Are You Subject to EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP)? We Can Help!
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) that trap heat in the atmosphere via 40 CFR Part 98 and requires annual reporting through EPA’s electronic GHG Reporting Tool (e-GGRT) by March 31 each year with information from the previous calendar year. Who is required to report GHG emissions? Applicability is […]
Continue reading
OSHA Announces Annual Adjustments to OSHA Civil Penalties for 2023
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has changed civil penalty amounts based on cost-of-living adjustments for 2023. OSHA’s maximum penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations will increase from $14,502 per violation to $15,625 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations will increase from $145,027 per violation to $156,259 per violation. Also, OSHA […]
Continue reading
Transforming 1930s Urban Roadway Design to Support Today’s Urban Redevelopment
Redevelopment in older urban communities to provide more beneficial built environments must also include redeveloping aging roadways and underlying infrastructure so that those new benefits are fully accessible. This was true in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, where EnSafe helped the Memphis and Shelby County Community Redevelopment Agency improve a 1,810-foot section of Front Street to keep […]
Continue reading
EPA Issues PFAS Discharge Guidance to States
On December 5, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a memorandum to EPA Regional Water Division Directors related to addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) discharges in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. This important step is designed to monitor and reduce PFAS discharges to surface waters. The EPA memorandum provides PFAS-related guidance […]
Continue reading
Our Answers to FAQs about ISO Standards
What are ISO standards? International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 167 national standards bodies. This organization releases ISO standards, which are those that international experts have agreed upon as the best way of doing something. These standards cover myriad activities, as the ISO website explains, “It […]
Continue reading
U.S. EPA approves ASTM E1527-21 for All Appropriate Inquiries
On Your Mark ASTM International published its revised industry standard for conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments Designation E1527-21 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process in November 2021. The revised standard included new definitions for key terminology, increased historical and regulatory research requirements, expanded requirements for identifying environmental liens and land-use […]
Continue reading
Proposed Changes to OSHA PSM: How it May Affect Your Site
In September 2022, OSHA formally announced proposed amendments to the Process Safety Management (PSM) standard in response to Executive Order 13650. This executive order, signed in 2013, required OSHA and EPA to perform “modernization” efforts to their respective PSM and Risk Management Program (RMP) standards. EnSafe attended OSHA’s PSM Stakeholder meeting in October 2022 to […]
Continue reading
Written Health and Safety Programs are Just Good Common Sense
To Write or Not to Write – That is the Question Whether your business is undergoing a self-imposed health and safety audit, a voluntary audit from an accredited organization, or a not-so-voluntary inspection through a regulatory agency, one of the first items likely to be requested by the auditor is a copy of your written […]
Continue reading
Regulatory Changes Expected as Findings Suggest Increased Risk from EtO Emissions
Prompted by findings of increased cancer risks associated with ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering regulatory changes that will affect the use of EtO, a colorless, odorless, flammable gas typically used for sterilization of medication equipment but is also used to make other chemicals and products like antifreeze and […]
Continue reading
U.S. EPA Announces Intent to Designate PFOA and PFOS as Hazardous Substances
On Friday, August 26, 2022, U.S. EPA announced its intent to designate perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as CERCLA hazardous substances. U.S. EPA posted a pre-publication notice for the Federal Register listing, including Supplemental Information describing the basis for designation. This rulemaking marks the first time U.S. EPA has used its authority under […]
Continue reading