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Inside IHMM

Fueling Innovation Through Collaboration! 🚀

This week alone, 1,604 conversations are sparking ideas, solving problems, and connecting professionals on the IHMM/HMS Collaboration Platform!

Need expert insights? Facing a tough challenge? Looking for fresh perspectives from industry leaders? This is your space to connect, share, and grow.

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At IHMM, we believe that the best solutions come from collaboration. This is where we support each other, reduce workplace stress, and create meaningful change—as a team, as a community, and as a force for excellence.

Join the conversation. Make an impact. Let’s collaborate!

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IHMM Proposes Changes in Government Recognition of Credentials

1. IHMM has joined the 460-member “Friends of NIOSH” letter to Congress in defense of NIOSH funding
2. IHMM has joined SWANA in a statement on end-of-life hazmat protocols
3. IHMM is circulating a letter to Congressional appropriators encouraging OSHA funding for FY2025.
4. IHMM is circulating a letter with the Intersociety Forum [ISF] to communicate to the new Administration the value of the EHS communities of practice.
5. IHMM has filed comments in the OSHA proposed Heat rule, underscoring IHMM’s commitment to bringing our SMEs expertise to an important public policy issue as well as highlighting the value of our certifications and those who hold them.
6. IHMM has filed comments on the OMB Inquiry concerning the EPA and DOL proposed regulatory measures concerning Methylene Chloride on December 13, 2024.
7. IHMM Sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, concerning the uses of professionally credentialed persons performing work for the Park Service.
8. 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.

• Here is the response we received back from the VA.

4. 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.

5. 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

Wilcox Reinstatement Legal Back-and-Forth Keeps Her Off the NLRB. For Now. For the second time in a matter of weeks, Gwynne Wilcox was poised to return as a member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Until she wasn’t. Here is what happened this week. On April 7, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated a three-panel decision that upheld Wilcox’s termination while the litigation challenging her removal proceeds. This decision would have allowed Wilcox to return to the Board. However, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts subsequently stayed the initial district court order that had returned Wilcox to the Board. All of this procedural back-and-forth means that Wilcox will remain off the NLRB for the time being. As the Buzz has been predicting, ultimately, the Supreme Court of the United States will determine whether the president can remove members of independent federal agencies that operate as boards and commissions.

Samuels Sues. Jocelyn Samuels, who President Donald Trump removed from her position as commissioner on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in January 2025, has filed a legal challenge to her removal. Samuels, who was first appointed to the EEOC in 2020 by President Trump, maintains that “the EEOC’s structure, mission, and functions, along with the terms set for Commissioners, demonstrate Congress’s intent to provide the Commission continuity, stability, and insulation from political pressure exerted by the president.” Former chair of the Commission, Charlotte Burrows, has also filed a lawsuit challenging her removal. Currently, the Commission consists of Acting Chair Andrea Lucas and Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal.

Administration Seeks Quick Repeal of “Unlawful” Regulations. As a follow-up to his February 19, 2025, Executive Order 14219 (“Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Deregulatory Initiative”), this week, President Trump issued a memorandum instructing executive branch agencies to “take steps to effectuate the repeal of any regulation, or the portion of any regulation, that clearly exceeds the agency’s statutory authority or is otherwise unlawful.” According to the memorandum, agencies should prioritize regulations that conflict with ten prescribed Supreme Court decisions (all issued in 2020 or later), including Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo,Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy, and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. The memorandum further instructs agencies, when repealing such regulations, to proceed under the “good cause” exemption of the Administrative Procedure Act, which allows agencies to bypass the normal “notice and comment” process.

House Passes Bill Limiting Nationwide Injunctions. On April 9, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025, by a vote of 219–213. Only one Republican—Michael R. Turner of Ohio—joined with all Democrats to vote against the bill. The bill would prohibit federal district courts from issuing injunctions that apply beyond the parties to the case, except in multistate challenges. Of course, federal district court nationwide injunctions blocked the implementation of the Obama administration’s 2016 persuader and overtime rules, as well as the NLRB’s 2023 joint employer rule, and the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) 2024 overtime rule.

House Committee Explores College Athletes’ Employment Status. On April 8, 2025, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing entitled, “Game Changer: The NLRB, Student-Athletes, and the Future of College Sports.” The hearing focused on the changing landscape of college athletics, and specifically explored the question of whether college athletes should be considered employees. Republicans maintained that college athletes are students and promoted the Protecting Student Athletes’ Economic Freedom Act, which would prohibit student-athletes from being classified as employees while retaining the ability to benefit from their name, image, and likeness.

FMCS: And Then There Were Four? It has been several weeks since the Trump administration effectively dismantled the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), and the fate of the labor dispute-settling agency is now coming into clearer focus. This week, it was reported that the agency is down to just four employees. According to FMCS data, last year, the agency helped mediate more than 2,000 collective bargaining negotiations.

RIFs at DOL, USCIS. According to media reports, this week, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer offered more DOL employees the opportunity to resign or retire as part of the administration’s efforts to shrink federal government agencies. This offer was reportedly made ahead of expected layoffs at the agency. Employees at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reportedly received a similar offer. In February 2025, about fifty USCIS employees were separated as part of a broader purge at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). At this time, it is unclear how reductions in force (RIFs) at DOL might impact the department’s rulemaking and enforcement agenda. On the other hand, RIFs at USCIS are very likely to result in backlogs and delayed processing times.

2025 National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction

In advance of the 12th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction (May 5-9, 2025), we want to alert you to the following webinars, tools, and resources available to assist workplaces in preparing for and participating in the Stand-Down:

Webinars of Interest:

• Get Ready for the 2025 Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction Webinar will be conducted on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 2:00 pm ET. Join OSHA and CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) the week before the official Safety Stand-Down to learn more about free resources that can be used during the Stand-Down or throughout the year to improve fall prevention and protection practices on your job sites. This webinar will highlight the extensive library of resources, and several new items developed for 2025, as well as offer an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and make suggestions to Campaign leaders. Please register here.  Panelists include:
  • Brian A. Rizzo, Director, Office of Construction Services, OSHA
  • Chris Cain, CIH, Executive Director, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training
• Leading Edges’ and Other Barriers to the Use of Overhead Anchorage for Work at Heights will be conducted on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 2:00 pm ET. This webinar will share information on where we will tackle the complexities of fall protection for unprotected edge work, discuss what personal fall arrest systems can and cannot do, and explain how to apply the hierarchy of controls to identify specific hazards including what fall protection systems can be used to keep workers safe. Please register here.

Poster, Handouts, and Other Resources:

• 2025 National Stand-Down Poster (English/Spanish)
• Hardhat Stickers and Hazard Alert Cards
• Bilingual social media guide
• PPE fit infographic is now available in English/Spanish

As a reminder, anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand-Down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity such as conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job specific hazards. See Highlights from the Past Stand-Downs

NIOSH Proposed To Be Reorganized at HHS

Creating the Water Workforce of the Future: Webinar Series

Leading the Way Through Innovation and Collaboration

April 30th, 2025
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Register Here

In today’s water sector, it is essential for utilities and industry professionals to collaborate, access vital training, and explore innovative technologies that address the challenges of 21st-century water services. A leading example of this collaboration is The Water Tower (TWT) in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

TWT is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit global water innovation hub for water and wastewater utilities, researchers, private companies, and water-related organizations to collaboratively solve critical, real-world water and environmental challenges.

Through applied research, technology innovation, workforce development, and industry engagement, TWT provides innovative solutions tailored to the water sector. A key focus is integrating and expanding skilled-trades programming to attract and develop a diverse, next-generation water workforce.

This webinar is part of an ongoing webinar series hosted by EPA, in partnership with leading water sector organizations around the country. More information on this webinar series can be found at

https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-water-infrastructure/water-sector-workforce-webinars

PFAS Updates: What’s Happening in the U.S. and EU

May 13, 2025
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT)

REGISTER NOW

Register now to join The Acta Group (Acta^®) and EPPA for “PFAS Updates: What’s Happening in the U.S. and EU,” a complimentary webinar offering expert updates on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulatory developments. These substances are attracting global legal, regulatory, commercial, and litigation attention as no other “emerging contaminant” has. While the U.S. Administration is new, PFAS regulation continues at a rapid pace and U.S. state initiatives are evolving at an astonishing speed. The European Union’s (EU) proposed ban on PFAS in consumer, industrial, and professional products (with an initial emphasis on consumer products) and the consideration of exemptions for essential uses are closely watched developments with global implications. Member states have also introduced national bans on PFAS in consumer products, beyond what is covered by the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). Companies producing, processing, distributing, and/or using PFAS must be aware of global legal and scientific developments and take steps now to minimize legal, regulatory, and commercial risk.

During this webinar, Meglena Mihova, Managing Partner, EPPA, and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, Acta, will discuss regulatory developments in the United States and EU, including Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) developments, actions being taken by the states, and proposed PFAS restriction in the EU.

EPA Extends Public Comment Period for Proposed Multi-Sector General Permit

Deadline: May 19, 2025

EPA has extended the public comment period for the proposed 2026 Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP) until May 19, 2025.

Comments must be received on or before May 19, 2025. Comments must be submitted on www.regulations.gov for docket ID EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0481.

The fact sheet, permit, and other associated documents are available in the docket (docket ID EPA-HQ-OW-2024-0481).

These documents may also be viewed on EPA’s website at: Stormwater Discharges from Industrial Activities-EPA’s Proposed 2026 MSGP.

For any questions related to this announcement, please contact [email protected]. Do not respond directly to this e-mail, as this inbox is not monitored.

NPRM: Advancing Safety of Highway, Rail, and Vessel Transportation

Deadline: April 28, 2025

On October 28, HM-265 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled “Hazardous Materials: Advancing Safety of Highway, Rail, and Vessel Transportation” was published to the Federal Register. This NPRM proposes amendments to improve the safety and efficiency of hazardous materials transported by highway, rail, and vessel, as well as several amendments for all modes of transportation. Specifically, some of the proposed amendments include:

• Adopting the 2017 Rail Safety Advisory Committee Hazardous Materials Issues Working Group recommendations
• Removing the delegation to the Association of American Railroads as the sole source for tank car design approvals and tank car facility quality assurance program approvals
• Revising the UN ID number marking requirements for motor carriers who transport different types of petroleum distillate fuels (e.g., gasoline and diesel fuel) in multiple trips in the same day
• Updating cargo tank manufacture and inspection requirements to address safety deficiencies noted during inspections
• Removing the requirement for security awareness training for hazmat employees who manufacture packagings and do not come into contact with hazardous materials in transport.

As with any NPRM, PHMSA needs your input! We’ve extended the comment period, meaning that all comments must be received by April 28, 2025.

Notice to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP, e.g., 9-1-1 call centers)

Starting on June 24, 2025, the six Class I railroads are required to begin complying with the requirements of the HM-263 Real-Time Train Consist Information final rule.

This rule requires that, for any accident involving a train transporting hazardous material, or any incident involving the release or suspected release of hazardous materials from a car on a train, railroads must make a telephone call to the primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) informing them of the incident or accident. Then, the railroad must transmit train consist information directly to the primary PSAP, in a form that the PSAP is able to receive and use.

Train consist information includes:

• The railroad’s designated emergency response point of contact (including contact phone number)
• the position in the train and contents of each hazardous material rail car, listed by reporting mark and number
• The point of origin and destination of the train
• Shipping paper information (e.g., UN ID number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group, technical name (if applicable), number and type of packages
• Emergency response information required by § 172.602(a) of this subchapter.

This information is critical for first responders to protect themselves and their communities during the initial stages of a response to a train accident or incident involving hazardous materials.

April ICC Compliance Bulletin

With spring in full swing and a new quarter underway, it’s the perfect time to stay ahead of regulatory updates. ICC is here with the latest insights to keep you informed, prepared, and compliant as regulations continue to evolve.

🔍 This Month’s Spotlights:

• What’s New in the 2025 IATA Battery Guide? introduces key updates, including sodium-ion battery classification, cargo tracking device guidelines, and upcoming lithium battery state-of-charge requirements for 2026. Stay ahead with insights on compliance, safety, and essential UN 38.3 testing requirements.
• PHMSA Issues Safety Advisory on Counterfeit Parts exposes the growing threat of fake automotive components, from airbags to seatbelt pretensioners. Learn how to identify counterfeit parts, understand the risks they pose, and take proactive steps to ensure vehicle safety and regulatory compliance.
• PHMSA’s Lithium Battery Guide simplifies the complex world of lithium battery shipping with clear guidelines on packaging, labeling, and compliance. Featuring scenario-based examples and detailed flowcharts, this essential resource helps shippers navigate regulations and ensure safe, compliant transport across all modes.
• Shipping Charcoal? Get Onboard with IMDG Code Updates! explores the latest changes in Amendment 42-24, including the removal of key exemptions and the addition of Special Provision 978. With new classification, testing, and handling requirements set for full enforcement in 2026, shippers must prepare now to ensure compliance.
• PHMSA Reminder: Bulk Peroxyacetic Acid Shipments Require Approval emphasizes the critical requirement for offerors to secure prior approval before transporting peroxyacetic acid in bulk. With strict testing and classification guidelines in place, compliance ensures safe handling, minimizes risks, and prevents delays in hazardous materials transportation.

Safe+Sound Week 2025 – August 11-17, 2025

Safe + Sound Week will be August 11-17, 2025. This year’s focus area is emergency preparedness and response. Stay tuned for more information!

Response-Ready Workplace Challenge

Workplace emergencies can happen at any time. It’s important for workers to be aware of emergency procedures and know what to do in case of an emergency. Are your workers familiar with your emergency action plan (EAP)?

Prepare for Safe + Sound Week 2025!  Take the Response-Ready Workplace Challenge.

1. Review your EAP.
2. Hold a toolbox talk or safety meeting to review your EAP.
3. Download your challenge coin.

Share that you took the challenge on social media using #SafeAndSoundAtWork and #ResponseReady.

__________

_____

Accessibility in Health and Safety Communication

The challenge of conveying health and safety information is compounded by the fact that not everyone communicates the same way. Although many people think of “accessibility” as referring to environmental features, the term may also refer to communication styles and practices. According to Oxford Review, an organization that provides accessible briefings of academic research, accessible communication “refers to the practice of creating and delivering information in a way that is easily understood and usable by all individuals.” Through strategies such as using plain language and providing information in multiple formats, accessible communication strategies “make content perceivable, operable, and understandable for everyone, including those with disabilities such as visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.”

Read more here.

• Upcoming events and webinars
• Workshop on the hazard classes for PBT/vPvB and PMT/vPvM properties
• New intentions and proposals to harmonise classification and labelling
• ECHA CHEM resumes full operations
• Assessment of regulatory needs reports published
• Seconded National Expert: Regulatory officer – biocides
• REACH committee meeting in April – draft agenda available
• Nanopinion: NAMs for nano-specific assessments in the food and feed sector

The IHMM Foundation is a partner of Columbia Southern University

IHMM Foundation Professional Development