The new Cal/OSHA indoor heat regulation for California workplaces is now in effect. Understanding its requirements can help keep your company in compliance and protect the health of your workers. For many industries, from construction to manufacturing, these rules represent a significant shift in how indoor heat risks are regulated and managed. This article will… Read more »
What Is The OSHA Updated Hazard Communication Standard? Key Changes Explained
Are you familiar with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) updated Hazard Communication Standard? This essential regulation is designed to protect workers from chemical hazards through improved communication and training. The most significant change is the adoption of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for classifying and labeling chemicals, which ensures consistent information for better… Read more »
Infectious Disease and Species: Level Sampling For Mold in Healthcare Settings
Sampling for Mold in Healthcare Settings Mold in healthcare settings can pose significant health risks and liability issues. Along with an effective mold and moisture management program, consulting with an environmental health consultant to assist in evaluations will help achieve a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors. This article outlines key standards and guidelines,… Read more »
CAL/OSHA Lead Standards Updates: How We Got Here and Where We’re Going
2,000 years ago lead was used for piping water, minting coins, as an ingredient in cosmetics, to sweeten wines, and for many other things. Lead is malleable, durable, and abundant — all valuable properties for many products still produced today. Unfortunately, lead is also toxic to humans. The Roman architect, Vitruvius, warned about the negative… Read more »
New MSHA Silica Rule Overview
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently updated its standard on respirable crystalline silica (RCS) that took effect on June 17, 2024. These changes follow extensive review of testimonies and written comments from a broad range of stakeholders. Companies operating any mine (metal, non-metal or coal), quarries, sand, gravel, and other aggregate activities should… Read more »
The #1 OSHA Violation and How to Avoid It
The same OSHA safety violation has topped the list for the last 13 years. In 2023, OSHA citations for that violation (fall protection) more than doubled the number of citations issued for the second-ranked safety concern (hazard communication). Assessing your workplace or worksite risk profile and taking steps to ensure your workers comply with OSHA… Read more »
Healthcare Construction Guidelines Under ICRA 2.0
Infection control risk assessment (ICRA) guidelines clarify the need for careful assessments of construction project activity at healthcare facilities. The ICRA guidelines are not a set of burdensome rules. They provide a framework that can help you navigate the healthcare construction process. Healthcare construction and renovation projects tend to be more strategically demanding than other… Read more »
What Are The Most Common Health and Safety Hazards In Construction?
Physical hazards in construction site accident reports are commonplace. They are just one of the many types of hazards construction workers can face, though. FACS workplace safety consultants are often asked questions like “What are potential hazards to be aware of at work?” and “What are the most common health and safety hazards in construction?”… Read more »
Hazardous Waste Disposal FAQs for Owners and Contractors
There may not be any barrels full of hazardous waste on your construction site, but that doesn’t mean hazardous materials aren’t present. Hazardous waste disposal is of vital concern to building contractors — especially where demolition or remodeling is involved and fines for improper disposal may be severe. Below is a list of frequently asked… Read more »
Health and Safety Plan Templates Are Not Always a Good Idea
If you own a business that has employees, you are subject to the requirements of OSHA (both state and federal) and other regulatory agencies. Sometimes, the red tape can get so thick that businesses are fined for violating regulations they weren’t even aware of. Such was the case with a business owner cited for violations… Read more »
When Is an Asbestos Survey Required?
You could save yourself hundreds of thousands of dollars by getting this right. True or False: The U.S. completely banned the use of asbestos in building materials in 1989. That means any commercial building constructed in 1990 or later poses no asbestos risk. Consequently, you don’t need to worry about getting an asbestos survey prior… Read more »
What Happens If A Company Violates OSHA: Consequences and Penalties Explained
When a company violates Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, the consequences can be severe and multifaceted. OSHA violations can lead to substantial fines, legal action, and serious harm to employees, underscoring the importance of adherence to safety regulations. In cases where violations result in severe injuries or fatalities, employers may face criminal charges,… Read more »
Illinois Asbestos Disclosure Requirements for Property Sales and Renovations
Illinois has had a complex history with asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral once widely used in various industries due to its resistance to heat and corrosion. However, its fibers pose serious health risks when inhaled, leading to diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. Due to these risks, the state has established stringent asbestos disclosure laws… Read more »
Asbestos in Construction Materials Testing: Critical Information
Here’s something many people who should know … don’t know: Agencies that approve building and demolition permits require property owners to either presume asbestos is present in the construction materials or to conduct construction materials testing for asbestos to prove it is not. Despite the seriousness of the matter — potential fines, loss of time,… Read more »
How Recent Changes to RRP Rules Affect Property Management
Renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) rules were created by the EPA to protect building occupants and workers from the hazard of “lead poisoning.” Other federal and local bodies are also concerned about the dangers of lead in construction, making it all more important to be aware of the pertinent regulations before beginning a project in… Read more »
Construction Site Safety Blind Spots
Projects need to be completed within the budget and on time. That pressure can contribute to overlooking risks and a failure to recognize or correct unsafe conditions. The consequences of succumbing to that pressure are real and can sometimes be catastrophic to the lives of workers and their families. Fatalities in construction occupations rose six… Read more »
Managing Waterborne Pathogen Risks During Hospital Construction
All demolition, construction, and renovation activities in healthcare facilities — whether planned or unplanned — require a pre-construction risk assessment (PCRA). Some guidance documents refer to this procedure as an “Infection Control Risk Assessment” (ICRA). The Joint Commission’s Environment of Care Standard establishes the framework. Certain concerns tend to get the most attention during renovation… Read more »
Silica in Construction, 3 Years Later: What We’ve Learned
OSHA announced the final rule concerning worker protection from occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica in March of 2016. Enforcement of the standard began in September of 2017. That rule provides two options for compliance: Employers can either assess exposure and implement controls on a task-by-task basis to ensure exposure falls below the permissible exposure… Read more »
Maintaining Asbestos & Lead Certifications during COVID-19 “Shelter-in-Place” Restrictions
Although the shelter-in-place order is still in effect in the state of California, Cal-OSHA & CDPH will not be extending lead and asbestos certification deadlines. Refresher trainings and renewal applications will still need to be completed before your certifications expire in order to maintain your status. The challenge: how do you complete training with shelter-in-place restrictions? The… Read more »
California Lead in Construction Rules Are Changing Soon
These Changes Will Affect Every General Contractor, Trade Contractor, Maintenance Team, and Custodial Crew in California Cal/OSHA has been working for over eight years to revise its Lead in Construction (8 CCR 1532.1) and Lead in General Industry standards (8 CCR 5198). The current laws were essentially copied from federal regulations and have been in… Read more »
The Hidden Factor That Can Sink a Construction Project
Put yourself in this situation: Excavation is underway at the construction site when a recently-hired laborer complains of an “odd smell” in the air. Nobody else on the crew senses anything unusual, so work continues. The next day, the employee calls in sick with a severe headache. He says he’s afraid it’s related to whatever… Read more »
5 Essential Benefits of the Pre-Project Hazardous Materials Inspection and Survey
Here’s a scenario we see happen far too often: A frantic client calls FACS. The work plan for a restoration project didn’t mention hazardous materials, but the crew found asbestos contamination. Work cannot continue without clearance by a certified hazardous materials consultant, and for the client … each hour of delay means money lost. Now… Read more »
PCB Assessments Required for Building Demolitions: Important Changes to Note
Beginning July 1, 2019, property owners, demolition contractors, real estate developers, and anyone planning to demolish a structure built or remodeled between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 1980 in the San Francisco Bay Area will face stringent new permit requirements aimed at reducing the amount of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) entering San Francisco Bay. These… Read more »