an ISEA press release.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in collaboration with other agencies, has released a report that discusses the impacts of sea level rise on the coast, coastal communities, and the habitats and species that depend on them. The report, “Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region,” examines multiple opportunities for governments and coastal communities to plan for and adapt to rising sea levels.
EPA and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) are taking actions to protect and restore both recreational uses and aquatic life in Florida waters. These actions include EPA issuing a formal determination under the Clean Water Act that “numeric” nutrient water quality criteria are necessary in Florida, and Florida accelerating its efforts to adopt numeric nutrient criteria into state regulations. Numeric nutrient criteria will significantly improve Florida’s ability to address nutrient pollution in a timely and effective manner.
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) has released a press statement in which it applauds the House Appropriations Committee for its economic stimulus provision that includes $300 million toward consumer rebates for those who purchase Energy Star products to replace old appliances.
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