Thursday, November 2, 2023
EHS Professional is an online publication of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)
are compiled from independent sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IHMM.
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/.
EHS/Workplace Safety Credentials
Certified Safety & Health Manager
Certified Safety Management Practitioner
Associate Safety and Health Manager
Certified School Safety Manager
Student Associate Safety and Health Manager
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
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 UPDATES
Standard for Determining Joint Employer Status
US Department of Labor obtains consent injunction requiring New York contractor to provide employees with fall protection
Shift work may alter brain-regulated hormones, making workers hungry: study
New OSHA resource: Heat exposure and personal risk factors
Navigating Construction Site Safety in the Era of Extreme Weather
2023 NSC Safety Congress & Expo Unveils OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violations
The Looming Government Shutdown: What You Need to Know About Appropriations
NYPD to launch school hotline for safety and mental health concerns
U-M receives $7.9M to support school safety research
5 of the biggest OSHA fines of Q3 2023
Multiply Construction Workforce Capacity
Billions in deferred maintenance projects coming to US facilities
Bethel District Officials Walk to School with Students Over Road Safety Concerns
OSHA Extends Emphasis Programs in the Mid-Atlantic Region
Dairy Workers on Wisconsin’s Small Farms Are Dying. Many of Those Deaths Are Never Investigated.
Collaboration: Partnering with clients to meet OSHA standards
Labor Board, OSHA Team Up to Bolster Worker Safety Protections
Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor Wants to Pay Teachers $10,000 a Year to Carry Guns at School
CDC outlines first plan to address widespread health worker burnout
Driving Safety & Sustainability Performance
Roaches, tiny toilet stalls, no A/C: San Diego Unified employees allege safety hazards at district headquarters
Extreme Heat Pushes More Farmworkers to Harvest at Night, Creating New Risks
Safety groups honor Port of Portland’s prevention efforts
Hearing Protection: Measuring Noise and Selecting Hearing Protection
School of Education Members Win Award for Seminar on School Safety, Mental Wellness
Comprehensive interventions to reduce occupational hazards among medical staff in the pathology department of five primary hospitals
U.S. Department of Labor proposes a rule to extend overtime to workers making less than $55,068
CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Launches First Federal Campaign for Hospitals to Tackle Healthcare Workers Burnout
INSIDE IHMM
Voting Ends November 3rd
IHMM is conducting an election for two [2] seats on its Board of Directors that began October 3, 2023 and will end on November 3, 2023.
The two seats are [1] At-Large seat, and [1] CSMP seat. Certificants are asked to cast ballots for 1 of the 2 At-Large candidates, and for 1 CSMP candidate.
Below are the candidates for these two seats. Every IHMM certificant in good standing should have received an email ballot with an individually numbered code to cast their ballots.
Melissa Hamer, CHMM – At Large seat
Ms. Hamer was elected to a four-year term beginning in 2020 to the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management’s (IHMM) National Board of Directors. She was elected to the IHMM Board’s Executive Committee in December 2020 and serves as the Board Secretary. The IHMM certifies and manages multiple hazardous and dangerous materials and occupational safety and health credentials. She is also a regular speaker on environmental law including PFAS topics, administrative laws and procedures, and on construction and insurance law issues.
Ms. Hamer has been a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) since 2010 as accredited under ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024, the International Standard for Personnel Certification Programs and The Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB). She also is an environmental professional, as defined in the ASTM E1527 standard for environmental and real estate due diligence and under the U.S. EPA’s guidance.
Sarath Seneviratne, CHMM – At Large Seat
I care deeply about IHMM’s future. I believe no other candidate brings the wealth of detailed knowledge and specific work experience I have. This insight would be uniquely valuable to the Board. I sincerely hope you will do me the honor of electing me to serve this incredible and worthy mission. My first term serving on the Board of Directors has been educational, inspiring, and hugely motivational to stay involved with IHMM. If elected to a second term. I’d like to facilitate the translation of the IHMM’s mission into concrete ideas and actions.
Dan Blankfeld, CSHM, CSMP, CPPS – CSMP Seat
Dan Blankfeld, CSHM, CSMP, CPPS, is Vice President of Safety, GIC Madison / CBG Building Company of Silver Spring, Maryland.
Dan has served on two IHMM committees as Chair, Professional Standards, and Microcredential. Dan served previously on the ISHM board of directors as vice chair. He also serves on the NFPA 241 Committee, and previously chaired the DC metro ABC Safety Committee, the DCMSA Safety Committee, served on the Montgomery County (MD) Volunteer Fire Rescue Association Board of Directors and is an active professional member of the ASSP.
Dan also currently serves as the Deputy Fire Chief of the Bethesda Fire Department.
Call for Volunteers: CSMP Scheme Committee
The IHMM Certified Safety Management Professional (CSMP) Scheme Committee has an immediate vacancy for volunteers.
Participation in the Committee requires that members attend virtual meetings and participate in teleconferences to work on test development activities such as item writing, and technical review of the items. We will soon begin the Modified Angoff standard-setting procedure to determine the cut score for the CSMP exam. All committee members will receive training. Members of the committee are required to hold confidential all exam-related information and may not be involved in activities that train or prepare candidates for any IHMM examination(s) or be willing to cease such activities for the duration of service on the Committee and for five (5) years thereafter. Committee membership is awarded in 2-year increments.
The Committee meets via teleconference and the web, and it will take approximately 20 hours of participation on an annual basis, and at times work on individual assignments. The teleconference and web meetings range from 1-2 hours in duration. If you would like to contribute to the continued vitality of the Institute and the CSMP credential, you will earn 10 certification maintenance points (CMPs) per year toward your recertification for your participation on the committee, and an additional 10 CMPs for participating in the Modified Angoff procedure. The test development policies and procedures are based upon professionally recognized psychometric principles and on the accreditation body(ies) standards by which IHMM is accredited or recognized.
If you are interested, please send your resume and a cover letter to M. Patricia Buley at [email protected]. Please put the CSMP Scheme Committee in the subject line.
The application deadline for this opportunity is Friday, November 10.
There are 1,115 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
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.
On August 29, 2023 IHMM’s Executive Director made a presentation of this strategic imperative to the AHMP annual conference. Here is what IHMM intends to organize over the next few months:
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. Please see > https://ihmm.org/join-the-government-affairs-committee/ 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!
The full presentation may be viewed here.
Beltway Buzz – Ogletree Deakins
Fourth Time’s a Charm. After three-plus weeks and three failed nominees, on October 25, 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives elected Mike Johnson (R-LA) to be the Speaker of the House by a vote of 220–209. Johnson, the fifty-sixth House Speaker in U.S. history, has a tough task in front of him, but he already has a legislative plan in place for the next twelve months. The plan calls for the passage of a continuing resolution to extend government funding into 2024 and includes timetables for addressing other major issues, such as the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Farm Bill. Sounds easy, right? Speaker Johnson might do well to heed the fictitious words of George Washington in Hamilton: “Winning was easy, young man—governing’s harder.”
NLRB Issues Joint-Employer Rule. Today, October 27, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) published its much-anticipated “Standard for Determining Joint Employer Status,” and the three-member Democratic majority didn’t pull any punches. The final rule replaces the 2020 joint-employer rule and states that two or more employers are joint employers “if the employers share or codetermine those matters governing employees’ essential terms and conditions of employment.” “Essential terms and conditions of employment” are defined as:
(1) “wages, benefits, and other compensation”;
(2) “hours of work and scheduling”;
(3) “the assignment of duties to be performed”;
(4) “the supervision of the performance of duties”;
(5) “work rules and directions governing the manner, means, and methods of the performance of duties and the grounds for discipline”;
(6) “the tenure of employment, including hiring and discharge”; and
(7) “working conditions related to the safety and health of employees.”
The final rule further defines what it means to “share or codetermine those matters governing employees’ essential terms and conditions of employment” as possessing “the authority to control (whether directly, indirectly, or both).”
What does this all mean in a practical sense? Dissenting Member Marvin Kaplan describes the impact as follows:
[T]he majority’s final rule effects an unprecedented and unwarranted expansion of the Board’s joint-employer doctrine. The majority misapprehends common-law agency principles in holding that those principles compel the Board to rescind its 2020 Rule on Joint Employer Status Under the National Labor Relations Act (the 2020 Rule) and replace it with a joint-employer standard not seen anywhere else in the law. My colleagues dispense with any requirement that a company has actually exercised any control whatsoever (much less substantial control) over the essential terms and conditions of another company’s employees. Under the final rule, an entity’s mere possession of a never-exercised contractual reservation of right to control a single essential term and condition of employment of another business’s employees makes that entity a joint employer of those employees. So does its “indirect” control of an essential term and condition, a term my colleagues fail to define or otherwise cabin.
Hours after the Board’s announcement of the final rule, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced their introduction of a Congressional Review Act resolution to rescind the rule. Of course, there will also be legal challenges to the rule, of which Member Kaplan writes, “A betting person might hesitate to put money on [the rule’s] chances because, as demonstrated below, the final rule is wrong as a matter of law and unadvisable as a matter of policy.” The rule will apply to cases filed after December 26, 2023. Mark G. Kisicki, Elizabeth T. Jozsi, and Zachary V. Zagger have additional details and analysis.
U.S. Senate Confirms WHD Administrator. On October 25, 2023, the U.S. Senate confirmed Jessica Looman as administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) by a vote of 51–46. Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska was the only Republican to vote for confirmation. Administrator Looman has essentially been running WHD since the start of the Biden administration, serving as the agency’s “principal deputy administrator” since early 2021. She will undoubtedly play a large role in the finalization and implementation of WHD’s pending changes to its independent contractor and overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act, among other issues.
H-1B Program Changes Proposed. On October 23, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published its H-1B reform proposal “to modernize and improve the efficiency of the H-1B program, add benefits and flexibilities, and improve integrity measures” (a proposal the Buzz has been tracking since at least 2019). Among its other proposed changes, the rule would provide a more flexible definition of “specialty occupation,” address potential fraud issues by having USCIS select registrations by unique beneficiary, clarify when changes in the H-1B worker’s worksite require amended petitions, and provide for deference to prior USCIS determinations in order to provide greater certainty to visa holders and employers. Tina H. Ho has all the details.
Foxx Requests More Time to Comment on OT Proposal. The House leadership shenanigans have derailed the day-to-day activities in the lower chamber, as much legislative and oversight activity has slowed in recent weeks. In fact, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce has postponed two hearings of interest to the Buzz: one concerning WHD’s overtime proposal and the other concerning activities at the NLRB. Still, that hasn’t stopped Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-NC) from pressing Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su to grant more time for stakeholders to comment on the overtime (OT) proposal. Foxx asks for an additional sixty days, writing:
Allowing so little time for stakeholders to comment suggests that the WHD is out of touch with the resources required for smaller employers to respond to such a complex and economically significant proposal. An additional 60 days will give employers and other affected stakeholders additional time to compile employment trends in their workplaces and provide them with a “reasonable and meaningful” opportunity to provide comments, as required by the Administrative Procedure Act.
Of course, allowing more time for stakeholder input potentially hampers DOL’s strategic goals. The department undoubtedly wants to finalize the overtime rule by the summer of 2024 to avoid potential Congressional Review Act treatment in 2025.
Impact Wellbeing: Addressing the Mental Health Crisis of our Nation’s Health Workers
A recent CDC Vital Signs report puts a spotlight on the mental health of our nation’s health workers. The report shows that our health workers continue to face a mental health crisis, experiencing greater declines in mental health measures compared with other workers. The data show that 46 percent, or almost half of health workers, reported often feeling burned out in 2022. This is an increase from 32 percent in 2018. In addition, the number of health workers who reported harassment at work more than doubled between 2018 and 2022.
To help address this crisis, NIOSH is launching a social marketing campaign, Impact Wellbeing. This effort speaks directly to hospital leaders on meeting these challenges at the operational level. The newly launched Impact Wellbeing campaign is built on NIOSH Total Worker Health® principles. It aims to provide hospital leaders with much-needed support to improve the wellbeing of our nation’s health workforce. Its design will help leaders to focus on the organizational factors contributing to the worsening mental health of their health workers.
OSHA’s FY 2024 Outreach Initiatives
As part of our efforts to keep you informed of OSHA’s activities, we have attached a document that summarizes OSHA’s outreach initiatives for FY 2024. It includes a summary of key national initiatives, a listing of priority industries/topics, and a calendar of key dates. Please note: As we receive new/updated information about events, we will share it with you.
OSHA – Extended Comment Period for Proposed Rule: Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has extended the comment period on its August 31, 2023 proposed rule regarding who can be authorized by employees to act as their representative to accompany compliance officers during physical workplace inspections.
Interested parties now have until November 13, 2023, to submit comments electronically at regulations.gov, which is the Federal eRulemaking portal. All submissions must include the agency’s name and docket number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2023-0008). For more information, please see the Federal Register notice
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.
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
BJA STOP Grantee Kick-Off Meeting (November 2023)
Date: November 9, 2023
Time: 2:00-3:30 PM ET
We are excited to invite you to a live kick-off session with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to orient new FY2023 STOP School Violence Grantees.
During this session, you will hear directly from the BJA STOP Team and the NCSS about:
- Grant management and administration requirements
- How to effectively oversee your grant
- Resources available to support you with program implementation
- Training and technical assistance support that NCSS provides
Read more and enroll by clicking here.
The Causes and Consequences of School Violence: A Review
Although school violence is on the decline, it remains a significant concern for the general public, policymakers, and researchers. This report commissioned by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) takes a comprehensive look at the state of the research on school violence and includes additional discussions about research on serious violence and studies that were funded by NIJ’s Comprehensive School Safety Initiative. It is based on an empirical review of 55 meta-analyses and a supplemental review of the methods and findings of 362 recent research studies. The research found that the strongest predictor of school violence perpetration was delinquent/antisocial behavior. Other strong predictors were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, child maltreatment, peer rejection, and moral disengagement. The reviews identified several other moderately strong predictors of school violence, including deviant peers, callous unemotional traits, narcissism, exposure to domestic violence, agreeableness (inverse association), prosocial behaviors (inverse association), positive school climate (inverse association), and victimization.
Abstract from U.S. Department of Justice.
Read the full details and download the PDF by clicking here.
NIOSH Advice on Supporting an Aging Workforce
In 2001, only 1 out of every 7 workers was 55 or older; by 2021, the number jumped to 1 out of every 4 workers.
As older workers remain in the workforce, employers are devising ways to best accommodate these workers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety(NIOSH) has a division called, The National Center for Productive Aging and Work, which is part of its Total Worker Health Program. The center operates as a hub that conducts original research, fosters collaborations, and offers expert guidance to support an aging workforce.
The presences of these older employees is more prevalent that most people realize. In 2001, only about 1 out of every 7 U.S. workers was 55 or older. By 2021, the number jumped to almost 1 out of every 4 workers (a 93% increase).
There are many reasons for why this is the case. Some are there due to financial needs. Others are working past a typical retirement age due to the increase in the Social Security full retirement age. Needing health insurance is another reason.
Read more by clicking here.
Florida Grocery Store Faces Hefty Penalties After Fatal Employee Fall
Kissimmee Meat & Produce Inc. faces $95,315 in proposed penalties.
OSHA has cited Kissimmee Meat & Produce Inc. for safety violations following the tragic death of a 65-year-old worker. In May 2023, the clerk fell approximately 9 feet from a faulty ladder while retrieving merchandise from the store’s warehouse. OSHA’s investigation revealed the incident could have been prevented if the store had followed mandated safety guidelines.
The inspection identified 11 serious violations, many involving fall hazards. These include allowing workers to use modified or damaged ladders, using rolling ladders without locking systems, failing to provide ladder training and lacking fall protection measures. Other violations include a failure to clear emergency exits, keep main breaker panels clear, mark fire extinguishers properly, stack boxes safely and provide powered industrial vehicle training.
Read more by clicking here.
US Department of Labor Investigation Cites Waupaca Foundry After 2 Workers Suffer Amputation Injuries in 11 Days, Fines Company $234K
Cited in 2019, 2021 for lack of adequate machine guarding, safety procedures
Federal investigations into how two employees in the mill room at a Wisconsin foundry suffered amputation injuries within 11 days of one another in April and May 2023 found the Marinette company again violated federal regulations for control of hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance.
An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration at Waupaca Foundry Inc. determined a 29-year-old employee suffered a fingertip amputation on April 27, 2023, when their hand was dragged into the pinch point between a chain link conveyor belt and discharge chute as they removed jammed parts. On May 8, 2023, the hand of a 20-year-old employee — on the job about six months — was caught between a part and the stand grinding wheel, which also led to a fingertip amputation.
The employees were using grinders to trim parts during the casting process and moving them through the process by conveyors when the incidents occurred.
Read more by clicking here.
Citing safety, sleep experts call for end to daylight saving time
Not a fan of “springing forward” and “falling back” an hour every year? If so, you’re not alone.
A recent survey commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 64% of Americans would like to abolish seasonal time changes at the beginning and end of daylight saving time.
Of the 2,000-plus respondents, 27% cited public health and safety as the top factor for elected officials to consider when discussing legislation on the matter.
Most of the country will return to standard time at 2 a.m. on Nov. 5, which AASM says can cause sleep issues for many people. The academy claims making standard time permanent would allow for healthier sleep patterns.
Read more by clicking here.
Department of Labor Finds Portland Employer Illegally Terminated Worker With Serious Health condition After Failing to Recognize Circumstances
An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the roofing and asphalt manufacturer terminated an employee wrongfully and violated the worker’s rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Investigators determined that Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt illegally fired the employee after absences related to a FMLA-qualifying serious health condition.
Division investigators found the employer directed the worker to provide a medical recertification earlier than permissible under FMLA regulations. The employer’s failure to recognize extenuating circumstances led to the employee’s accrual of absences exceeding the company policy for FMLA-qualifying leave, leading to the employee’s improper suspension and termination.
Read more by clicking here.
A+A 2023 Celebrated Innovations in Workplace Safety Amid Major Support
The international safety event attracted 62,000 visitors from 140 nations.
A+A 2023, held in Düsseldorf, Germany, concluded after a four-day event, emphasizing innovations for a safer and healthier workplace. Focusing on digitization and sustainability, the event showcased groundbreaking technologies such as smart wearables, AI-based health coaches and virtual reality applications.
With participation from 2,200 exhibitors spanning 58 countries, the fair occupied over 80,300 square meters in 12 halls. It attracted approximately 62,000 visitors from 140 nations. According to a release from organizers Messe Düsseldorf, an overwhelming 96.4 percent of attendees acknowledged their visit surpassed expectations.
read more by clicking here.
Using AI to Take a Systems Thinking Approach to Ergonomic Risk Assessments
The next frontier of workplace safety requires taking a holistic view, especially in ergonomics, a process made possible by the advancements in artificial intelligence safety technology applications.
Humans are somewhat limited in the vast maze of workplace interactions. We don’t possess computational brains, can’t be omnipresent, and, while we think in patterns, tracking them in real-time is a challenge. These limitations underscore the pressing need for a more holistic approach to workplace safety, particularly in the realm of ergonomics.
To truly manage Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), we must embrace a systems thinking approach, which means observing the whole environment and the connections between its parts; it isn’t just about isolated incidents, it’s a dynamic interplay of countless factors, each influencing the other within the workplace.
While academic safety research has championed this comprehensive perspective, its real-world application often falls short. The human brain, though remarkable, has its boundaries. Remembering every detail, anticipating every risk and discerning every trend that could impact worker safety is beyond our singular capacity. We can’t be everywhere at once, track every pattern as it unfolds or recall every detail.
Read more by clicking here.
New surveillance system helps track work-related amputations
In an effort to better identify, develop and evaluate effective efforts to prevent amputations, Washington state has created a surveillance system intended to augment employer-reported data.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries recently published a technical report that describes the surveillance system, which uses state workers’ compensation data.
Washington L&I says workers’ comp data provides a clearer picture of work-related amputations than data sources typically used for occupational injury surveillance, such as the federal Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, because those sources often offer limited information on specific injuries.
Read more by clicking here.
MSHA Identified Over 120 Violations in September Mine Inspections
The agency has issued nearly 2,100 violations so far in 2023.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently conducted impact inspections across nine mines in seven states in September 2023. The result was the issuance of 123 violations, including 17 deemed significant and substantial (S&S).
According to a release dated Oct. 30, MSHA completed impact inspections in Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia. Monthly impact inspections began after the 2010 explosion at Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia, resulting in 29 deaths. Mines are chosen due to poor compliance history, past accidents or injuries and other concerns.
Read more by clicking here.
US Department of Labor Recovers $72K From Coffee Shop Operators Who Operated Illegal Tip Pool, Withheld 34 Employees’ Tips in Louisville
U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigators found the operator of four Louisville coffee shops permitted two managers to take a portion of servers’ tips. Provisions in the Fair Labor Standards Act forbid employers, managers or supervisors from participating in a tip pool.
Primarily a catering and event company, Wiltshire Pantry operates three other limited-service coffee shop and bakery locations in the Louisville area. This follows investigations of three other Louisville coffee shops – Please & Thank You LLC, Sunergos Coffee Ltd. Co. LLC and Heine Brothers – where agency investigators found employers illegally shared employee tips with managers.
Employers can contact the Wage and Hour Division at its toll-free number, 866-4-US-WAGE. Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including the agency’s restaurants compliance assistance toolkit.
Read more by clicking here.
CPWR releases resources for aging construction workers
Recognizing the importance of older workers in the construction industry, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training has developed a series of resources for them.
Citing data from the Bureau of Labor Statics, CPWR says the average construction worker is 42 years old and that many of them are expected to remain on the job longer, “influenced by financial pressures as well as by job satisfaction.”
The resources include a data dashboard, tools for hazard assessment and primary prevention, supportive programs, and legal resources.
The Aging Workers Data Dashboard examines the U.S. workforce by the numbers, including the number of workers 55 and older in construction, along with the average worker age in all industries and nine separate industries.
Read more by clicking here.
The Biggest Challenges for Safety Professionals in 2023
EHS Today’s National Safety & Salary Survey 2023 reveals that the average safety professional earns $99,000… but your mileage might vary.
The pandemic is just a bad memory now, so you might expect that things would’ve gotten a lot easier for safety professionals, but of course that’s nowhere near being true. It’s as challenging as ever to keep workers safe and healthy, and workplaces free from hazards, so the time is right to take the pulse of the safety profession to find out exactly what their jobs involve, and how they’re dealing with a list of responsibilities that seems to get longer by the day. And it’s also the right time to find out exactly how well (or not so well) safety professionals are being compensated for all the work they do.
Earlier this year, EHS Today conducted our annual National Safety & Salary Survey, which offers a current examination of the occupational health and safety profession. In the following slideshow, based on responses from 744 EHS professionals, you’ll learn how where the highest-paid safety leaders live, what types of companies tend to pay the most, how much support senior management offers to EHS managers, what the most common types of injuries are, and how satisfied safety leaders are with their jobs and their profession.
Read more by clicking here.
The Dr. John H. Frick Memorial IHMM Scholarship Program – CLOSED FOR 2023 – WILL RE-OPEN IN 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/
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.
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
OSHA maritime advisory committee to meet in November
Shift work may alter brain-regulated hormones, making workers hungry: study
New OSHA resource: Heat exposure and personal risk factors
EPA to propose ban of trichloroethylene
New surveillance system helps track work-related amputations
House bill aimed at preventing catastrophic train derailments
NSC Webinars
Nov 2 – Safety 101: Understanding the Basics of Building a Successful Safety Program
Nov 9 – How to Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities in the Workplace
Nov 16 – The Importance of Growing the Safety and Health Profession
Nov 30 – How ESG is Transforming the Future of the EHS Professional
IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
ASSP News
Stay CANSPAM Compliant With Real Magnet/Higher Logic
Science of Correctly Fitted PPE
Episode 117: Talking Safety: How to Improve Communication with Your Workforce
Remembering the Triangle Fire
Medical Cannabis Laws: What Do They Mean for Workplace Safety?
ASSP Webinars
Nov 8 – Elevating Contractor Safety: Inclusion, Risk Management & Innovation
Nov 15 – Confronting Serious Injuries & Fatalities (SIFs): Lessons From Data & Experience
Nov 17 – How Best to Protect Temporary Workers
Feb 12 – Managing Risk, Not Safety
Feb 12 – 14 – 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.
Lion Tech, HMS Training Partner, Adds Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification [DOT] Webinars
This week Lion Tech has added its Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification [DOT] webinars to the HMS Daily Training schedule. This two-day workshop provides comprehensive training to offer hazardous materials for transportation in compliance with the US DOT/PHMSA Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The two-day workshop is approved for 12 CM Points toward IHMM re-certification.
Webinars at Lion.com blend the convenience of online learning with the engagement and nowness of live classroom training. This two-day course provides comprehensive training to offer hazardous materials for transportation in compliance with the US DOT/PHMSA Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The webinar is approved for 12 CM Points toward IHMM re-certification.
Professionals who complete this course develop in-depth knowledge needed to assess a hazardous materials transportation situation and:
• Determine what regulations apply to the material.
• Select authorized and compatible packaging.
• Choose and place required labels/markings for transportation.
• Properly fill out shipping papers with required info (in the right order).
• Determine if placards are required for a bulk or non-bulk shipment.
• Carry out reporting, recordkeeping, and training responsibilities, and more.
Check out the Course agenda at Lion.com/IHMM.
2023 Schedule – Limited Sessions Remain
[Webinar] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (DOT) — 2 days / 12 hours
- November 13–14
- December 4–5
- December 18–19
See more at Lion.com/IHMM, including 1-day DOT hazmat training and 1- and 2-day RCRA course delivered via live webinar. Check out all of Lion’s IHMM-approved courses to maintain your certifications and stay on top the latest hazardous materials, hazardous waste, and environmental regulations.
Already confident about the basics of the HMR? Join us for a one-day “Recurrent Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (DOT) Webinar” instead to help meet DOT’s three-year training mandate for “hazmat employees,”—or train online at your own pace.
More at Lion.com/IHMM
Lion Tech, HMS Training Partner, Adds Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification [DOT] Training
This week Lion Tech has added its Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification [DOT] Training to the HMS Daily Training schedule. This two-day workshop provides comprehensive training to offer hazardous materials for transportation in compliance with the US DOT/PHMSA Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The two-day workshop is approved for 12.50 CM Points toward IHMM re-certification.
| Daily | Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (DOT) Training | Lion Tech Online |
| Nov 8-9, 2023 | [Charlotte, NC] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Charlotte, NC |
| Dec 4-5, 2023 | [Houston, TX] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Houston, TX |
| Dec 6-7, 2023 | [Philadelphia, PA] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Philadelphia, PA |
| Dec 13-14, 2023 | [Hartford, CT] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Hartford, CT |
| Dec 14-15, 2023 | [Dallas, TX] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Dallas, TX |
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.
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
Jan 15-17, 2024 – Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management [EHMM] – AHMP Cyber Chapter
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-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