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Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on draft risk evaluations for two chemical substances that are among the first 10 slated for evaluation for potential health and environmental risks under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, according to a notice published in the July 1 Federal Register.

Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is now eyeing July 31 as the publication date for a proposed rule the agency says would add flexibility to hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers, according to a Department of Transportation regulatory update released in June.

Rochester, NY — Approximately one-third of business owners with fewer than 500 employees are ill prepared to manage the impact of marijuana use on the workplace, according to the results of a recent poll.

Washington — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has vacated a 2018 amendment to a 2017 Mine Safety and Health Administration rule that allowed a competent person to inspect the workplace as miners began work rather than prior to a shift – a decision United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts calls “a victory for miners everywhere.”

Washington — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General is investigating the effectiveness and integrity of USDA’s procedures to develop and advance a controversial proposed rule that would remove maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants, according to a letter obtained by multiple media outlets.

“From the moment they start to operate the machine,” one safeguarding expert says, “you look at the design and you think, ‘Well, could someone potentially get hurt?’”

How much do employers spend on training? What types do they use? The results of the Safety+Health 2019 Training Survey are in. Plus, experts share strategies for increasing trainee engagement.

Safety+Health, with help from the International Safety Equipment Association, recently reached out to PPE manufacturers to ask about the latest trends, as well as innovations and new technologies that are here or on the horizon.

Washington — The House on June 19 passed a “minibus” appropriations bill that includes fiscal year 2020 funding for OSHA, NIOSH, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Washington — President Donald Trump’s Executive Order calling for a significant cut in advisory committees appears to have little if any effect on workplace safety agencies.