1. CSB: Dust Control, Housekeeping Failures Led to Fatal Hoeganaes Explosions

On Jan. 5, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released a report on the three deadly fires and explosions that occurred at a Hoeganaes Corp. plant in Gallatin, Tenn., in 2011. The report asserts that the accumulation of fine iron powder in the facility led to the explosions, and that Hoeganaes did not take necessary action to prevent these fatal events. CSB also used its report to highlight the need for an OSHA standard on combustible dust.

Read More >>

2. Safety 2012: Safety Leaders Look Ahead

A recent study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health discovered that in a few short years, the demand for EHS professionals will be greater than the number available. We discuss this and other issues with some of the leaders in EHS.

Read More >>

3. EPA Issues Historic National Standards for Mercury Pollution from Power Plants

EPA on Dec. 21 issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, the first national standards to protect Americans from power plant emissions of mercury and toxic air pollution like arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium and cyanide. The standards will slash emissions of these substances by relying on widely available, proven pollution controls that are already in use at more than half of the nation's coal-fired power plants.

Read More >>

4. At-Home Safety: January Is National Radon Action Month

You can't see it. You can't smell it. But it can still kill you. Every year in the United States, about 21,000 people die from radon-related lung cancer. To combat this silent threat, EPA is promoting January as National Radon Action Month to raise awareness and educate communities about radon risks and mitigation.

Read More >>

5. AIHA Launches New Consumer Web Site

Industrial hygiene is not related to dental hygiene, or personal hygiene, but if you ask the average person what it is, those might be the answers you receive. In an effort to educate the general public about the practice of industrial hygiene and its importance in the workplace, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recently launched a new consumer-focused Web site, allowing the general public to access resources and information about industrial hygiene and related fields.

Read More >>

6. Inspector General: EPA's Unapproved Asbestos Removal Methods May Put Workers, Public at Risk

In a Dec. 14 report, EPA Inspector General Arthur A. Elkins Jr. addressed EPA's authorization of unapproved methods of asbestos removal at its own sites. Elkins called for a halt to these unapproved methods, which may violate OSHA requirements and potentially expose workers to carcinogens, and said the agency should notify any workers or residents who may have been exposed to asbestos as a result.

Read More >>

EHS Today Magazine keeps you up-to-date with the latest Environment, Health and Safety news and information. We deliver the latest online stories from EHS Today right to your inbox! Get EHS Today's RSS (Really Simple Syndication) delivery and we instantly provide you headlines, descriptions, and links back to EHS Today's Web site for the full, detailed story.