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Thursday, August 24, 2023
EHS Professional is an online publication of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)
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Certified Safety and Health Manager® [CSHM®]
IHMM’s Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM®) credential recognizes environmental, health and safety managers who have a mastery of OSHA regulations and industry standards as well as exceptional management skills. The holder of this credential manages for worker and workplace safety. As a health and safety manager, you are focused on the safety of your employees and workplace. Now you can be recognized for your commitment with a CSHM® credential.
See your CSHM here
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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/.
IHMM Certificant Recognition
IHMM has completed inserting new credential badges in every certificant’s MYIHMM account. Everyone may access those badges for use in their email signatures, LinkedIn accounts, and other social media and communications media. 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, then load it to whatever medium you choose.
Throughout our certificant’s MYIHMM accounts are also now placed 10 Year, 20 Year, and 30 Year badges signifying their longevity as an IHMM certified professional.
IHMM has also added Distinguished Diplomates and Fellows of the Institute badges to the appropriate people in the MYIHMM database. These two badges will be accompanied by new lapel pins to be sent to each of those distinguished by holding these designations.
IHMM Credentials Accredited By
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IHMM UPDATES
PSU students fix ‘automated scarecrows’ for Casella landfills
EPA updates Excess Food Opportunities Map
Federal inspectors again find Pennsylvania contractor exposing employees to potentially deadly fall hazards, propose $328K in penalties
OSHA announces ‘Beat the Heat’ contest winners
Extreme Heat Is Affecting Workers Nationwide
OSHA cites Ohio foundry in fatal steam explosion
Cal/OSHA expanding in three regions
Understanding suspension trauma
New Bill Seeks to Improve the Learning and Working Conditions of Millions of School Students and Staff
Maximize ROI from Your EHS Training Budget
Preventing Injury & Improving Productivity by Reducing Manual Materials Handling
Manufacturing megaprojects gobble up workers
Contractor pays $1.6M following Labor Department lawsuit
‘It appears to be a total loss’: Wildfires devastate Lahaina’s infrastructure
Feds warn banks to look out for construction fraud
NY State Introduces Bill to Impose Restrictions on AI Tools in Employment Decisions
Supporting worker mental health: New videos from OSHA
Biden-Harris Administration Launches SchoolSafety.gov Awareness
New School Safety and Wellness Suite Launches in Delaware
Supporting Worker Mental Health: New Videos from OSHA
OMB Issues Final Buy America Rule and Guidance for Infrastructure
Free Training Aims to Help Oklahoma Employers Boost Worker Safety
DOL Announces Corporate-Wide Settlement Agreement with Dollar Tree, Family Dollar to Address Hazards at Thousands of US Stores
Contractor’s Safety Failures Continue as Federal Inspectors Find Employees Exposed to Deadly Fall Hazards Twice Within 2 Months
Federal Investigation into Employee’s Fatal Fall Finds San Antonio Wire Drawing Company Willfully exposed Workers to Unsafe Forklift Hazards
State Cites Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity Following Fatal Workplace Accident
Steel Strapping Safety
Boston School Safety is a Big Problem, But Few are Discussing It
3 Factors Influencing School Safety in 2023-24
School Safety Needs to be Priority for Everyone
Back to School Safety 101: Class is in Session
Construction Workers Taking Safety Precautions to Beat the Heat
How the Building Material Shortage Raises Costs and Safety Concerns
‘I’m Not Even Wearing Clothes That Fit Me’: Women in Construction Must Often Wear Protective Gear Designed for Men
Protecting Construction Crews with Better Technology and Training
Jordan Lin Awarded 2023 FAMA Scholarship
Tree Services Company Fined $72,500 After “Horrendous’ Wood Chipper Accident in Menlo Park
UPS Workers Approve New Contract with Hard-Fought Gains, Ending Strike Threat
Ann Arbor Hotel Cited in Carbon Monoxide Death of Maintenance Worker
INSIDE IHMM
IHMM Board Announces Two New Fellows of the Institute
Fellows of the Institute are highly qualified individuals who have made significant contributions to the profession of hazardous materials management, dangerous goods transportation, environmental protection, health or safety communities of practice or to the development of IHMM credentials. See the IHMM Fellows of the Institute here.
After receiving a recommendation from the IHMM Fellows Nominating Committee, on Friday August 18, 2023 the IHMM Board voted to bestow one of the Institute’s highest honorary designations on two new worthy candidates.
IHMM Names Warren K. Brown, CSHM, a Fellow of the Institute
William M. Diesslin, Chair of the Board of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management, is pleased to announce that the IHMM Board of Directors has named Warren K. Brown, CSHM, of Fairborn, Ohio as a Fellow of the Institute. Being designated a Fellow of the Institute is one of the highest awards recognizing life-long contributions to the Institute and the environment, health, and safety professions and community of practice. Warren K. Brown has been a Certified Safety and Health Manager [CSHM] since 2000 and throughout his 23-year service to the profession has exemplified extraordinary integrity and volunteer service. Warren now serves on the IHMM ASHM Committee and Professional Standards Committee, where he encourages recent college graduates to participate in workplace safety certifications enriching their futures as well as enforcing the IHMM Code of Ethics.
Congratulations to Warren K. Brown from the IHMM Board and staff, and everyone in service to the environment, health, and safety communities of practice as IHMM certificants.
IHMM Names Sarath Seneviratne, CHMM, a Fellow of the Institute
William M. Diesslin, Chair of the Board of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management, is pleased to announce that the IHMM Board of Directors has named Sarath Seneviratne, CHMM, of Potomac, Maryland as a Fellow of the Institute. Being designated a Fellow of the Institute is one of the highest awards recognizing life-long contributions to the Institute and the environment, health, and safety professions and community of practice. Sarath has been a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager [CHMM] since 1992. For the past 31 years, Sarath has achieved great distinction in service to the Transportation Security Administration as an Occupational Safety Health Manager and is a health expert in chemical, physical, and biological safety programs. As a uniformed commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service [retired], and U.S. Army, Sarath is assigned as a HAZMAT advisor to the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (Defense Nuclear
Agency).
Congratulations to Sarath Seneviratne from the IHMM Board and staff, and everyone in service to the environment, health, and safety communities of practice as IHMM certificants.
IHMM Announces Excellence in EHS Management Award Winners for 2022
Each year IHMM is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements and distinction of the CSHM, CSMP, or ASHM who has made a worthy contribution to the communities of practice and the profession.
This award is usually given at the annual National Safety Council Congress.
For 2022, IHMM is pleased to announce two winners of this prestigious award. Eric C. Vega, CSHM, of the Puerto Rico Department of Labor, and Michael R. Howe, CSSM, of Riverland Community College, Owatonna, Minnesota
See past IHMM Excellence in EHS Award winners here.
Michael R. Howe, CSHM, CSSM – Experienced Environmental Health & Safety Manager at Riverland Community College, Austin, Minnesota. Primary career responsibilities within industry (e.g., manufacturing), and Education/Academics (e.g., Community & Technical College) for: EHS management, regulatory consultation and compliance, security and protective services, loss prevention, emergency preparedness and response, strategic planning and continuity-of-operations, ISO 9001 certification, leadership, employee management, progressive discipline, training & development, and other related HR functions.
With IHMM, Michael is the Steering Committee Chair for, “Certified School Safety Manager (CSSM) & Certified School Safety Specialist (CSSS) Credentials.” – (Start 2020). As the primary leader of the CSSM-CSSS committee, Michael worked with us to take a credential that had no blueprint and no examination and with his committee created both from square one, leading to the launch of the Certified School Safety Manager (CSSM) credential just before Memorial Day, 2023. See > https://ihmm.org/cssm/
For his exceptional efforts leading the creation of the CSSM credential, and his leadership in school safety, we are proud to award Michael the IHMM Excellence in EHS Management recognition for 2022.
Eric C. Vega, CSHM – works as a safety officer for Puerto Rico OSHA and has conducted Safety and Health inspections for more than 15 years, during this period he investigated many companies to evaluate if they where complying with safety and health rules as stated by PROSHA, he investigated accidents and fatalities as part of his job. After been involved for more than 15 years as a safety officer, he started a new role as a San Juan Area Director for the PROSHA program. As part of he new position he is the person who directs the biggest PROSHA office in Puerto Rico, as part of that he verifies the work of approximately 8 Compliance Safety Officers.
Eric is a leader in Puerto Rico working with IHMM on credential recognition and his efforts are deeply appreciated, both for his tireless work on workplace safety and for credential recognition, for which IHMM is proud to award Eric the IHMM Excellence in EHS Management recognition for 2022.
IHMM to Launch the Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] Credential
The Institute is pleased to announce that it is in the final stages of completing the examination for a new credential, the Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS]. IHMM thanks the Microcredential Task Force for having worked for over 18 months in creating this credential, done so as public health experts believe that the world was not well prepared for the COVID pandemic and is likely not well prepared for the next pandemic.
In July 2023 the Biden Administration created the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR). This will be a permanent office in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) charged with leading, coordinating, and implementing actions related to preparedness for, and response to, known and unknown biological threats or pathogens that could lead to a pandemic or to significant public health-related disruptions in the United States. OPPR will take over the duties of the current COVID-19 Response Team and Mpox Team at the White House and will continue to coordinate and develop policies and priorities related to pandemic preparedness and response.
The IHMM Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential blueprint is here. Look for a launch announcement and website for the CPPS soon.
IHMM Partners with AIHA
IHMM is also partnering with the American Industrial Hygiene Association [AIHA], and its C.A.R.E. project. C.A.R.E. is an acronym that reflects the principles of Community, Awareness, Responsibility, and Equity. As such, we strive to deliver clear science-based messaging that reflects our commitment to public health across the communities where we work and live. For more information see https://commit2care.org/eng-faq/
AHMP 36th Annual Conference
Omaha, NE
Visit IHMM’s Booth and Executive Director Gene Guilford
August 27-30, 2023
There are 1,031 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 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Beltway Buzz – Ogletree Deakins
Congress May Kick Appropriations Can to December. Like many of us, our elected federal legislators have grown more comfortable with working remotely. That is why this week, even though the U.S. Congress was out on its August recess, there were some developments with regard to funding the federal government beyond the current September 30, 2023, deadline. Leadership in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate indicated this week that when they returned to Washington, D.C., in September, they would likely move a continuing resolution to extend the current federal funding levels into early December of this year. So, while this addresses the immediate problem, it kicks the debate further down the road. We’ve seen this movie before: according to the Congressional Research Service, Congress has had to use a continuing resolution in forty-four of the last forty-seven fiscal years. The last year the government was funded through regular appropriations acts was 1997.
Foxx Guarding the Labor Agencies. Republicans in the House continue to use their oversight authority to scrutinize the regulatory and enforcement practices of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
- Rulemaking at DOL. Following the recent flurry of regulatory activity coming out of the DOL (e.g., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s injury and illness reporting regulation, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ discrimination regulation, and the Wage and Hour Division’s changes to the regulations issued under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts ), this week, Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chair of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA), chair of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su raising questions about the DOL’s adherence to proper rulemaking procedures. The letter specifically addresses the DOL’s alleged failures to adequately assess the impacts of certain rules on small businesses: “By failing to analyze the effects on small businesses adequately,” the letter states, “DOL is undermining confidence in its rulemakings and engaging in rule by executive fiat.” Representatives Foxx and Kiley concluded their letter by requesting information about the alleged regulatory missteps and formally asking Acting Secretary Su how she plans to resolve any procedural issues related to the DOL’s much-anticipated independent contractor rule.
- Alleged Board election misconduct. Also this week, Representative Foxx continued to press the NLRB for information relating to alleged “misconduct by NLRB officials in representation elections and the NLRB’s responses when such misconduct occurs.” The letter follows up on the results of a committee subpoena issued to an NLRB whistleblower. The letter states: “In total, the whistleblower provided the Committee with more than 500 pages of information that shows questionable conduct and improper actions by NLRB officials in 33 representation elections. Unfortunately, these instances were not limited to a single officer or region; the misconduct was widespread, covering 15 NLRB regions.”
Note that these inquiries are coming at a time, as discussed above, when federal legislators are debating funding levels for federal agencies.
MSHA Extends Silica Rule Comment Due Date. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has extended the deadline for the public to submit comments on its proposed respirable crystalline silica standard. The original deadline was August 28, 2023, but MSHA has pushed that date back to September 11, 2023, “in order to provide stakeholders and interested parties an additional 15 days to review the proposal and prepare comments.” It is unlikely that this extra fifteen days will have a substantial impact on the timing of the issuance of any final standard.
SECURE 2.0 Comments. On August 11, 2023, the Employee Benefits Security Administration published a request for information (RFI) “to solicit public feedback and to begin developing a public record for a number of provisions of [SECURE 2.0] that impact the reporting and disclosure framework of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).” The RFI seeks input regarding, among other issues:
- pooled employer plans;
- emergency savings accounts linked to individual account plans;
- performance benchmarks for asset allocation funds;
- defined contribution plan fee disclosure improvements;
- eliminating unnecessary plan requirements related to unenrolled participants;
- the requirement to provide paper statements in certain cases;
- consolidation of defined contribution plan notices;
- information needed for financial options risk mitigation; and
- defined benefit annual funding notices.
Comments are due by October 10, 2023.
Recognize Your ParticipationThank you for participating in Safe + Sound Week! Please fill out the post event survey to share how your organization participated then download your certificate of recognition and challenge coin. Show your participation in Safe + Sound Week on social media using the hashtag #SafeAndSoundAtWork.
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Start the Conversation
Safe + Sound Week may be over, but the conversation around mental health continues. We are committed to promoting equitable and inclusive mental health-friendly workplaces all year long. Check out the Plan and Promote Your Events webpage for resources on mental health and wellbeing including tips for employers and three videos with the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC):
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.
Other State and Federal Activities
In this section we will highlight other state and federal government affairs activities undertaken by the committee.
Current Priorities June-August 2023
PHMSA – Hazardous Materials: Harmonization With International Standards – IHMM Comments Submitted – Docket No. PHMSA-2021-0092 (HM-215Q)
NY Department of Labor rulemaking concerning the recognition of the CSHM and CSMP. IHMM’s comments concerning initiating this rulemaking are here
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’s comments on the Governor’s Executive Order are here
Scheduling meetings with the Maryland Congressional delegation concerning the Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential
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
Educator’s School Safety Network
The Educator’s School Safety Network is made up of experts committed to making schools safer through an education-based, all-hazards approach to school safety.
In the 3 years since the release of our last report on violent threats and incidents in schools, there have been seismic shifts in the political, cultural, and educational landscapes. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the extensive, extended school closures that resulted from it, have had a massive impact on all school stakeholders, but most significantly on students. The social-emotional, academic, behavioral, and mental health challenges that have arisen in the wake of these unprecedented events can be seen in the data collected for this past school year related to violent threats and incidents.
As schools struggle to return to “normal” operations and deal with the aftermath of the pandemic, there is a critical need to move beyond speculation and anecdotes about school safety to a data-based analysis of the threats and incidents of violence that have occurred in K-12 United States schools during the 2022-2023 school year. As the country returned to fully reopened schools in a more “typical” school year in the fall of 2022, The Educator’s School Safety Network (ESSN), a national non-profit school safety organization, returned to the work of compiling the most current information on threats and incidents of violence in America’s schools.
Long Covid is Showing Up in Medical Claims
“At an average of 18 months of post-infection experience, these workers received more than 20 weeks of temporary disability benefits and received about $29,000 in medical care, ” a new study finds.
A year after contracting COVID-19, 6% of workers were still receiving medical care due to the effects of long-term COVID, according to a new study from Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
This study expands prior evidence from early in the pandemic, showing persistent rates of long COVID infections through 2021.
“Our main takeaways for workers’ compensation policymakers and stakeholders are that long COVID continued to affect a meaningful share of workers with COVID-19 infections, and that was an important driver of claim costs,” said Ramona Tanabe, CEO of WCRI, in a statement. “At an average of 18 months of post-infection experience, these workers received more than 20 weeks of temporary disability benefits and received about $29,000 in medical care.”
Read more by clicking here.
OSHA Cites Arkansas Sawmill for Safety Hazards After Worker’s Death
The company now faces $218,759 in penalties.
Beirne, Arkansas-based Anthony Timberlands Inc. employs roughly 800 workers across the state. But the company now finds itself the subject of OSHA violations.
In a release dated August 16, OSHA announced that a recent investigation into Anthony Timberlands resulted in the discovery of four serious violations. These include a failure to provide lockout and tagout procedures during machine maintenance, failure to provide barriers to keep workers out of an unsafe area and a lack of guards or signage in a hazardous space.
This conclusion follows the death of a worker whom OSHA concluded suffered fatal injuries after a hoist table fell on them at the company’s Bearden location. According to the inspection, the lumber stacking system had no barrier devices to keep workers away from the stacker hoist. An unsafe environment resulted, and now Anthony Timberlands faces $218,759 in penalties.
Read more by clicking here.
Labor Rights Week: Making Workplaces Safe and Fair for All
Every day, millions of vulnerable workers head to jobs where they unnecessarily face dangerous or unfair conditions. Construction workers aren’t given necessary personal protective equipment and suffer injuries or fatalities as a result. Dishwashers are told to work overtime without pay. Garment workers are paid for each piece they sew – but those wages are less than the federal minimum wage.
Some aren’t aware of their rights because their employers failed to provide that information in a language they understand. Some are afraid to speak up for fear of losing their jobs or being deported.
During Labor Rights Week, Aug. 30 – Sept. 3, we’re getting the word out that ALL workers have the same right to a safe workplace and fair pay, as well as the right to report possible violations without retaliation. That’s because worker protections apply to everyone regardless of immigration status.
Read more by clicking here.
VPPPA Introduces Strategic Partner Program for Elevated Workplace Safety
New initiative aims to boost health and safety standards.
The Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (VPPPA) has announced the launch of its Strategic Partner Program.
In a release dated August 18, the VPPPA shared news of the program, which aims to improve and develop tools and resources to facilitate enhanced cooperation between VPPPA and partner organizations. The initiative offers opportunities for a wide range of industry sectors, including education, risk management, consulting, human resources, and others.
Read more by clicking here.
Employers can do ‘much more’ to create a positive culture: survey
About half of employees are hesitant to share their thoughts and opinions freely at work, and many say they’ve been treated unfairly, results of a recent survey show.
Commissioned by ISS, a workplace experience and facility management company, researchers surveyed 4,500 employees representing various industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, Demark, Germany and Switzerland. All respondents worked in organizations with more than 250 employees and had jobs that were below management level.
Around half (51%) of the respondents said they had felt unable to share their opinions freely in the workplace at least some of the time over the past 12 months. Approximately 46% said they didn’t feel respected or treated fairly by managers or co-workers at least some of the time over the same period.
Read more by clicking here.
Alabama Manufacturing Facility Exposed Employees to Safety Hazards by Using Unguarded Saws, Department of Labor Investigation Finds
Texas-based Madix Inc. ignored safety requirements, procedures; faces $158K in penalties
The Texas-based operator of an Eclectic manufacturing facility could have prevented a 20-year-old worker from suffering an amputation if the employer had followed required federal safety standards, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation determined.
After Madix Inc. reported a March 23, 2023, employee injury, investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that, as the worker tried to adjust a coolant feed line on a tube saw, his glove became caught, and his hand was pulled into the saw’s spinning blade. The worker then suffered the amputation of three fingers.
A manufacturer of retail shelving and displays, Madix received citations for two repeat, three serious and three other-than-serious violations and faces $158,051 in proposed penalties.
Read more by clicking here.
OSHA Fines Buzzi Unicem USA for Safety Violations that Led to Mississippi River Drowning
The cement manufacturer now faces penalties totaling $62,500.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has identified safety violations at a Buzzi Unicem USA facility in Natchez, Mississippi.
In a release dated August 17, OSHA announced its findings concerning the incident where a worker from Buzzi Unicem USA—which sells brick, stone and related construction materials manufactured at cement plants across the U.S.—fell from a barge into the Mississippi River in February 2023.
Buzzi Unicem USA now faces $62,500 in proposed penalties. OSHA concluded that the company’s negligence placed three of its workers at risk of drowning, particularly due to the absence of mandated personal flotation devices. In total, the agency cited Buzzi Unicem USA—which operates as River Cement Sales Co.—for five serious violations, also including the absence of essential guardrails and first aid training, as well as the lack of an eyewash station.
Read more by clicking here.
Diagnosis: Workplace Safety
With workplace stress at an all-time high, safety leaders are in a unique position to improve the situation at their companies.
What causes workplace stress? Answering that question might be the most important thing a company can do, not only in terms of fostering better mental health for its employees but also to ensure the company’s own financial health. According to the American Institute of Stress, workplace stress costs US companies roughly $300 billion annually in losses due to absenteeism, diminished productivity and accidents. That number right there makes a pretty solid business case for better understanding—and managing—the causes of stress, since the effects can be devastating.
According to The Healthy Work Campaign (HWC), a public health project sponsored by the nonprofit foundation, The Center for Social Epidemiology, the top 10 causes of work stress are: 1) long work hours, 2) low job control, 3) work-family conflict, 4) shift work, 5) job demands, 6) job insecurity, 7) organizational injustice, 8) low support, 9) low rewards and benefits, and 10) unemployment.
Read more by clicking here.
Maine DOL says more teens are being injured at work
The number of injuries among teen workers in Maine doubled over a recent 10-year period, data from the state’s Department of Labor shows.
According to MDOL, 325 workers between the ages of 14 and 17 were injured last year – twice as many as the 2012 total of 162.
A department press release adds that Maine has seen an increase in violations for employing teen workers without a work permit and for allowing young employees to work beyond hourly restrictions. Between this past April and June, the department also investigated three incidents involving teens who were injured while doing jobs that are prohibited for minors.
Read more by clicking here.
Washington L&I Cites Amazon’s Spokane Warehouse for Safety Hazards
The e-commerce giant now faces $85,800 in fines.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has identified safety concerns at an Amazon fulfillment center.
In a release dated August 16, L&I announced the results of its inspection of the Amazon facility in Spokane, Washington. The agency determined the location puts workers at ergonomic risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) due to the necessity for physical work involving repetitive motions and lifting at a fast pace.
The Spokane fulfillment center faces three serious and one general violation for high noise levels without hearing protection for employees in addition to the risk of WMSDs. As a result, L&I cited Amazon must pay $85,800 in fines.
Read more by clicking here.
Department of Labor Finds Operators of 13 South Carolina Sonic Drive-ins Illegally Employed 91 Minors to Work Longer, Later Than Allowed
Wage and Hour Division assesses $61K in penalties to address child labor violations
As part of its continuing effort to reverse a significant national increase in child labor violations by employers, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced that a series of investigations of two Sonic Drive-In franchisees in South Carolina found 91 children under age 16 working longer and later than legally allowed by child labor provisions in the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined that Atticus Franchise Group LLC — an Atlanta-based private equity firm that operates 60 Sonic Drive-In locations, including eight in South Carolina — employed 36 children, ages 14 and 15, to work illegally between March 2021 and October 2022 as follows:
- After 7 p.m. between Labor Day and June 1.
- Past 9 p.m. between June 1 and Labor Day.
- More than 3 hours on a school day and more than 8 hours on a non-school day.
- More than 18 hours during a school week.
Read more by clicking here.
Liberty Mutual puts U.S. employers’ injury costs at $58.6 billion
Ten common causes of workplace injuries and illnesses accounted for about 80% of U.S. employers’ overall injury costs in 2020, the latest Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index shows.
For the index, the insurer looked at its own information, customized data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other data from the National Academy of Social Insurance.
Of the $58.6 billion overall cost to employers, $48.2 billion went toward the top 10 causes of injuries and illnesses. “Overexertion involving outside sources” (lifting heavy loads, for example) was the most costly source of injury, making up 21% of the top 10 injuries/illnesses and costing employers more than $12.8 billion in direct costs.
Read more by clicking here.
SLC 2023 Preview: Changing Minds by Changing Hearts
When it comes to leading, the best way to transform any workplace safety culture is by inspiring employees and engaging with them emotionally.
In the safety profession, we talk a lot about ergonomics and the importance of proper alignment of the body and the workplace. The same attention must be paid to aligning corporate culture and safety leadership.
You can’t have a world-class safety culture without buy-in from employees—and that starts at the top. A crucial first step in the process is using transformational safety leadership to engage the workforce, says Richard Fulwiler and Stephen Jenkins. Fulwiler is president of Transformational Leadership Associates and the former global director of health and safety for Procter & Gamble. Jenkins is the director of safety and health for Cintas Corporation.
Read more by clicking here.
The Dr. John H. Frick Memorial 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.
Go to > https://ihmm.org/scholarship/
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 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
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.
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
Hurricane-related power outages could trigger chemical releases, safety board warns
Supporting worker mental health: New videos from OSHA
Maine DOL says more teens are being injured at work
Free training aims to help Oklahoma employers boost worker safety
PHMSA extends comment period on proposed railroad hazmat information rule
OSHA crowns ‘Beat the Heat’ contest winners
NSC Webinars
Aug 31 – Fixing A Broken Safety Culture
Sept 7 – What Don’t You See? Reveal & Resolve Blind Spots Hampering High Reliability
Sept 14 – How to Become a Better Safety Leader
Sept 21 – NFPA 70e Standard Updates
IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
ASSP News
Episode 114: Tips for Improving Ergonomics Through Better Design, Innovation and Collaboration
Q&A: Using OSHA Consultation to Improve Your Safety and Health Management System
5 Emerging Technologies in Ergonomics and Why They Matter
Optimizing Contractor Safety Management
Episode 113: AR/FR Clothing and Heat Stress: Staying Protected While Staying Cool
Episode 112: Developing a Comprehensive Fall Protection Program for Your Workplace
ASSP Webinars
Sept 18/19 – Prevention through Design
Sept 19/20 – Advanced Safety Management Methods
ASSP Standards News
The U.S. TAG to ANSI for ISO TC283 approved ISO 45002 and ISO 45006 as ANSI registered technical reports.
- ISO/ASSP TR 45002-2023: Occupational health and safety management systems – General guidelines for the implementation of ISO 45001:2018
- ISO/ASSP TR 45006-2023: Occupational health and safety management – Guidelines for organizations on preventing and managing infectious diseases
At this point, the adoption process is complete. We will conclude limited public review and then move forward with publication of ISO 45002 and ISO 45006 as an ANSI Registered Technical Report[s].
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.
CHEMTREC, HMS Training Partner, Adds Courses for IHMM Certificants
This week CHEMTREC has added its HAZWOPER 8-hour Refresher Training to the HMS Daily Training schedule. This HAZWOPER 8-hour Refresher Training is designed for individuals who need to refresh their existing 24-hour or 40-hour HAZWOPER certification. This course meets the requirements outlined in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 for 8 (eight) hours of annual refresher training for workers involved in the transport, storage, or handling of hazardous materials or hazardous waste.
See the CHEMTREC HAZWOPER 8-hour Refresher Training here!
CHEMTREC, an HMS training partner, has had 7 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. Thank you CHEMTREC, and thank to HMS’ Education and Training Committee.
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 | EPCRA Tier II Reporting | Bowen EHS | Online |
| Daily | CHMM Online Review | Bowen EHS | Online |
| Daily | Emergency Management Self-Paced PDC | Bowen EHS | Online |
| Daily | Acute Toluene Exposure Webinar | Bowen EHS | Online |
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.
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
Easily Find Courses to Help You Pass IHMM Credential Exams
CDGP® Prep Course
CE-1112: CDGP® Exam Prep – Columbia Southern University – Available On Demand
CHMM® Prep Courses
Daily – CHMM® Online Review – Bowen
Daily – CHMM® Prep Course – Institute of Safety & Systems Management
Daily –Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (CHMM®) Exam Prep – SPAN Exam Prep, Division of ClickSafety
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!
IHMM and HMS Tie Exam Preparation Together for Applicants
Every IHMM certification that requires an examination has a section of its website entitled Examination Preparation.
Connected to the Examination Preparation panel is a companion panel that is Find a Course to Prepare for the Exam.
You see the Find a Course to Prepare for the Exam panel from the CSHM site at left.
When you click on the Find a Course to Prepare for the Exam panel it takes the applicant directly to the HMS site where all CSHM prep courses may be found and chosen.
If you want your prep courses on the HMS platform so it can be found by IHMM credential applicants, contact Gene Guilford at [email protected]
Applications for the 2023 HMS Scholarship Awards Now Open
The HMS scholarship award is given annually to undergraduate and graduate students whose academic program and research studies have the potential to address the most serious issues in handling hazardous materials, dangerous goods, environmental issues, health & safety challenges. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled in accredited U.S. academic institutions.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD APPLICATIONS IS December 1, 2023. All submissions and associated materials must be submitted using the online form.
Scholarship Winners Will Be Announced at the HMS Annual Meeting.
For More Information, Visit > https://hazmatsociety.org/scholarship/
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.
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/
Member Benefits of Hazardous Materials Society
99% of IHMM certificants are aware of the Hazardous Materials Society, which we appreciate. IHMM established the Hazardous Materials Society in order to support and provide services to IHMM certificants.
Did You Know?
Your company’s membership dues for Associate Membership in the Hazardous Materials Society (HMS) are 100% tax-deductible and your participation directly supports scholarship and education/training opportunities for professionals working in hazmat and EHS. Joining as an Associate Member expresses your commitment and your company’s leadership in giving back to our professional community. Join today to claim your tax deduction for the 2020 tax year while expressing your company’s professional affiliation and accessing tools for your marketing and business development plans.
To learn more about what HMS is doing now and what they are planning for the future, please see the new Member Benefits page here.
Columbia Southern University
The Hazardous Materials Society [HMS] is a partner of Columbia Southern University. Columbia Southern University is an online university based in Orange Beach, Alabama, that strives to change and improve lives through higher education by enabling students to maximize their professional and personal potential.
A subsidiary of Columbia Southern Education Group, CSU offers online degree programs at the associate, bachelor, master, doctorate or certificate levels in a multitude of areas such as occupational safety and health, fire administration, criminal justice, business administration, human resource management, health care administration and more. CSU also features undergraduate and graduate certificate programs to provide focused training in specialized areas for adult learners.
Click on the CSU graphic at left and learn more about the professional development and degree program opportunities at CSU.
IHMM CONFERENCES FOR 2023
IHMM will attend and support a number of conferences and trade shows throughout 2023, virtually as well as in-person as COVID issues allow. Below are some of the conferences IHMM will support in 2023.
Are there conferences you believe IHMM should attend that do not appear here? If so, let us know! Send an email to [email protected] and tell us what conferences we should attend.
National Safety Council Congress & Expo
New Orleans, LA
October 23-25, 2023
Come Visit Us in Booth #1015!!
IHMM-HMS EVENTS 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