IHMM Today March 14, 2023

IHMM and American Industrial Hygiene Association Sign Memorandum of Understanding

IHMM Government Affairs Volunteers

IHMM Board Chair Bill Diesslin has issued a call for volunteers for the IHMM Government Affairs Committee. Everyone can learn more about the charter of this committee here > https://ihmm.org/government-affairs-committee/

In joining this committee we request a cross-section of all of IHMM’s credential holders, as IHMM is involved in a wide variety of government affairs activities that are described in detail here > https://ihmm.org/ihmm-government-affairs/

Top 4 Projects in February-March, 2023

• NY Department of Labor rulemaking concerning the recognition of the CSHM and CSMP – IHMM Amendment sent to Anthony Dell-Isola to work with his State Senator

• Work with Eric Vega in Puerto Rico concerning credential recognition

• Review of the Governor of Nevada’s Executive Order concerning licensing boards and potential for recognition of the CHMM – IHMM Sent on Friday, March 3, 2023

• Scheduling meetings with the Maryland Congressional delegation concerning the Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential – IHMM had meetings with Senator Cardin and Representative Trone on March 2, 2023, scheduling Senator Van Hollen next.

Creating the Water Workforce of the Future:

Webinar Series

It Really Matters: Ensuring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Water Workforce 

March 21, 2023

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Register Here

More than ever, today’s water sector must focus on recruiting and retaining a truly diverse set of talented individuals and ensuring equity in the workspace they will inhabit. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are not just words on paper – they are an essential part of any organization in the 21^st century. This webinar will focus on efforts by one of the nation’s leading utilities in Louisville, Kentucky to embrace these attributes followed by a presentation on an innovative program by the Water Environment Federation (WEF) to increase the number of talented individuals from minority institutions that seek and embrace a career in water.

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

Hundreds of Incidents of Lost Nuclear and Radioactive Material Logged in Latest CNS Trafficking Database

The latest edition of the Global Incidents and Trafficking Database, produced by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) exclusively for NTI, documents 352 incidents of nuclear and radiological material outside of regulatory control between 2020-2021. The Global Incidents and Trafficking Database is the only publicly available account of incidents involving nuclear and other radioactive materials. It aims to give researchers and policymakers a comprehensive picture of the amount and types of incidents that occur, from which they can develop data-driven policy solutions. CNS has logged more than 1,500 global incidents since the database was launched in 2013, emphasizing that the security of nuclear and radioactive materials remains a persistent global safety and security concern.

Read more >> https://www.nti.org/news/hundreds-of-incidents-of-lost-nuclear-and-radioactive-material-logged-in-latest-cns-trafficking-database/

2023 National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction

As recently announced, the 10^th Annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will occur May 1-5, 2023 and we wanted to alert you to the following tools and resources to assist workplaces in preparing for and participating in the Stand-Down:

• 2023 Stand-Down officially announced:
  • February 15, 2023 OSHA QuickTakes
• Resources for Planning:
  • Suggestions to Prepare for a Successful Stand-Down
  • Resources for Employers and Employees
• NEW Handouts for Workers:
  • Hardhat Stickers and Hazard Alert Cards
• Get Involved:
  • Do you have fall prevention resources in other languages? We would love to include them in our Fall Prevention Resources: Other Languages Page. Please send resources to Jessica Bunting: [email protected]

As a reminder, anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand-Down. Companies can conduct a Safety 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 and reports evaluating previous events.

USDOT’s Federal Railroad Administration Announces New Safety Initiative with a Focus on Hazardous Materials

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Amit Bose today announced a national initiative for focused inspections on routes that carry high-hazard flammable trains (HHFTs) and other trains carrying large volumes of hazmat commodities. Working with USDOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), FRA will identify these routes and prioritize them for inspection beginning immediately. The inspections will start in East Palestine, Ohio, and expand to communities nationwide.

FRA inspectors, using a combination of human visual inspections and   technology, will assess the overall condition of rail infrastructure as well as railroads’ compliance with FRA regulatory requirements governing track. Information will be shared with railroads as well as rail labor organizations, and it will be periodically published for the public to increase transparency.

“Safety is always our number one priority, and the Norfolk Southern derailment reminds us of the importance of ensuring no industry can put its profits over the safety of its workers and the communities it serves,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “As our investigators continue their work to support NTSB’s investigation, we are also taking additional steps right now to prevent future disasters and we insist that the rail industry do the same.”

Read more >> https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-fact-sheet-steps-forward-freight-rail-industry-safety

White House Threatens Veto Of WOTUS Repeal Measure, Touting ‘Clear Rules’

The White House is threatening to veto the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution targeting EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers’ new definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS), highlighting the policy’s “clear rules of the road” for Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction as the repeal heads toward a House floor vote this week.

“The final rule provides clear rules of the road that will help advance infrastructure projects, economic investments, and agricultural activities — all while protecting water quality,” reads a March 6 statement of administration policy (SAP) targeting the WOTUS disapproval resolution, known as H.J. Res. 27. “The rule reestablishes critical protections for the nation’s vital water resources by returning to the longstanding 1986 regulations with appropriate updates, exclusions, and streamlining clarifications.”

It concludes, “If Congress were to pass H.J. Res. 27, the President would veto it.”

The House, in a bipartisan vote, has approved a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution aimed at scrapping EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers’ new rule defining “waters of the United States,” setting up a vote in the Senate next week and a likely test of President Joe Biden’s promise to veto the measure if it reaches his desk.

The resolution passed the House on a 227-198 vote on March 9, with nine Democrats joining the GOP to vote in favor of repeal — while one Republican opposed it.

Because all 49 Senate Republicans are supporting the resolution, it would need support from just two more senators — Democrats or Independents — to pass. The Senate Democrats already have one switch to vote with Republicans [Manchin], one undecided [Tester], and two Senators out with illness [Feinstein and Fetterman].

However, CRA resolutions are still subject to the presidential veto and this resolution is not expected to get enough support to override a veto.

–Inside EPA

Biden Seeks 19 Percent Hike In FY24 To Boost ‘Critical Capacity’ At EPA

The Biden administration is pitching Congress on a $1.9 billion, or 19 percent, boost in EPA’s budget in fiscal year 2024 that would add 2,400 new staff to restore “critical capacity” at the agency while also strengthening the ability to address a range of environmental and climate-related priorities.

The top-line funding boost for EPA — detailed in President Joe Biden’s FY24 budget request released March 9 — faces an uphill climb on Capitol Hill given expected clashes throughout the year between the White House and Republican lawmakers over the debt ceiling and spending priorities more broadly.

But the Biden proposal nonetheless offers a statement of the administration’s priorities and how it plans to address a range of environmental issues as a result of Trump-era cuts at EPA.

“Staffing reductions under the previous administration continue to undermine the agency’s ability to carry out its mission to protect clean air and water, tackle the climate crisis, and promote environmental justice,” says the summary for EPA’s portion of the budget request.

It seeks 2,400 additional full-time equivalents (FTEs) relative to 2022 levels, bringing the agency’s total staffing to over 17,000 FTE, “to help rebuild the agency’s capacity.”

Such a move would partially respond to recent calls by a major EPA staff union to increase new hiring at the agency and enhance retention.

–Inside EPA

Senators Press EPA On Cleanup Approach, Transparency After Ohio Spill

Members of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee used the first congressional hearing on the East Palestine, OH, train derailment and chemical spill to question EPA on its plans to remove and dispose of contaminated soil from the site, as well as what Republicans said has been a failure to communicate possible community risks.

“What happens [if] the very toxic dirt that we just dug out of the ground begins to seep back into the ground causing problems for the air and water for the residents of East Palestine?” Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) asked during a March 9 EPW hearing on the derailment and cleanup. “We need leadership, we need the EPA to get on the ground and aggressively get this stuff out of East Palestine into properly licensed facilities.”

While Vance — who was at the hearing as a witness rather than a committee member — appeared on a separate panel from EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore, she also faced questions on the cleanup from other lawmakers, including EPW ranking member Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), who said EPA has stopped sending hazardous waste to facilities that were already accepting it, with no explanation.

In response, Shore said waste had been taken from the accident site as recently as the previous day, and is being transported to “a number of facilities that have the capacity to receive waste and have contracts with Norfolk Southern, and then have gone through our due diligence and a compliance review.”

EPW Chairman Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) praised EPA’s response, however. “It’s worth noting that the Biden administration has been on the ground from day one,” Carper said.

–Inside EPA

OSHA’s Safe + Sound Campaign is a nationwide opportunity to raise awareness and understanding of the value of proactive occupational safety and health (OSH) programs in all workplaces. Look for the 2023 Safe+Sound program in August this year.

Safe + Sound emphasizes the need for safety programs at small- and mid-sized businesses, which are more likely to have limited resources dedicated to safety. As you know, effective OSH programs can help organizations identify and manage workplace risk before they cause injury or illness, improving sustainability and the bottom line. Safety and health management systems are a critical best practice to ensure that OSH programs achieve significant results and lower risk exposure.

Earn a Challenge Coin

Workers are an important resource for identifying workplace hazards and implementing changes. Safety reporting systems allow ideas and suggestions for improving safety to be captured.

Take the Speak Up for Safety Challenge! Review your safety reports with a team to find common themes and opportunities to improve your overall workplace safety and health performance.

Complete the challenge and earn your virtual challenge coin! Then, share the results in your workplace and on social media to show how you encourage workers to #SpeakUpForSafety to be #SafeAndSoundAtWork.

Your Partner Punch List

We would appreciate if you could support Safe + Sound by doing the following:

• Promote the Speak Up for Safety Challenge to your stakeholders

Sponsored Content

A Collaborative Culture

There are 885 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]

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.

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