• SRM's Commitment to You
    • SRM's Covid-19 Commitment
    • About SRM
    • Meet the Principals
  • PSM & RMP
  • SRM News Blog
  • Contact Us
Schneider Risk Management - Providing Safety & Environmental Consulting that allows you to do your work without worry.
  • SRM's Commitment to You
    • SRM's Covid-19 Commitment
    • About SRM
    • Meet the Principals
  • PSM & RMP
  • SRM News Blog
  • Contact Us

SRM News Blog

Don’t Forget - OSHA Penalties are Increasing with Inflation

1/30/2018

 
Picture
Some economists say a little inflation is a good thing.
Well, when it comes to regulatory compliance, or in
this case non-compliance, it can be a bad thing. 
 
In accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Improvements Act of 2015, the Department of Labor is required to adjust penalties for inflation each year.  As a result, OSHA announced that the new penalty amounts, adjusted for inflation, as of Jan. 2, 2018. 
 
New penalties for willful and repeat violations are $129,336 per violation.  Serious, other-than-serious, and posting requirements are $12,934 per violation.  Failure to correct violations are $12,934 for each day the conditions continue.  These same penalties will be coming soon to a state program near you.  More information can be found on the OSHA web page. 

Biennial Hazardous Waste Reports - Due March 1st

1/30/2018

 
​The next Hazardous Waste Biennial Report deadline is March 1, 2018 and covers activities during calendar year 2017.  The Michigan DEQ will not be sending biennial packets to waste generators.  Instead, Large Quantity Generators and TSDFs will be required to report using the federal forms and instructions. 
 
While the MDEQ will accept paper copies, it is encouraging facilities to submit their Biennial Report data electronically through the Biennial Report component of the USEPA RCRAInfo Industry Application (RIA). 
 
The RCRAInfo login page can be used to set up a RCRAInfo account and login.  The web site provides guidance and information to be followed to prepare and submit the report.  Additional information for submitting Biennial Reports to the MDEQ either electronically or on paper can be found at the MDEQ web site for Biennial Reporting. 

Are you Covered by PSM?

1/30/2018

 
Picture
If your facility uses or maintains a highly hazardous chemical in quantities above the threshold limit (often 10,000 pounds or more), then the Process Safety Management regulations apply to you.
 
Never heard of Process Safety Management?  Process Safety Management, or PSM as the program is referred to, is an OSHA Performance Standard, which means that the regulations are not prescriptive.  Instead, OSHA allows a facility to set up its program in a way that makes sense for the facility, as long as the program performs satisfactorily, the facility meets the regulatory requirements, and it keeps the highly hazardous materials within their containers. 
 
The PSM regulations are outlined in 29 CFR 1910.119.  MIOSHA has adopted these regulations in GI Part 91 and OH Part 591.  We aren’t going to lie.  There is a lot to digest and understand.  But, OSHA provides a lot of useful information on its Process Safety Management webpage.  It even published a Process Safety Management for Small Businesses brochure in 2017.  You can find the brochure here. 
 
PSM applies to toxic and flammable materials maintained in quantities above the thresholds listed in the standard.  The OSHA list of highly hazardous chemicals can be found here.  The MIOSHA list and regulations can be found here. 

Ohio Adopts Ohio-Specific Universal Waste Rules

1/30/2018

 
Picture
For companies with operations in Ohio, Ohio EPA adopted Ohio-specific universal waste rules allowing the following hazardous wastes to be classified and managed as universal waste in Ohio including:
  • Non-empty aerosol containers
  • Antifreeze
  • Paint, and
  • Paint-related wastes
 
These Ohio-specific hazardous wastes now can be regulated as universal wastes and join certain batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment and lamps that are already part of the universal waste program in Ohio. 
 
The rules became effective on December 21, 2017 and can be viewed on the Ohio EPA web site.  
 
The designation of a hazardous waste as a universal waste streamlines the regulations that apply to the waste reducing the regulatory burden and costs, and promotes proper handling, recycling or disposal of the waste by generators.  

    ARCHIVES​

    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    September 2012

    CATEGORIES

    All
    2017 Holiday Safety Tip
    Air Permit
    Ammonia
    Beach Cleanup
    Beryllium
    Business
    Cannabis
    CDC
    Community
    Compliance
    Coronavirus
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Culture
    EGLE
    EManifest
    Enforcement Alert
    Environmental
    EPA
    Events
    Falls
    Fire
    Forklift
    Generator
    Generator Improvement Rule
    GHS
    Global Harmonized System
    Grilling
    Hazard Communication
    Hazardous Waste
    HazCom
    Heat Stress
    Illness & Injury Logs
    Industrial Storm Water
    Inventory
    Local
    Manifest
    Marijuana
    MDEQ
    MDHHS
    MECC
    Michigan Safety Conference
    MIOSHA
    National Safety Council
    NEP
    NIOSH
    OSHA
    OSHA's Electronic Reporting
    Penalties
    Permit
    PHIT
    Procedures
    Process Safety Management
    PSM
    Recording
    RecordKeeping
    Reporting
    Risk
    RMP
    Safety
    Safety Culture
    Silica
    Smoke Alarm
    SRM
    Storm Water
    SWPPP
    Tier 2
    Toxic Release Inventory
    TRI
    TSCA
    Universal Waste
    USEPA
    Wellness
    Winter

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • SRM's Commitment to You
    • SRM's Covid-19 Commitment
    • About SRM
    • Meet the Principals
  • PSM & RMP
  • SRM News Blog
  • Contact Us