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I have seen no less than 20 emails inviting me to webinars that will help me get my house in order for all the changes coming with the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard this year. From the tone of these emails, it would seem like the sky is falling! You know what? The sky is not falling … although there is work to be done to implement the changes. It’s leap day!! If you are born on a February 29th, then you will really only celebrate your birthday once every four years. What if you took a 40-hr HazWOPER course that ended on February 29th or an 8-hour HazWOPER refresher training on leap day? Does this mean that you only have to ‘celebrate’ your refresher training once every leap year? Here is a handy table we recently created for our clients — a gentle reminder to get organized! Even if you miss a deadline, it’s better to start playing catchup as soon as you find out that you are not in compliance. If you work at a site with corrosive materials present, how available are emergency flushing stations? Can these stations be accessed within 10 seconds? Has anyone ever showed you how to use it…blindfolded? Like a fire extinguisher on the wall, you hope you never need an emergency eyewash station, but you’d better be able to get to it and it had better work when there is a need. It’s important to know that chemical burns and damage start immediately upon contact. The sooner the rinsing starts, the less damage will occur. Do you have hazardous chemicals in your workplace? If you think the answer is no, are you sure? Let’s start with a definition! OSHA defines a hazardous chemical as one that presents either a physical or a health hazard. Many common and readily available products such as paints, cleaners, and other materials found in the workplace meet this definition. In fact, last year OSHA issued over 6,300 violations to companies that failed to comply with this standard. Learn more about your Right-to-Know! In reality, information equals power. The more we know, the better decisions we can make. If we have only half the important details, we will make weak decisions. Let’s use some history to drive this home. Although the Allied Forces ultimately won WWII, overconfidence from the D-Day invasion and the quickness with which the Allies pushed the Germans eastward across France, caused Eisenhower to underestimate the tactical abilities and determination of Hitler’s army. This resulted in the disastrous Operation Market-Garden in the Netherlands and the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes. Because of lack of current data in the Market-Garden strategy, the Allies were not in Berlin by the end of 1944 as they expected. Instead, by December of 1944 the Germans had broken through into the Allies’ line of advance in the Ardennes and caught us ill-prepared. Poor intelligence cost tens of thousands of lives. This is perhaps one of the most dramatic examples of “not enough information”, but it makes the point. Amazingly, with the communication capabilities of today’s wireless, cellular, Internet and other “instantaneous” technologies, many choose NOT to use this power to gather all the project information that they can get. As a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) I often make recommendations to our “General Industry” clients in an effort to lift their game with dealing with hazardous waste. There are multiple layers of compliance issues related to hazardous waste handling, and, as with most regulations, a little education (TRAINING!!) goes a long way in understanding the game plan! The intention of this blog is to provide a brief discussion of the key regulations and their associated training requirements. when I am asked for my thoughts on whether to attend an on-line or instructor-led HazWOPER training class, my immediate response is clear! It is CRITICAL to actually learn what is taught in these classes not just fulfill the OSHA requirement. Why? These workers will be working on a HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE, and the knowledge learned in a HazWOPER class allows them to appropriately protect themselves. Learn more about Instructor Led HazWOPER training! Are you shipping products that may be hazardous? Do you even know how to find out? Is your training up-to-date with the Refresher courses mandated by the DOT and FAA? Have you considered the cascade of repercussions that shipping one package incorrectly could cause for your company or fellow workers? Only trained persons are permitted to be involved with the transportation of hazardous materials. It is what makes the process work safely…for everyone! Understand more about DOT and IATA training today – to protect yourself and the public. Emilcott has created a handy quick reference table of “EHS Regulatory Submissions and Postings for January thru April 2011″. Each submission has links to more detailed explanations and weblinks — a gentle reminder to get organized! Included are EPA TSCA New Chemicals, EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting, OSHA Recording and Reporting, NJ Emission Statement Rule, Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, and the NPDES Stormwater Program. |
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