Thursday, June 27, 2024
EHS Professional is an online publication of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM).
Other than content specifically provided by IHMM, articles contained in EHS Professional are compiled from independent sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IHMM.
Certified Safety Management Practitioner™ (CSMP™)
IHMM’s Certified Safety Management Practitioner (CSMP™) credential recognizes workplace safety and health professionals who have a less formal education but can demonstrate a mastery of workplace safety and labor law regulations earned through training and experience. Gain the trust and confidence of your colleagues and management with a CSMP™ credential.
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IHMM Credential Recognition
Below you will see the EHS credential badges that are now in each CSHM, CSMP, ASHM, CSSM, and Student ASHM certificant’s MYIHMM account. Every IHMM certificant may use these badges, linked as those below are to their IHMM credential page, for their email signatures, business cards, and other social media applications. You’re justifiably proud of the accomplishment of having earned your credential and you can show the rest of the world. Simply right-click on the badge of choice, then save as to your computer, and then load it to wherever you want to use it and please link that back to https://ihmm.org/.
EHS/Workplace Safety Credentials
Microcredentials
Certified Safety & Health Manager
Certified Safety Management Practitioner
Associate Safety and Health Manager
Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist
Certified School Safety Manager
Student Associate Safety and Health Manager
IHMM Certificant Recognition
Throughout our certificant’s MYIHMM accounts are placed 10-year, 20-year, 30-year, and 40-year badges signifying their longevity as an IHMM certified professional.
With a link from your credential badge to the IHMM website [see above] you can not only stand out as an IHMM-certified professional, you can also promote IHMM credentials to others. Right-click on the badge of choice, save as to your computer, and then load it to whatever medium you choose.
IHMM has Distinguished Diplomates and Fellows of the Institute badges to the appropriate people in the MYIHMM database. These two badges are accompanied by lapel pins sent to each of those distinguished by holding these designations.
IHMM is in all 50 of the United States and in 85 countries around the world.
IHMM Credentials Accredited By
Need Help? On the IHMM website just click on the “NEED HELP?” button
and let us know what you need and the right person will get right back with you.
IHMM RECENT NEWS for EHS Professionals
WORKPLACE
Preparing for disasters and crises: Free online course
Overdose deaths hitting Massachusetts workplaces hard: report
Colorado will fund program to create recovery-friendly workplaces
Guilt is a good thing for workers who are rude, researchers say
Celebrating National Safety Month: A Call to Rethink Workplace Safety
New Report Uncovers Increasing Call for Human Sustainability in the Workplace
MEMIC Honors L.L.Bean and Cynthia Murphy of CEI for Workforce Safety and Partnership
The crucial role of generative AI in enhancing workplace safety: A comprehensive analysis
SCHOOLS
Surgeon General Declares U.S. Gun Violence a Public Health Crisis
OCR Announces Resolution Agreement with Lafayette College for Title VI Violations During Israel-Palestine Protests
Stanford University, Health Care to Pay $10 Million in Racial Harassment Case
Weapons Detection Survey Finds Many Campuses Turning to Technology to Stop Gun Violence
St. John Fisher: Video Surveillance AI Software Mistakes Prop Guns for Real Firearms
USC Student Won’t Be Charged for Fatally Stabbing Man During Attempted Car Break-In
LAUSD School Board Votes to Ban Cell Phones
25 UCLA Pro-Palestine Protestors Arrested After Renewed Demonstrations on Campus
TRANSPORTATION
FRA to railroads: Train and certify dispatchers and signal workers
Survey shows passenger vehicle drivers support speed-limiting devices
Brake Safety Day: Inspectors take unsafe trucks and buses off the road
FAA funding bill a big win for airline safety, union leaders say
FMCSA listening session on safety fitness determinations set for June 29
Implementing a Safety Management System (SMS) in aircraft maintenance operations
INDUSTRIAL
California moves a step closer toward indoor heat regulation
MSHA issues alert for stored energy in belt conveyors
OSHA video asks, ‘Is your workplace prepared for severe weather?’
Powering Up Safety: Strategies for Improving Electrical Safety
ASSP Introduces New Mobile Safety and Health Training Courses
Pet Product Manufacturer Faces OSHA Violations Following Severe Employee Injury
Common Safety Issues With Poor Indoor Air Quality at Manufacturing Facilities
NSC Reaches 200 Signatures on Its MSD Pledge, Awards Nearly $265,000 in Grants
Harnessing AI for regulatory compliance: A revolutionary approach
LABOR
Protect workers from wildfire smoke: Washington L&I has resources
MSHA issues alert on battery-powered devices
‘Embedding sun safety’: Guide aimed at protecting outdoor workers
Effective Strategies for Reinforcing Safety into Design
100 Years Later, Asbestos Is Still a Modern-Day Threat
OSHA Offers Safety Guidance to Flood Recovery Workers in Florida
NIOSH Offers Free Resources for Heat Stress Prevention Among Mine Workers
Automation Could Be the Key to Your Oil and Gas Lone Workers’ Safety
National Utility Contractors Association Declares June 2024 as Trench Safety Month
OSHA Cites Maestro Construction for Leaving Workers Vulnerable to Fall Hazards
EEOC releases anti-harassment guide for contractors
Worker sues Turner, subcontractor after deadly Chicago fall
OTHER
Inside IHMM
IHMM Enters Its 40th Year
On December 3, 1984 the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management was created with the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager® [CHMM®] credential. John H. Frick, Harold M. Gordon, John J. McCambridge, and Richard A. Young created what would become an Institute that offers 11 professional credentials across Hazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods and EHS Work Place Safety communities of practice in all 50 of the United States and 85 other countries.
IHMM thanks its hundreds of volunteer leaders, thousands of certificants and companies who support IHMM through strengthening its ability to extend its reach and allow us all to live up to why we exist our vision, and our mission…
Why We Exist
We believe there is only one Earth; our passion is to protect it.
Our Vision
IHMM credentials and competency standards are embraced worldwide
Our Mission
IHMM sets standards of excellence for professional credentials to advance the global environmental, health, and safety communities of practice.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED
Reception & Celebration • December 3, 2024
2:00 PM–6:00 PM
9200 Corporate Blvd, Rockville, MD 20850
IHMM requests the honor of your company on December 3, 2024, for our 40th Anniversary Reception & Celebration, to be held in Rockville, MD.
Join us for an observance of our shared history and recognition of those who have contributed to the Institute’s advancement over the years. Food and drinks will be provided.
The program will consist of opening remarks from the Institute’s leadership and esteemed guests, an awards ceremony, and more.
Please save the date on your calendar and RSVP no later than October 18, 2024, so we can have an accurate headcount for this event.
RSVP Here
There are 925,962 full-time occupational health and safety job openings in the United States via ZipRecruiter today – 29,000 of which pay more than $85,000 a year for CSHMs or CSMPs
Recertification of Your Credential
Congratulations! After hard work and dedication, you earned your professional credential. Now, every 5 years you will need to recertify your valuable credential. Over 5 years you need to earn 200 certification maintenance points or CMPs. You receive 100 CMPs for the job you perform and then need to earn a minimum of another 100 CMPs in various ways demonstrating your commitment to continuous improvement and remaining current with the demands of your profession and our communities of practice. There is no recertification for the Student CHMM, Student ASHM or the ASHM.
Why Recertify Every 5 Years?
Recertifying your IHMM professional credential offers several benefits:
- Maintaining Competence and Relevance: Recertification ensures that you stay up-to-date in your field. It demonstrates your commitment to self-improvement, continued growth, and professional excellence in your community of practice.
- Professional Credibility: Holding a valid credential enhances your credibility. It validates your knowledge and skills, showing that you meet industry standards and are dedicated to providing high-quality services
5 Easy Steps to Recertify
The following illustrates the 5 easy steps to recertify. Pay particularly close attention to Step #1, where we strongly recommend that you NOT wait 4 years, 11 months, and 3 weeks to begin entering your earned certification maintenance points [CMPs]. Start your recertification claims application NOW, enter your points as you earn them. That way, when it is time to submit your recertification claims application it will be quick and easy.
Help
IHMM has two staff to always assist you. Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected] and Jelian Larbi at [email protected] are here to assist you. In addition, after the 5 Steps below are 2, 4-minute videos that walk you through every step in the process from logging into your account to submitting a recertification claims application.
IHMM Recertification Videos
Recert Video #1
Recert Video #2
IHMM is pleased to release two YouTube instructional videos about navigating the IHMM recertification process. These step-by-step videos easily enable IHMM certificants to start and complete a recertification application.
While the full recertification cycle is 5 years, IHMM encourages all certificants to start a recertification application and add certification maintenance points as they are earned to make the final submission quick and easy to accomplish.
Full recertification information is found here >> https://ihmm.org/credentials/#recertification
Questions about your recertification may be made to either Jimmy Nguyen [email protected] of Jelian Larbi [email protected]
Excellence in EHS Management Award
The Excellence in EHS Management Award recognizes an individual who has excelled in their role as an EHS manager. The Institute for Hazardous Materials Management [IHMM] will present the award at the annual National Safety Council Expo.
The honoree will receive a commemorative plaque and be recognized in a press release and IHMM member communications. Travel expenses to the award ceremony will be subsidized. If traveling from overseas IHMM will pay travel expenses from the nearest port of entry.
Nominations will be accepted from March through July of each year and the presentation to the winner will be in conjunction with the National Safety Council Congress and Expo [Sept 13-19, 2024 in Orlando]
For more information and the Excellence in EHS Management Award Nomination Form Go Here
The Dr. John H Frick Memorial IHMM Scholarship Program – Deadline 10/18/2024
The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management is pleased to have created $32,000 in academic scholarships, divided equally between $16,000 for students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education in approved schools and who are also Student CHMMs, and $16,000 for students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education in approved schools and who are also Student ASHMs.
IHMM seeks to foster the growth and academic success of students whose courses of education, and participation in one of our Student certifications, will lead to those students becoming fully-certified IHMM credential holders later in their professional lives.
Go to > https://ihmm.org/scholarship/
A Collaborative Culture
There are 1,379 different conversations going on in the IHMM/HMS Collaboration platform this week.
A collaborative culture is important for every business but is especially important for our hazardous materials, dangerous goods, environment, health, and safety communities of practice. Do you have a problem you need to solve and want the opinions of your colleagues? This is where we come together to help each other.
IHMM credentialed professionals are at the top 1% of their professions and their reach is global. We are at the forefront of environmental protection, health, and safety and this is where collaborating with the best people in their fields, always willing to help one another, lessens the stress of our jobs, and where we strive as a team to make a difference of which we are proud.
We opened COLLABORATION to enable thousands of certificants and supporters to collaborate together.
You can collaborate here.
Access to COLLABORATION is through the same username/password you use to access your MYIHMM account. Having a problem? Contact Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected]
IHMM Organizing Broader Government Affairs Activities – Call for Volunteers
In strategic planning on August 17, 2023 IHMM created a strategic imperative to create a broader government affairs operation on behalf of, and with the assistance of, all of IHMM’s certificants.
- Federal Government – Regulatory
We need a group of people watching Federal regulatory developments to advise when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in the agencies. - Federal Government – Congress
We need a group of people watching legislation to advise us when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in Congress.
- State Governments – Regulatory
We need a group of people watching state regulatory developments to advise when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in the agencies. - State Governments – Legislatures
We need a group of people watching legislation to advise us when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in state legislatures.
If you want to make a difference in the recognition of your credentials and build on the successful record we have achieved thus far – we need you to volunteer. Learn more by visiting our Government Affairs Committee page, and get involved with government affairs. You can volunteer for one, two, three or all four of the segments of the committee’s work. That’s up to you!
IHMM CSHM™ 2022 Salary Survey
IHMM is pleased to release its 2022 salary survey for Certified Safety and Health Managers [CSHM] across a broad range of position titles in the CSHM community of practice.
IHMM – 26 Fellows Are Mentors
IHMM Fellows Committee Chair Atanu Das, CHMM, is leading the effort within the IHMM Collaboration networking platform to engage both 26 IHMM Fellows as Mentors and anyone who seeks some assistance as Mentees.
Given the extraordinary experience Fellows have, this is a unique opportunity for IHMM Fellows to help guide more recent certificants in their professional development activities. This article from ASAE magazine outlines how a mentoring program can become more successful – engagement!
IHMM’s Collaboration platform contains a “Mentor Match” module [see below at right] that allows mentors to signup designating the hours, number of mentees, subject areas, and length of time they wish to mentor – as well as allowing mentees to signup requesting assistance in specified areas. The mentor match module does the rest by matching mentors and mentees.
IHMM Government Affairs
IHMM Proposes Changes in Government Recognition of Credentials
IHMM Signs Letter Opposing Reductions in OSH Worker’s Pay – The IHMM Government Affairs Committee has agreed to sign a coalition letter opposing reductions in pay for IH and OSH employees. Here is the coalition letter we signed.
IHMM submitted comments on OSHA Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH): Notice of Meetings concerning OSHA-2024-0002-0007, and highlighted the creation of IHMM’s Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential.
State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection is proposing to update Chapter 851, Standards for Generators of Hazardous Waste. In the current regulation, work is required by a professional engineer. IHMM is proposing to include an environmental professional as defined by 40 CFR §312.10.
Beltway Buzz – Ogletree Deakins
Administration to Institute “Parole in Place” for Spouses, Streamline H-1B Process for DREAMers. On June 18, 2024, President Biden announced two new policies intended to streamline the paths to both legal status and work authorization for certain undocumented noncitizens. While no formal implementing orders or regulations have followed, the announcement covers the following situations:
- First, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will allow certain undocumented noncitizens married to U.S. citizens to apply for lawful permanent residence without having to leave the country, as they are currently required to do. This is called “parole in place.” According to the White House, “[i]n order to be eligible, noncitizens must—as of June 17, 2024—have resided in the United States for 10 or more years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen, while satisfying all applicable legal requirements.” According to the White House, this new policy “will protect approximately half a million spouses of U.S. citizens, and approximately 50,000 noncitizen children under the age of 21 whose parent is married to a U.S. citizen.”
- Second, the U.S. Department of State and DHS will provide guidance to facilitate and streamline the D-3 waiver process by which DACA recipients and DREAMers can apply for and receive an H-1B visa.
The Buzz will have more as the formal legal processes to implement these policy changes unfold.
Overtime Changes Looming. Late last week, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), along with thirty Republican colleagues, introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution to rescind the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) overtime rule. Even if the resolution can make it through Congress before the July 1, 2024, initial implementation phase takes effect, President Biden will assuredly veto the measure. Meanwhile, in the face of the looming implementation date, business groups are asking the DOL to stay the July 1 effective date pending various legal challenges to the rule. The request notes that a stay would be of minor consequence to the DOL, but it would help employers and employees avoid the costs and hassle of taking steps to comply with the new rule, only to have the rule subsequently invalidated in federal court.
EEOC Offers Anti-Harassment Best Practices for Construction Employers. This week, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a document, entitled, “Promising Practices for Preventing Harassment in the Construction Industry.” The document “identifies promising practices for industry leaders to help prevent and address harassment in the construction industry.” The Commission identifies five core principles for preventing and addressing harassment in the industry:
- Committed and engaged leadership (examples include sitewide training, worker surveys, and subcontractor monitoring);
- Consistent and demonstrated accountability;
- Strong and comprehensive harassment policies (that are clearly communicated, accessible, and up to date);
- Trusted and accessible complaint procedures (with multiple channels in multiple languages); and
- Regular, interactive training tailored to the audience and the organization.
House Committee Approves Student Athlete Bill. The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce has voted to advance the Protecting Student Athletes’ Economic Freedom Act. As the Buzz recently profiled, the bill would prohibit college athletes from being “considered an employee of an institution, conference, or association.”
Republicans Introduce Bill to Eliminate DEI Programs in the Federal Government. Republicans in the U.S. Senate and House have introduced the Dismantle DEI Act of 2024. According to an accompanying press release, the bill would “eliminate all federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and funding for federal agencies, contractors, organizations, and educational accreditation agencies that receive federal funding and maintain DEI programs.” Federal contractors should be aware that the bill would prohibit the federal government from entering into contracts with entities that operate DEI programs. Additionally, the bill would rescind a series of DEI-related executive orders and require the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget to rescind regulations, policies, procedures, guidance, etc., developed to implement those executive orders. The bill would also shutter federal agency DEI offices and adjust federal performance appraisal protocols and training programs. Though the bill is unlikely to gain much ground in the Democratic-controlled Senate, it could receive attention if the Republicans gain control of Congress following the November 2024 elections.
Regulatory Updates
| Date: | Subject: | Document Type: | Part: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/29/2024 | Pipeline Safety: Periodic Updates of Regulatory References to Technical Standards and Miscellaneous Amendments | Rule | 192, 195 |
| 4/15/2024 | Pipeline Safety: Meeting of the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee | Notice | 191 192 193 |
- Department of Labor Issues its Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda – Read more here
- Environmental Protection Agency Issues its Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda – Read more here
- Department of Transportation Issues its Fall 2023 Regulatory Agenda – Read more here
Professional Certification Coalition
IHMM is a member of the PCC. The PCC monitors state and federal legislative and regulatory activity affecting professional certification on an ongoing basis. The PCC has compiled several “Watchlists” identifying and analyzing provisions in pending legislation at both the state and federal level that, under applicable rules, may still be enacted in the current legislative session. Depending on the carry-over rules in the relevant legislature, the charts listing current legislation may include bills introduced in a prior year. In addition, the PCC compiles each year a chart of enacted legislation that affects certification. The charts include hyperlinks to every bill or executive order. Note that the Watchlist and the Enacted Legislation document do not include profession-specific legislation and do not include regulatory initiatives. The charts will be updated as needed based on new developments.
State legislation tracked this year…
Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition
We are thrilled to share that 807 organizations have now joined the Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition!
Our association community created the Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition to advocate for legislation that would help strengthen the economy now and into the future: the bipartisan, bicameral Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (S. 722 / H.R. 1477). This commonsense bill would allow people to use 529 savings plans funds to help pay for job training and credentials, such as licenses and certifications, and shift the 529 paradigm from “college savings plans” to “career savings plans.”
The Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition remains hard at work to help build support for the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (H.R. 1477 / S. 722), and things are moving along nicely:
- 807 member organizations comprise the Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition.
- 135 Members of Congress cosponsor the House bill (80 Republicans / 55 Democrats).
- 24 Senators* cosponsor S. 722 (11 Democrats / 12 Republicans / 1 Independent).
*The Senate bill has its first Democratic cosponsor on the Senate Finance Committee! The newest cosponsor isn’t listed online yet, but we’ll share more information once everything is official.
(Review the coalition roster, our bill one-pager and the list of cosponsors in the House and Senate.)
Important Stories for IHMM Certificants
Illinois lawmakers pass anti-retaliation bill for workers
Legislation intended to protect workers from retaliatory conduct by employers, as well as strengthen current protections under Illinois state law, is awaiting approval from Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D).
Passed by the Senate (44-15) on May 23 and the House (71-38) on May 14, the bill also would codify the authority of the Workplace Rights Bureau to investigate and hold accountable employers who retaliate or threaten to retaliate against employees, according to a press release from the Office of the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) and Rep. Marcus C. Evans Jr. (D-Chicago) are sponsors of the bill.
Specifically, the bill would:
- Broaden the scope of conduct protected under the Illinois Whistleblower Act to protect workers who report violations of the law or threats to public health and safety directly to their employer.
- Expand the definition of retaliation to include blacklisting an employee from future opportunities and immigration-based retaliation.
- Provide express statutory authority to the attorney general’s office to sue employers who retaliate or threaten retaliation against employees.
Read more by clicking here.
Climate Adaptation Plans
EPA’s 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation Plan focuses on priority actions the agency will take over the next four years to allow the agency to deliver on its mission to protect human health and the environment, even as the climate changes. The plan integrates consideration of climate risks into multiple actions as appropriate and where consistent with EPA’s statutory authorities, such as in the development of rules, policy and guidance; permitting and environmental reviews; monitoring, enforcement, and compliance activities; and grant-making.
Highlights from the plan include priority actions EPA is taking to:
- Foster a climate-ready workforce.
- Build facility resilience.
- Develop climate-resilient supply chains.
- Integrate climate resilience into external funding opportunities.
- Apply climate data and tools to decision-making.
- Integrate climate adaptation into rulemaking processes.
Read the plan: EPA’s 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation Plan (pdf) .
On this page:
OSHA’s Hazard Identification Training Tool
OSHA’s Hazard Identification Training Tool is an interactive, online, game-based training tool for small business owners, workers and others interested in learning the core concepts of hazard identification. After using this tool, users will better understand the process to identify hazards in their own workplace.
This tool is intended to:
(1) Teach small business owners and their workers the process for finding hazards in their workplace,
(2) Raise awareness on the types of information and resources about workplace hazards available on OSHA’s website.
Important: This is a learning tool. The items presented in this tool are for training purposes only and the visual representations are conceptual and do not always show specific control for hazards. OSHA inspections and possible citations and penalties for violation of OSHA regulations are NOT part of this tool. Employers and workers must consult the applicable OSHA standards for the specific requirements applicable to their workplaces when developing and implementing their own hazard identification program.
Sen. Bob Casey urges fellow lawmakers to strengthen miners’ black lung benefits
Easing access to health care and other benefits for coal miners who have black lung disease can help remedy a “devastating” development in the mining community, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) says.
Also known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, black lung is a deadly condition caused by exposure to respirable coal mine dust. Cases of black lung remain on the rise, and the disease affects around 1 out of 6 coal workers, according to the American Lung Association.
During a May 22 hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Casey renewed his call for passage of the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 6461 and S. 3304), which he and Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) reintroduced in November.
The legislation is aimed at revising the Department of Labor’s Black Lung Program, which provides benefits to miners and eligible survivors or dependents, by:
- Requiring full disclosure of medical information related to a claim, regardless of whether the information is considered evidence.
- Allowing more miners to receive legal assistance.
- Allowing miners or their survivors to reopen cases previously denied because of medical interpretations that have since been discredited.
- Adjusting black lung benefits to reflect cost-of-living increases.
Read more by clicking here.
OSHA Emergency Response Proposal – Comment Period Extended Through 7/22/24
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has again extended the comment period on its proposed rule to provide expanded safety and health protections for emergency responders, including firefighters, emergency medical service providers and technical search and rescue workers. Interested parties now have until July 22, 2024, to submit comments electronically at regulations.gov, which is the Federal e-Rulemaking portal. All submissions must include the agency’s name and docket number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2007-0073). For more information, please see the Federal Register notice or visit osha.gov/emergency-response/rulemaking.
EPA Announces New Resource Portal And Reporting Tool Improvements On CDR Reporting
On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the creation of CDR GuideME, a new resource portal, and improvements to the reporting tool to make the reporting process easier. According to EPA, CDR GuideME is part of its effort to develop “a user-friendly, single location for all CDR guidance documents and other training materials, including the reporting instructions, fact sheets, and selected EPA responses to industry inquiries.” The Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule requires all companies to report data electronically using e-CDRweb through EPA’s Central Data Exchange (CDX) system. Updates to CDX include:
- Incorporating 2024 CDR reporting codes that can be used and the years covered by the reporting period;
- Providing an updated spreadsheet for uploading chemical information in bulk (available in the resources section of the reporting tool); and
- Improving the functionality to copy substantiations of confidential business information (CBI) claims between chemicals and for accessing and saving a copy of submitted records.
The CDR website has updated guidance on submitting information to the CDR database, as well as information about prior CDR reporting cycles. EPA notes that stakeholders must register with CDX and be approved by EPA before they can begin submitting forms. The 2024 CDR submission period began June 1, 2024, and will end September 30, 2024. More information is available in our May 17, 2024, blog item.
Safe + Sound Week 2024
Safe + Sound Week will be held from August 12-18, 2024.
Registration will open in July. Resources on how to participate will be released in the coming months. Stay tuned for more information! In the meantime, visit the Safe + Sound event archive to view participation from previous years.
NIOSH Mental Health Resources
NIOSH launched an Impact Wellbeing Guide: Taking Action to Improve Healthcare Worker Wellbeing. This Guide offers six concrete Action Steps that hospital leaders can take to accelerate or supplement professional well-being efforts in their hospitals. It was developed in partnership with the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation and tested in six CommonSpirit hospitals across the U.S.
Are You Prepared for Any School Emergency?
We are excited to invite you to the next crucial step on the Path to Safer Schools: “Be Prepared”. Join us for this empowering conversation, designed to equip school leaders, teachers, and safety professionals with essential skills and knowledge for comprehensive emergency preparedness.
Webinar Details:
- Date: July 16, 2024
- Time: 2 PM EST
- Panelists: Guy Bliesner, Daniel Dluzneski, Gabrielle Morquecho
- Register Here
_____________
- 7/11 – Enhancing School Safety Using Behavioral Threat Assessment Webinar
Hosted by U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) - 8/7 – Preventing Mass Attacks in Our Communities Webinar
Hosted by the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center - 9/25-26 – 2024 National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security
Explore Our School Threat Assessment Toolkit:
Now Available in Interactive Web Format!
A Family Tradition of Industrial Hygiene
“I grew up thinking hazard communication was my second language,” said Chandra Deeds Gioiello, CIH. For Gioiello, industrial hygiene was the family business. Her parents, both Certified Industrial Hygienists and AIHA Fellows, founded the consulting firm IHSC LLC after they met at an AIHA conference in 1980. Currently, Gioiello is a senior consultant at and the vice president of IHSC, and she is also assuming management of the company’s daily operations and long-term planning. Gioiello and her mother, Denese Deeds, CIH, FAIHA, tell their story in an I Am IH video they collaborated on for AIHA.
IHMM Credential Recognition
The highest priority of IHMM’s Government Affairs Committee is the recognition of IHMM’s credentials by government. We have made substantial progress in the two years we have undertaken this endeavor, as outlined in detail here > https://ihmm.org/credential-recognition/
In this project we have 45-in-5, increasing the number of states that recognize IHMM credentials.
- We have already succeeded in 13 states – New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arkansas, Oklahoma. Ohio, North Dakota, and Georgia. [Red states in the map above]. These are states where IHMM credentials are cited or 40 CFR 312.10 is cited by reference.
- We have partially succeeded in another 16 states – Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine. [Orange/Black Stripe states in the map above] These are states where the requirements of an “environmental professional” or QEP are cited that coincide with an IHMM credential so that relatively little work would need to be done to clarify the desired outcome.
- We have 21 states where no reference to an IHMM credential is made in either statute or regulation, nor is there anything defined in the area of an environmental professional. These states will require legislation or regulatory work. [Yellow states in the map above].
in January 2022 Gene Guilford released the 40 CFR § 312.10 EPA regulation that states a private certification that meets or exceeds the requirements of the regulation is an Environmental Professional under the regulation. Here is the crosswalk between the 40 CFR § 312.10 EPA regulation and the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager [CHMM] blueprint. The CHMM meets or exceeds the requirements of an Environmental Professional.
Here’s what we ask each volunteer to do:
- Watch legislative and regulatory developments in your state that provide an opportunity for us to create amendments or other interventions
- Be willing to speak with regulators and legislators in your area about the recognition efforts we craft together
Retiring? IHMM Invites You to Become an Emeritus
You may have decided, after a long and successful career, to retire from active daily duty. Congratulations. That doesn’t mean you have to completely disengage from your profession. IHMM is pleased to offer Emeritus status to all certificants who will no longer be actively engaged in their communities of practice but who still want to stay in touch. Please let us know when you’re approaching that decision and we will assist you in the credential transition.
Please contact Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected] and he’ll be happy to help you.
News from IHMM Affiliates
National Safety Council
IHMM is a member of the National Safety Council and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
NSC News
California moves a step closer toward indoor heat regulation
FRA to railroads: Train and certify dispatchers and signal workers
MSHA issues alert for stored energy in belt conveyors
OSHA video asks, ‘Is your workplace prepared for severe weather?’
Colorado will fund program to create recovery-friendly workplaces
Protect workers from wildfire smoke: Washington L&I has resources
NSC Webinars
IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
ASSP News
June 27 – July 25 – ONLINE COURSE: Risk Assessment and Management for Safety Professionals
June 27 – July 25 – ONLINE COURSE: Prevention through Design
June 27 – July 11 – ONLINE COURSE: Fundamentals of Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems
July 7 – August 4 – ONLINE COURSE: Safety Management I
For a complete list of ASSP Webinars, click here.
ASSP Standards News
ASSP finished the adoption process for ISO 45004 as an ANSI Registered Technical Report. It is now available on the ASSP website:
ASSP/ISO TR-45004-2024 has been published on the web for sale: store.assp.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Store/Product-Details/…
Title: “Occupational health and safety management – Guidelines on performance evaluation “Scope: “…This document gives guidance regarding how organizations can establish monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation processes, including the development of relevant indicators for the assessment of occupational health and safety (OH&S) performance. It enables organizations to determine if intended results are being achieved, including continual improvement of OH&S performance. This document is applicable to all organizations regardless of type, industry sector, level of risk, size or location. It can be used independently or as part of OH&S management systems, including those based on ISO 45001:2018, or other standards or guidelines….”
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SOCIETY
IHMM and HMS
The graphic to the left illustrates the relationship between IHMM and HMS. IHMM formed HMS to serve IHMM’s certificants. IHMM offers a variety of professional credentials and HMS creates education and training programs to serve the applicants and certificants of those credentials.
HMS Jobs Board
Listing available jobs is free, and done on the HMS site here > Jobs – Hazardous Materials Society (hazmatsociety.org)
Technician – TSDF – Republic Services – Williston, FL
Operations Manager – Environmental Solutions – Republic Services – Elizabeth, NJ
Aarcher Institute, IHMM, and HMS’ New Training Partner Offers Courses for 2024
| July 9-12, 2024 | San Diego, CA | |
| July 9-11, 2024 | Online | |
| July 16-17, 2024 | Online | |
| July 23-24, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| July 30-Aug 2, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Aug 13-16, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Aug 13-15, 2024 | NEPA NAVIGATOR™ | In Person |
| Aug 27-28, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Sept 11-13, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Sept 11-12, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Sept 17-19, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Sept 24-26, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| October 1-4, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| October 8-9, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| October 22-25, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| October 29-30, 2024 | Online | |
| Oct 31-Nov 1, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Nov 5-8, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Nov 13-15, 2024 | In Person | |
| Nov 19-22, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Dec 3-4, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Dec 10-12, 2024 | Online |
AIHA, HMS Training Partner, Adds Courses for IHMM Certificants
American Industrial Hygiene Association [AIHA] an HMS training partner, has added its first of many courses approved in advance for earning IHMM recertification certification maintenance points. We are pleased to promote these programs in support of IHMM certificants holding the CHMM, CHMP, CSHM, and CSMP credentials. Thank you, AIHA.
Bowen EHS, HMS Training Partner, Adds Courses for IHMM Certificants
Bowen EHS, an HMS training partner, has had 4 courses approved in advance for earning IHMM recertification certification maintenance points. We are pleased to promote these programs as reviewed and approved by the HMS Education and Training Committee, chaired by Diana Lundelius. Thank you Bowen EHS and thank to HMS’ Education and Training Committee.
Thank you Bowen EHS for contributing programs enabling IHMM certificants to engage in professional development and earn important CMPs! All three of the new Bowen EHS programs are available online and on demand.
| Daily | Emergency Management Self-Paced PDC | Online |
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Thank you Bowen EHS for contributing programs enabling IHMM certificants to engage in professional development and earn important CMPs! All three of the new Bowen EHS programs are available online and on demand.
Easily Find Courses to Help You Pass IHMM Credential Exams
A core mission of EHS is education and training. Part of that mission includes assembling the best and most effective courses to assist IHMM applicants in passing their IHMM credential exams.
CSHM™ Prep Courses
CSMP™ Prep Courses
HMS Makes Finding Courses to Earn CMPs Easy
Every year more than 1,600 IHMM certificants have to recertify their credentials, evidenced their continuing commitment to improvement and learning to elevate their professional credential.
Earning Certification Maintenance Points [CMPs] is illustrated under Recertification of Your Credential, that includes the Recertification Claims Manual – Appendix A, that details all of the ways a certificant may earn CMPs > https://ihmm.org/recertification-claims/
Having mastered that manual, how does an IHMM certificant find courses to earn CMPs?
HMS has made that simple and easy.
- Go to https://hazmatsociety.org/education-training/
- Scroll down until you see a row of buttons…click on the CMPs button
The system will then generate all of the courses on the HMS E&T platform with IHMM CMPs already attached.
The next developments by the HMS E&T committee will refine available courses’ CMPs by individual credential!
Donate to HMS
One of the most important projects of the Hazardous Materials Society is our Scholarship Program.
HMS wants to make it as easy as possible for those who cannot always afford to participate in pursuing certification, or keeping up with professional development, or attending great conferences and receiving outstanding training. HMS does not solicit contributions from the general public. HMS does ask IHMM’s certificants and their companies and our education and training vendors to consider a contribution.
Here, through your generosity, you can make a difference in promoting the ability of those who can afford it least to become participants in our communities of practice.
It’s never too late to make a difference, so don’t let this opportunity to make a difference pass you by. Please consider a tax-deductible donation of $250, $500 or what you can to help build HMS’s effort to help others in our communities of practice.
IHMM CONFERENCES For 2024
IHMM will attend and support a number of conferences and trade shows throughout 2024, virtually as well as in-person as resources allow. In 2023 IHMM participated in the Bay Area ASSP conference, Ohio Safety conference, COSTHA Annual Meeting, AIHA Conference & Trade Show, ASSP Annual Conference, CUHMMC, AHMP, National Safety Conference and FET.
Are there conferences you believe IHMM should attend that are not named here? If so, let us know by sending an email to [email protected]
IHMM-HMS Event Calendar
IHMM has a companion organization for which education and training programs are presented and delivered. The Hazardous Materials Society education and training website can be found here.
9210 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 470
Rockville, Maryland, 20850
www.ihmm.org | [email protected]
Phone: 301-984-8969 | Fax: 301-984-1516