Bills passed in 2022 and EPA’s recent findings

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Bills proposed and passed in 2022 

Let’s start with a quick recap of the safety bill proposed and passed in 2022:

The Minnesota House of Representatives passed a bill aimed at protecting warehouse workers. 

Congresswoman Cori Bush of Missouri introduced two bills focused on environmental and climate concerns for workers in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

The Wind Safety Standard Act was passed to protect employees when weather conditions include high winds. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that requires an entertainment events vendor to certify for its employees and employees of its subcontractors that those individuals have complied with specified training, certification, and workforce requirements. 

Newsom also signed a bill where employers are not allowed to retaliate against employees who are absent or who leave work because they “have a reasonable belief that the workplace or worksite is unsafe” during emergency conditions. 

OSHA’s statement on the 2021 CFIO 

In other news, the EPA found that 1-BP or 1-bromopropane – frequently used as a solvent in consumer products – poses unreasonable risk to workers involved in operations including domestic manufacturing, importing, processing as a reactant, repacking, recycling, and use as a solvent for cleaning or degreasing. N-methyl pyrrolidone, also known as NMP, is also used often in consumer products. 

The EPA says that the substance poses an unreasonable risk to workers involved in numerous operations through potential short- and long-term inhalation, direct dermal exposure, and vapor-through-skin exposure. 

According to the agency, the next step in the process is to develop risk management rulemakings to identify and require the implementation of measures to manage these risks. Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more EHS updates and in the meantime, stay safe and stay tuned for next week.