HazCom update, heat waves, and the CSB resignation
What’s going on in EHS this week? Find out with Safety at the Frontline!
Tune in on Mondays to get the latest safety news with Frontline’s podcast. We’re covering the top EHS news, along with some quick and useful tips, so you can stay safe and keep rocking on the frontlines.
OSHA to update HazCom standard
Let’s start the week off with an update and I mean literally and update.
OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard could be getting an update as soon as December, according to DOL’s Spring 2022 regulatory agenda. The recently published agenda reveals the status of and projected dates for all potential regulations listed in three stages: pre-rule, proposed rule, and final rule. In this latest regulatory agenda, the HazCom standard update was moved from the proposed rule stage to the final rule stage.
As you all may well know, OSHA’s current HazCom standard (1910.1200) is linked with the third edition of the GHS. In February 2021, OSHA issued a proposed rule to update the regulations to align with GHS’ seventh edition. We’ll keep you updated on what’s in store for HazCom.
Heat waves and climate change
Onto the next news, millions of Americans are once again in the grips of dangerous heat. The headlines have shifted from “the hottest summer decade” or “hottest summer recorded” to probably the coolest summer of the rest of our lives. Of course, heat waves are shaped by complex factors like urbanization and land use, but scientists no longer have much doubt that climate change is making things worse. So, for our friends working out in the heat, make sure to stay hydrated, and always have access to shade.
CSB CEO resigns
Last news of the week, Chemical Safety Board Chair and CEO Katherine Lemos has submitted her resignation and the agency has confirmed that she will step down as of July 22.
Serving the CSB for over 2 years, Lemos’s resignation came just days after President Joe Biden nominated Catherine Sandoval to serve as a member of CSB. If confirmed, Sandoval would be the third agency member confirmed under the Biden administration.
