Photo Credit: NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory Benjamin Franklin famously said, “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” In our field, an insufficient plan—or worse, no plan at all—can be destructive or even deadly. This is true for workplace incidents as well as severe weather ones like tornadoes. If you have properly prepared, you can minimize damages and injury risk to your employees in the event of a tornado. This preparation starts with developing a Tornado/Severe Weather Plan

History The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is a publicly available database that contains information on toxic chemical releases and other waste management activities reported annually by certain covered industry groups as well as federal facilities. This inventory was established under a federal law called the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) and was expanded by the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990. It requires facilities in certain industries which manufacture, process, or use significant amounts of

The Requirement for an SPCC The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires certain types of facilities to prepare and implement Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans to prevent oil from reaching navigable waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines. Without consideration for mechanical intervention, facilities with no potential impact to navigable waters are not required to implement a plan. For this reason, the definition of ‘navigable waters’ can be a very contested topic. EPA Definition of WOTUS   On

In colder weather, the dangers of Carbon monoxide exposure increase as windows and overhead doors remain closed and air circulation becomes stagnant.  Although we are entering the warmer months, we are seeing an increase in OSHA inspections and additional attention being put towards Carbon monoxide.  Regular and proper maintenance of CO generating equipment goes a long way in greatly reducing CO related injuries and illnesses.  Examples of CO generating equipment include:  propane/fuel operated powered industrial lift trucks, furnaces, gas fired

As we begin 2019, we enter another busy reporting year. With that being said, how familiar are you with the March 1st ECPRA Tier II reporting requirements? Whether you are a small distribution center or the largest manufacturing facility in the United States, chances are you may be failing to accurately assess your facility’s Tier II applicability. In brief, Tier II is a hazardous substance storage reporting that notifies both state and local authorities of potentially hazardous materials that facilities

[av_video src=’https://www.uscompliance.com/wp-content/videos/USCOMPLIANCE-TESTIMONIALS.mp4′ mobile_image=” attachment=” attachment_size=” format=’16-9′ width=’16’ height=’9′ conditional_play=” av_uid=’av-1zzc5b’ custom_class=”] At U.S. Compliance we hold three values close to the heart of our business. When we created “Compliance as a Service” (CaaS) it was a revolutionary model to offer OSHA and EPA compliance consulting services perfectly designed for growing industrial companies. We created the revolutionary CaaS model because it’s good for our clients, thanks to the elite team members who deliver it. U.S. Compliance is the inventor of CaaS

We’ve built our business and reputation on word-of-mouth, and we’d like to grow that even more. Compliance as a Service (CaaS) recognizes that today’s regulatory environment requires an “always-on” approach that keeps you in compliance and ahead of the game. We also recognize that many manufacturers need a third-party compliance resource to complement and support their existing personnel—many of whom have to wear multiple hats and can provide greater value if they’re free to work on the business rather than

Saturday, March 2nd is the deadline to electronically report your OSHA Form 300A data for injuries and illnesses reported in the 2018 calendar year. Specified establishments are required to submit this electronic information. Establishments, not the firm as a whole, with 250 or more employees are no longer required to electronically submit their OSHA Form 300A. Only a small number of establishments are required to electronically submit their Form 300A data electronically to OSHA. If your establishment meets any of

The 10 most frequently cited standards across the country have been published by OSHA. Preventable injuries lead these violations from the 2018 fiscal year. OSHA’s regular worksite inspections throughout the 2018 fiscal year (October 1, 2017-September 30, 2018) yielded the ten standards most often cited. Duty to Have Fall Protection (Standard 1926.501) The OSHA standard for fall protection requires employers to protect employees from sides and edges, steep roofs, excavations, etc. that pose the risk of falling. Lack of proper

Common Causes of Back Pain Back pain is often identified as an unavoidable ailment, most especially for those working physically demanding jobs. Back pain is commonly caused by: Poor lifting techniques Bad posture-seated or standing Physical overexertion by force Extensive amounts of inactivity Preventing Back Pain at Work Avoiding the most common causes of back pain will help you remain pain free at work. Preventative practices include simple changes and awareness of your body’s physical capabilities. Follow the guidelines below

Working in cold temperatures increases the risk of cold stress injuries and illnesses. Prepare for cold stress with proper cold weather safety. What is Cold Stress? Cold stress is a condition caused by a significant decrease in your body temperature resulting in the inability to naturally warm up. Higher risks of illness and injury are associated with cold stress. Exposure to cold temperatures (winter weather, freezers, cold storages, cold warehouses) increases the likelihood of cold stress injuries. Wind chill, dampness,

The OSHA Form 300A ‘Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses’ for the 2018 calendar year must be posted beginning Friday, February 1. The summary log must be posted at each establishment in a common area where employees are accustomed to viewing notices until Tuesday, April 30. All employers that are required to maintain an OSHA 300 Injury and Illness log must post the accompanying OSHA 300A summary sheet in their workplace. A company executive must review the related OSHA 300