Dan Markiewicz, MS, CIH, CSP, RMP, is an independent environmental health and safety consultant and a long-time columnist. He can be reached at (419) 356-3768 or by email at dan.markiewicz@gmail.com.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 1065, February 2021) is being fast-tracked into federal law. The bill has wide bipartisan support. President Biden campaigned on the law’s passage.
If the CIH and CSP are high-water marks for quality, what are the lowest quality OHS credentials? The constant flux of the unregulated OHS credential market along with hazy transparency and other issues e.g., no standard benchmark makes this an impossible question to answer.
Federal OSHA is stagnant and ill-prepared to regulate future risks. OSHA has only 1,850 inspectors to cover 8 million U.S. workplaces. OSHA has no regulations for rising concerns such as infectious disease, EMFs, psychosocial hazards, or ergonomics.
Workplace hazards today are broad and complex. Where specificity of law is absent or ambiguous, such as workplace safety for Covid-19, OSHA’s “General Duty” clause, section (5)(a)(1) of the OSH Act, becomes an enforcement incentive.
Covid-19 has a silver lining. This is an opportune time to demonstrate your skills to move “beyond OSHA” for those that see advantages in this direction.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) H.R. 2694 passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September by a vote of 329 to 73. At the time of this writing it is uncertain if the Senate, followed by President Trump’s signature, has passed the PWFA into law.
Beneficial uses of smoke tubes include respirator fit tests and air flow observations and measurements. Users of smoke tubes must be aware, however, of the significant risks if the tool is misused. Proper use of smoke tubes, therefore, is essential.
Whether there is an overpopulation of lawyers in the U.S. is debatable. The more complex, diverse, and open a society is, the greater number of lawyers are necessary to help resolve disputes.
COVID-19 offers great opportunity to consider OHS entrepreneurship. If your OHS job has not been subject to lay off, furloughed, or elimination – or some other drastic change – it likely will be in the coming months.
The history of the COVID-19 pandemic is still being written. When this pandemic ends – and it will end – a new normal may last for months, years, or forever. Planning for the after-effects of a pandemic is necessary.