Category: November 2020 Newsletter

Let’s face it, COVID-19 has impacted how we as safety and environmental professionals do our jobs. Social distancing requirements, engineering and administrative controls, and PPE demands are just the tip of the iceberg as we all attempt to navigate through this pandemic with as little effect to our employees as…

An investigation into how an employee contracted COVID-19 in the workplace caused the CDC to change its definition of “close contact.” This impacts contact tracing and renews emphasis on workplace controls. Previously, the CDC defined “close contact” as someone who spent at least 15 consecutive minutes within six feet of…

Online HAZWOPER Training? To help navigate the COVID pandemic, NASP has just launched an online version of our internationally recognized HAZWOPER Train-the-Trainer course! NASP’s new online HAZWOPER Train-the-Trainer course is designed for anyone involved in environmental cleanup or HAZMAT emergency response. This includes an Environmental or Safety Director or Manager,…

An OSHA inspector and his brother were charged with conspiracy to extort $6,000 in cash from a New Jersey-based general contractor. The inspector and his brother allegedly attempted to convince the contractor he needed to obtain training certificates with a specific vendor or face exorbitant fines and possible arrest. Alvaro…

Health problems such as opioid addiction and suicides have become common issues on construction sites. Data from NIOSH and other organizations point to this fact. National estimates suggest about 10 times as many fatal occupational illnesses – which these health problems fall under – occur compared with fatal occupational injuries….

OSHA continues to report asphyxiation as the leading cause of death in confined spaces, generally resulting from oxygen deficiency or from exposure to toxic atmospheres. One of the most tragic incidents that may come to mind is the loss of the three utility-company workers who succumbed to toxic gases in…

In case you hadn’t heard, NASP now offers two versions of our flagship Certified Safety Manager (CSM) Online course. The CSM course is perfect for general industry safety managers, and the new Certified Safety Manager: Construction (CSMC) is everything you love about the CSM, but with a focus on topics…