Thursday, September 21, 2023
EHS Professional is an online publication of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)
are compiled from independent sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IHMM.
Certified 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.
See your CSSM here
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IHMM Credential Recognition
Below you will see the EHS credential badges that are now in each CSHM, CSMP, ASHM, CSSM, and Student ASHM certificant’s MYIHMM account. Every IHMM certificant may use these badges, linked as those below are to their IHMM credential page, for their email signatures, business cards, and other social media applications. You’re justifiably proud of the accomplishment of having earned your credential and you can show the rest of the world. Simply right-click on the badge of choice, then save as to your computer, and then load it to wherever you want to use it and please link that back to https://ihmm.org/.
EHS/Workplace Safety Credentials
Certified Safety & Health Manager
Certified Safety Management Practitioner
Associate Safety and Health Manager
Certified School Safety Manager
Student Associate Safety and Health Manager
Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist
IHMM Certificant Recognition
IHMM has completed inserting new credential badges in every certificant’s MYIHMM account. Everyone may access those badges for use in their email signatures, LinkedIn accounts, and other social media and communications media. With a link from your credential badge to the IHMM website [see above] you can not only stand out as an IHMM-certified professional, you can also promote IHMM credentials to others. Right-click on the badge of choice, save as to your computer, then load it to whatever medium you choose.
Throughout our certificant’s MYIHMM accounts are also now placed 10 Year, 20 Year, and 30 Year badges signifying their longevity as an IHMM certified professional.
IHMM has also added Distinguished Diplomates and Fellows of the Institute badges to the appropriate people in the MYIHMM database. These two badges will be accompanied by new lapel pins to be sent to each of those distinguished by holding these designations.
IHMM Credentials Accredited By
Need Help? On the IHMM website just click on the “NEED HELP?” button
and let us know what you need and the right person will get right back with you.
IHMM UPDATES
Federal inspectors find Missouri roofing contractor allowed employees to work without fall protection, leading to young worker’s fatal injuries
Superman Corp. Hit with $73,219 in OSHA Penalties for Trenching Hazards
JMH Roofing LLC Faces OSHA Penalties for Lack of Fall Protection
Workplace violence in health care: Lawmakers seek stiffer penalties
Bill aimed at readying workplaces to respond to opioid overdoses
California bill aimed at curbing workplace violence heads to governor’s desk
White House reviewing MSHA rule on surface mobile equipment safety
Ohio contractor facing $548K in OSHA fines
NIOSH: Healthcare workers most injured by sharps
Fire safety issues often overlooked in safety auditing & inspections
DOL to clarify regulations on authorized employee representation during workplace inspections
Technology adoption critical components in high-risk environments
Security Market Index: July/August 2023 Edition
School Safety Communications Planning Guide
School Safety At A Glance
HPU Poll: North Carolinians Say School Safety and Inflation Are Top
AIHA – Insights from Our Membership Survey
The 5 Benefits of Construction Workforce Intelligence
Top Construction Megaprojects of 2023
Infrastructure backlog jumps 24%, pushing demand to ‘upper end of historic levels’
Inside construction firms’ fight for workers
Bill would mandate E-Verify nationwide, raise minimum wage
Back to Basics: Natural Disaster Response – EHS Daily Advisor
OMB Issues Final Build America, Buy America (BABA) Guidance
Atlanta Public Schools to Start Ticketing Drivers Caught Speeding on Camera
Regulators Struggle to Rein in Amazon on Safety for Warehouse Workers
Trade Associations, Advocacy Groups and Labor Union Push Congress to Pass Marijuana Banking Bill ‘This Year’ for Worker Safety
Building for the Future: Safety Major Shares her Internship Story
Health Workers Warn Loosening Mask Advice in Hospitals Would Harm Patients and Providers
Seattle Workers Rally for New Contract, Express Outrage Over City Proposal
Fatal Workplace Incident in Northeast Calgary Under Investigation
A Federal Agency Wants to Give Safety Tips to Young Adults, So it’s Dropping an Album
School Resource Officer Leads Charge to Safety Amid Bomb Threat at Ross Elementary
Opinion: School Safety is a Shared Responsibility
We Need a Revival of ESG in Construction
Inside Contractors’ Top Concerns in 2023 and Into 2024
An Electrical Transformer Shortage has Big Implications for Housing, Renewables
Contractors’ Key to Better Project Performance? Automated Site Data Tools
Covid Infections Rise as OSHA Health-Care Inspections, Rule Lag
What Does OSHA Stand for in Medical Terms?
OSHA Finds Highway Shooting of Employee to Be Work-Related and Recordable
At New Mental Health Courts in CA, Judges Will be Able to Mandate Treatment
Central High Students Walked Out of Class in Protest of a Safety Officer’s Transfer
INSIDE IHMM
IHMM Earns Continued ANSI/ANAB Accreditation – CSHM and CSMP Next
IHMM has earned continued accreditation of its CHMM, CHMP, and CDGP credentials. In a letter from Dr. Vijay Krishna of the ANSI National Accreditation Board to IHMM’s Director of Examinations and Accreditation, M. Patricia, Buley,
“The Personnel Credentialing Accreditation Committee (PCAC) of the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) convened and reviewed the assessment report for IHMM’s 2023 Year 4 Surveillance. I am delighted to inform you that PCAC agreed with the assessors’ recommendation to close the NCR for 9.3.5 and voted to grant continued accreditation for IHMM’s CHMM, CHMP, and CDGP certifications under ISO/IEC 17024:2012.
On behalf of the ANSI National Accreditation Board, I would like to congratulate IHMM for demonstrating continued compliance with the standard. We look forward to a sustained partnership with you and your team.”
The continuation of IHMM ANSI/ANAB Accreditation is here.
The CSHM Scheme Committee, chaired by Steve Guillory, CSHM, and the CSMP Scheme Committee, Chaired by Kevin Herron, CSMP, are in the latter stages of completing new exams for their respective credentials as of this writing. When completed in Q4 this year, IHMM intends on applying for ANSI/ANAB accreditation for the CSHM and CSMP. ANSI/ANAB accreditation is the highest third-party accreditation in the United States and throughout much of the world.
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, IHMM’s certificants.
On August 29, 2023 IHMM’s Executive Director made a presentation of this strategic imperative to the AHMP annual conference. Here is what IHMM intends to organize over the next few months:
Federal Government – Regulatory. We need a group of people watching Federal regulatory developments to advise when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in the agencies.
Federal Government – Congress. We need a group of people watching legislation to advise us when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in Congress.
State Governments – Regulatory. We need a group of people watching state regulatory developments to advise when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in the agencies.
State Governments – Legislatures. We need a group of people watching legislation to advise us when taking action can be helpful and raise our visibility in state legislatures.
If you want to make a difference in the recognition of your credentials and build on the successful record we have achieved thus far – we need you to volunteer. Please see > https://ihmm.org/join-the-government-affairs-committee/ and get involved with government affairs. You can volunteer for one, two, three or all four of the segments of the committee’s work. That’s up to you!
The full presentation may be viewed here.
There are 1,052 different conversations going on in the IHMM/HMS Collaboration platform this week.
A collaborative culture is important for every business but is especially important for our hazardous materials, dangerous goods, environment, health, and safety communities of practice. Do you have a problem you need to solve and want the opinions of your colleagues? This is where we come together to help each other.
IHMM credentialed professionals are at the top 1% of their professions and their reach is global. We are at the forefront of environmental protection, health, and safety and this is where collaborating with the best people in their fields, always willing to help one another, lessens the stress of our jobs, and where we strive as a team to make a difference of which we are proud.
We opened COLLABORATION to enable thousands of certificants and supporters to collaborate together. You can collaborate here.
Access to COLLABORATION is through the same username/password you use to access your MYIHMM account. Having a problem? Contact Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected]
IHMM GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Beltway Buzz – Ogletree Deakins
The House Returns, Shutdown Looms. The U.S. House of Representatives returned this week from its August break. As the Buzz has discussed recently, the federal government appropriations process is front and center, and all eyes this week were on Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who is being pressured on his right flank by Republicans who want to limit federal government spending. Things got off to an inauspicious start this week as votes on spending bills were delayed. The U.S. Congress has fifteen days to pass funding legislation or a continuing resolution to avert a federal government shutdown on October 1, 2023.
Senators Release Bipartisan AI Framework. The chair and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO), released a framework for bipartisan legislation relating to artificial intelligence. The framework outlines parameters for any future legislation dealing with artificial intelligence (AI) and would:
- Require companies developing such technologies to register with an independent oversight body. The independent body would be empowered to audit companies seeking licenses.
- Call for administrative enforcement and private rights of action when AI company “models and systems breach privacy, violate civil rights, or otherwise cause cognizable harms.” The framework specifically notes that current law shielding tech companies from third-party online content does not apply.
- Empower Congress with tools “to limit the transfer of advanced A.I. models, hardware and related equipment, and other technologies” to foreign adversaries.
- Establish transparency and notice requirements for companies developing and deploying AI.
While there is no lack of congressional interest surrounding artificial intelligence, getting any legislation passed will be no easy task. That said, a bipartisan framework advanced by two unlikely partners could be a positive first step.
EEOC, DOL Enter MOU. On September 13, 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) “to encourage greater coordination between them through information sharing, joint investigations, training, and outreach.” Regarding investigations and enforcement, the MOU states:
- “When, during the course of an investigation, agency personnel have reason to believe that conduct may have occurred that the other agency could deem unlawful under its laws, the investigating agency personnel will advise the potential complainant or filing party that they may be able to file a charge or complaint with the other agency.”
- “In appropriate cases, the agencies will determine whether to conduct coordinated investigations of matters arising within both agencies’ jurisdictions.”
The MOU is another example of coordinated agency enforcement efforts in this administration, such as the DOL and National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) agreement relating to employment relationships, or the NLRB and Federal Trade Commission agreement relating to alternative workplace arrangements and noncompete agreements.
Wilcox Officially Rejoins Board. Gwynne Wilcox was sworn in as a member of the National Labor Relations Board this week. This officially returns Democrats to a 3–1 majority on the Board. Chair Lauren McFerran is the next current Board member whose term is up, but that is not until December 16, 2024.
Republicans Introduce Minimum Wage, E-Verify Bill. This week a group of Republican senators introduced the Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2023. The bill would:
- gradually increase the federal minimum wage over four years and then index it to inflation;
- mandate E-Verify for all employers after an eighteen-month phase-in; and
- increase civil and criminal penalties for I-9 violations.
The bill isn’t likely to advance in the current Congress.
Professional Certification Coalition
IHMM is a member of the PCC. The PCC monitors state and federal legislative and regulatory activity affecting professional certification on an ongoing basis. The PCC has compiled several “Watchlists” identifying and analyzing provisions in pending legislation at both the state and federal level that, under applicable rules, may still be enacted in the current legislative session. Depending on the carry-over rules in the relevant legislature, the charts listing current legislation may include bills introduced in a prior year. In addition, the PCC compiles each year a chart of enacted legislation that affects certification. The charts include hyperlinks to every bill or executive order. Note that the Watchlist and the Enacted Legislation document do not include profession-specific legislation and do not include regulatory initiatives. The charts will be updated as needed based on new developments.
IHMM Credential Recognition
The highest priority of IHMM’s Government Affairs Committee is the recognition of IHMM’s credentials by government. We have made substantial progress in the two years we have undertaken this endeavor, as outlined in detail here > https://ihmm.org/credential-recognition/
In this project we have 45-in-5, increasing the number of states that recognize IHMM credentials.
- We have already succeeded in 13 states – New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arkansas, Oklahoma. Ohio, North Dakota, and Georgia. [Red states in the map above]. These are states where IHMM credentials are cited or 40 CFR 312.10 is cited by reference.
- We have partially succeeded in another 16 states – Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine. [Orange/Black Stripe states in the map above] These are states where the requirements of an “environmental professional” or QEP are cited that coincide with an IHMM credential so that relatively little work would need to be done to clarify the desired outcome.
- We have 21 states where no reference to an IHMM credential is made in either statute or regulation, nor is there anything defined in the area of an environmental professional. These states will require legislation or regulatory work. [Yellow states in the map above].
in January 2022 Gene Guilford released the 40 CFR § 312.10 EPA regulation that states a private certification that meets or exceeds the requirements of the regulation is an Environmental Professional under the regulation. Here is the crosswalk between the 40 CFR § 312.10 EPA regulation and the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager [CHMM] blueprint. The CHMM meets or exceeds the requirements of an Environmental Professional.
Here’s what we ask each volunteer to do:
- Watch legislative and regulatory developments in your state that provide an opportunity for us to create amendments or other interventions
- Be willing to speak with regulators and legislators in your area about the recognition efforts we craft together
DEI Major Factor in Job Decisions for Candidates
However, only 29% of employees say their company has taken more action in the past six months to demonstrate its commitment to DEI.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is still a key factor for 53% of U.S. workers when considering a company for employment, according to research from Eagle Hill Consulting.
Age is a factor in this perception as it’s important to Gen Z at 77% compared to Millennials at 63%.
When considering a new job, employees say it is important that there are employees they identify with (63%), leaders they identify with (59%), and that DEI is a priority for the CEO (52%).
Read more by clicking here.
Georgia Grain Silo Cited for Safety Violations that Led to Worker’s Death
Cedar Head LLC faces $41,303 in penalties following the tragic incident.
Colquitt, Georgia-based Cedar Head LLC is under scrutiny following a tragic incident at their grain silo, which led to the death of a 59-year-old worker in April 2023.
According to a release dated Sept. 15, an OSHA investigation discovered the silo operator failed to comply with grain-handling safety regulations which could have prevented the fatal incident. The worker was reportedly attempting to dislodge grain clumps inside a half-filled bin, standing atop the grain while the bin’s auger was in operation when the grain unexpectedly shifted. As a result, the worker was engulfed and suffocated.
Following this investigation, OSHA inspectors cited Cedar Head with nine serious violations. These included the company’s failure to do the following: train employees on grain bin safety protocols, assess potential hazards before employees enter a bin, lock out and de-energize machinery effectively, provide workers with body harnesses and lifelines as well as rescue equipment and employ communication to ensure workers have support when inside a bin.
Read more by clicking here.
US Department of Labor Awards More Than $1.5M in Grants to Prevent, Respond to Workplace Gender-based Violence, Harassment
Funding seeks to help underserved, marginalized women workers, survivors
The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $1.5 million in grants to support efforts by five community organizations to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and harassment against underserved and marginalized women workers.
Administered by the department’s Women’s Bureau and the Employment and Training Administration, the Fostering Access, Rights and Equity grants will help survivors and women at high risk for violence and harassment in the workplace.
“Eliminating gender-based violence and harassment wherever it exists is an administration priority, including in and around the workplace,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “The grants we’ve announced today reflect the Department of Labor’s commitment and strategy to ensure workers are safe and respected in their workplaces.”
Read more by clicking here.
OSHA Forms Alliance with Lamar Advertising Co. to Bolster Worker Safety
The partnership will focus on issues specific to outdoor advertising.
Lamar Advertising Co.—which specializes in outdoor advertising—has just partnered with both federal OSHA and the Oregon state division to improve workplace safety.
According to a release dated Sept. 18, this collaboration will focus on mitigating risks specific to the outdoor advertising industry. Chief concerns include fall protection, the use of PPE, ladder safety, electrical safety and the control of hazardous energy. This partnership was established on Sept. 15 and is currently set to continue for a minimum of two years.
The alliance with Lamar Advertising is part of the OSHA Alliance Program, which allows organizations to voluntarily collaborate in spreading awareness of OSHA’s work. Key objectives will include providing the company’s management and employees with guidance and training to ensure worker safety, promoting a culture of workplace safety and health, and amplifying the awareness of both workers’ rights and the responsibilities of employers under the law.
Read more by clicking here.
Study of construction workers identifies common drivers of suicidal thoughts
Stress, long hours and job insecurity are some of the top challenges contributing to mental health issues among construction workers in Australia, results of a recent study show.
After interviewing 15 construction workers with different jobs in the industry, researchers identified other themes also related to “suicidal ideation and distress”:
- Family and relationship problems
- Social disconnection
- Financial hardships
- Perceived lack of support
- Alcohol and drug use
- Child custody/access and legal issues
- Mental health challenges, trauma or a significant adverse life event
Read more by clicking here.
US Department of Labor Recovers More Than $120K in Back Wages, Damages After 2 South Carolina Plumbing Employees Deny Overtime to Workers
U.S. Department of Labor investigators found two South Carolina plumbing companies failed to pay some employees the applicable overtime rates owed to them for hours over 40 in a workweek, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Specifically, investigators found the following:
- Hill Plumbing & Air failed to include pre- and post-shift hours worked, on-call pay and non-discretionary incentive bonuses in the regular rate for overtime purposes.
- Love Plumbing and Air failed to include commissions in the regular rate when computing the half-time premium due in overtime workweeks.
Read more by clicking here.
How Employers Can Support and Protect Whistleblowers Mental Health
Blowing the whistle can be emotionally taxing, and the mental health of whistleblowers is something employers should prioritize and protect.
When employees come forward to report misconduct or unethical behavior within their organization, they are known as whistleblowers. These individuals play a crucial role in maintaining transparency and accountability in the workplace. However, blowing the whistle can be an emotionally taxing experience, and the mental health of whistleblowers is something employers should prioritize and protect. Here’s how employers can support and safeguard the mental well-being of whistleblowers.
Read more by clicking here.
Being Proactive About Seasonal Worker Safety Pays Off in Long Run
Technology can mitigate the injuries associated with seasonal work.
Seasonal and temporary hires are a necessity for a number of industries from manufacturing and warehousing down to shipping, logistics, and even agriculture. They’re the lifeblood that carries businesses through their busiest seasons.
Yet as businesses staff up to meet increased demand in summer months through the holidays, it can be difficult to maintain the same standard of safety as long-term hires. With this lack of consistency in safety practices, it’s no surprise that summer months see higher rates of workplace accidents.
By investing in workplace safety measures and leveraging emerging technology, companies can mitigate accidents — particularly for seasonal workers — which can save money in the long run and simultaneously support long-term staffing needs. At the end of the day, an engaged workforce that feels part of a broader mission is more productive and, just as important, safer.
Read more by clicking here.
Teamsters call for strong federal oversight of driverless trucks
Federal regulation of autonomous trucks must “prioritize both workers and safety,” the International Brotherhood of Teamsters says.
In a recently released framework document, the labor union lists suggestions Congress and federal regulators should consider when forming federal policy on autonomous trucks. Among them: Include a requirement for human operators and don’t issue rules that override any on the state level that have “greater protections.”
The labor union provides five principles to guide policy: regulating the vehicle, regulating the operator, regulating operations, interaction with other laws and workforce impacts.
Read more by clicking here.
DOL Awards Cornell University $2 Million for Disability Workforce Inclusion Initiative
The grant aims to enhance inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities.
Cornell University has just secured a $2 million grant, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
According to a release dated Sept. 14, the DOL designated these funds to support an employer-focused, disability policy development and technical assistance center at the institution. This donation is slated for the initial year of a collaborative agreement and will serve to extend the work of the agency’s Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN).
Notably, EARN plays a pivotal role in guiding employers, human resource specialists and teams focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Their objective is to gather essential resources to better recruit, hire, promote and retain individuals with disabilities, emphasizing those from traditionally marginalized groups.
Read more by clicking here.
Department of Labor Encourages Heavy, Highway Construction Industries to Join Survey to Set Prevailing Wage Rates in Arizona
The U.S. Department of Labor is asking employers in Arizona’s heavy and highway construction industries to participate in a survey to help the department’s Wage and Hour Division establish prevailing wage rates for construction workers employed on federally funded and federally assisted projects.
The Davis-Bacon Act and Related Acts directs the department to set the prevailing wage rates that reflect the actual wages and fringe benefits paid to construction workers in the county where the work takes place.
This survey requests information about wages paid to construction workers on all heavy and highway construction projects in Arizona that occurred between Oct. 1, 2022, and Dec. 29, 2023. This is a statewide survey and is not limited to federally funded construction projects. The division will begin collecting data on Sept. 15, 2023, and conclude the survey on Jan. 15, 2024.
Read more by clicking here.
House bill would limit how long acting DOL secretaries can serve
A House committee has approved legislation that would set a limit on how long an acting secretary can lead the Department of Labor.
Advanced by the House Education and the Workforce Committee with a 23-19 vote on Sept. 14, the Department of Labor Succession Act (H.R. 4957) would amend the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998. Under the law, the deputy labor secretary is to “perform the duties of the secretary until a successor is appointed.”
The move would limit the tenure of an acting secretary to seven months (210 days) from when a vacancy occurs or as long as a pending nomination is before the Senate. The law permits an additional seven months from the point when “the first nomination” is rejected by the Senate, withdrawn by the president or returned to the president (usually after the end of a calendar year).
Read more by clicking here.
Making ‘Cents’ of Workplace Safety Programs
During times of economic uncertainty, safety programs are more important than ever. Learn how to make the business case with upper management.
In this time of uncertainty in global markets, organizations are reevaluating their operations and looking to restructure or reduce costs. While many critical investments keep your business running no matter the market conditions, perhaps none are as important as the one you make in workplace safety.
Instead of looking at environment, health, and safety (EHS) programs as cost centers, now is the time to double down on the long-term benefits these programs can bring by measuring and showcasing the robust return on investment (ROI) they can deliver. Seen this way, continuing safety programs is a way to protect the bottom line—not something that adds to it.
Read more by clicking here.
The Dr. John H. Frick Memorial IHMM Scholarship Program
The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management is pleased to have created $32,000 in academic scholarships, divided equally between $16,000 for students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education in approved schools and who are also Student CHMMs, and $16,000 for students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education in approved schools and who are also Student ASHMs.
IHMM seeks to foster the growth and academic success of students whose courses of education, and participation in one of our Student certifications, will lead to those students becoming fully-certified IHMM credential holders later in their professional lives.
Go to > https://ihmm.org/scholarship/
IHMM CSHMⓇ 2022 Salary Survey
IHMM is pleased to release its 2022 salary survey for Certified Safety and Health Managers Ⓡ [CSHMⓇ] across a broad range of position titles in the CSHMⓇ community of practice.
IHMM – 26 Fellows Are Mentors
IHMM Fellows Committee Chair Atanu Das, CHMM, is leading the effort within the IHMM Collaboration networking platform to engage both 26 IHMM Fellows as Mentors and anyone who seeks some assistance as Mentees.
Given the extraordinary experience Fellows have, this is a unique opportunity for IHMM Fellows to help guide more recent certificants in their professional development activities. This article from ASAE magazine outlines how a mentoring program can become more successful – engagement!
IHMM’s Collaboration platform contains a “Mentor Match” module [see below at right] that allows mentors to signup designating the hours, number of mentees, subject areas, and length of time they wish to mentor – as well as allowing mentees to signup requesting assistance in specified areas. The mentor match module does the rest by matching mentors and mentees.
Recert Video #1
Recert Video #2
IHMM Recertification Videos
IHMM is pleased to release two YouTube instructional videos about navigating the IHMM recertification process. These step-by-step videos easily enable IHMM certificants to start and complete a recertification application.
While the full recertification cycle is 5 years, IHMM encourages all certificants to start a recertification application and add certification maintenance points as they are earned to make the final submission quick and easy to accomplish.
- Every CSHM and CSMP should start a recertification application now.
- Even if your recertification is years away, starting an application now and adding your accumulated points enables you to see where you are all the time and it makes it very easy when you have to file your application
Retiring? IHMM Invites You to Become an Emeritus
You may have decided, after a long and successful career, to retire from active daily duty. Congratulations. That doesn’t mean you have to completely disengage from your profession. IHMM is pleased to offer Emeritus status to all certificants who will no longer be actively engaged in their communities of practice but who still want to stay in touch. Please let us know when you’re approaching that decision and we will assist you in the credential transition.
Please contact Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected] and he’ll be happy to help you.
National Safety Council
IHMM is a member of the National Safety Council and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
NSC News
House bill would limit how acting labor secretaries can serve
Study of construction workers identifies common drivers of suicidal thoughts
Board applauds EPA’s efforts to promote hydrogen fluoride safety
Workplace violence in health care: Lawmakers seek stiffer penalties
Teamsters call for strong federal oversight of driverless trucks
Bill aimed at readying workplaces to respond to opioid overdoses
NSC Webinars
Sept 28 – General Industry’s 10 Most Frequently Cited Serious Violations: How to Avoid Being ‘One of Those Companies’ OSHA Cites
Oct 5 – Hazcom, Hazmat, Hazwaste and HAZWOPER: Navigating OSHA, DOT and EPA Chemical Compliance
Oct 19 – Riding the Wave: Ocean Spray’s Digital EHS Journey
IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
Online Safety Series Spotlights General Hazards
PARK RIDGE, IL – The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has planned a second installment of its new workplace safety education series called “Stand Up for Standards.” A live two-hour webinar on general industry hazards will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. CT Sept. 28, helping occupational safety and health professionals minimize on-the-job risks to prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities.
“Stand Up for Standards – ANSI/ASSP General Industry Standards Implementation and Impact for OSH Professionals” will provide an overview of four voluntary national consensus standards and discuss best practices for implementation on worksites across various industries. Safety experts Terry Ketchum, Robert Foster, Deena Ibrahim and Wyatt Bradbury of ASSP’s standards committees will share key insights to help safety professionals develop a better understanding of the standards to address significant workplace hazards and exposures.
“Organizations with true safety cultures go beyond complying with OSHA regulations,” said Ketchum, chair of the ANSI/ASSP Z15 standards committee who has more than 35 years of safety and health experience. “They hold their businesses to a higher standard, better protecting workers while reducing claims costs and reputation damage caused by workplace incidents.”
The safety experts will spotlight the following standards:
- ANSI/ASSP Z15, Safe Practices for Motor Vehicle Operations
- ANSI/ASSP Z117, Safety Requirements for Entering Confined Spaces
- ANSI/ASSP Z244, Control of Hazardous Energy Lockout, Tagout and Alternative Methods
- ANSI/ASSP Z490, Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health and Environmental Training
The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session. Attendees will earn 0.2 continuing education units (CEUs) and receive 10 ANSI/ASSP safety standards to help their organizations prevent many hazards.
Voluntary national consensus standards provide the latest expert guidance and fill gaps where federal regulations don’t exist. Companies rely on them to drive improvement, injury prevention and sustainability. Since regulatory requirements are slow to change and often out of date, compliance is not sufficient to protect workers. A standards-based approach to workplace safety also improves productivity and boosts a company’s bottom line.
Safety professionals should register online for this second event of ASSP’s new education series, which features a different standards-related topic every quarter.
IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.
ASSP News
Risk Control for Hazardous Materials: How to Protect People and Property
Episode 116: How Improving Safety Can Increase Productivity and Benefit Your Bottom Line
Risk Intervention Strategies in Contractor Safety Management
Online Safety Series Spotlights General Hazards
Q&A: Why Ergonomics Should Be at the Forefront of Worker Safety and Well-Being
Episode 115: OSHA News: Proper Fitting of PPE and Expanded Injury and Illness Reporting
ANSI/ASSP/ISO 45001-2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems – Requirements with Guidance for Use
Q&A: What the Updated Z359.2 Standard Means for Managed Fall Protection System
ASSP Webinars
Sept 19 – ESG/Sustainability: Strategy, Road Mapping and Action Planning
Sept 19 – Managing Risk Is More Than Risk Assessment
Sept 19/20 – Advanced Safety Management Methods
Sept 20 – Bowtie Analysis
Sept 21-22 – Live Virtual Classroom: Accident Investigation Techniques: Best Practices for Examining Workplace Incidents
Sept 21 – General Considerations for Organizations on Managing Infectious Diseases
Sept 21 – Business Economics for the Safety Professional
Sept 21-22 – Live Virtual Classroom: Safety Management II
Sept 22 – Live Virtual Classroom: How to Create an Effective Safety Vision Statement
Sept 28 – Managing Infectious Diseases and Health Hazards in the Construction Industry
Sept 28 – Oct 26 – ONLINE COURSE: Enterprise Risk Management for Safety Professionals
Oct 4 – Science of Correctly Fitted PPE
Oct 5 – Nov 11 – ONLINE COURSE: Safety Management I
ASSP Standards News
The U.S. TAG to ANSI for ISO TC283 approved ISO 45002 and ISO 45006 as ANSI registered technical reports.
- ISO/ASSP TR 45002-2023: Occupational health and safety management systems – General guidelines for the implementation of ISO 45001:2018
- ISO/ASSP TR 45006-2023: Occupational health and safety management – Guidelines for organizations on preventing and managing infectious diseases
At this point, the adoption process is complete. We will conclude limited public review and then move forward with publication of ISO 45002 and ISO 45006 as an ANSI Registered Technical Report[s].
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SOCIETY
IHMM and HMS
The graphic to the left illustrates the relationship between IHMM and HMS. IHMM formed HMS to serve IHMM’s certificants. IHMM offers a variety of professional credentials and HMS creates education and training programs to serve the applicants and certificants of those credentials.
Lion Tech, HMS Training Partner, Adds Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification [DOT] Webinars
This week Lion Tech has added its Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification [DOT] webinars to the HMS Daily Training schedule. This two-day workshop provides comprehensive training to offer hazardous materials for transportation in compliance with the US DOT/PHMSA Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The two-day workshop is approved for 12 CM Points toward IHMM re-certification.
Webinars at Lion.com blend the convenience of online learning with the engagement and nowness of live classroom training. This two-day course provides comprehensive training to offer hazardous materials for transportation in compliance with the US DOT/PHMSA Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The webinar is approved for 12 CM Points toward IHMM re-certification.
Professionals who complete this course develop in-depth knowledge needed to assess a hazardous materials transportation situation and:
• Determine what regulations apply to the material.
• Select authorized and compatible packaging.
• Choose and place required labels/markings for transportation.
• Properly fill out shipping papers with required info (in the right order).
• Determine if placards are required for a bulk or non-bulk shipment.
• Carry out reporting, recordkeeping, and training responsibilities, and more.
Check out the Course agenda at Lion.com/IHMM.
2023 Schedule – Limited Sessions Remain
[Webinar] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (DOT) — 2 days / 12 hours
- October 2–3
- October 30–31
- November 13–14
- December 4–5
- December 18–19
See more at Lion.com/IHMM, including 1-day DOT hazmat training and 1- and 2-day RCRA course delivered via live webinar. Check out all of Lion’s IHMM-approved courses to maintain your certifications and stay on top the latest hazardous materials, hazardous waste, and environmental regulations.
Already confident about the basics of the HMR? Join us for a one-day “Recurrent Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (DOT) Webinar” instead to help meet DOT’s three-year training mandate for “hazmat employees,”—or train online at your own pace.
More at Lion.com/IHMM
Lion Tech, HMS Training Partner, Adds Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification [DOT] Training
This week Lion Tech has added its Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification [DOT] Training to the HMS Daily Training schedule. This two-day workshop provides comprehensive training to offer hazardous materials for transportation in compliance with the US DOT/PHMSA Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The two-day workshop is approved for 12.50 CM Points toward IHMM re-certification.
| Daily | Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (DOT) Training | Lion Tech Online |
| Oct 4-5, 2023 | [Chicago, IL] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Chicago, IL |
| Oct 18-19, 2023 | [St. Louis, MO] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | St. Louis, MO |
| Oct 25-26, 2023 | [Atlanta, GA] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Atlanta, GA |
| Nov 8-9, 2023 | [Charlotte, NC] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Charlotte, NC |
| Dec 4-5, 2023 | [Houston, TX] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Houston, TX |
| Dec 6-7, 2023 | [Philadelphia, PA] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Philadelphia, PA |
| Dec 13-14, 2023 | [Hartford, CT] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Hartford, CT |
| Dec 14-15, 2023 | [Dallas, TX] Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification Training (DOT) | Dallas, TX |
CHEMTREC, HMS Training Partner, Adds Courses for IHMM Certificants
This week CHEMTREC has added its HAZWOPER 8-hour Refresher Training to the HMS Daily Training schedule. This HAZWOPER 8-hour Refresher Training is designed for individuals who need to refresh their existing 24-hour or 40-hour HAZWOPER certification. This course meets the requirements outlined in OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 for 8 (eight) hours of annual refresher training for workers involved in the transport, storage, or handling of hazardous materials or hazardous waste.
See the CHEMTREC HAZWOPER 8-hour Refresher Training here!
CHEMTREC, an HMS training partner, has had 7 courses approved in advance for earning IHMM recertification certification maintenance points. We are pleased to promote these programs as reviewed and approved by the HMS Education and Training Committee. Thank you CHEMTREC, and thank to HMS’ Education and Training Committee.
AIHA, HMS Training Partner, Adds Courses for IHMM Certificants
American Industrial Hygiene Association [AIHA] an HMS training partner, has added its first of many courses approved in advance for earning IHMM recertification certification maintenance points. We are pleased to promote these programs in support of IHMM certificants holding the CHMM, CHMP, CSHM, and CSMP credentials. Thank you, AIHA.
Bowen EHS, HMS Training Partner, Adds Courses for IHMM Certificants
Bowen EHS, an HMS training partner, has had 4 courses approved in advance for earning IHMM recertification certification maintenance points. We are pleased to promote these programs as reviewed and approved by the HMS Education and Training Committee, chaired by Diana Lundelius. Thank you Bowen EHS and thank to HMS’ Education and Training Committee.
Thank you Bowen EHS for contributing programs enabling IHMM certificants to engage in professional development and earn important CMPs! All three of the new Bowen EHS programs are available online and on demand.
| Daily | EPCRA Tier II Reporting | Bowen EHS | Online |
| Daily | CHMM Online Review | Bowen EHS | Online |
| Daily | Emergency Management Self-Paced PDC | Bowen EHS | Online |
| Daily | Acute Toluene Exposure Webinar | Bowen EHS | Online |
Thank you Bowen EHS for contributing programs enabling IHMM certificants to engage in professional development and earn important CMPs! All three of the new Bowen EHS programs are available online and on demand.
Respiratory Protection Program Management – Susan Harwood Training Grant
University of Texas Medical Branch, William J. Pate, CHMM
This training course is intended to educate participants on the requirements of developing and implementing a compliant Respiratory Protection Program. The focus of this course will be on topics related to preparation for an infectious disease pandemic. At the end of this training the attendee should be able to:
1) Manage an effective respiratory protection program through proficient application of 29 CFR 1910.134
2) Compare potential routes of exposure
3) Identify and implement potential controls (engineering, administrative, and PPE)
4) List the equipment needed to support fit testing
5) Explain the difference between qualitative and quantitative fit testing
6) Discuss the different types of respiratory protection available
7) Demonstrate correct donning/doffing of respiratory protection
This training course is 7.5 hours and participants will receive a certificate of completion that may be suitable for professional certification maintenance (CSP, CIH, CHMM, CHSP, etc.).
This course will provide 7.5 Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) contact hours. Accreditation statement: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is approved with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by Louisiana State Nurses Association – Approver, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. LSNA Provider No. 4002176
This training is available only to employees and employers who are subject to OSHA regulatory requirements. Grant-funded training is not available to state or local government employees unless they have occupational safety & health responsibilities (e.g. occupational safety and health trainers, program managers, committee members, or employees responisble for abating unsafe and unhealthy working conditions for their organization). Registration in this course confirms that meet these conditions. This training will include the opportunity to don, doff, and fit test respiratory protection including N95, half-face, full-face, and powered air-purifying respirators. Anyone participating in this training and wanting to put on a respirator agrees that they have been medically cleared by their employer to do so in accordance with OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Standard.
The 8-hour training program is offered at various dates from March through September. For more information and registration for this FREE program go here >> https://www.utmb.edu/ehs/programs/radiation-occupational-safety-program/RPPSHTG2023
Easily Find Courses to Help You Pass IHMM Credential Exams
CDGP® Prep Course
CE-1112: CDGP® Exam Prep – Columbia Southern University – Available On Demand
CHMM® Prep Courses
Daily – CHMM® Online Review – Bowen
Daily – CHMM® Prep Course – Institute of Safety & Systems Management
Daily –Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (CHMM®) Exam Prep – SPAN Exam Prep, Division of ClickSafety
CSHM® Prep Courses
CSMP® Prep Courses
HMS Makes Finding Courses to Earn CMPs Easy
Every year more than 1,600 IHMM certificants have to recertify their credentials, evidenced their continuing commitment to improvement and learning to elevate their professional credential.
Earning Certification Maintenance Points [CMPs] is illustrated under Recertification of Your Credential, that includes the Recertification Claims Manual – Appendix A, that details all of the ways a certificant may earn CMPs > https://ihmm.org/recertification-claims/
Having mastered that manual, how does an IHMM certificant find courses to earn CMPs?
HMS has made that simple and easy.
- Go to https://hazmatsociety.org/education-training/
- Scroll down until you see a row of buttons…click on the CMPs button
The system will then generate all of the courses on the HMS E&T platform with IHMM CMPs already attached.
The next developments by the HMS E&T committee will refine available courses’ CMPs by individual credential!
IHMM and HMS Tie Exam Preparation Together for Applicants
Every IHMM certification that requires an examination has a section of its website entitled Examination Preparation.
Connected to the Examination Preparation panel is a companion panel that is Find a Course to Prepare for the Exam.
You see the Find a Course to Prepare for the Exam panel from the CSHM site at left.
When you click on the Find a Course to Prepare for the Exam panel it takes the applicant directly to the HMS site where all CSHM prep courses may be found and chosen.
If you want your prep courses on the HMS platform so it can be found by IHMM credential applicants, contact Gene Guilford at [email protected]
Applications for the 2023 HMS Scholarship Awards Now Open
The HMS scholarship award is given annually to undergraduate and graduate students whose academic program and research studies have the potential to address the most serious issues in handling hazardous materials, dangerous goods, environmental issues, health & safety challenges. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled in accredited U.S. academic institutions.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD APPLICATIONS IS December 1, 2023. All submissions and associated materials must be submitted using the online form.
Scholarship Winners Will Be Announced at the HMS Annual Meeting.
For More Information, Visit > https://hazmatsociety.org/scholarship/
Donate to HMS
One of the most important projects of the Hazardous Materials Society is our Scholarship Program.
HMS wants to make it as easy as possible for those who cannot always afford to participate in pursuing certification, or keeping up with professional development, or attending great conferences and receiving outstanding training. HMS does not solicit contributions from the general public. HMS does ask IHMM’s certificants and their companies and our education and training vendors to consider a contribution.
Here, through your generosity, you can make a difference in promoting the ability of those who can afford it least to become participants in our communities of practice.
It’s never too late to make a difference, so don’t let this opportunity to make a difference pass you by. Please consider a tax-deductible donation of $250, $500 or what you can to help build HMS’s effort to help others in our communities of practice.
RCM&D Professional Liability Insurance
HMS is proud to have partnered with RCM&D to be able to offer an outstanding comprehensive professional liability insurance program to IHMM certificants. Here, you will find information about this important program offering Environmental Consultants and Engineers Professional Liability coverage. This coverage is intended to add protection for loss stemming from actual or alleged negligent acts, errors and omissions in performing professional services.
For more information see > https://hazmatsociety.org/professional-liability-insurance/
Member Benefits of Hazardous Materials Society
99% of IHMM certificants are aware of the Hazardous Materials Society, which we appreciate. IHMM established the Hazardous Materials Society in order to support and provide services to IHMM certificants.
Did You Know?
Your company’s membership dues for Associate Membership in the Hazardous Materials Society (HMS) are 100% tax-deductible and your participation directly supports scholarship and education/training opportunities for professionals working in hazmat and EHS. Joining as an Associate Member expresses your commitment and your company’s leadership in giving back to our professional community. Join today to claim your tax deduction for the 2020 tax year while expressing your company’s professional affiliation and accessing tools for your marketing and business development plans.
To learn more about what HMS is doing now and what they are planning for the future, please see the new Member Benefits page here.
Columbia Southern University
The Hazardous Materials Society [HMS] is a partner of Columbia Southern University. Columbia Southern University is an online university based in Orange Beach, Alabama, that strives to change and improve lives through higher education by enabling students to maximize their professional and personal potential.
A subsidiary of Columbia Southern Education Group, CSU offers online degree programs at the associate, bachelor, master, doctorate or certificate levels in a multitude of areas such as occupational safety and health, fire administration, criminal justice, business administration, human resource management, health care administration and more. CSU also features undergraduate and graduate certificate programs to provide focused training in specialized areas for adult learners.
Click on the CSU graphic at left and learn more about the professional development and degree program opportunities at CSU.
IHMM CONFERENCES FOR 2023
IHMM will attend and support a number of conferences and trade shows throughout 2023, virtually as well as in-person as COVID issues allow. Below are some of the conferences IHMM will support in 2023.
Are there conferences you believe IHMM should attend that do not appear here? If so, let us know! Send an email to [email protected] and tell us what conferences we should attend.
National Safety Council Congress & Expo
New Orleans, LA
October 23-25, 2023
Come Visit Us in Booth #1015!!
IHMM-HMS EVENTS CALENDAR
IHMM has a companion organization for which education and training programs are presented and delivered. The Hazardous Materials Society education and training website can be found here.
9210 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 470
Rockville, Maryland, 20850
www.ihmm.org | [email protected]
Phone: 301-984-8969 | Fax: 301-984-1516