On October 18, 2021, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the PFAS Strategic Roadmap: EPA’s Commitments to Action 2021-2024 (Roadmap). The Roadmap is intended to be a comprehensive approach to confronting PFAS...more
10/21/2021
/ CERCLA ,
Contamination ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Drinking Water ,
Enforcement Guidance ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Hazardous Substances ,
NPDES ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Toxic Exposure ,
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
On October 1, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its new Draft Strategic Plan for 2022 through 2026 (Strategic Plan). EPA is required to develop the Strategic Plan to communicate EPA’s priorities...more
10/18/2021
/ Air Quality Standards ,
Biden Administration ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Pollution Control ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Strategic Planning ,
Supervisory Guidance ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Water Quality
As previously discussed in a post on the Manufacturing Law Blog, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is increasing scrutiny of how thoroughly companies evaluate and disclose Environmental, Social, and Corporate...more
September 2, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DOD), released the first EPA-validated laboratory analytical method to test for per- and polyfluoroalkyl...more
9/3/2021
/ Contamination ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Drinking Water ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Environmental Testing ,
Groundwater ,
Hazardous Substances ,
PFAS ,
Public Health ,
Soil ,
Toxic Chemicals ,
Toxic Exposure ,
Wastewater
On June 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) adopted its COVID19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Employers providing health care services will be required to comply with new...more
6/21/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Workplace Safety
Growing evidence suggests that corporate focus on ESG—Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance—may offer short- and long-term advantages to both companies and investors. These advantages are in addition to and apart...more
4/23/2021
/ Business Plans ,
Business Strategies ,
Capital Investments ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Investment Management ,
Manufacturers ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Sustainability
The results of a recently published study show that construction workers in Texas were more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 compared to the general population. An equally problematic finding is that the increased...more
Manufacturing equipment can be dangerous. Hazards associated with manufacturing equipment can come in a variety of forms, such as pinch points, sparks, or flying debris. OSHA regulations require equipment with moving parts to...more
10/2/2020
/ Bodily Injury ,
Citations ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Heavy Equipment ,
Industrial Sector ,
Manufacturers ,
Manufacturing Facilities ,
OSH Review Commission ,
OSHA ,
Regulatory Violations ,
Safety Violations ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
Since at least March, manufacturers, and the entire U.S. economy, have been experiencing unprecedented conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has not only changed where and how manufacturers operate, but...more
9/4/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health & Safety Standard ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Manufacturers ,
Manufacturing Facilities ,
OIG ,
OSHA ,
Whistleblowers ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began affecting jobsites in the U.S., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released, and revised, COVID-19-related workplace guidance several times (see, Additional OSHA...more
While Federal OSHA has issued numerous COVID-related guidance documents, it has declined to issue an enforceable COVID standard. Instead, OSHA continues to reference numerous other statutory and regulatory standards that...more
On May 26, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a webpage with coronavirus-related guidance for construction employers and workers. The guidance includes recommended actions to reduce the...more
On September 25, 2019, OSHA issued a final rule approving two additional quantitative fit testing protocols for inclusion in appendix A of the Respiratory Protection Standard....more
Yesterday, OSHA issued a final rule approving two additional quantitative fit testing protocols for inclusion in appendix A of the Respiratory Protection Standard. These protocols are....more
OSHA recently announced that it is considering whether it should revise the Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)) standard to accommodate recent technological advances concerning control circuit-type devices....more
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced its intention to modify the 2017 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Construction Stormwater Discharges (2017 CGP). EPA...more
Thank you to Jonathan Schaefer for this post. Jon is an attorney in our Environmental, Energy & Telecommunications Practice Group and his practice focuses on environmental compliance counseling, occupational health and...more
As all members of the construction industry know, the prevention of the occurrence of work-related injuries and illnesses is a constant concern, and one that can have serious implications for the various contractual...more
Thank you to Jonathan Schaefer for this post. Jon is an attorney in our Environmental, Energy & Telecommunications Practice Group and his practice focuses on environmental compliance counseling, occupational health and...more
Workplace violence is a risk at any health care workplace. Whether from patients, residents, clients, or employees. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) estimates that three quarters of all workplace...more
Under the 2016 Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses rule (RROII Rule), December 30, 2017 was the first deadline for certain employers to electronically submit their 2016 300A summary forms, which...more
On May 12, 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1732, which requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to withdraw the proposed rule published in the Federal...more
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, has decided to discontinue its plan for a regional general permit for activities within its jurisdiction that would have covered all six New England states. In 2013, the...more