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 School Safety Manager™ [CSSM™]
IHMM’s Certified School Safety Manager™ [CSSM™] credential certifies the school safety professional who is responsible for overseeing and supporting key operational and safety functions in educational facilities. This position may provide direct supervision or advise operations and academic programs in order to provide an environment free of recognized hazards.
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IHMM Credential Recognition
Below you will see the EHS credential badges that are now in each CSHM, CSMP, ASHM, CSSM, and Student ASHM certificant’s MYIHMM account. Every IHMM certificant may use these badges, linked as those below are to their IHMM credential page, for their email signatures, business cards, and other social media applications. You’re justifiably proud of the accomplishment of having earned your credential and you can show the rest of the world. Simply right-click on the badge of choice, then save as to your computer, and then load it to wherever you want to use it and please link that back to https://ihmm.org/.
EHS/Workplace Safety Credentials
Microcredentials
Certified Safety & Health Manager
Certified Safety Management Practitioner
Associate Safety and Health Manager
Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist
Certified School Safety Manager
Student Associate Safety and Health Manager
IHMM Certificant Recognition
Throughout our certificant’s MYIHMM accounts are placed 10-year, 20-year, 30-year, and 40-year badges signifying their longevity as an IHMM certified professional.
With a link from your credential badge to the IHMM website [see above] you can not only stand out as an IHMM-certified professional, you can also promote IHMM credentials to others. Right-click on the badge of choice, save as to your computer, and then load it to whatever medium you choose.
IHMM has Distinguished Diplomates and Fellows of the Institute badges to the appropriate people in the MYIHMM database. These two badges are accompanied by lapel pins sent to each of those distinguished by holding these designations.
IHMM is in all 50 of the United States and in 85 countries around the world.
IHMM Credentials Accredited By
Need Help?
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
- NSC crowns winner of Safety Innovation Challenge
- Study to test new approach for detecting cannabis in breath
- ‘Technology that helps people do a better job’: Closing Keynote focuses on human-robot interaction
- New report looks at worker loneliness
- Advanced Lighting Features Assist with Workplace Safety and Employee Well-Being
- Empowering Workplace Safety: Essential Defib & CPR Practices
- Five Ways a Legal Registry Benefits Business
- Visitor Management: A Frontline Defense in Worker Safety
- AI is everywhere: Can it test fatigue levels in workers?
- Workplaces are often mismanaging mental health risk – here’s how
LABOR
- NY legislation aimed at bolstering highway worker safety
- Nanomaterials in construction: CPWR offers tips on exposure control
- OSHA and safety advocate group call for worker input on proposed heat rule
- Confined spaces: New hazard alert from Kentucky
- Illinois law revises driver’s ed to help protect roadway workers
- MSHA warns of health hazards stemming from diesel exhaust
- Wisconsin Contractor Faces Over $144,000 in OSHA Penalties for Repeated Violations
- Noise Monitoring: A Sound Strategy
- Confined Space Fall Protection: Hazards, Highlights and How to Keep Workers Safe
- Let Safety Incentives Strengthen Fall Protection and Boost Your Safety Culture
- Some Things to Consider in Facility Safety Programs
- Cool Under Pressure: Reducing Heat Stress in the Workplace with Helmet Technology
- Considerations for Choosing Head Protection: OSHA Compliance, Hazard Assessments, and Technology Advancements
- PODCAST | The role of technology in enhancing construction safety
- Children working dangerous jobs — let parents decide?
TRANSPORTATION
SCHOOLS
- Stop Campus Hazing Act Advanced by House Education Committee
- School Shooting Threats: Florida Sheriff Vows to ‘Perp Walk’ Students, Shame Parents
- Virginia Department of Education to Release Final Guidance on Cell Phones in Schools
- Take the 2024 Campus Safety Access Control and Lockdown Survey!
- New Jersey Makes Overdose-Antidote Naloxone Available to All School Districts in the State
- Springfield, Ohio: Schools, Universities, Hospitals Receive Threats Disparaging Haitian Migrants
- New Jersey High School Principal Accused of Not Reporting Child Abuse by City Mayor
- Washington: Highline Public Schools Closed for Third Day Following Cyberattack
- Liberty University Upgrades Its Security Cameras
- Maryland Teen Charged in Shooting of Classmate at Joppatowne High School
- Father of Apalachee High School Shooter Arrested, Charged with Second-Degree Murder
INDUSTRIAL
- OSHA placing more of an emphasis on workplace safety culture
- EPA delays data submission date for ‘forever chemicals’ reporting rule
- Employer support may not appease ‘stuck’ workers who feel wronged: study
- Washington state adopts measure on the voluntary use of PPE
- Enhancing Workplace Safety: How Digital Transformation Is Shaping Manufacturing’s Future
- Wisconsin Animal Feed Plant Faces $161,332 in OSHA Penalties for Dust Hazards
- 10 Most Common OSHA Penalties and Tips to Avoid Them
- Telling Is Not Selling: Gaining Leadership Buy-in for Safety Software
- Proactive Steps to Identify and Reduce Slips, Trips and Falls
- Safeguarding Your Workspace: Strategies to Prevent Industrial Dust Collector Explosions
- Why a Mobile First Safety Strategy Makes Sense for Electrical Workers
- Exploring chemical risk management and green chemistry
- Safety first: Protecting workers in the oil and gas industry as fatalities and injuries are on the rise
OTHER
Inside IHMM
IHMM Earns Reaccreditation from ANAB/ANSI
IHMM is proud to announce that we have earned reaccreditation from the ANSI National Accreditation Board, ANAB, for our CHMM, CHMP, and CDGP credentials.
Accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) signifies that an organization or program meets rigorous standards of quality and reliability. Here are some key points about ANSI accreditation:
- Quality Assurance: ANSI accreditation is recognized both nationally and internationally as a mark of quality. It assures that the accredited entity adheres to established standards and best practices.
- Standards Development: Only ANSI-Accredited Standards Developers (ASDs) can submit standards for approval as American National Standards (ANS). This process ensures that the standards are developed through a consensus-based approach, involving various stakeholders.
- Wide Range of Programs: ANSI accredits a variety of programs, including management systems, personnel certification, and product certification. This helps ensure consistency and reliability across different industries.
- Confidence for Employers: For certificate programs, ANSI accreditation assures employers that the certificate holder has completed a prescribed course of study and meets the necessary competencies.
IHMM’s next credentials slated for ANAB/ANSI accreditation are the Certified Safety and Health Manager™ [CSHM™], and the Certified Safety Management Practitioner™ [CSMP™].
IHMM was at NSC2024 in Orlando This Week
Thank you to everyone who attended the National Safety Council’s Congress and Expo and stopped by IHMM Booth 3947 to say hello to Rosie. A special shout-out to Sarah Walters, who just passed her CHMM exam. Well done, Sarah, and welcome to IHMM!
IHMM Launches 2024 Salary Survey
IHMM is pleased to release the 2024 survey of salaries underlying the workplace safety credentials salaries by job title. You may download the survey as 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
9200 Corporate Blvd, Rockville, MD 20850
IHMM requests the honor of your company on December 3, 2024, for our 40th Anniversary Reception & Celebration, to be held in Rockville, MD.
Join us for an observance of our shared history and recognition of those who have contributed to the Institute’s advancement over the years. Food and drinks will be provided.
The program will consist of opening remarks from the Institute’s leadership and esteemed guests, an awards ceremony, and more.
Please save the date on your calendar and RSVP no later than October 18, 2024, so we can have an accurate headcount for this event.
RSVP Here
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 1,444 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]
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
IHMM Signs Letter Opposing Reductions in OSH Worker’s Pay – The IHMM Government Affairs Committee has agreed to sign a coalition letter opposing reductions in pay for IH and OSH employees. Here is the coalition letter we signed.
IHMM submitted comments on OSHA Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH): Notice of Meetings concerning OSHA-2024-0002-0007, and highlighted the creation of IHMM’s Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential.
State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection is proposing to update Chapter 851, Standards for Generators of Hazardous Waste. In the current regulation, work is required by a professional engineer. IHMM is proposing to include an environmental professional as defined by 40 CFR §312.10.
All IHMM Government Affairs Projects Are Here
Beltway Buzz – Ogletree Deakins
Countdown to Elections. The presidential debate this week between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump kicked off the sprint to the 2024 elections, which will be held fifty-three days from now. Ahead of the debate, and in advance of the election, Harris debuted her policy positions on her campaign website this week. Like most campaign materials, the information is light on details. But with regard to labor and employment, Harris states that she will “fight for unions” and “sign landmark pro-union legislation, including the [Protecting the Right to Organize] PRO Act.” She also states that she will “raise the minimum wage, end sub-minimum wages for tipped workers and people with disabilities, establish paid family and medical leave, and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers.” As for immigration, Harris notes “our immigration system is broken and needs comprehensive reform that includes strong border security and an earned pathway to citizenship.”
Congress Returns. Lawmakers returned to Washington, D.C., this week after their annual August recess (arriving for the first time is Democratic Senator George Helmy from New Jersey, who was appointed to replace Senator Bob Menendez, who resigned amidst a bribery scandal). Up first on the to-do list is federal government funding, which expires in eighteen days. This week Republican leaders in the House kicked off the funding debate by backing a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through March 28, 2025. The bill also includes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a House-passed measure that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. As of this writing, this concept hasn’t moved forward at all, perhaps because it would be dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate. (The White House has already come out against it, characterizing the effort as brinksmanship.) A “clean” CR to extend the funding deadline beyond Election Day seems to be a good bet.
POTUS Issues EO on Labor Contracting Standards. On September 6, 2024, President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) on Investing in America and Investing in American Workers. Echoing previous efforts by the Clinton and Obama administrations to leverage the federal government’s procurement power to assist organized labor, the EO states that the administration’s policy is “to promote the creation of equitable workforce development pathways for workers to obtain good jobs that pay family-sustaining wages, provide critical benefits, prevent workplace discrimination, ensure worker safety, and allow workers a free and fair chance to join a union.” The EO encourages federal agencies to implement the following criteria for federally funded or supported projects (which include grants, loans, and rebates):
- “[P]roject labor agreements, community benefits agreements, collective bargaining agreements, agreements intended to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of services, agreements designed to facilitate first collective bargaining agreements, voluntary union recognition, and neutrality by the employer with respect to union organizing.”
- Prevailing wages and “policies to promote equal pay and eliminate discriminatory pay practices, such as transparency measures.”
- Give preference to contractors “that promote economic security for workers, such as paid leave (including paid sick, family, and medical leave); health care; retirement benefits; and child, dependent, and elder care.”
- Give preference to contractors with “workforce plans that contain strategies for recruiting, hiring, and retaining workers from underserved and local communities.”
- The EO also encourages agencies to refer “alleged violations of law to other executive departments and agencies for a determination of whether circumstances warrant the issuance of financial penalties or collection of relief for workers harmed, withholding further Federal financial assistance pending correction of a deficiency, recovery of some or all Federal funds, or debarment.”
With roughly four months left in his term, the EO is further evidence that President Joe Biden is still taking actions to solidify his self-proclaimed legacy as the most pro-union president in history.
Court of Appeals Upholds DOL “Salary Basis” Authority. This week, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) 2019 overtime rule, which established a $35,568 annual salary threshold below which workers would be eligible for overtime. In upholding the DOL’s authority to use a salary basis as a proxy for determining employees’ eligibility for overtime, the court warned that “[i]f the proxy characteristic frequently yields different results than the characteristic Congress initially chose, then use of the proxy is not so much defining and delimiting the original statutory terms as replacing them.” The case underscores a central argument in the current legal challenges to the Biden administration’s overtime rule, which will set a salary basis of $58,656 per year beginning in 2025: does the new salary threshold “replace” the duties test that the U.S. Congress set forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act? Keith E. Kopplin and Zachary V. Zagger have the details.
EEOC: Both High-Tech Sector and Workforce Lack Diversity. On September 11, 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a report entitled, “High Tech, Low Inclusion: Diversity in the High Tech Workforce and Sector 2014 – 2022.” The report examines sex and race/ethnic diversity in both the high-tech workforce (consisting of workers in STEM occupations regardless of industry) and the high-tech sector (industries with at least 20 percent of high-tech workers) in 2022. The EEOC found:
Our findings detailed in this report show the continued underrepresentation of Black, Hispanic, and female workers in both the high tech workforce and the high tech sector in 2022. Women and all workers of color are also underrepresented as high tech managers in the high tech workforce and as executives and management in the high tech sector.
The report also found that discrimination claims relating to age, pay, and genetic information are more frequent in the high-tech sector (though retaliation is the most common charge filed, as it is across all industries). With regard to enforcement, the report concludes, “The EEOC will continue working to address discrimination in high tech by investigating and resolving charges of discrimination and, when necessary, pursuing litigation.”
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
EPA Finalizes Policy for Meaningful Engagement and Public Participation in Agency Decision-Making Processes
WASHINGTON — Today, September 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the release of the final Achieving Health and Environmental Protection Through EPA’s Meaningful Engagement Policy. The new policy outlines updates on how the agency intends to engage with the public and provide meaningful public participation opportunities in all of its programs and regions. This policy is grounded in the acknowledgment that EPA’s actions to protect public health and the environment are stronger when they are informed by and reflect the lived experiences of the communities and individuals the agency serves.
“EPA’s ability to deliver critical public health and environmental protections to all communities depends on the meaningful input that our stakeholders share with us,” said Theresa Segovia, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. “The Biden-Harris Administration has made it a priority to engage with and hear from the American people, and our updated policy brings EPA one step closer to meeting our mission and solving some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our lifetimes.”
EPA’s Meaningful Engagement Policy highlights three steps to help EPA staff design appropriate and effective processes for meaningful engagement and public participation for a particular action or situation, recognizing that engagement processes will need to be tailored to meet different program or decision contexts, and the people we serve. The three steps include:
- Understanding EPA actions and key issues the public can inform.
- Identifying the expected level of participation using EPA’s public participation spectrum.
- Identifying the appropriate engagement tools and practices using EPA’s public participation model.
Although this document does not create new legal requirements or mandatory obligations for EPA, the recommendations finalized in the policy provide the public with meaningful engagement opportunities for program and regional needs. This final policy updates and supersedes EPA’s 2003 “Public Involvement Policy.” It builds on EPA’s foundational commitment to ensuring that the public has timely, accessible, and accurate information about EPA programs, and that EPA teams provide opportunities for participation that foster a spirit of mutual trust, confidence, and openness between the agency and the public. The final policy also advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to meaningful engagement and President Biden’s Executive Orders 13985, 14094 (supported by the guidance Broadening Public Participation and Community Engagement in the Regulatory Process (pdf)), and 13990, 14008 and 14096 to revitalize our nation’s commitment to environmental justice.
To learn more about the final policy, please visit EPA’s website.
Background
In 1981, recognizing the requirements for meaningful public engagement in authorizing statutes and executive orders, EPA issued its Public Participation Policy (pdf), addressing public participation in decision-making, rulemaking, and program implementation by the Agency and entities carrying out EPA programs. In 2003, the agency published its updated Public Involvement Policy (pdf), resulting from the multi-year effort of the cross-agency “Review of EPA Public Participation Policies” Workgroup established in 1999. EPA had success with hosting regular meetings of a cross-agency community of practice, building a web portal, developing training, publishing a newsletter, documenting case studies, and collecting information on customer satisfaction.
Read the Federal Register Notice containing the updated policy. EPA’s Response to Comments document addresses comments received during the 60-day public and Tribal consultation period from November 16, 2023, to January 16, 2024, and is also available in the Federal Register and on EPA’s website.
OSHA Federal Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health
The agency announced that the Federal Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH) will meet October 17, 2024, by WebEx. Find meeting details and how to participate here.
The agency published a combined ICR related to its on-sire consultation programs. These programs allow for an OSHA inspector to visit a facility and provide guidance towards achieving compliance and mitigating hazards. See the ICR here.
A second ICR published deals with OSHA’s guidance for requesting and using variances. These variances may be used to relax the enforcement of various OSHA regulations or to use alternate means of compliance during emergency situations like natural disasters. Find this ICR here.
EPA – Fraud Alert: Notice of Violation Letter Phishing Scam
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General is issuing this fraud alert to highlight an increasingly common phishing scam involving fraudulent EPA Notice of Violation letters. In this scam, a fraudster sends a falsified EPA Notice of Violation letter to a target business and requests that the business respond by phone or email.
In recent instances of this crime, a fraudster sent falsified letters through email or U.S. Postal Service mail. The letters allege that the target business violated an environmental regulation such as the Clean Air Act. They indicate that the business owes thousands of dollars in fines and should respond by phone or email. However, the contact information provided—[email protected]—is NOT associated with the EPA. Official U.S. government organizations use the “.gov” domain name; for example, “epa.gov.”
If you receive a Notice of Violation letter and are unsure of its validity, we encourage you to thoroughly review the letter, including the email address, and contact the EPA’s enforcement office directly to verify authenticity.
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud, or have knowledge of potential waste, fraud, or abuse involving EPA operations and programs, report it to the EPA OIG Hotline by completing the online complaint form, emailing [email protected], or calling (888) 546-8740.
Planning Ahead for Tax Reform in 2025
Earlier this month, the ASAE Board approved a strategic investment to allow ASAE to take the lead in advocating for associations as Congress shapes a tax reform package next year.
- Sweeping Trump-era tax breaks established in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will expire in 2025.
- This sets the table for a major tax reform battle in Congress.
- There is disconcerting talk on Capitol Hill about targeting associations and other tax-exempt organizations for additional tax revenue.
- This poses a significant threat to our community and we will need your support to fight off this legislative attack.
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
The House and Senate are in recess until mid-September.
S. 722 / H.R. 1477 / Coalition Roster
Important Stories for IHMM Certificants
University of Maryland Global Campus Joins IHMM ASHM Program
Jan Rosenberg, CSHM, and Chair of the IHMM Associate Safety and Health Manager Committee [ASHM] https://ihmm.org/ashm-committee/ is pleased to announce that the University of Maryland Global Campus has been approved to join the IHMM ASHM program with its B.S. degree in Environmental Health.
IHMM’s Associate Safety and Health Manager™ (ASHM™) credential recognizes professionals who are recent Bachelor’s degree graduates with a focus on health and safety-related fields. This credential puts the holder on the fast track to the CSHM credential.
The University of Maryland Global Campus is the 42nd college or university to join the IHMM ASHM program and work with IHMM to spread the news about the tremendous benefits of IHMM certifications to recent graduates of colleges and universities.
The University of Maryland Global Campus is part of a university with 75+ years of experience serving working adults, servicemembers, and their families, UMGC knows what your unique academic journey entails: hard work, perseverance, and determination. Student success is what we are made for. That focus is why we are committed to having your back every step along the path toward achieving your educational goals.
See: UMGC > https://www.umgc.edu/online-degrees/bachelors/environmental-health-safety
OSHA and NIOSH remember 9/11
Worker safety agencies took time on Wednesday to remember the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.
OSHA posted “We remember” on its website, with a link to a YouTube video listing the names of everyone who died in the terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York City; the Pentagon in Arlington, VA; and the Flight 93 plane crash in Shanksville, PA.
Government Shutdown Threat Looms This Month
Speaker Mike Johnson is planning to put a short-term government funding bill on the floor next week. It would keep federal agencies open until March 2025 at funding levels agreed to under last year’s Fiscal Responsibility Act.
To appease the House Freedom Caucus, Johnson will attach the SAVE Act to the funding bill, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in a federal election. Even if the bill gets through the House – and House Democrats have issues with the funding levels – it is likely a non-starter in the Senate, where Democrats have labeled the SAVE Act as a “scare tactic” since it’s already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections.
What they’re saying: “Demanding outrageous partisan poison pills is a nonstarter,” said Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA). “We’ve seen this movie before and we know how it ends. Senate Democrats will continue to work in a bipartisan way to ensure we can keep the government funded and deliver responsible, bipartisan spending bills that can actually be signed into law before the end of the year.”
Government funding expires on Sept. 30, and it’s unlikely there will be a government shutdown so close to the elections. Johnson likely wants to tee this up next week – as soon as the House and Senate are back from recess – to allow time to pivot in strategy should the vote fail.
The House and Senate returns to Washington on September 9th.
OSHA – Proposed Rule to Protect Indoor and Outdoor Workers from Extreme Heat
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a proposed rule that would protect approximately 36 million workers in indoor and outdoor work settings from extreme heat. The proposed rule would require employers to develop an injury and illness prevention plan to control heat hazards in workplaces affected by excessive heat. Among other things, the plan would require employers to evaluate heat risks and — when heat increases risks to workers — implement requirements for drinking water, rest breaks and control of indoor heat. It would also require a plan to protect new or returning workers unaccustomed to working in high heat conditions.
An official version of the proposed rule will soon be published in the Federal Register. The public is encouraged to submit written comments on the rule once it is published. The agency also anticipates a public hearing after the close of the written comment period. For more information, please see OSHA’s New Release and Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Setting Rulemaking webpage.
OSHA looking to partner with employers to curb injuries and deaths, agency leader Doug Parker says
OSHA is seeking to harness the power of employers as a “force multiplier” to improve worker safety and health, according to agency leader Doug Parker.
OSHA is also attempting “to think differently” about how it can be a partner to businesses.
“Together, we can apply a values-driven approach and we can genuinely make a difference in the lives of workers,” Parker said during a presentation at the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo. “When I look at the statistics of workers who died, the reality is that for the last 20 years, we have not made enough progress. It’s incumbent on us to take risks, challenge ourselves and look at how we can do things differently to reduce fatality rates and injury rates.
“That’s what drives me. We invite you to be a part of the solution.”
One step OSHA is taking is modernizing its Voluntary Protection Programs, which entails a broader set of goals. Those include increasing the adoption of safety and health systems and advocating employers to embrace safety and health as a core value.
DOL renews charter for OSHA advisory committee
Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su has renewed the two-year charter for OSHA’s National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health.
According to a notice published Sept. 12, the charter now runs through Sept. 4, 2026.
The 12-member committee advises, consults with and makes recommendations to the secretaries of labor and health and human services on matters relating to workplace safety and health.
US Department of Labor launches Severe Injury Report dashboard, providing interactive view of injuries across states
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today unveiled an online tool giving users the ability to search its severe injury report database and view trends related to workplace injuries occurring in states covered by federal OSHA.
The Severe Injury Report dashboard allows users to search and download data by year, industry, state, establishment name, and Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System codes. The dashboard includes information on all severe injuries reported by employers covered under federal OSHA since 2015.
OSHA encourages workers and employers to use the dashboard to learn how severe injuries happen in their industries and use the agency’s available resources to help prevent workplace injuries. A brief instructional video is available to demonstrate how to use the dashboard.
Federal law requires employers to notify OSHA of a work-related in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours of the incident. The agency’s compliance assistance specialists and on-site consultations are available across the country and in U.S. territories to help employers.
Learn more about OSHA’s severe injury report data, and the severe injury reporting requirement.
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.
What is School Safety? 5 Essential Resources for Learning & Application
Navigating the basics of school safety can be challenging, especially if you’re unsure how to begin. In our latest Spotlight, released today, we offer five trainings and resources to help guide users through the essentials of school safety. Learn more here.
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Back-to-School Resources
As schools and students across the country prepare for the new school year, here are resources to support a safe and successful return to the classroom:
- School Staff: Back-to-School Resources
- Caregivers: Back to School Resources
- SchoolSafety.gov’s Back-to-School Campaign
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Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board
The Department of Homeland Security announced the inaugural members of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse External Advisory Board. The NCSS is honored to be part of this dedicated group of experts working to enhance K-12 school safety and security nationwide. Learn more here.
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Understanding Firearm-Related Injury and School Violence
In this 5-part podcast interview series released earlier this year, experts cover crucial topics like youth suicide prevention, anonymous reporting systems, and community engagement. Listeners will gain a comprehensive understanding of how school safety strategies intersect with firearm-related injuries.
- Episode 1 – Contributing Factors for Firearm-Related Injuries
- Episode 2 – Firearm Safety, School Violence, and Youth Suicide
- Episode 3 – Extreme Risk Protection Orders
- Episode 4 – Anonymous Reporting Systems
- Episode 5 – Community Engagement
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8 Lessons Learned From a Real-Life Swatting Incident
Last fall we hosted a live webinar with staff from the city of Franklin, New Hampshire, and the Franklin School District. The discussion highlighted their response to a swatting incident in 2022.
With these crises becoming more common nationwide, preparation is crucial. Our latest blog post shares valuable insights from the Franklin team that may help school districts address potential security issues. Learn more here.
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Qualitative Risk Analysis: A Tool for the IH/OS Toolbox
Hazard analysis is the process of evaluating and identifying potential hazards associated with a system, process, or activity. Whether performed through qualitative or quantitative methods, the goal remains the same: to understand and control risks before they materialize into serious issues.
Effective hazard analysis helps industrial hygiene (IH) and occupational safety (OS) professionals understand what could go wrong, how it could happen, and the possible consequences, so that you can guide your organization to implementing control measures that minimize or eliminate risks. This systemic approach is a fundamental component of risk management and safety management systems. It is used across various industries to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks that could impact the safety and well-being of people, property, and the environment.
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
- DOL renews charter for OSHA advisory committee
- Which hourly workers leave their shifts ‘feeling good’?
- Nanomaterials in construction: CPWR offers tips on exposure control
- As people’s mental effort increases, so do negative feelings: study
- OSHA and NIOSH remember 9/11
- Report calls for focus on transportation worker mental health
NSC Webinars
- Sept 26 – Written Safety Plans: Not Just a Paperwork Exercise
- Oct 3 – Frontline Impact: Engaging EHS and Sustainability Teams for Better Information and Insights with Practical AI
- Oct 10 – Hearing Conservation: Hear from the Experts in Tablet-Based Hearing Testing
- Oct 17 – Bloodborne Pathogens Terminology: Exposing the Regulation One Term at a Time
- Oct 24 – Simplifying OSHA Rooftop Fall Protection Requirements
IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
ASSP News
- Sept 26-Oct 24 – ONLINE COURSE: Integrating Z10 to Manage Occupational Health & Safety
- Sept 26-Oct 10 – ONLINE COURSE: Prevention through Design
- Oct 3-31 – ONLINE COURSE: Safety Management I
- Oct 10-Nov 7 – ONLINE COURSE: Safety Management II
- 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
For a complete list of ASSP Webinars, click here.
10 Facts About the State of Workplace Safety in the U.S.
While U.S. workplace safety has improved since the passage of the landmark Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act in 1970, progress has recently stalled — even as enduring problems like safety inequity continue and new hazards emerge.
The comprehensive annual report, “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2024” published by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) covers the state of workplace safety in the U.S., highlighting several key issues:
- Black and Latino workers are at greater risk for injury, illness or death on the job.
- New and worsening hazards such as workplace violence, heat and infectious disease must be addressed to reduce their growing threat to workplace safety and well-being.
- Job safety agencies have been flat-funded for years, not even keeping up with inflation. Employees and resources have shrunk as responsibilities have grown.
- The OSH Act is more than 50 years old now and needs updates, particularly to its whistleblower programs and protections, and to strengthen criminal prosecution and penalties.
- Workplace injuries and illnesses remain underreported and costly, and changes to data reporting obscure the true scope of these problems.
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
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
| Sept 24-26, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Oct 1-4, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| Oct 8-9, 2024 | Online and In Person | |
| 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.
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