Manufacturing Archives - Safety+Health Magazine

EPA’s proposed chemical safety revisions would ‘hinder’ good practices, safety board says

S+H Staff — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:18:31 +0000

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed revisions to the chemical facility safety provisions under its Risk Management Program rule represent “a significant step backward,” the Chemical Safety Board says. CSB provided input in a May 5 letter from agency Chair Steve Owens and board member Sylvia Johnson. The correspondence sent to EPA included CSB’s […]

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Restroom access and paying for PPE: Colorado governor signs new law

S+H Staff — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:58:27 +0000

Denver — Colorado has enacted a law that prohibits employers in the state from deducting from workers’ wages the costs of certain personal protective equipment. S.B. 26-160, signed by Gov. Jared Polis (D) on June 3, contains a few exceptions. Among them: Nonspecialty safety-toe protective footwear, including steel-toe shoes and boots, or nonspecialty prescription safety […]

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Fatal blast leads to call for better awareness of equipment limitations

S+H Staff — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:38:37 +0000

Washington — Chemical facility operators need to ensure their equipment can function within safe operating limits, the Chemical Safety Board says in a new final report. The report details the investigation of a November 2024 incident at the Givaudan Sense Colour facility in Louisville, KY. Two workers died and three were seriously injured when a […]

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California moves toward ban on artificial stone countertop fabrication

S+H Staff — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:42:30 +0000

Los Angeles — The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board on May 21 unanimously granted a petition that could ultimately lead to a ban on fabricating and installing artificial stone products containing more than 1% crystalline silica. The Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association formally petitioned the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health […]

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OSHA announces two meetings to prepare for UN’s GHS sessions

S+H Staff — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:29:06 +0000

Washington — OSHA has scheduled a pair of virtual public meetings ahead of the 49th and 50th sessions of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. The first meeting is set for 1 p.m. Eastern on June 23 in preparation for UNSCEGSH’s meeting on July […]

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Vermont finalizes landmark ban of paraquat

S+H Staff — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:18:16 +0000

Montpelier, VT — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) has signed legislation banning paraquat, a controversial herbicide that has been tied to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease among agricultural workers. Scott’s signature on H. 739 cements Vermont as the first state to do so. Effective Nov. 1, the new law prohibits the use or sale […]

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OSHA inspection procedures now reflect 2024 HazCom update

S+H Staff — Tue, 26 May 2026 15:56:01 +0000

Washington — OSHA has revised its inspection procedures to align with the agency’s updated standard on hazard communication (1910.1200), issued in 2024. In a May 19 memo, OSHA references Paragraph (i) – trade secrets, Appendix A (health hazard criteria), Appendix B (physical hazard criteria) and Appendix C (allocation of label elements), along with revisions to […]

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Inspector general says vacant seats may hinder Chemical Safety Board’s effectiveness

S+H Staff — Thu, 21 May 2026 17:42:55 +0000

Washington — The lack of a full, five-member board “may prevent” the Chemical Safety Board “from achieving its stated mission,” the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General contends in a recent report. In a May 6 letter to CSB Chair Steve Owens introducing the report, Deputy Inspector General Nicole Murley identifies “operating effectively without […]

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Oklahoma’s new drug and alcohol policy will affect workers in ‘safety-sensitive’ jobs

S+H Staff — Thu, 21 May 2026 15:06:37 +0000

Oklahoma City — A new Oklahoma law establishes a zero-tolerance drug and alcohol standard for workers in “safety-sensitive” jobs, effective Nov. 1. Under H.B. 3127, signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) on April 20, the standard applies to all workers in safety-sensitive jobs “regardless of any employer policy permitting impairment-based testing or alternative standards for […]

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EPA invites comment on controversial fragrance and one other chemical

S+H Staff — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:45:26 +0000

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking feedback on separate draft risk evaluations, including a potential landmark finding that a fragrance additive doesn’t pose “unreasonable risk” in work situations. In a draft risk evaluation published April 14, EPA says that 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta [g]-2-benzopyran – a fragrance ingredient also known as HHCB that’s used in air […]

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