EHS Professional is an online publication of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management® (IHMM®).
Other than content specifically provided by IHMM, articles contained in EHS Professional are compiled from independent sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IHMM.
Certified Safety Management Practitioner™ [CSMP™]
IHMM’s Certified Safety Management Practitioner (CSMP™) credential recognizes workplace safety and health professionals who have a less formal education but can demonstrate a mastery of workplace safety and labor law regulations earned through training and experience. Gain the trust and confidence of your colleagues and management with a CSMP™ credential.
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The Value of IHMM Credentials
Below you will see the EHS credential badges that are now in each CSHM, CSMP, ASHM, CSSM, and Student ASHM certificant’s MYIHMM account. Every IHMM certificant may use these badges, linked as those below are to their IHMM credential page, for their email signatures, business cards, and other social media applications. You’re justifiably proud of the accomplishment of having earned your credential and you can show the rest of the world. Simply right-click on the badge of choice, then save as to your computer, and then load it to wherever you want to use it and please link that back to https://ihmm.org/.
EHS/Workplace Safety Credentials
Microcredentials
Certified Safety & Health Manager
Certified Safety Management Practitioner
Associate Safety and Health Manager
Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist
Certified School Safety Manager
Student Associate Safety and Health Manager
IHMM Certificant Recognition
Throughout our certificant’s MYIHMM accounts are placed 10-year, 20-year, 30-year, and 40-year badges signifying their longevity as an IHMM certified professional.
With a link from your credential badge to the IHMM website [see above] you can not only stand out as an IHMM-certified professional, you can also promote IHMM credentials to others. Right-click on the badge of choice, save as to your computer, and then load it to whatever medium you choose.
IHMM has Distinguished Diplomates and Fellows of the Institute badges to the appropriate people in the MYIHMM database. These two badges are accompanied by lapel pins sent to each of those distinguished by holding these designations.
IHMM is in all 50 of the United States and in 85 countries around the world.
IHMM Credentials Accredited By
Need Help?
Need Help? On the IHMM website just click on the “NEED HELP?” button
and let us know what you need and the right person will get right back with you.
IHMM RECENT NEWS for EHS Professionals
WORKPLACE
- NYC councilmember calls for database to track worker deaths
- NIOSH study highlights urgent need for hearing conservation in utility sector
- OSHA launches and extends several Regional Emphasis Programs
- Online game shows how workers experience ‘social determinants of health’
- Studies look at link between ‘precarious’ work and injury and illness risk
- Changes to OSHA regions now in effect
- Honeywell and Chevron Team Up to Improve Refinery Safety with AI
- The Air We Breathe: Using Personal Protective Equipment to Keep It Safe
- The New Generation of Lighting for Confined Spaces Safety
- Minimizing Retraining, Error and Injury with Powder Conveying
- Considerations for Selecting Fall Protection PPE
- Put a Ring on It: Selecting the Best Fall Protection Harness Configuration for Workers At-Height
- Expanding the Scope of Winter Safety
- Defining Durability: A Technical Guide to FR/AR Apparel for Safety Managers
- Autonomous Solutions Make Supply Chain Workers Safer
- OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Standards for FY 2024
- Embracing Year-Round Emergency Planning with Modern Training Solutions
- How Dust Testing Can Improve Indoor Air Quality in Manufacturing: A Q&A Guide
- How ESG and sustainability apply to EHS
LABOR
- Offshore safety agency final rule bolsters approval process for ‘new or unusual technology’
- OSHA construction advisory committee and workgroups to meet this month
- MSDs are the top cause of injuries among warehousing and transportation workers: GAO
- DOL Women’s Bureau publishes guides on safe leave
- Is Your Respiratory Protection Program Administrator Qualified?
TRANSPORTATION
SCHOOLS
- Alabama State Homecoming Shooting Prompts New Tailgating Policy
- 1 in 3 Students Experience Racism in School, CDC Finds
- California School Security Officer Receives 2 Year Prison Sentence for Making Bombs with Teen, Lying to FBI
- NYPD School Safety Division Raided by Feds Amid Bribery Investigation
- Teacher Shortages by State and How Schools Are Trying to Fix the Problem
- Northern Arizona University Bat Infestation Displaces Hundreds of Students
- Iowa Schools Have Received Nearly 200 Reports of Threats Since Start of Academic Year
- Arizona High School Installs Weapons Detection, Finds Gun 20 Minutes Later
- 19 Teachers Removed from Florida District’s Classrooms Since Start of School Year
- California Bans Simulated Gunfire in School Active Shooter Drills
- UMD Pro-Palestine Group Can Hold Event on Oct. 7, Judge Rules
INDUSTRIAL
- New from NIOSH: ‘Prevention through Design Toolkit for the Construction Industry’
- Using technology to address crane hazards: New report from NSC
- Real Time vs. Personal Air Sampling Instruments: You Decide
- Connected Safety: Gas Detection & Monitoring’s Next Frontier
- Understanding Intrinsically Safe Technology in Hazardous Work Environments
- Could Your PPE Be Making Molten Splash More Dangerous?
- DOL Awards Over $1 Million in Grants to Boost Mine Safety and Health
- Heat Resistance in PPE: How New Materials Are Improving Firefighter Safety
OTHER
Inside IHMM
United States Congress Recognizes IHMM
IHMM is pleased to announce that thanks to Maryland 8th District Congressman Jamie Raskin, the Congress of the United States has recognized IHMM on the occasion of its 40th anniversary.
We thank Congressman Raskin for leading this effort, and for recognizing the outstanding certified professionals of IHMM.
Notice Concerning Your CSHM and CSMP Recertification
As you know, we issued a new CSHM blueprint on March 10, 2022, and a new CSMP blueprint on February 1, 2022, so now that we have new examinations for the CSHM and CSMP we are updating the recertification claims application to match the blueprints.
As long as you have been with IHMM, you have recertified based on the old, 5 Domains.
The CSHM is now 6 Domains and 45 Subdomains, the CSMP is now 6 Domains and 86 Subdomains
What does this mean to you in your recertification cycle?
- It means you have far more areas of professional development that you can take credit for.
- It means that if you have claimed CMPs [certification maintenance points] for attending conferences such as ASSP, NSC, AIHA, or others, you will continue to do that as you always have.
- As always, we strongly recommend that you start a recertification claims application now – even if you do not recertify for a few more years. Start one now, populate your recertification claims application as you earn your points so that when it comes time to apply for recertification, it will be quick and easy.
If you need any help with recertification you can contact either Jimmy at [email protected] or Jelian at [email protected] anytime.
ANAB/ANSI Accreditation
As we promised to pursue when you came here in 2019, we are starting discussions with ANAB/ANSI about accrediting the CSHM and CSMP. Thanks to Steve Guillory and the CSHM Scheme Committee and Kirk Rains and the CSMP Scheme Committee, building new blueprints and examinations for these credentials means we can, after nearly 5 years of work, apply for ANAB/ANSI accreditation.
ANSI accreditation for a certification means that the certification program has been evaluated and meets the rigorous standards set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This accreditation ensures that the certification is credible, reliable, and recognized internationally.
ANSI ISO/IEC 17024, is an international standard that specifies the requirements for bodies operating certification programs for individuals, ensuring that the certification processes are fair, valid, and reliable. This process includes a thorough assessment of the certification program’s procedures, quality management systems, and overall effectiveness in meeting its stated objectives.
In essence, ANSI accreditation provides confidence to consumers, businesses, and government regulators that the certification program is trustworthy and operates at a high standard of quality.
IHMM Board of Directors Election
IHMM will be conducting an election for two [2] seats on its Board of Directors that began October 2, 2024 and ending on October 31, 2024. We discovered an error in a pdf file when the first balloting started, so we stopped the first round at 5.50 pm on the 2nd and restarted it at 6.00 pm.
The two seats are [1] Public Member Seat, and [1] CHMM seat. Certificants are asked to cast ballots for one Public Member candidate, and for 1 of the 3 CHMM candidates. Every voter is asked to cast two votes; one for the Public Member and one for one of three CHMM candidates.
Below are the candidates for these two seats. Every IHMM certificant in good standing will receive an email ballot with an individually numbered code to cast their ballots that began October 2, 2024 and runs through October 31st.
W. Morgan Hyson, Public Member
Morgan has had a varied career across many fields and disciplines ranging from civil litigation to nuclear nonproliferation policy. A proud key chapter in this journey was five years serving in a progression of staff roles at the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management, ultimately serving as the Institute’s Acting Executive Director. He left the Institute to pursue his Master’s Degree, and has since continued in roles at the Departments of Agriculture, Energy and State. Morgan is an alumni of the prestigious Presidential Management Fellowship program and has been recognized for his work as a civil servant through multiple awards, including two Superior Honor Awards, among the highest given in the Department of State.
Dr. William J. Pate, CHMM, MBA, CHP, CIH, CSP – CHMM Seat
Dr. Pate has over 10 years of environmental health and safety experience in academic, research and healthcare settings in both the public and private sector. Dr. Pate’s EHS experience has ranged from collection and management of radioactive, chemical, and biologic waste streams for a major research university to management of a comprehensive EHS program for a large multi-facility health system. Dr. Pate has been responsible for the development and delivery of a variety of EHS training topics, and his goal is to assist Bowen EHS clients in achieving their professional development goals. Outside of work, Dr. Pate enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters.
Sarath Seneviratne, CHMM – CHMM 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 faci litate the translation of the IHMM’s mission into concrete ideas and actions.
Benjamin L. Frizzell, MPH, CIH, CSP, CHMM – CHMM Seat
Ben is a Manager of Industrial Hygiene with BNSF Railroad in Minneapolis, MN, where he has worked for the past two years. He has also served as a Health and Safety Supervisor at CTEH, a QEHS Supervisor at Stella-Jones, and a Chemist at Molex. Ben also holds certifications as a CIH, CSP, and CHMM as well as having a background as a FEMA First Responder, PADI Driver, and a BSA Eagle Scout.
IHMM Launches 2024 Salary Surveys
IHMM is pleased to release the 2024 survey of salaries underlying the workplace safety credentials salaries by job title. You may download the survey which is linked below.
IHMM Enters Its 40th Year
On December 3, 1984 the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management was created with the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager® [CHMM®] credential. John H. Frick, Harold M. Gordon, John J. McCambridge, and Richard A. Young created what would become an Institute that offers 11 professional credentials across Hazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods and EHS Work Place Safety communities of practice in all 50 of the United States and 85 other countries.
IHMM thanks its hundreds of volunteer leaders, thousands of certificants and companies who support IHMM through strengthening its ability to extend its reach and allow us all to live up to why we exist our vision, and our mission…
Why We Exist
We believe there is only one Earth; our passion is to protect it.
Our Vision
IHMM credentials and competency standards are embraced worldwide
Our Mission
IHMM sets standards of excellence for professional credentials to advance the global environmental, health, and safety communities of practice.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED
Reception & Celebration • December 3, 2024 • 2:00 PM–6:00 PM
2500 Research Blvd, Rockville, MD 20850
IHMM requests the honor of your company on December 3, 2024, for our 40th Anniversary Reception & Celebration, to be held in Rockville, MD.
Join us for an observance of our shared history and recognition of those who have contributed to the Institute’s advancement over the years. Food and drinks will be provided.
The program will consist of opening remarks from the Institute’s leadership and esteemed guests, an awards ceremony, and more.
Please save the date on your calendar and RSVP no later than October 18, 2024, so we can have an accurate headcount for this event.
RSVP Here
The Dr. John H Frick Memorial IHMM Scholarship Program – Deadline 10/18/2024
The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management is pleased to have created $32,000 in academic scholarships, divided equally between $16,000 for students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education in approved schools and who are also Student CHMMs, and $16,000 for students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education in approved schools and who are also Student ASHMs.
IHMM seeks to foster the growth and academic success of students whose courses of education, and participation in one of our Student certifications, will lead to those students becoming fully-certified IHMM credential holders later in their professional lives.
Go to > https://ihmm.org/scholarship/
Creating a Collaborative Culture
There are 1,469 different conversations going on in the IHMM/HMS Collaboration platform this week.
Do you have a problem you need to solve and want the opinions of your colleagues? We created the COLLABORATION platform to enable our certificants to network, learn, and grow from one another.
This is where we collaborate with the best people in their fields, always willing to help one another lessen the stress of our jobs, and where we strive as a team to make a difference of which we are proud.
You can collaborate here.
Access to COLLABORATION is through the same username/password you use to access your MYIHMM account. Are you having a problem? Contact Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected]
IHMM Recertification Videos
Recert Video #1
Recert Video #2
IHMM is pleased to release two YouTube instructional videos about navigating the IHMM recertification process. These step-by-step videos easily enable IHMM certificants to start and complete a recertification application.
While the full recertification cycle is 5 years, IHMM encourages all certificants to start a recertification application and add certification maintenance points as they are earned to make the final submission quick and easy to accomplish.
Full recertification information is found here >> https://ihmm.org/credentials/#recertification
Questions about your recertification may be made to either Jimmy Nguyen [email protected] of Jelian Larbi [email protected]
IHMM CONFERENCES For 2024
IHMM will attend and support a number of conferences and trade shows throughout 2024, virtually as well as in-person as resources allow. In 2023 IHMM participated in the Bay Area ASSP conference, Ohio Safety conference, COSTHA Annual Meeting, AIHA Conference & Trade Show, ASSP Annual Conference, CUHMMC, AHMP, National Safety Conference and FET.
Are there conferences you believe IHMM should attend that are not named here? If so, let us know by sending an email to [email protected]
40th Annual Conference & Exhibition
Visit IHMM Board Chair Bill Diesslin in Booth #33
October 29, 30, 31, 2024
Marriott Milwaukee West, Waukesha, WI
IHMM – 26 Fellows Are Mentors
IHMM Fellows Committee Chair Atanu Das, CHMM, is leading the effort within the IHMM Collaboration networking platform to engage both 26 IHMM Fellows as Mentors and anyone who seeks some assistance as Mentees.
Given the extraordinary experience Fellows have, this is a unique opportunity for IHMM Fellows to help guide more recent certificants in their professional development activities. This article from ASAE magazine outlines how a mentoring program can become more successful – engagement!
IHMM’s Collaboration platform contains a “Mentor Match” module [see below at right] that allows mentors to signup designating the hours, number of mentees, subject areas, and length of time they wish to mentor – as well as allowing mentees to signup requesting assistance in specified areas. The mentor match module does the rest by matching mentors and mentees.
IHMM Organizing Broader Government Affairs Activities – Call for Volunteers
In strategic planning on August 17, 2023 IHMM created a strategic imperative to create a broader government affairs operation on behalf of, and with the assistance of, all of IHMM’s certificants.
- Federal Government – Regulatory
We need a group of people watching Federal regulatory developments to advise when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in the agencies. - Federal Government – Congress
We need a group of people watching legislation to advise us when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in Congress.
- State Governments – Regulatory
We need a group of people watching state regulatory developments to advise when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in the agencies. - State Governments – Legislatures
We need a group of people watching legislation to advise us when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in state legislatures.
If you want to make a difference in the recognition of your credentials and build on the successful record we have achieved thus far – we need you to volunteer. Learn more by visiting our Government Affairs Committee page, and get involved with government affairs. You can volunteer for one, two, three or all four of the segments of the committee’s work. That’s up to you!
IHMM Government Affairs
IHMM Proposes Changes in Government Recognition of Credentials
1. IHMM Sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, concerning the uses of professionally credentialed persons performing work for the Park Service.
2. IHMM Signs Letter Opposing Reductions in OSH Worker’s Pay – The IHMM Government Affairs Committee has agreed to sign a coalition letter opposing reductions in pay for IH and OSH employees. Here is the coalition letter we signed.
3. IHMM submitted comments on OSHA Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH): Notice of Meetings concerning OSHA-2024-0002-0007, and highlighted the creation of IHMM’s Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential.
4. State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection is proposing to update Chapter 851, Standards for Generators of Hazardous Waste. In the current regulation, work is required by a professional engineer. IHMM is proposing to include an environmental professional as defined by 40 CFR §312.10.
All IHMM Government Affairs Projects Are Here
Beltway Buzz – Ogletree Deakins
Supreme Court Begins 2024/2025 Term. The Supreme Court of the United States kicked off its new term this week. Some of the cases the Buzz will be tracking include the following:
- In E.M.D. Sales Inc. v. Carrera, the Court will attempt to resolve a circuit split over the burden of proof that employers must satisfy to demonstrate the applicability of exemptions from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum-wage and overtime requirements.
- Stanley v. City of Sanford will address whether the Americans with Disabilities Act allows former employees—as opposed to applicants or employees—to sue for discrimination with regard to fringe benefits.
- In Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, the Court will determine whether a plaintiff pursuing a so-called “reverse discrimination” claim (in this case, an employee claiming she was fired because she is heterosexual) must meet a higher standard of demonstrating “background circumstances” in order to prevail.
The Buzz will be watching these cases closely and will be monitoring the Court’s docket as it adds cases for the current term.
NLRB Issues Latest Memo on Noncompetes and Other Contractual Provisions. On October 7, 2024, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo issued a memorandum, entitled, “Remedying the Harmful Effects of Non-Compete and ‘Stay-or-Pay’ Provisions that Violate the National Labor Relations Act.” The memo, which expands on General Counsel Abruzzo’s 2023 memo outlining her legal theory as to why noncompete agreements are unlawful, is divided into two main parts.
- The first part of the memo sets forth the general counsel’s theory of how “make-whole relief” should be awarded in the context of unlawful noncompete provisions. In such a situation, the employee must demonstrate that the provision deprived the employee of a better job opportunity; the employer must then “compensate the employee for the difference (in terms of pay or benefits) between what they would have received and what they did receive during the same period.” The same remedial theory applies to former employees who demonstrate that they were out of work longer, took lower paying jobs, or paid for retraining in order to comply with the terms of the noncompete provisions.
- The second part of the memo lays out General Counsel Abruzzo’s theory that so-called “stay or pay” contractual provisions—such as training and educational repayment agreements or sign-on bonuses—unlawfully restrict employee mobility “unless they are narrowly tailored to minimize any interference with Section 7 rights.” The memo maintains that these agreements: (1) chill employees from engaging in protected concerted activity “for fear that termination would trigger the payment obligation”; and (2) “tend to discourage employees from seeking to improve their lot through job mobility by erecting a financial barrier to quitting.” Nevertheless, such provisions may be lawful if they advance a legitimate business interest and are narrowly tailored to minimize any infringement on Section 7 rights.
Although the Board has not ruled on the matter, in June 2024, an NLRB administrative law judge ruled that noncompete and nonsolicitation provisions contained in an employment agreement were unlawful.
Warehouse Protection Bill Reintroduced. Democratic senators have reintroduced the Warehouse Worker Protection Act—this time, with the support of a new Republican cosponsor, Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. The revised bill grants enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission and adds an ineffective and unrealistic small business exemption. Despite the bipartisan support, the bill is unlikely to gain much traction during the remaining weeks of the 118th Congress. However, the employer community should be concerned that a Republican senator supports legislation that would revise the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) rejected ergonomics standard and create a new unfair labor practice if an employer implements a productivity quota. Accordingly, this bill bears watching if it is reintroduced in 2025.
EEOC Releases 2024 Litigation Stats. This week, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced statistics related to its litigation and enforcement program for fiscal year (FY) 2024 (October 2023 through September 2024). According to the announcement, the EEOC filed 110 lawsuits in FY 2024, including the following:
- 13 new systemic cases involving a pattern, practice, or policy of discrimination
- 48 cases under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Over 40 cases alleging retaliation under various statutes enforced by the EEOC
- 7 cases under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
- 5 cases under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)
- 5 sexual harassment cases on behalf of teenage workers under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)
- 4 cases under Title VII alleging sex discrimination based on sexual orientation
- 3 cases under Title VII alleging sex discrimination based on gender identity
The PWFA, which became effective on June 27, 2023, can present new challenges for employees. The EEOC’s announcement notes that “[t]he agency focused on enforcing the PWFA as an emerging issue” and that “the Commission’s lawsuits allege[d] employers failed to provide reasonable accommodations to workers who were entitled to them and often discharged employees as a result.”
Regulatory Updates
Environmental Protection Agency issues its Spring 2024 Regulatory Agenda – Read more here
Department of Transportation issues its Spring 2024 Regulatory Agenda – Read more here
Department of Labor issues its Spring 2024 Regulatory Agenda – Read more here
DOT Publishes Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Electronic Signatures, Forms and Storage for Drug and Alcohol Testing Records
Deadline: December 16, 2024
Today, October 15, 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register proposing to amend its regulations for conducting workplace drug and alcohol testing for the federally regulated transportation industry to allow, but not require, electronic signatures on documents required to be created and utilized under the regulations, the use of electronic versions of forms, and the electronic storage of forms and data.
The regulatory changes would apply to DOT-regulated employers and their contractors (“service agents”) who administer their DOT-regulated drug and alcohol testing programs. Currently, employers and their service agents must use, sign and store paper documents exclusively, unless the employer is utilizing a laboratory’s electronic Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form system that has been approved by the Department of Health and Human Services. DOT is required by statute to amend its regulations to authorize, to the extent practicable, the use of electronic signatures or digital signatures executed to electronic forms instead of traditional handwritten signatures executed on paper forms.
Canada Begins Public Consultations on Initiatives Supporting CEPA Amendments
On October 5, 2024, Canada released three significant documents that move it closer to implementing the 2023 amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). The 2023 legislation, Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act (Bill S-5), requires that decisions made under CEPA respect the right to a healthy environment. Canada has released a draft implementation framework setting out how the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health (the ministers) will consider the right in administering CEPA. The bill also requires the creation of a publicly available “Watch List” of substances determined to be capable of becoming toxic under CEPA to inform Canadians and businesses of substances that they may wish to avoid. Canada has published a proposed Watch List Approach that will inform the process and considerations for substances to be included on the Watch List. The bill directs the ministers to develop a new plan of chemical management priorities and will propose a new regime to manage toxic substances of highest risk. Canada has published a proposed plan of priorities under CEPA. Comments on each of the three documents are due December 4, 2024. For further information on these three documents, please read the full memorandum.
OSHA schedules Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health meetings in-person, online Oct. 29-30
Register to attend, and submit comments by Oct. 24
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has scheduled meetings of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT.
Three of the committee’s workgroups will meet Oct. 29 as follows:
- Emerging Technology: 9 to 11 a.m.
- Workzones: 12 to 2 p.m.
- Health in Construction: 2:15 to 4:15 p.m.
On Oct. 30, the ACCSH committee’s meeting will include remarks from Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Douglas Parker, an update from the Directorate of Construction, a discussion on hearing conservation and women in construction, reports from committee workgroups and a period for public comments.
Public attendance in person is limited to 25 people.
To register to attend in person, contact [email protected] by Oct. 23, 2024. Information for those seeking to attend online is included in Docket Number OSHA-2024-0002 at the Federal eRulemaking Portal and on the ACCSH webpage. Submit comments and requests to speak by Oct. 23 at the Federal eRulemaking Portal using the docket number. The docket number must be included in all submissions. Read the Federal Register notice for details.
Established by the Construction Safety Act, the committee advises the Secretary of Labor and Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health on related policy matters and the setting of construction standards.
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 a chart of enacted legislation that affects certification each year. The charts include hyperlinks to every bill or executive order. Note that the Watchlist and the Enacted Legislation document do not include profession-specific legislation and do not include regulatory initiatives. The charts will be updated as needed based on new developments.
State legislation currently being tracked:
Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition – Senate Action On IHMM-Supported Legislation
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) this week joined the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, which brings the bill’s cosponsor total to 25 in the Senate. One-quarter of the Senate now supports the legislation – a very strong marker.
On the House side, Congressman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) recently joined the important Ways & Means Committee, which holds jurisdiction over the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (H.R. 1477). Congressman Horsford already supports H.R. 1477, so the bill doubled its Democratic support on the Ways & Means Committee now that he is a member.
Senate Champions (S. 722)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN)
House Champions (H.R. 1477)
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA)
Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA)
Senate Cosponsors
Sens. Collins (R-ME), Duckworth (D-IL), Ernst (R-IA), Heinrich (D-NM), Hirono (D-HI), Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Manchin (D-WV), Marshall (R-KS), Schmitt (R-MO), Tuberville (R-AL), Welch (D-VT)
House Cosponsors
101 Cosponsors: 64 Republicans & 37 Democrats
Ways & Means: Carey (R-OH), Feenstra (R-IA), Ferguson (R-GA), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Kelly (R-PA), Kustoff (R-TN), LaHood (R-IL), Murphy (R-NC), Moore (R-UT), Steube (R-FL), Van Duyne (R-TX)
S. 722 / H.R. 1477 / Coalition Roster
Important Stories for IHMM Certificants
Upcoming Webinars on Head Protection
We want to make you aware of an upcoming two-part webinar series on head protection presented by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Construction Sector Council Struck-by Work Group and hosted by CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training:
- Selection and Practical Use of Head Protection in the Construction Industry will be conducted on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at 2:00 pm ET (75 min). This webinar will explore the practical application of concepts discussed in the first webinar on the use of head protection to prevent TBIs and selecting appropriate headgear, transitioning from hard hats to helmets, limitations to the current standards, research needs, and factors to consider from the employees’ perspective when making decisions about head protection on the job. Please register here.
For more information about the use of personal protective equipment in the construction industry, including head protection, please visit OSHA’s website. For additional information on the use of helmets, please see OSHA’s Safety and Health Information Bulletin and Press Release on this topic.
OSHA Emergency Response Standard Hearing
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a notice scheduling an informal public hearing on its proposed rule ‘‘Emergency Response Standard’’ mentioned in the email below. The public hearing will begin on November 12, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time (ET), and will be held virtually. Information on how to access the informal hearing will be posted shortly at https://www.osha.gov/emergency-response/rulemaking.
To testify or question witnesses at the hearing, interested persons must electronically submit their notice by September 27, 2024. Please see the Federal Register Notice (Docket Number OSHA-2007-0073) and https://www.osha.gov/emergency-response/rulemaking for additional details.
National Stop Bullying Day
National Stop Bullying Day emphasizes the urgent need to create safe, inclusive school environments.
- In 2023, 19% of high school students reported being bullied on school property, while 16% experienced electronic bullying through platforms like texting, Instagram, and Facebook.
- Alarmingly, LGBTQ+ students faced higher rates of bullying than their cisgender and heterosexual peers, and
- female students were more likely than males to be targeted.
Effective prevention efforts are essential to address these issues and foster safety and belonging for all students. Explore the below resources to help your school address all forms of bullying and ensure every student feels supported.
- Key Considerations for Bullying Prevention (NCSS)
- Youth Hate Crimes and Identity-Based Bullying Prevention Curriculum (OJJDP)
- CDC & The Trevor Project: Preventing Bullying and Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth
- Preventing and Intervening in Identity-Based Bullying (Dept. of Education)
- Bullying Prevention Training Center (StopBullying.gov)
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OJJDP Launches New Curriculum
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) recently launched the Youth Hate Crimes and Identity-Based Bullying Prevention Curriculum, a key part of its initiative to address hate crimes and bullying. This 10-unit resource helps build protective factors in youth, change harmful behaviors, and educate professionals on using technology to reduce bias. It’s designed for youth-serving organizations, schools, and community groups to raise awareness and prevent identity-based bullying. Explore it today!
Learn More Here
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America’s Safe Schools Week is October 17-23
Starts: Oct 17, 2020 12:00:00 AM (ET)
Ends: Oct 23, 2020 11:59:00 PM (ET)
- Saturday, October 17th through Friday, October 23rd is America’s Safe Schools Week. This is a time to campaign to motivate key education and law enforcement policymakers as well as students, parents, and community residents to advocate for school safety.
For additional information and resources visit:
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CISA Launches New Resource
Anonymous threats of violence, especially on social media, are common in K-12 schools. According to the FBI, schools faced over 6,000 such threats in 2022, causing fear, disrupting learning, and straining resources. To address this, CISA has released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, which helps schools, law enforcement, and communities respond to and prevent anonymous threats. Explore the toolkit to learn actionable steps for improving school safety. Learn more here.
NIOSH announces Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-beingUpcoming Webinars on Head Protection
NIOSH has established a center to “better protect firefighters and be able to identify and prevent new and emerging hazards in the fire service earlier and faster” through research and service.
Announced Oct. 7, the Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-being consolidates agency research and efforts related to protecting firefighters on the job.
NIOSH initiatives include:
- Provide guidance and support so firefighters and first responders can do their jobs safely.
- Study the exposures firefighters face and provide recommendations to protect them both on and off the job.
- Conduct evidence-based research and provide interventions to support the mental health and well-being of firefighters.
- Understand and reduce the risk of cancer through research and active enrollment of firefighters into the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer.
- Conduct independent investigations of line-of-duty deaths and firefighter work conditions.
- Research, evaluate and certify personal protective equipment.
Read more by clicking here.
COVID-19 Recordkeeping and Reporting in Healthcare Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements
DATES:
Comments must be submitted (postmarked, sent, or received) by December 9, 2024.
OSHA solicits public comments concerning the proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the COVID-19 Recordkeeping and Reporting in Healthcare Standard.
These Common Ergonomics Myths May Be Holding Your Program Back
Common myths circulating around ergonomics can prevent a program from getting started, gaining traction, or being sustainable. However, if you know how to distinguish the truth from these myths, you’ll have a solid foundation to grow and continuously improve from.
In a recent webinar, Rick Barker, CPE, and I tackled ergonomics myths in five areas: tactical ergonomics, machine learning, strategic ergonomics, the environment of ergonomics, and the business impacts of ergonomics. Let’s look at the first one.
IHMM Credential Recognition
The highest priority of IHMM’s Government Affairs Committee is the recognition of IHMM’s credentials by government. We have made substantial progress in the two years we have undertaken this endeavor, as outlined in detail here > https://ihmm.org/credential-recognition/
In this project we have 45-in-5, increasing the number of states that recognize IHMM credentials.
- We have already succeeded in 13 states – New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arkansas, Oklahoma. Ohio, North Dakota, and Georgia. [Red states in the map above]. These are states where IHMM credentials are cited or 40 CFR 312.10 is cited by reference.
- We have partially succeeded in another 16 states – Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine. [Orange/Black Stripe states in the map above] These are states where the requirements of an “environmental professional” or QEP are cited that coincide with an IHMM credential so that relatively little work would need to be done to clarify the desired outcome.
- We have 21 states where no reference to an IHMM credential is made in either statute or regulation, nor is there anything defined in the area of an environmental professional. These states will require legislation or regulatory work. [Yellow states in the map above].
in January 2022 Gene Guilford released the 40 CFR § 312.10 EPA regulation that states a private certification that meets or exceeds the requirements of the regulation is an Environmental Professional under the regulation. Here is the crosswalk between the 40 CFR § 312.10 EPA regulation and the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager [CHMM] blueprint. The CHMM meets or exceeds the requirements of an Environmental Professional.
Here’s what we ask each volunteer to do:
- Watch legislative and regulatory developments in your state that provide an opportunity for us to create amendments or other interventions
- Be willing to speak with regulators and legislators in your area about the recognition efforts we craft together
Retiring? IHMM Invites You to Become an Emeritus
You may have decided, after a long and successful career, to retire from active daily duty. Congratulations. That doesn’t mean you have to completely disengage from your profession. IHMM is pleased to offer Emeritus status to all certificants who will no longer be actively engaged in their communities of practice but who still want to stay in touch. Please let us know when you’re approaching that decision and we will assist you in the credential transition.
Please contact Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected] and he’ll be happy to help you.
News from IHMM Affiliates
National Safety Council
IHMM is a member of the National Safety Council and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
NSC News
- Offshore safety agency final rule bolsters approval process for ‘new or unusual technology’
- Now in Spanish: Oregon OSHA course on confined space safety
- OSHA construction advisory committee and workgroups to meet this month
- MSDs are the top cause of injuries among warehousing and transportation workers: GAO
- NYC councilmember calls for database to track worker deaths
- NIOSH study highlights urgent need for hearing conservation in utility sector
NSC Webinars
- Oct 24 – Simplifying OSHA Rooftop Fall Protection Requirements
- Oct 31 – Engage the Front Line with Integrated Safety Operations
- Nov 7 – Workplace Incidents: Investigations are Key to Prevention
- Nov 14 – NFPA 70B Focusing on Maintenance of Electrical Equipment
- Nov 21 – Worker Participation: How to Motivate Your Team and Engage Employees in Safety
IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
ASSP News
- Oct 17-Nov 14 – ONLINE COURSE : Corporate Safety Management
- Oct 21 – 23 – Live Virtual Classroom: Advanced Safety Management Methods
- Oct 21-22 – Live Virtual Classroom: Risk Assessment and Management for Safety Professionals
- Oct 21 – Live Virtual Classroom: Fundamentals of Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems
- Oct 21 – Safety Management I
- Oct 22 – Integrating Z10 to Manage Occupational Safety & Health
- Oct 22 – Integrating ISO 45001 to Manage Occupational Health & Safety
- Oct 22 – Selling Safety in Your Organization
For a complete list of ASSP Webinars, click here.
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.
Employment Opportunities from the
HMS Job Boards Site
We invite companies to post their industry-relevant employment opportunities on the HMS Jobs Board site. Submissions will be reviewed by staff for approval prior to publishing. Submit your job post today.
- Environmental Engineer III – Arkema is a premier provider of chemicals and materials. Pasadena, TX
- HSE Specialist –Arkema is a premier provider of chemicals and materials. Grand Rapids, MI
Oklahoma State University Becomes an HMS Training Partner
IHMM is pleased to announce that Oklahoma State University’s College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology [CEAT], has become an HMS Training Partner. OSU brings its Environmental Management Certificate Program to us, which runs November 11-15, 2024.
| Nov 11-15, 2024 | OSU CEAT – Environmental Management Certificate | OSU-Tulsa, OK |
University of Cincinnati, OSHA Training Institute, IHMM, and HMS’ New Training Partner Offers Courses for 2024
| Daily | Online |
Aarcher Institute, IHMM, and HMS’ New Training Partner Offers Courses for 2024
| Oct 22-25, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Oct 29-30, 2024 | Online | |
| Oct 31-Nov 1, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Nov 5-8, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Nov 13-15, 2024 | In Person | |
| Nov 19-22, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Dec 3-4, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Dec 10-12, 2024 | Online |
AIHA, HMS Training Partner, Adds Courses for IHMM Certificants
American Industrial Hygiene Association [AIHA] an HMS training partner, has added its first of many courses approved in advance for earning IHMM recertification certification maintenance points. We are pleased to promote these programs in support of IHMM certificants holding the CHMM, CHMP, CSHM, and CSMP credentials. Thank you, AIHA.
Bowen EHS, HMS Training Partner, Adds Courses for IHMM Certificants
Bowen EHS, an HMS training partner, has had 4 courses approved in advance for earning IHMM recertification certification maintenance points. We are pleased to promote these programs as reviewed and approved by the HMS Education and Training Committee, chaired by Diana Lundelius. Thank you Bowen EHS and thank to HMS’ Education and Training Committee.
Thank you Bowen EHS for contributing programs enabling IHMM certificants to engage in professional development and earn important CMPs! All three of the new Bowen EHS programs are available online and on demand.
| Daily | Emergency Management Self-Paced PDC | Online |
Thank you Bowen EHS for contributing programs enabling IHMM certificants to engage in professional development and earn important CMPs! All three of the new Bowen EHS programs are available online and on demand.
Easily Find Courses to Help You Pass IHMM Credential Exams
A core mission of EHS is education and training. Part of that mission includes assembling the best and most effective courses to assist IHMM applicants in passing their IHMM credential exams.
CSHM™ Prep Courses
CSMP™ Prep Courses
HMS Makes Finding Courses to Earn CMPs Easy
Every year more than 1,600 IHMM certificants have to recertify their credentials, evidenced their continuing commitment to improvement and learning to elevate their professional credential.
Earning Certification Maintenance Points [CMPs] is illustrated under Recertification of Your Credential, that includes the Recertification Claims Manual – Appendix A, that details all of the ways a certificant may earn CMPs > https://ihmm.org/recertification-claims/
Having mastered that manual, how does an IHMM certificant find courses to earn CMPs?
HMS has made that simple and easy.
- Go to https://hazmatsociety.org/education-training/
- Scroll down until you see a row of buttons…click on the CMPs button
The system will then generate all of the courses on the HMS E&T platform with IHMM CMPs already attached.
The next developments by the HMS E&T committee will refine available courses’ CMPs by individual credential!
Donate to HMS
One of the most important projects of the Hazardous Materials Society is our Scholarship Program.
HMS wants to make it as easy as possible for those who cannot always afford to participate in pursuing certification, or keeping up with professional development, or attending great conferences and receiving outstanding training. HMS does not solicit contributions from the general public. HMS does ask IHMM’s certificants and their companies and our education and training vendors to consider a contribution.
Here, through your generosity, you can make a difference in promoting the ability of those who can afford it least to become participants in our communities of practice.
It’s never too late to make a difference, so don’t let this opportunity to make a difference pass you by. Please consider a tax-deductible donation of $250, $500 or what you can to help build HMS’s effort to help others in our communities of practice.
Member Benefits of the Hazardous Materials Society
Ninety-nine percent 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.
As an IHMM certificant, you pay no dues to take advantage of IHMM’s Foundation at HMS. We do appreciate IHMM’s certificants encouraging their companies to contribute.
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.
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.
Benefits of a CSU Learning Partnership:
- 10% Tuition Discount
- Exclusive Scholarships
- Waived Application and Evaluation Fees
- Access the Career Services Department
For further assistance or additional information, contact Ernie Smith, [email protected]u, or call 251-923-4055
IHMM-HMS Event Calendar
IHMM has a companion organization for which education and training programs are presented and delivered. The Hazardous Materials Society education and training website can be found here.
9210 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 470
Rockville, Maryland, 20850
www.ihmm.org | [email protected]
Phone: 301-984-8969 | Fax: 301-984-1516