EHS Professional – March 23, 2023

Verifying Your IHMM Credential

Several of you have mentioned that having a printed wallet card that verifies your IHMM credential would be of value. We are working with a company named Credivera [https://get.credivera.com/] that produces a digital wallet card you can have on your smartphone that does the same thing.

Before we start a potential pilot program with Credivera for the CSHM, CSMP, and ASHM credential holders, we need to know how important this is to you.

Take the survey’s one question here > https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/verify

IHMM 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 in 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, this year on October 23-25, 2023 in New Orleans.

Make your nominations here >>  https://ihmm.org/ehs-management-award/

See previous award winners here >> https://ihmm.org/past-honorees/

AIHA and IHMM Collaborate on Education and Training

The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management [IHMM] and the American Industrial Hygiene Association [AIHA] have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding granting access to AIHA education and training assets to IHMM certificants.

IHMM’s Certified Hazardous Materials Manager [CHMM®], Certified Hazardous Materials Practitioner [CHMP®], Certified Safety and Health Manager [CSHM®], and Certified Safety Management Practitioner [CSMP®] credential blueprints all have components of industrial hygiene disciplines and the access of IHMM’s certificants to the AIHA education and training programs vastly strengthens those credentials and the professionals who hold them.

In the coming weeks look for these AIHA programs to be added to the IHMM foundation’s education programs at the Hazardous Materials Society [HMS]. IHMM organized its HMS foundation to, in part, provide access to the best education and training programs available and the addition of AIHA programs is a tremendous addition to support for IHMM credentials.

IHMM thanks AIHA for this collaboration in education and training and looks forward to a long and productive relationship.

American Industrial Hygiene Association – https://www.aiha.org/

Institute of Hazardous Materials Management  – https://ihmm.org/

Why many organizations are retiring the Hard Hat….

The battle lines have been drawn, between those who believe that the old sturdy iconic hard hat should be the primary form and head protection and those who believe that the hard hat needs to report to the Smithsonian for duty.  Many times, this debate gets heated.  I am amazed at the anger of some who claim they will quit the profession if forced to wear a helmet vs a hard hat.  Additionally, I am stunned at some safety professionals who protect the hard hat usage based on cost and culture and not safety performance.  When faced with this vitriol I believe its because someone has not taken the time to educate both groups as to the why behind this movement.

Last year 850 workers died from falls.  An additional 240,000 were injured from falls.  Over the past 5 years that amounts to 4,213 fatalities and 1.2 Million injuries.  According to the CDC traumatic brain injuries account for 47% of all fall fatalities.  Imagine if we could have saved almost half of the fatalities and injuries?  How many families would still have their husband or wife and kids have their parents?

Read more >> https://ihmm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Hard-hat-3-21-2023.pdf

IHMM at Ohio Safety Congress and Expo

The picture at left shows IHMM setting up its booth 330 at the Ohio Safety Congress and Expo. If you were one of the more than 5,000 people who attended this event you earned up to 20 certification maintenance points [CMPs] toward recertifying your IHMM credential.

This event was a great exposition and seminars for occupational safety and health > https://www.ohiosafetycongress.com/conference_program_sessions.cfm and offered educational sessions to help company executives, safety and health professionals, and risk managers improve safety culture, boost productivity, and increase profits.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by IHMM’s booth and said hello. Great to have a chance to put a face with a name after 2 years of not being able to see many people.

IHMM at ASSP Bay Area Safety Symposium

IHMM was also present at the ASSP Bay Area Safety Symposium. This Annual Symposium provides one of the most sought after events for attendees to learn the profession’s best practices focusing on Safety, Health, Industrial Hygiene & Environmental Issues. The Symposium was attended by over 400+ attendees.  The event featured a keynote speaker and 20 breakout sessions with five concurrent tracks running throughout the day.

Thank you, Bart Miller, who secured space for IHMM and staffed our booth!  All attendees at ASSP Bay Area Safety Symposium also earned up to 20 certification maintenance points [CMPs] toward recertifying your IHMM credential.

IHMM Government Affairs Needs Volunteers

IHMM Board Chair Bill Diesslin has issued a call for volunteers for the IHMM Government Affairs Committee. Everyone can learn more about the charter of this committee here > https://ihmm.org/government-affairs-committee/

In joining this committee we request a cross-section of all of IHMM’s credential holders, as IHMM is involved in a wide variety of government affairs activities that are described in detail here > https://ihmm.org/ihmm-government-affairs/

Top 4 Projects in February-March, 2023

• We need volunteers in these states:  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.
• NY Department of Labor rulemaking concerning the recognition of the CSHM and CSMP – IHMM Amendment sent to Anthony Dell-Isola to work with his State Senator
• Work with Eric Vega in Puerto Rico concerning credential recognition
• Review of the Governor of Nevada’s Executive Order concerning licensing boards and potential for recognition of the CHMM – IHMM Sent on Friday, March 3, 2023
• Scheduling meetings with the Maryland Congressional delegation concerning the Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential – IHMM had meetings with Senator Cardin and Representative Trone on March 2, 2023, scheduling Senator Van Hollen next.

IHMM Needs Volunteers

IHMM has a wide variety of ways that our certificants and members can volunteer their time, make a substantial contribution to their communities of practice, and earn valuable Continuing Maintenance Points [CMPs].

Volunteering with IHMM is a deeply rewarding and giving endeavor, ranging from being a subject matter expert on a scheme committee to leading discussions in our COLLABORATION engagement platform to becoming a mentor for a college student.

Take a few minutes and review How to Become An IHMM Volunteer, and then scroll down and take the volunteer self-assessment.

CHMP Scheme Committee

• Must be a CHMP > https://ihmm.org/chmp-scheme-committee/

Government Affairs Committee

• Open to all certificants > https://ihmm.org/government-affairs-committee/

Nominating Committee

• Needs one new member, open to all certificants > https://ihmm.org/nominating-committee/

Respiratory Protection Program Management – Susan Harwood Training Grant

University of Texas Medical Branch, William J. Pate, CHMM

This training course is intended to educate participants on the requirements of developing and implementing a compliant Respiratory Protection Program. The focus of this course will be on topics related to preparation for an infectious disease pandemic. At the end of this training the attendee should be able to:
1) Manage an effective respiratory protection program through proficient application of 29 CFR 1910.134
2) Compare potential routes of exposure
3) Identify and implement potential controls (engineering, administrative, and PPE)
4) List the equipment needed to support fit testing
5) Explain the difference between qualitative and quantitative fit testing
6) Discuss the different types of respiratory protection available
7) Demonstrate correct donning/doffing of respiratory protection

This training course is 7.5 hours and participants will receive a certificate of completion that may be suitable for professional certification maintenance (CSP, CIH, CHMM, CHSP, etc.).

This course will provide 7.5 Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) contact hours. Accreditation statement: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is approved with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by Louisiana State Nurses Association –  Approver, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. LSNA Provider No. 4002176

This training is available only to employees and employers who are subject to OSHA regulatory requirements.  Grant-funded training is not available to state or local government employees unless they have occupational safety & health responsibilities (e.g. occupational safety and health trainers, program managers, committee members, or employees responisble for abating unsafe and unhealthy working conditions for their organization).  Registration in this course confirms that meet these conditions.  This training will include the opportunity to don, doff, and fit test respiratory protection including N95, half-face, full-face, and powered air-purifying respirators.  Anyone participating in this training and wanting to put on a respirator agrees that they have been medically cleared by their employer to do so in accordance with OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard.

The 8-hour training program is offered at various dates from March through September. For more information and registration for this FREE program go here >> https://www.utmb.edu/ehs/programs/radiation-occupational-safety-program/RPPSHTG2023

2023 National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction

As recently announced, the 10^th Annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will occur May 1-5, 2023 and we wanted to alert you to the following tools and resources to assist workplaces in preparing for and participating in the Stand-Down:

• 2023 Stand-Down officially announced:
  • February 15, 2023 OSHA QuickTakes
• Resources for Planning:
  • Suggestions to Prepare for a Successful Stand-Down
  • Resources for Employers and Employees
• NEW Handouts for Workers:
  • Hardhat Stickers and Hazard Alert Cards
• Get Involved:
  • Do you have fall prevention resources in other languages? We would love to include them in our Fall Prevention Resources: Other Languages Page. Please send resources to Jessica Bunting: [email protected]

As a reminder, anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand-Down. Companies can conduct a Safety Stand-Down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity such as conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job specific hazards. See Highlights from the Past Stand-Downs and reports evaluating previous events.

Pay Transparency Brings in Stronger Job Applicants

A new survey showed that 70% of organizations saw more candidates and 66% received more qualified candidates.

There has been much discussion about pay transparency recently especially given the fact that several states and localities are implementing new laws in this area.

Earlier this week, The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) released new research detailing how organizations are approaching pay transparency.

Some employers have raised concerns that listing pay ranges may lead to negative outcomes such as candidates not taking the total compensation into consideration, but SHRM research shows most organizations that list salary ranges lead to favorable outcomes.

Around 42% of more than 1,300 HR professionals sampled said their organization operates in a location that requires pay ranges to be included in job postings. When not required by law, however, over two in three (67%) HR professionals say their organization voluntarily lists start pay in their job postings sometimes, often, or always. What’s more, 32% of these organizations began including start pay information in their job postings within the past year – signaling some employers may be planning ahead in anticipation of new pay transparency trends.

Read more by clicking here.

National Ladder Safety Month is Here – Here is what you need to know to stay safe when working with ladders

Did you know that more than 22,000 people across the U.S. are injured while using ladders each year? And, unfortunately, 161 people suffered a fatal injury from a ladder in 2020. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 65% of those ladder fatalities came from movable ladders.

March is National Ladder Safety Month, a national program dedicated exclusively to promoting ladder safety at home and work, created by the American Ladder Institute in 2017. While the number of ladder-related deaths has declined in recent years, decreasing by 12% from 2016 to 2020, even a single injury or death from a ladder fall is one too many. By providing critical guidelines and raising awareness on safe use, we can help decrease these numbers.

In construction alone, there were 5,370 ladder injuries in 2020. These injuries come at a cost – not only for workers and their health but also for employers. A 2018 workplace safety survey in the U.S. found that $17+ billion is spent on falls that result from working at height. There are many other industries that can benefit from ladder safety training too, like maintenance, transportation or material moving, and forestry, to name a few.

Read the original article by clicking here.

US Department of Labor, Power Generation Workgroup Alliance Promotes Importance of Safety For Workers

Stresses training, safe work practices aligned with federal, industry standards

Alliance description: OSHA Region VIII and the Power Generation VPP Workgroup, industry professionals committed to the goals of the OSHA’s national VPP program, have established an alliance to increase safety for power industry workers.

Among the two-year alliance’s goals is the development of a Qualified Electrical Worker Training Program to develop best practices for protecting the safety and well-being of employees working near high voltage.

The Power Generation VPP Workgroup’s goal is to promote workplace safety excellence and OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program participation within the power generation industry by sharing ideas, networking and solving site and industry wide safety and health concerns.

Background: OSHA’s Alliance Program works with groups committed to worker safety and health to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses. These groups include unions, consulates, trade or professional organizations, businesses, faith- and community-based organizations and educational institutions. OSHA and the groups work together to develop compliance assistance tools and resources, share information with workers and employers and educate workers and employers about their rights and responsibilities.

Read more by clicking here.

How to Manage Workers’ Comp for Remote Workers

You can’t just “phone it in” with workers’ comp when it comes to remote workers.

Many things about our daily lives have returned to normal as we have come out of the pandemic. But there is one change that is likely never to go back to the old ways, and that is employees working from home.

Much has been asked about managing remote employees effectively: Are they putting in the hours? Are they as accessible? Is the lack of employee interaction a detriment? Are they staying in their pajamas all day (okay, maybe that one’s not as important)? But what can’t be ignored is how a “remote workplace” impacts an employer’s workers’ compensation.

Let’s explore some key areas that every employer needs to stay aware of.

1. Where are they working from within their home?
2. Where are they working within the country?
3. When are they working?

Read more by clicking here.

Dallas Church Must Reinstate, Pay Back Wages to ‘Wrongfully Fired’ Employee, OSHA Says

The employee was terminated after raising concerns about conditions at a childcare facility.

A nutrition specialist employed by a church was “wrongfully fired” in 2021, but now, more than a year and a half later, OSHA said the employer must reinstate them and pay back wages.

The specialist, who worked for a childcare facility run by New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dallas, “raised concerns about rodents, spiders and other insects in its cafeteria, kitchen and other areas” before being terminated in August 2021, per a news release.

On March 16, 2023, OSHA announced that it found New Mount Zion Baptist Church in violation of the Food Safety Modernization Act and is requiring the employee to be paid “back wages, interest and compensatory damages,” the agency said. The church must also reinstate the employee.

“New Mount Zion Baptist Church’s actions toward the employee are unacceptable and deeply concerning,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Eric S. Harbin in Dallas in the news release.

“The existence of rodents and insects in food preparation and serving areas poses a health hazard. The employee had the legal right to express apprehensions about the unhygienic surroundings and should not have been fired for doing so,” Harbin continued.

Read the original article by clicking here.

NACOSH To Provide Update On Heat Injury and Illness Rulemaking

Washington — The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health’s work group on heat injury and illness prevention is set to meet virtually in April.

Slated for 2 p.m. Eastern on April 27, the meeting is expected to cover proposed recommendations on potential elements of OSHA’s heat injury and illness prevention rulemaking, as well as the work group’s presentation at an upcoming NACOSH meeting.

The meeting is open to the public, but “participation will be in listen-only mode.” OSHA isn’t accepting comments or requests to speak. Anyone interested in attending must register via the NACOSH webpage.

The 12-member committee advises, consults with, and makes recommendations to the secretaries of labor and health and human services on matters relating to workplace safety and health.

Read the original article by clicking here.

Department of Labor Seeks Court Order To Stop Brooklyn Staffing Agency From Demanding Employees Stay 3 Years or Repay Wages

Employer allegedly sought arbitration to force employees to cover future profits

The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit asking a federal court to stop a Brooklyn, New York, healthcare staffing provider from allegedly making employees sign contracts that would force them to work for the company for three years or repay rightfully earned wages.

Filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York by the department’s Office of the Solicitor, the complaint against Advanced Care Staffing LLC and its CEO, Sam Klein alleges that the contracts led some employees to earn less than the federal minimum wage, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

“Federal law forbids employers from clawing back wages earned by employees, for employers’ own benefit,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda. “Employers cannot use workers as insurance policies to unconditionally guarantee future profit streams. Nor can employers use arbitration agreements to shield unlawful practices. The Department of Labor will do everything in its power to make sure employees are being paid their hard-earned wages, and to safeguard them from these types of exploitative practices.”

The department’s complaint seeks an injunction forbidding ACS and Klein from reducing employees’ wages below federal minimums, whether by demanding employees enter into contracts requiring them to cover ACS’ future profits, attorneys’ fees or costs associated with arbitration, or by enforcing such contracts.

Read more by clicking here.

OSHA Proposes Over $500K in Penalties for Nebraska Company After Worker Asphyxiation

The grain-handling company was also issued citations for 16 violations—including two willful—following the September 2022 incident.

A Nebraska grain-handling company is facing citations for 16 violations along with more than $500,000 in proposed penalties after the death of a worker.

Last September, a 34-year-old worker who had been cleaning out a corn silo suffocated when the corn engulfed him, according to a news release.

OSHA discovered that the worker was using inadequate PPE for the setting and did not have “an adequate body harness and lifeline that co-workers could have used to rescue him,” the agency said.

Per OSHA, CHS Inc., which does business as Agri-Service Center Roseland, was cited for “allowing workers to enter bins with grain build-up” as well as “failing to:”

• develop procedures for entering permit-required confined spaces,
• ensure emergency services were available,
• recognize and evaluate hazards and train workers and
• implement machine safety procedures to prevent grain bin equipment from running while workers were inside bins.

Read more by clicking here.

Getting a Handle on Health Inequity in the Workplace

There are a number of specific action steps that employers can take to address this issue.

Health inequity is not a concept that everyone is familiar with, but it is an issue that employers need to address.

To understand the inequity part, let’s first look at what health equity is. The CDC defines the term as the state in which “every person has the opportunity to attain his or her full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances.”

When groups of people do not have the same access to health care disease statistics differ.

In an article co-authored by Ellen Kelsay, President & CEO of Business Group on Health, the following statistics demonstrate health inequity.

• Black persons are 30% more likely than non-Hispanic whites to die from heart disease.
• Native Americans and Alaska Natives have an infant mortality rate that is 60% higher than the rate for their white counterparts.
• Hispanic women are 40% more likely to have cervical cancer and 30% more likely to die from cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women.
• Adults with disabilities are four times as likely as adults without disabilities to report having fair or poor health.

Read more by clicking here.

Free OSHA training available for federal employees in charge of safety and health

Washington — OSHA will conduct a free, three-day training event for federal employees who are responsible for their agencies’ workplace safety and health.

Scheduled for Aug. 8-10, the in-person and online training will be administered by OSHA’s Office of Federal Agency Programs and the OSHA Training Institute, and will take place in Arlington Heights, IL.

Half-day seminars will cover topics such as incident investigations, fall protection, the construction “Focus Four” hazards, confined spaces, workplace violence, job hazard analysis, forklift and material handling, and Safety Data Sheets.

The registration period runs from June 5 to July 14. For assistance, email [email protected].

OSHA also offers training for private-sector employees, including federal contractors, with paid tuition. “OTI provides training and education in occupational safety and health for federal and state compliance officers, state consultants, other federal agency personnel, and the private sector,” the agency says in a press release.

Read the original article by clicking here.

Modern Technology and Improvements in Workplace Safety

From safety apps to facial recognition, employers have many options to invest in.

In the U.S. alone, there were about 2.7 million work-related injuries and illnesses in 2020. Of those, 4,764 were fatal. It just goes to show that even in stable workplace environments, you can still expect the same level of risk, lethal or otherwise. So, it’s crucial that companies continue to increase the levels of workplace safety, and modern technology can greatly help achieve that.

In this article, you will learn of some ways in which modern, cutting-edge technology can help improve safety in the workplace. Most of this technology is already being successfully implemented in practice. Keep in mind that these innovations can be used across all industries and that their implementation will differ depending on where you work.

Read more by clicking here.

Federal Investigation Find Algood Restaurant Illegally Used Worker’ Tips For Operating Expenses, Allowed Minors To Operate Dangerous Machines

Recovers $42K for 44 workers, assesses Red Oak Roasters $9K penalty for child labor violations

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $42,373 for 44 employees after finding an Algood restaurant illegally kept tips that employees earned.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division found McCurdy Enterprises LLC – operating as Red Oak Roasters – withheld the tips and used that money to inflate hourly wages by dividing it among workers, including managers. Investigators also found Red Oak Roasters incorrectly classified a salaried employee as exempt from overtime. By doing so, the employer failed to pay overtime premiums to this employee for hours over 40 in a workweek.

“What Red Oak Roasters did is wage theft, plain and simple. Tips are the property of the employees who earn them and rewards them for providing good service to customers,” said Wage and Hour District Director Lisa Kelly in Nashville, Tennessee. “Employers have no right to keep those earned tips and use them to reduce their cost of doing business.”

In addition, the division found the employer allowed five minor-aged employees to engage in prohibited and hazardous activities by operating a vertical dough mixing machine, a violation of the federal child labor standards. The division assessed Red Oak Roasters a $9,900 civil penalty to address the child labor violations.

Read more by clicking here.

Women In Construction Share Their Experiences In New Report

Alachua, FL — The construction industry must “change the culture and perception of our industry” to recruit and retain women, concludes a new white paper.

That includes addressing discrimination and sexual harassment, ensuring consistent hiring practices, and accommodating working mothers, according to the National Center for Construction Education and Research’s report – released March 6.

NCCER conducted focus groups with 176 tradeswomen from across the country and analyzed survey responses from 770 women in construction. The women shared the unique obstacles they face and offered advice on improving the experience for women in the profession.

When asked if they agree or disagree with the statement, “At the place I work, I am treated with respect,” 20% of the survey respondents disagreed. More than a third (35%) said they’ve been put down or addressed in unprofessional terms – either publicly or in private.

Read more by clicking here.

2023 IHMM Certificant Survey

This is our 2023 IHMM certificant survey. Your feedback allows us to gather broad based information about the needs and preferences of our certificants that leads to improving our services and credentials.

Please take a few minutes and answer the 19 questions posed in this survey and help us improve our services.

Take the short survey here.

Top 4 Projects in February, 2023

• NY Department of Labor rulemaking concerning the recognition of the CSHM and CSMP

• Work with Eric Vega in Puerto Rico concerning credential recognition

• Review of the Governor of Nevada’s Executive Order concerning licensing boards and potential for recognition of the CHMM

• Scheduling meetings with the Maryland Congressional delegation concerning the Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential

In 2019 Mark Bruce from AHMP and Gene Guilford from IHMM worked on a project to get the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to recognize the CHMM and CDGT credentials. With Mark’s work on the ground in  Pennsylvania, we succeeded. The 45 in 5 Project is for ALL IHMM credentials. This summer we have worked on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers health and safety manual that recognizes the CSHM and CSMP credentials. We are working with a CSHM in New York on their Department of Labor recognizing the CSHM.

• 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 2021 Mark at AHMP and Gene at IHMM has launched 45 in 5, getting the other 45 states to recognize our credentials in 5 years. If we can find a volunteer like Mark in other states [see above] we can work with those volunteers on crafting the right message to the right agencies in state governments across the country. If we find enough volunteers we can get this done in less than 5 years.

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

Learn more about the AHMP-IHMM 45 in 5 Project here

OSHA’s FY 2023 Outreach Initiatives

IHMM  – 26 Fellows Are Mentors 

IHMM Fellows Committee Chair Atanu Das, CHMM, is leading the effort within the IHMM Collaboration networking platform to provide instruction to the more than 75 IHMM Fellows in becoming mentors.

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.

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.

Recert Video #1

Recert Video #2

IHMM Recertification Videos

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.

• Every CSHM and CSMP should start a recertification application now.
• Even if your recertification is years away, starting an application now and adding your accumulated points enables you to see where you are all the time and it makes it very easy when you have to file your application

IHMM Scholarship Program

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.  The first two IHMM Scholarships were awarded before Thanksgiving to Thomas Gerding, Student ASHM, and Ryan Bellacov, Student CHMM! Congratulations to Thomas and Ryan for being our first scholarship award winners.

Go to >  https://ihmm.org/scholarship/

IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.

Registration Open – June 5-7, San Antonio

RCM&D Professional Liability Insurance

HMS is proud to have partnered with RCM&D to be able to offer an outstanding comprehensive professional liability insurance program to IHMM certificants. Here, you will find information about this important program offering Environmental Consultants and Engineers Professional Liability coverage. This coverage is intended to add protection for loss stemming from actual or alleged negligent acts, errors and omissions in performing professional services.

For more information see > https://hazmatsociety.org/professional-liability-insurance/

There are 885 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]