Author Archives: jlk

MNOSHA To Put Compliance and Standard Guidelines On Its Website

OSHA standards, as written, don’t include a lot of explanation or interpretation. Federal OSHA writes interpretations, compliance directives, and interpretative guidelines to provide direction to compliance staff and employers. Minnesota OSHA does the same. Federal OSHA publishes that information on … Continue reading

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GHS Arrives

As of June 1, 2015, material safety data sheets will be no more! But they aren’t quite disappearing entirely. They’re undergoing a name change and a major revamping. They’ll be called Safety Data Sheets instead. Chemical labels will change, too. … Continue reading

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GHS clears OMB review

That’s a mouthful of letters. OSHA’s proposed major change to the Hazard Communication Standard, incorporating the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), cleared a significant hurdle, review by the Office of Management and Budget, on February … Continue reading

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Silica in the news

National Public Radio broadcast a story on crystalline silica this morning, and we can take a wee bit of credit for it. Crystalline silica is dangerous stuff – exposure to the very fine particles can severely scar the lungs. It’s … Continue reading

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What a Minnesota State Government Shutdown Might Mean to Safety and Environmental Concerns

Last week Governor Dayton submitted a recommendation of essential services to continue in the event of a government shutdown. Our understanding is that this is a recommendation only, and that an appointed judge or Special Master would make the final … Continue reading

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Safety Updates: Free Training, Firefighters’ Particulate Exposure, and coming changes to MSDS’s

Janet Keyes, CIH, recently attended the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHCe) in Denver.  We have been featuring some of the highlights from that conference. (see blogs on NIOSH and OSHA, control banding and skin exposures). This will be … Continue reading

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OSHA and NIOSH: Recent discussion at Industrial Hygiene Conference

Janet Keyes, CIH, recently attended the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHCe) in Denver.  We will be featuring some of the highlights from that conference. Dr. David Michaels, head of OSHA, and Dr. John Howard, head of NIOSH, presented … Continue reading

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Control Banding: A Method to Control Risks

Janet Keyes, CIH, recently attended the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHCe) in Denver.  Over the next couple weeks we will be featuring some of the highlights from that conference. Control banding is developing as a way to control … Continue reading

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Confined Space Hazard Alert

Jabin Lakes, a Middletown, Ohio Public Works employee, was killed on May 7 from lack of oxygen when he opened a manhole cover, in preparation for sending a camera into the sanitary sewer line in front of Air Products and … Continue reading

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The Economics of Safety

Edward Lotterman, the economics columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, had a column in yesterday’s paper on the economics of safety.  While his specific example was mine safety, his comments, about why safety regulation is warranted, apply to all … Continue reading

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