EU “toxic-free” vision shapes safer chemicals strategy The European Union is proposing a new vision for a “toxic-free environment” and has published a strategy for moving the EU towards that goal, according to Green Buzz. It’s likely these new policies will drive significant changes in the U.S. EU chemical restrictions have gained limited traction in U.S. federal statutes and regulations,…
Many states resist adapting worker safety rules to pandemic Most states have not issued COVID-19 requirements for workplaces, according to Stateline News. Some cite existing rules or executive orders for enforcement, but workers’ rights advocates say many states have not been aggressive about inspecting workplaces or issuing citations, despite an overwhelming number of complaints, leaving workers in danger. Twenty-nine states…
Companies disclosing their impacts through the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) sustainability reporting standards are to adhere to new and updated standards for occupational health and safety. An update of GRI 403: Occupational Health and Safety 2018 addresses reporting on occupational health and safety management, including prevention of harm and promotion of health at work. With a central focus on the…
According to a new study, 68% of workers globally do not feel completely safe working in their employer’s buildings. The number is higher for those working remotely, 75%. And nearly one in four of those remote workers (23%) said they would look for a new job rather than return to a worksite that did not implement the necessary safety measures….
On his first day in office, President Biden sent a memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies to modernize the government’s regulatory review process, according to a statement released by the White House. Stated the President: “I therefore direct the Director of OMB, in consultation with representatives of executive departments and agencies (agencies), as appropriate and as soon…
Ex-Steelworkers safety official appointed to run OSHA on interim basis The Biden administration on Inauguration Day wasted no time in naming former United Steelworkers safety official Jim Frederick as acting chief of OSHA, part of a team of interim leaders at the Labor Department who will help jump start the new administration’s labor and employment agenda. As of January 21,…
Evaluating Training Across Organizations and Supply Chains By Dave Johnson, Phylmar newsletter editor “More than ever organizations need to achieve the very best training and performance improvement possible,” states learning effectiveness experts Robert O. Brinkerhoff and Dennis Dressler. Why? Today’s competitive environment demands a workforce that learns quickly, and consistently turns new learning into organizational, team, and individual performance improvements…
CDC shortens Its COVID-19 quarantine recommendations The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revised its guidelines for people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus. Now, instead of the standard 14-day quarantine it has been recommending, the CDC says that potential exposure warrants a quarantine of 10 or seven days, depending on one’s test results and symptoms, according…
California drafting a workplace violence regulation Three members of the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Board) have requested a workplace violence prevention standard for general industry for the state of California. The latest draft, although an improvement in some ways, according to the Phylmar Regulatory Roundtable (PRR), was of significant concern because it include two new elements: a Workplace…
Sustainability is one of the most overused terms in supply chain in recent history and can mean different things to different people. However, this does not take away its importance when it comes to assessing a supply chain, according to Material Handling and Logistics magazine. Supply chains are transitioning away from traditional transactional functions, from focusing on a “lowest cost…