IHMM Remotely Proctored Exams Available Now
IHMM is pleased to announce that the American National Standards Institute [ANSI] has approved Kryterion Remotely Proctored Exams for IHMM’s CHMM, CHMP, and CDGP exams. IHMM has been using the Kryterion Remotely Proctored Exams for the CSHM and CSMP exams since April of this year.
About 60% of Kryterion in-person testing centers have reopened. If you prefer the comfort and convenience of taking your exam from your home or office instead of at a Kryterion center, IHMM is ready to enroll you in a remotely proctored examination. There are Kryterion centers available world-wide and we also offer remotely-proctored testing wherever you are.
Please contact either Kortney Tunstall at [email protected] for the CHMM, CHMP, or CDGP exams or Kaylene Cagle at [email protected] for the CSHM or CSMP exams.
Phone: 301-984-8969 | [email protected]
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
IHMM Today is an online publication of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM)
Other than content specifically provided by IHMM, articles contained in IHMM Today are compiled from independent sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IHMM.
IHMM Credential Recognition
Below you will see the 8 credential badges that are now in each 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/.
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.
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IHMM UPDATES
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 Board Nominations for 2021 Open
IHMM Board Nominations for 2021 OpenThis newsletter opens the 2021 Board Nominations season. In 2021 we have one position open, the CHMP representative, open for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2022.
This process is guided by the IHMM Nominating Committee, chaired by Nathan Phelan > https://ihmm.org/nominating-committee/ We appreciate our Nominating Committee volunteers’ work working through the following documents and reviews before coming to a proposed slate of nominees.
- 2021 IHMM Nominations and Elections Process
- 2021 IHMM Call for Nominations
- 2021 IHMM Fillable Nominations Form
This announcement is the Call for Nominations. ONLY CHMPs may participate in this year’s process as the position is for a CHMP representative on the Board. IHMM will hold this phase of the process open through June 30, 2021, when it will then close to further nominations.
The Nominating Committee will review nomination documents, interview nominees, perform a series of background checks, and then deliberate on a proposed slate of nominees through August 13, 2021. After August 31, 2021, the proposed slate will go to the IHMM Board for review at its September meeting.
The CHMP representative’s elections will begin on October 1, 2021, and run through October 29, 2021. The winning nominee will be announced during the week of November 5, 2021, for a term to commence on January 1, 2022.
To nominate a CHMP for this position, use only the
Thank you.
CALL TO ACTION – Representative Spanberger of Virginia’s 7th Congressional District has drafted legislation entitled, H.R. 2171, “Freedom To Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act.” This legislation expands the provisions of existing law with respect to the allowable uses of Section 529 education tuition accounts.
PLEASE GO HERE TO PARTICIPATE: https://ihmm.org/45-in-5-task-force/
All you have to do is enter your name, address, and zip code and the IHMM VoterVoice system does the rest and automatically sends our message to your Senators and members of the House of Representatives. It’s very easy and matters!
A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education costs. 529 plans, legally known as “qualified tuition plans,” are sponsored by states, state agencies, or educational institutions and are authorized by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. Under H.R. 2171 those pursuing or who already have private credentials may use their Section 529 savings for applications, examinations, professional development/certification maintenance points costsrecertification, and so on.
The “Freedom To Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act” will enable those who seek professional, post-secondary credentials from institutions recognized by the Internal Revenue Service. A copy of the draft legislation is here.
Spanberger co-led the introduction of the legislation alongside U.S. Representatives Fred Upton (R-MI-06), Dean Phillips (D-MN-03), and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01). A companion bill in the U.S. Senate is led by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Braun (R-IN).
Become a Mentor
One way to contribute to IHMM’s communities of practice is to become a mentor. Helping to guide applicants or newly certified professionals with your wealth of experience means we grow the most important element of our communities – our people. We already have 8 mentors signed up and always look for more and we thank the 8 who have come forward thus far.
Becoming a mentor is easy, though it requires a commitment of some time that the mentor controls and is done through IHMM’s Collaboration platform.
- Go to Collaboration > https://community.ihmm.org/home
- See the toolbar where it says MENTOR MATCH, click on it
- See the drop-down menu…as follows…
4. Click on ENROLL AS A MENTOR. Mentors fill out the areas of issue interests most closely resemble their background, decide how long a period of time they wish to be a mentor, how much time they prefer to mentor others, how many mentees they are willing to work with, and how they wish to communicate with mentees.
5. Those who are looking for mentors simply click on ENROLL AS A MENTEE, and fill out a simple form of issue interests as well. Having done that the system matches a mentees issue interests with the mentor’s issue interests and the match is made.
Give it a try. Those who enroll as Mentors can earn up to 10 Certification Maintenance Points [CMPs] per year.
Anyone who needs assistance with becoming a Mentor or a Mentee need only click on the I NEED HELP button on the IHMM website and a member of the staff will be happy to assist you. https://ihmm.org/we-can-help-here/
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The University of Wisconsin Platteville Added to IHMM ASHM Program
The University of Wisconsin Platteville Added to IHMM ASHM ProgramThe Chair of the IHMM ASHM Committee, Jan Rosenberg, and IHMM Executive Director Gene Guilford, are pleased to announce that the University of Wisconsin Platteville has added a BS Industrial Technology Management to their approved programs for the Associate Safety and Health Manager [ASHM] credential. IHMM thanks Christopher Carlson and the University for their submission.
Thank you are we look forward to working with the outstanding educators and students at the University of Wisconsin Platteville.
IHMM has 41 colleges and universities with whom it works from around the country and appreciates the great opportunity we have to help students and recent graduates learn about professional credentials and the advantages they see from earning IHMM credentials.
2021 National Hurricane Preparedness Week May 9-15
2021 National Hurricane Preparedness Week May 9-15As part of our effort to keep you informed of ongoing national outreach campaigns, we wanted to let you know that Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 9-15. The campaign, sponsored by the NOAA National Weather Service, provides hurricane preparedness tips and resources for your home, community, and business. Resources include a social media kit in English and Spanish, numerous educational infographics, and advice to help you safely prepare, evacuate, and shelter for severe storms while protecting yourself and others from COVID-19.
In addition, OSHA has additional resources, including the Hurricane Preparedness and Response page, which outlines the warnings and watches used for hurricanes, including the five categories used to rate the strength of a hurricane. The page also contains information on creating evacuation plans and supply kits. The page also features a link to OSHA’s Hurricane eMatrix, which features information on hazard exposures and risk assessments for hurricane response and recovery work. The information in the matrix is organized based on the types of activities performed so that it is easy for workers to identify the precautions they should take based on the tasks they will be performing.
New Course Available on OFCCP’s Contractor Compliance Institute
New Course Available on OFCCP’s Contractor Compliance InstituteOFCCP has released a new course in the Contractor Compliance Institute for federal contractors and subcontractors (“contractors”). The new course, titled Compliance Evaluations, will help supply and service contractors better understand OFCCP’s compliance evaluation processes and procedures.
Some of the key items examined in this new course are:
- The types of compliance evaluations OFCCP is authorized to conduct
- OFCCP’s procedures for each of the four types of compliance evaluations:
- Compliance Checks
- Compliance Reviews
- Focused Reviews
- Off-Site Review of Records
OFCCP is committed to providing meaningful compliance assistance to contractors to ensure they know how to comply with their equal employment opportunity obligations. Find additional compliance assistance resources on OFCCP’s website.
IHMM & AHMP 45 in 5 Project – National Credential Recognition – 21 States Targeted
On January 25th, we began outlining the strategy to go after the 21 states in yellow, above. Since then we have succeeded in adding Nebraska, Colorado, and California.
This is just the beginning. Here is the present composition of the 45 In 5 Task Force and the states we are focusing on. More people may volunteer anytime! https://ihmm.org/45-in-5-task-force/
- The Washington state group is finalizing a communication to state officials in conjunction with the MTCA regulatory process underway there. Well done Erik Berg, Jerome Fields and the people in Washington state.
- There are 21 states that recognize the CHMM for phase I and phase II site assessments, though the 45 in 5 group is also looking at Small Business Administration [SBA] rules for these assessments to determine what we may need to do to gain SBA recognition as well.
In 2019 Mark Bruce from AHMP and Gene Guilford from IHMM worked on a project to get the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to recognize the CHMM and CDGT credentials. With Mark’s work on the ground in Pennsylvania, we succeeded.
Since the launch, we have added Delaware, Florida, Texas, California, Washington, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Missouri, Iowa, North Carolina, Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Puerto Rico as the next places for us to work on with 44 volunteers.
The Task Force meets again in late May.
This is why the IHMM-AHMP 45 in 5 Project is Important to You. IHMM credentials are known and respected worldwide. Here are a few examples…
When Siemens In Knoxville, TN is looking for a Senior EHS Specialist, it looks for an IHMM CHMM
When Shirley Parsons in Charlotte, NC is looking for a Global EHS Programs & Audits Manager, it looks for an IHMM CHMM
When GreenKiss Staffing of Boston, MA looks for an Environmental Health Safety Manager, it looks for an IHMM CHMM
When the United States Air Force looks for a Hazardous Materials Inspector Leader, it looks for an IHMM CDGP
When DHL looks for a Dangerous Goods Handling Lead, it looks for an IHMM CDGP
When Essity in Auckland, New Zealand looks for a Global Risk, Environment, Safety & Health Director, it looks for an IHMM CDGP
IHMM NEWS RECENT UPDATES
Revised Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Update for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS
CDC Guidance: How the COVID-19 Virus Spreads
US Department of Labor asks Kansas heavy construction industries to submit data to help establish accurate prevailing wage rates
US Department of Labor to withdraw Independent Contractor Rule
US Department of Labor issues guidance to states to permit greater flexibility for waiving the recovery of certain unemployment insurance overpayments
US Department of Labor welcomes nominations for members of the National Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship
FASTLane offers physicals for hazardous waste and hazardous materials employees
Clayton Industries steam solution facilitates 25% faster biomedical waste management
IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) Publications
FMCSA increases fines for trucking regulation violations for the second time in 2021
Santa Teresa Port of Entry is Now Hazmat Certified
DOE receives six pointers on waste management
Senate Committee Will Hold Hearing on Nominee for EPA Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
Cal/OSHA Issues Long-Awaited Guidance On Fully Vaccinated Employees
Emergency OSHA Covid Rule Drawn Out by More White House Meetings
EPA Moves Forward with Phase Down of Climate-Damaging Hydrofluorocarbons
Technical Volunteer Needed
Technical Volunteer NeededEnviroWorkShops is holding its Global Summit on Sept 14-17, 2021 in Charlotte NC.> Home – Global Enviro Summit IHMM is a sponsor of this event.
EnviroSummit is a global conference with international presentations in the morning on the main stage, and breakout sessions for Remediation, Vapor Intrusion, Air Quality and Wastewater in the afternoon.
The Environmental Workshops, LLC is the manager of the 2021 Global EnviroSummit. Since 2013, the EnviroWorkshops has hosted close to 400 workshops on 6 continents, in 20 countries, and in over 100 cities worldwide. Over 20,000 environmental professionals have registered around the globe and they continue to expand into new countries every year.
Leading up to the summit IHMM has been invited to participate in a technical board to review abstracts and help us select speakers. Would you be interested in this? If so, would the Wastewater board be the best fit for you? The Boards are: Remediation, Vapor Intrusion, Air Quality, and Wastewater.
We only need one volunteer. Send a note to Gene Guilford at [email protected] if you are interested.
Where Do IHMM CDGPs Work? All Over the World.
Where Do IHMM CDGPs Work? All Over the World.Here are a few examples…
IHMM is a member of the National Safety Council and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants
2021 Job Outlook
Opioids and the Workforce
OSHA Standards and the “competent person”
It’s Time to Rethink Incident Investigations
NSC Impact Tracks
The NSC Impact Tracks provide valuable educational opportunities for safety professionals looking to enhance their career, brush up on their skills and earn CEUs in the comfort of their home or office. This new virtual opportunity provides a day of topically focused education featuring five 60 minute technical sessions, lunch and stretch breaks, and an opening welcome from NSC President & CEO, Lorraine Martin. Each session will be taught by leading safety and subject experts in the field.
SAVE MY SPOT
NSC Webinars
May 12 – How To Keep Employees Safe in 2021
May 13 – Metalworking Fumes: Using Filtration to Achieve Safety Compliance
May 13 – Preparing for Summer and Beyond with Mass Notification
May 19 – Accident Investigations: Finding and eliminating root causes
May 20 – Housekeeping Tips for Your Safety Program
May 20 – Respiratory Protection Program: What OSHA’s Looking for and How to Protect Against New Hazards
May 20 – OH&S Industrial Hygiene Virtual Summit
May 26 –Webinar: New Administration, New Changes for OSHA
June 2 – Webinar: OSHA Safety Training – How to Make it Effective
Please join us in participating in Safe + Sound Week from August 9-15, 2021. Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event held each August to show your business’s commitment to keep workers safe year-round. Safe + Sound Week is also a time when information and ideas are shared to help get your safety and health program started or improve an existing program.
Download the Save the Date and share that you’ll be participating in Safe + Sound Week on social media using #SafeAndSoundAtAWork.
Registration opens in July and will be announced via IHMM Today and EHS Professional.
Spring Arrives with a Slate of Exciting
Virtual Events and Trainings
Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to share information regarding a full slate of upcoming opportunities for chemical industry stakeholders to stay abreast of key regulatory developments both in the United States and internationally. We hope you will join B&C professionals, industry colleagues, and regulatory agency speakers for one or more of these events.
TSCA at Five Virtual Conference – June 30, 2021
This June marks the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the game-changing Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg) that amended the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). With a new Administration and the relentless pace of regulatory developments related to Lautenberg implementation, there are many issues to consider and problems to solve.
The Environmental Law Institute (ELI), the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, and Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) are pleased to announce the fifth annual conference providing updates and insights regarding the current state of TSCA implementation, ongoing and emerging issues, and related developments. Topics will include how EPA is implementing Section 6 risk evaluation provisions, changes in new chemical review, existing chemical risk management provisions, and TSCA’s role in achieving environmental justice, among other topics.
As with our previous TSCA anniversary events, a stellar faculty of speakers from government, non-governmental organizations, industry, and academia will convene to inform, analyze, discuss, and debate the most pressing issues related to TSCA with regulatory practitioners and other stakeholder attendees.
Detailed program and registration information to come. SAVE THE DATE!
TSCA Tutor® On-Demand Virtual Training
Available 24/7/365
Enroll Online
B&C’s TSCA Tutor online e-training platform offers expert, efficient, essential TSCA training. Professionals seeking TSCA training can preview and enroll in on-demand classes to complete at their own pace and timing.
TSCA Tutor online training courses include:
• Video lessons.
• Detailed handout materials, including copies of all presentations and relevant course materials from EPA and other sources.
• Customizable, yet detailed and ready-to-use Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the regulatory topic covered in the session.
Interested professionals should visit www.TSCAtutor.com to view sample course segments and purchase modules. Volume discounts are available for companies wishing to purchase courses for multiple employees.
HMS and Earning Certification Maintenance Points [CMPs]
IHMM created HMS, in large measure, so that IHMM certificants could have one, central place within which to find professional development courses in which to earn certification maintenance points. HMS courses cover all of IHMM’s 8 credentials, not only one.
We’ve made it easy to find CMPs.
- Go to https://hazmatsociety.org/
- Go to the Education and Training tab
- Scroll down until you see these buttons…and click on the CMPs button
- The system will produce a listing of the programs on the platform that have already been reviewed and given CMP ratings. You can find the programs suitable for you.
For example, one of the programs is from Columbia Southern University, offered online, has 36 CMPs attached, and is FREE. This is only one example. There are hundreds of programs on HMS.
Safety News You Need: National Safety Stand-Down
Protecting the Public From Construction Hazards
ASSP’s Fall Protection Toolbox Supports OSHA’s Stand-Down
Safety News You Need: Protecting Young Workers
OSHA Guidance on Recording Illnesses Caused by COVID-19 Vaccinations
ASSP Webinars
Live Virtual Classroom: Managing Safety and Health – May 11-12, 2021
ONLINE COURSE: Prevention through Design – May 13-June 10, 2021
IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to provide this information to all of our certificants.
HMS UPDATES
HMS Donations
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.
HMS Education and Training
Hazardous Materials Society now has 12,021 education and training programs on its website https://hazmatsociety.org/education-training/ with more coming every week. Certificants will note that most of these programs carry a CMP value, making it easier to know in advance what to expect. The HMS Education and Training platform also provides a wide variety of courses for professional development across all of IHMM’s credentials – and more are being developed by the HMS Education and Training Committee.
This is the center of education and training for IHMM certificants and prospective certificants. Among these more than 15.000 programs are webinars delivered online and virtually all carry IHMM CMPs values with them for your annual / 5-year CMP planning. SEE: https://hazmatsociety.org/education-training/
HMS Affinity Programs – CINTAS Uniforms
Reaching more than 127,000 people – here is where HMS leverages our numbers for member’s benefit. There is strength and value in numbers and that translates into lower costs for you.
Save up to 65% off Cintas uniforms, safety and facility services.
Keep your team and workspace looking their best. New Cintas contracts enjoy special discounts and a free one-time UltraClean service and free installation of hygiene dispensers. Enroll with NPP today and save on Cintas!
Enroll your business for FREE with NPP to learn more about Cintas discounts. Enroll with NPP here: https://mynpp.com/association/hms/
IHMM/HMS Coronavirus Resources
IHMM/HMS Coronavirus ResourcesIn February of 2020, the World Health Organization’s director-general has declared a public health emergency of international concern over the ongoing outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus. On March 13, 2020 President Trump declared a national emergency for the United States. IHMM and HMS’ first concern is with the safety and health of all of us; our staff and families, colleagues, certificants and members. We will update this page regularly as credible, authoritative information is available.
INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND LABORATORIES.
COVID-19 Data Tracker By State
COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in Non-Healthcare Workplaces
COVID-19 Weekly Review – May 7, 2021
CDC Communications Toolkit
Are adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine recordable on the OSHA recordkeeping log?
In general, an adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine is recordable if the reaction is: (1) work-related, (2) a new case, and (3) meets one or more of the general recording criteria in 29 CFR 1904.7 (e.g., days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid).
If you require your employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment (i.e., for work-related reasons), then any adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine is work-related. The adverse reaction is recordable if it is a new case under 29 CFR 1904.6 and meets one or more of the general recording criteria in 29 CFR 1904.7.
State Vaccination Distribution Plans
New! Vaccine Data Dashboard. We now have a specific dashboard dedicated to state vaccination plans, updated daily. For each state, you’ll find:
- Current distribution phase,
- Brief overview of state plan,
- Current and future eligible populations, and
- Links to state documentation.
HMS Jobs Board
We invite our participating companies to post their available employment opportunities here. There is no charge for this service. HMS staff reviews each proposed posting for clarity and completeness before posting to the public view and may remove a posting without notice.
Astra, Alameda, CA. As a Hazardous Materials Specialist on the EHS Team, you will have the opportunity to develop, improve, and scale health and safety programs from the ground up! You will keep folks safe and healthy by supporting dynamic day-to-day operations across all Astra facilities.
Member Benefits of Hazardous Materials Society
81% 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.
A Collaborative Culture
There are 401 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. 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> https://community.ihmm.org/home
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 Jim Drosdak at [email protected] and he’ll be happy to help you.
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 2021
IHMM will attend and support a number of conferences and trade shows throughout 2021, virtually as well as in-person as COVID issues allow. Below are the first few conferences we have coming up early in 2021.
AHMP 2021 National Conference
July 25-28, 2021
Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center
Kansas City, Missouri
College & University Hazardous Materials Management Conference
August 7-12, 2021
Denver, Colorado
This conference is currently planned as being entirely virtual.
ASSP Safety21 Conference & Expo
September 13-15, 2021
Austin, Texas
This is a hybrid conference of both virtual and in-person events
IHMM GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Beltway Buzz – Ogletree & Deakins
DOL Rescinds Independent Contractor Rule. On May 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a regulation rescinding its independent contractor rule, which was finalized on January 7, 2021, but never went into effect. The withdrawal comes less than three weeks after the close of a public comment docket that generated over 1,000 responses. The DOL stated that it “believes that the Rule is inconsistent with the [Fair Labor Standards Act’s] text and purpose, and would have a confusing and disruptive effect on workers and businesses alike due to its departure from longstanding judicial precedent.” The new regulation does not set forth a new regulatory standard for evaluating independent contractor status, but the Buzz expects the DOL to weigh in on that matter eventually.
Warner and the PRO Act. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) is one of three Democratic senators (along with Arizona senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly) who have not signed on as cosponsors of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. In a recent series of calls with the press, Senator Warner said that while he supported many elements of the PRO Act, he had concerns with some of the bill’s provisions, including “some of the process issues around an election voting process for a union,” as well as the codification of the ABC test in the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Senator Warner brought up the example of California, and the unpopularity of Assembly Bill (AB) 5. Senator Warner also stated that one of his concerns was that the PRO Act “tries to fit all work into kind of a 20th century, classic W-2 employment status,” but the United States will not “return to a 1980s type of economy.” His remarks came as big labor continued its full-court press demanding passage of the PRO Act. Indeed, this week, players’ unions from the major professional football, basketball, baseball, and hockey leagues came out in support of the legislation.
NLRB Avoids Challenge to GC Appointment. Speaking of labor-management policy, last week the Buzz noted that President Joe Biden’s firing of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Peter Robb was going to be the subject of legal and policy debate over the next several years. In a decision issued on April 30, 2021, the NLRB declined to rule on a legal challenge to Robb’s removal and the subsequent appointment of Peter Sung Ohr as the Board’s acting general counsel. In declining to wade into the fracas, the Board stated, “reviewing the actions of the President is ultimately a task for the federal courts,” and that, in any case, “the Board has no authority to remedy an invalid appointment to the Board or a designation or appointment to serve as General Counsel.” Stay tuned, as there will be much more on this issue.
Retirement Legislation Advances. On May 5, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means approved the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2021 (H.R. 2954), a bill intended to promote retirement savings, and voted unanimously to advance it to the House floor for a vote. The legislation builds upon the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which was enacted in 2019. Among other provisions, the bill would require auto-enrollment of eligible individuals in employer-sponsored retirement plans, increase the age (from 72 to 75) at which retirees must begin taking required minimum distributions, allow for higher “catch-up” contributions for older workers, and allow open multiple employer plans (MEPs) for 403(b) plans. Given the measure’s bipartisan backing, the bill’s supporters are hopeful for its swift passage in the House and U.S. Senate.
USCIS to Ease Biometrics Requirement. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stakeholders are undoubtedly aware of the visa processing backlogs that are currently plaguing the agency as a result of COVID-19–related delays. In particular, spouses of H-1B and L-2 visa holders have experienced delays in securing changes of status and work authorization, which have resulted in multiple lawsuits challenging the processing delays as unreasonable. To address these processing delays, USCIS announced this week in a court filing that beginning on May 17, 2021, it “will temporarily suspend biometrics submission requirements for individuals filing Form I-539 to request an extension of stay in or change of status to H-4, L-2 and certain E nonimmigrants due to the extended processing times resulting from … ongoing COVID-19 health and safety protocols.” The suspension of the collection of biometric data “is intended to automatically expire after May 17, 2023, subject to affirmative extension or revocation by the USCIS Director.”
Political Races. Politicians are used to running political campaigns, and believe it or not, some are even good at, well, actually running. With regard to our current crop of federal legislators, the best runner and long-distance athlete is likely Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). Senator Sinema, who has participated in multiple marathons and triathlons, announced this week that she would be running in the 2021 Boston Marathon, which will take place on October 11, 2021. Despite her athletic prowess, Senator Sinema probably cannot lay claim to being Congress’s all-time best runner, a distinction that likely goes to former representative Jim Ryun (R-KS). Prior to his service in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996 to 2007, Ryun competed in the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Summer Olympic Games. He won a silver medal in the 1,500-meter race at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Ryun previously qualified for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo when he was only 17 years old, becoming the youngest American male track athlete ever to qualify for the Olympics—a record that stands today.
PHMSA – Hazardous Materials: Notice of Public Meetings in 2021 for International Standards on the Transport of Dangerous Goods
PHMSA – Hazardous Materials: Notice of Public Meetings in 2021 for International Standards on the Transport of Dangerous GoodsSUMMARY: The notice announces that PHMSA’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety will host four public meetings during 2021 in advance of certain international meetings.
- The first meeting will be held in preparation of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) Working Group 21 (WG/21) virtual meeting scheduled for May 24– 28, 2021.
- The second meeting will be held in preparation of the 58th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE TDG) scheduled for June 28 to July 2, 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland.
- The third meeting will be held in preparation of the ICAO DGP 28 Meeting (DGP/28) scheduled for September 27 to October 1, 2021.
- The fourth meeting will be held in preparation of the 59th session of the UNSCOE TDG scheduled for November 29 to December 8, 2021. For each of these meetings, PHMSA will solicit public input on current proposals.
Public notices will be published in the Federal Register prior to the public meetings conducted by the International Standards Group.
PHMSA International Program Overview
Federal Register Notice > https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-04-02/pdf/2021-06871.pdf
Vendor Alert: How much of this business did you get?
IHMM saw an increase in applications of more than 50% in 2020, and for the first 1/3rd of 2021 now has 393 people waiting to take exams. How much of this business did your company see? If you’re missing out contact Diane McLevy at [email protected] and see how you can benefit from a relationship with IHMM and HMS.
IHMM EVENTS CALENDAR
IHMM NOW HAS A COMPANION ORGANIZATION FOR WHICH EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTED AND DELIVERED. THE CALENDAR IN THIS SPACE FROM THE IHMM WEBSITE IS BEING REPLACED BY THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SOCIETY WEBSITE AND THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING SECTION FOUND HERE: https://hazmatsociety.org/education-training/
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