
Welcome to J. J. Keller COMPLIANCE NETWORK
Make regulatory compliance easier than ever at your company with expert guidance and resources custom-tailored to your exact needs.

Welcome to J. J. Keller COMPLIANCE NETWORK
Make regulatory compliance easier than ever at your company with expert guidance and resources custom-tailored to your exact needs.
Workplace safety (OSHA).
Transportation (DOT).
Environment (EPA).
Human resources (DOL).
Effective date: October 6, 2025
This applies to: Facilities with air permits in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington
Description of change: The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency adopted new rules mandating that facilities with air permits (except for Option B registration permits) in the Minnesota counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington submit annual air toxics emissions reports. The covered toxics include certain hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and other pollutants of concern. Annual emissions reports on HAPs, PFAS, and other covered pollutants are due by April 1.
View related state info: Clean air operating permits — Minnesota
Effective date: October 7, 2025
This applies to: All nonexempt new and unused products sold, offered for sale, or distributed for sale in Maine that contain intentionally added PFAS
Description of change: The Maine Department of Environmental Protection established designations for currently unavoidable uses of intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in products subject to sales prohibitions that start on January 1, 2026.
Effective date: January 1, 2026
This applies to: Public water systems
Description of change: The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation made multiple changes to the Water Supply Rule. Some of the major amendments include:
Effective date: November 5, 2025
This applies to: Emission units and source categories that qualify for an air permit by rule
Description of change: The Utah Department of Environmental Quality added new emission units and source categories that qualify for air permits by rule that are exempt from the requirement to obtain an Approval Order (per R307-401-8).
New emission units added include:
New source categories added include:
View related state info: Clean air operating permits — Utah
Effective date: December 1, 2025
This applies to: Owners and operators of composting facilities
Description of changes: The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency amended the regulations that apply to composting facilities. Major changes include:
Effective date: November 16, 2025
This applies to: Medium- and heavy-duty engine and vehicle manufacturers as well as heavy-duty internal combustion engine manufacturers
Description of change: The Washington State Department of Ecology amended the Clean Vehicles Program rules to incorporate changes made to the California Air Resources Board’s Advanced Clean Trucks and Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Omnibus Low NOx regulations. The changes ease compliance requirements for the heaviest vehicles.
Effective date: October 1, 2025
This applies to: Entities participating in permanent underground carbon dioxide storage projects
Description of the change: The rule establishes carbon sequestration project applicability and establishes regulations for:
Effective date: November 20, 2025
This applies to: Title V permit holders
Description of change: The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality requires all Title V operating permittees to use standard department-approved forms to submit the:
View related state info: Clean air operating permits — Louisiana
Effective date: October 2, 2025
This applies to: Entities subject to CARB’s vehicle emissions regulations
Description of change: Congressional resolutions disapproved the waivers for the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) Advanced Clean Cars II and Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Omnibus Low NOx (Omnibus) regulations.
Through an emergency rulemaking, CARB adopted the Emergency Vehicle Emissions Regulations, reinstating at a minimum earlier-adopted regulations displaced by Advanced Clean Cars II and Omnibus:
The regulation applies until litigation is resolved.
Regulated entities may follow either:
View related state info: Air programs — California Air Resources Board (CARB)
Effective date: November 13, 2025
This applies to: Owners and operators of wastewater treatment systems and businesses that install sanitary sewers
Description of changes: The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency amended the Permit to Install (PTI) program rules, which regulate the design and installation of wastewater conveyance and treatment systems. Most notably, the department extended the expiration date of PTIs from 18 months to start construction to 60 months to start construction. The amendments also exempt boat wash marinas and force mains serving one structure from PTIs.
View related state info: Industrial water permitting — Ohio
Effective date: November 6, 2025
This rule applies to: Out-of-state licensed treatment plant operators and distribution system operators
Description of change: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection adopted rules to:
Effective date: November 20, 2025
This applies to: Owners and operators of all facilities that generate, transport, treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste
Description of change: The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality added hazardous waste aerosol cans to the universal waste program. The program streamlines hazardous waste management requirements and is identical to the federal universal waste requirements for aerosol cans.
View related state info: Universal waste — Louisiana
Effective date: March 28, 2026
This applies to: Mining operations with stormwater discharges
Description of change: The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reissued the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Stormwater Associated with Mining Activities (BMP GP-104). Mining operation sites must obtain an NPDES permit to discharge stormwater if the site has expected or potential stormwater runoff discharges.
The new permit made one substantial change to clarify that entities covered under this general permit must meet the 2-year, 24-hour event design standards at 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102. The BMP GP-104 takes effect on March 28, 2026, and expires on March 27, 2031.
View related state info: Industrial water permitting — Pennsylvania
What do the manufacturers of hairspray cans, foam wall insulation, and ice cream machines have in common? If their products contain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), they have to report annually on the HFCs they use, and the first report due date is quickly approaching! Through the Technology Transitions Program, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates HFCs used for new products and equipment in three sectors: aerosols, foams, and refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pumps (RACHP). Among other compliance requirements of the 2023 Technology Transitions Rule, manufacturers and importers of HFC-containing products and equipment must submit annual reports.
Note: EPA’s October 2025 proposed rule to amend the 2023 Technology Transitions Rule doesn’t impact annual reporting requirements.
Use this overview to help you determine whether your business needs to report and, if so, what’s required.
Annual reporting applies to manufacturers and importers of products and equipment that use HFCs. An organization has to submit an annual report if:
Reporting requirements apply to manufacturers and importers in all sectors and subsectors, and they start with data from calendar year 2025. The first annual report is due to EPA by March 31, 2026.
Note that the annual reporting requirements don’t apply to entities that only:
In each annual report, covered manufacturers and importers must provide:
Entities in all three sectors also have to report the total mass in metric tons of each HFC or HFC blend contained in all products and components manufactured, imported, and exported annually.
Further, sector-specific standards apply.
| Sector | Requires additional information for: | See 40 CFR: |
|---|---|---|
| Aerosol |
| 84.60(a)(5) |
| Foam |
| 84.60(a)(4) |
| RACHP |
| 84.60(a)(3) |
According to the latest information shared by EPA in the “Technology Transitions Program: What You Need to Know for January 1, 2025” webinar presentation, the agency is still designing the electronic platform for submitting annual reports. EPA plans to provide reporting instructions and forms before the upcoming deadline.
HFCs are greenhouse gases that were developed to replace ozone-depleting substances for use in various products and equipment (primarily refrigeration and air-conditioning systems). The American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 gives EPA the authority to address HFCs by:
The 2023 Technology Transition Rule established the Technology Transitions Program to restrict HFC uses in sectors and subsectors where lower global warming potential (GWP) technologies are or will soon be available. The regulations apply to manufacturers (including importers), exporters, sellers, distributors, and installers of systems or products in covered sectors that use HFCs.
What about the proposed changes to the 2023 Technology Transitions Rule?
On October 3, 2025, EPA proposed a rule to amend the existing 2023 Technology Transition Rule. However, the proposed changes don’t affect the annual reporting requirements for manufacturers and importers. All covered manufacturers and importers must submit the annual report by March 31, 2026.
The proposed rule impacts specific subsectors, including refrigerated transport, industrial process refrigeration, chillers, retail food (for supermarkets and remote condensing units), cold storage warehouses, and stationary residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps. EPA proposes to:
Key to remember: The first annual reports required by the Technology Transitions Program for manufacturers and importers of HFC-containing products and equipment are due by March 31, 2026.
EPA issued a direct final rule to update its safety data sheet (SDS) reporting and Tier II inventory reporting requirements. The changes align EPA 40 CFR 370 with OSHA’s Hazard Communication (HazCom) standard at 29 CFR 1910.1200.
| News update: EPA extended the public comment period for this direct final rule that made technical amendments to 40 CFR 370 to conform to the 2024 OSHA HazCom standard. An EPA memo lodged in docket EPA-HQ-OLEM-2025-0299 at Regulations.gov, explains, “This document will be open for public comment until December 24, 2025.” Also, note that the docket offers 23 supporting and related materials, including a draft updated Tier II form, draft updated Tier II instructions, and a redline strikeout version of the rule changes. |
The biggest change is that facilities will be able to copy the hazard categories directly from section 2 of the SDSs to their Tier II report forms. This eliminates the guesswork. However, facilities may face added strain with their first Tier II submission under the rule. Instead of relying on the grouped hazard categories selected in the previous year’s forms, it looks like facilities will need to spend extra time retrieving specific categories from their SDSs.
EPA 40 CFR 370 applies to a facility owner or operator if:
If the applicability criteria are met, the facility owner/operator must submit to the state emergency response commission (SERC), local emergency planning committee (LEPC), and local fire departments:
A state may make its own laws and regulations in addition to or more stringent than federal Part 370.
Last year, OSHA amended its HazCom standard to conform to the seventh edition of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Changes to the chemical hazard classifications and categories were part of the amendments to 1910.1200. This is important because EPA Part 370 relies on the OSHA HazCom standard for the definition of “hazardous chemical” and the hazard categories that must be reported.
In the latest rule published November 17, 2025, EPA takes several actions to harmonize its regulations with OSHA’s. The preamble offers a complete list of amendments to Part 370. Here’s a summary:
| Change: | Details: | Sections affected: |
| Adopts all 112 OSHA hazard categories |
| 370.3, 370.30, 370.41, and 370.42 |
| Updates terminology |
| 370.3 and 370.66 |
| Removes the term MSDS |
| 370.3, 370.10, 370.12, 370.13, 370.14, 370.20, 370.30, 370.31, 370.32, 370.33, 370.60, 370.62, 370.63, and 370.64 |
| Makes minor plain language, clarifying, and consistency corrections |
| 370.1, 370.2, 370.3, 370.10, 370.14, 370.30, 370.32, 370.33, 370.40, 370.41, 370.42, 370.43, 370.44, 370.45, 370.60, 370.61, 370.62, 370.64, 370.65, and 370.66 |
The direct final rule is effective January 16, 2026, unless EPA receives an adverse comment during its 30-day comment period. [However, see the "news update," earlier in this article.] If that happens, the agency will publish a timely withdrawal. Then, it will move along with the proposed rule (also published in the November 17, 2025, Federal Register) and address public comments in a subsequent final rule.
Assuming no adverse comment is received on the original direct final rule, EPA gives covered facilities time to prepare. The rule offers a compliance date of December 1, 2026, for both SDS reporting and Tier II reporting. Note that for Tier II reporting, the updates kick in for the 2026 inventory reporting year, which impacts forms due by March 1, 2027, and thereafter. (Forms due on or before March 1, 2026, are unchanged.)
EPA took action to harmonize Part 370 with the changes OSHA made to 1910.1200 last year. The latest amendments to Part 370 have a compliance date of December 1, 2026. For Tier II reporting, the updates start with forms due on or before March 1, 2027.
If your facility generates hazardous waste, compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is not optional. Yet many businesses overlook key requirements, leading to violations that can cost thousands in fines and damage their reputation. Understanding the most common mistakes and how to prevent them can keep your operations safe and compliant.
One of the most common errors is failing to determine whether a waste is hazardous. Businesses often assume leftover chemicals, contaminated rags, or spent filters are non-hazardous without testing or applying EPA criteria. Misclassification leads to improper storage and disposal, which can escalate into multiple violations.
Container management is another frequent problem. Inspectors often find containers without the required “Hazardous Waste” label or missing the accumulation start date. Some containers are left open or improperly sealed, allowing leaks or vapors to escape. These issues are easy to fix but often overlooked in busy facilities.
Weekly inspections are mandatory for central accumulation areas, yet many companies skip them or fail to document them correctly. Missing dates, signatures, or inspection logs can result in citations even if the area is otherwise compliant.
Employee training is another weak spot. Large Quantity Generators must train staff on handling hazardous waste and emergency procedures and keep records of that training. Training should be job specific including emergency response specific to the facility. When training is incomplete or undocumented, it counts as a violation even if employees know what to do.
Improper disposal is a serious and costly mistake. Pouring hazardous waste down drains, tossing it in regular trash, or shipping it without a manifest violates federal law. These actions can lead to severe penalties and, in some cases, criminal liability.
Other common issues include exceeding accumulation time limits, 90 days for large quantity generators and 180 days for small quantity generators, without obtaining a permit. Facilities also forget to maintain a valid EPA identification number or fail to update contingency plans and emergency contact information.
Start with a thorough waste determination. Identify all materials that could be hazardous and classify them correctly and keep a record of the waste determination. Review container labeling and make sure every container is closed, dated, and marked “Hazardous Waste.” Establish a routine for weekly inspections and keep detailed records.
Invest in employee training and refresh it regularly. Document every session and keep those records accessible. Monitor accumulation times and set reminders to move waste before deadlines. Always use the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest when shipping waste off-site, and verify that your transporter and disposal facility are authorized.
Finally, maintain your EPA site ID number and update your contingency plan. Make sure emergency equipment is available, and local responders have your contact information.
Key to Remember: RCRA compliance is detailed, but most violations stem from simple oversights such as open containers, missing labels, skipped inspections, or forgotten paperwork. By building strong procedures and training your team, you can avoid costly mistakes and keep your facility safe and compliant.
Environmental compliance and workplace safety are often treated as separate priorities, but they’re deeply connected. A strong environmental compliance program doesn’t just protect the environment; it also significantly improves safety outcomes, reduces risks, and safeguards employees.
Environmental compliance means following laws and regulations designed to prevent pollution and protect natural resources. These rules often overlap with occupational safety standards because environmental hazards such as chemical spills, air emissions, and improper waste handling can directly harm workers.
For example:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) focuses on preventing environmental contamination, while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ensures safe working conditions. Ignoring environmental requirements can lead to unsafe conditions like toxic exposure, fire hazards, and respiratory risks.
A few years ago, I worked with a manufacturing facility that had recurring slip incidents near the chemical storage area. Initially, they were treated as isolated safety issues. The facility added cautionary signs, but the problem persisted.
After talking with the safety officer, I noticed a pattern. Since these near-miss spills occur inside a building, they typically aren’t reportable from an environmental compliance standpoint. These small drips during drum transfers or hose disconnections weren’t classified as “spills” by operators, so they weren’t cleaned up immediately.
The facility implemented a new process. Every chemical drip or near-miss spill had to be logged and addressed as part of both environmental and safety compliance. Absorbent mats were added near transfer stations, drip trays were installed under valves, and employees were trained to report even minor leaks and spills.
Within 3 months, slip incidents dropped significantly. By integrating spill tracking into the safety program, they not only reduced injuries but also improved their EPA audit scores. This new process of tracking near-miss spills also proved to be a good leading indicator. The facility discovered trends in equipment maintenance and had a more complete picture of the cost of releases.
Integrating environmental compliance into safety programs offers several advantages:
To maximize the impact of environmental compliance on safety programs, industrial facilities should consider the following:
Environmental compliance is a key driver of workplace safety. By integrating both programs, facilities can protect employees and the environment at the same time.
Companies operating across multiple states, or internationally, face a growing challenge: staying compliant with a patchwork of environmental regulations. As federal agencies scale back certain environmental rules, states are stepping in to fill the gaps. But these state-level regulations aren’t always aligned. One state may impose strict air quality standards, while another may prioritize water discharge limits. This fragmented landscape creates a complex web of requirements that businesses must navigate to avoid fines, delays, or reputational harm.
In the U.S., environmental laws are enforced at both federal and state levels. While EPA sets national standards, states often go further. For example:
Internationally, U.S. companies face additional hurdles. The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) requires companies to identify and mitigate environmental risks across their global supply chains. This means a U.S. firm with operations or suppliers in Europe must meet stricter standards, even if those standards differ from U.S. law.
To manage this complexity, many companies adopt Environmental Management Systems such as ISO 14001. An EMS provides a structured framework to:
EMS tools help companies centralize oversight, reduce compliance gaps, and respond quickly to regulatory changes. For example, a company using EMS software can assign location-specific tasks, monitor progress, and generate reports tailored to each jurisdiction’s requirements.
Key to Remember: Multi-jurisdictional compliance isn’t just about knowing the rules—it’s about building systems that adapt to them. An Environmental Management System, paired with proactive planning and location-specific training, helps companies stay compliant, reduce risk, and operate confidently across borders.
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking direct final action to conform the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act hazardous chemical inventory reporting regulations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standard amendments of 2012 and 2024. The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and its regulations rely on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standard for the definition of a hazardous chemical and for the categories of health and physical hazards that must be reported under the hazardous chemical inventory regulations. This action will conform the terminology used and information that must be reported on the hazardous chemical inventory forms to the Hazard Communication Standard amendments. As a result, this action will also improve first responder and community safety, reduce discrepancies and confusion, prevent interpretation burdens on facilities when using (Material) Safety Data Sheets to complete annual hazardous chemical inventory reports, and improve clarity.
DATES: This final rule is effective on January 16, 2026 without further notice, unless the EPA receives adverse comment by December 17, 2025. Published in the Federal Register November 17, 2025, page 51187.
View final rule.
New Text
Part 370-Hazardous chemical reporting Community right-to-know
Authority: Sections 302, 311, 312, 322, 324, 325, 327, 328, and 329 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) (Pub. L. 99–499, 100 Stat. 1613, 42 U.S.C. 11002, 11021, 11022, 11042, 11044, 11045, 11047, 11048, and 11049).
Subpart A—General Information
§370.1 What is the purpose of this part?
(a) This part (40 CFR part 370) establishes reporting requirements for providing the public with important information on the hazardous chemicals in their communities. Reporting raises community awareness of chemical hazards and aids in the development of state and local emergency response plans. The reporting requirements established under this part consist of Safety Data Sheet (SDS) reporting and inventory reporting.
(b) This part is written in a special format to make it easier to understand the regulatory requirements. Like other Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, this part establishes enforceable legal requirements. Information considered non-binding guidance under EPCRA is indicated in this regulation by the word “note” and a smaller typeface. Such notes are provided for information purposes only and are not considered legally binding under this part.
§370.2 Who do the terms you, I, and your refer to in this part?
Throughout this part the terms you, I, and your refer to the owner or operator of a facility.
§370.3 Definitions.
Chief Executive Officer of the Tribe means the person who is recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as the chief elected administrative officer of the Tribe.
Environment includes water, air, and land and the interrelationship that exists among and between water, air, and land and all living things.
EPCRA means the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986.
Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS) means a substance listed in appendices A and B of 40 CFR part 355.
Facility means all buildings, equipment, structures, and other stationary items that are located on a single site or on contiguous or adjacent sites and that are owned or operated by the same person (or by any person that controls, is controlled by, or under common control with, such person). Facility includes manmade structures, as well as all natural structures in which chemicals are purposefully placed or removed through human means such that it functions as a containment structure for human use.
Hazard category means the classification of a chemical's hazard(s) into classes with their categories as are reported in Section 2 of SDSs in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1200. Hazard categories are divided by hazard class into health hazards and physical hazards:
(1) Health hazard means a chemical that is classified into one of the following hazard classes: acute toxicity (oral, dermal, or inhalation); aspiration hazard; carcinogenicity; germ cell mutagenicity; reproductive toxicity; respiratory sensitizer; skin sensitizer; serious eye damage/eye irritation; simple asphyxiant; skin corrosion or irritation; specific target organ toxicity (single exposure) or (repeated or prolonged exposure); and hazard not otherwise classified.
(2) Physical hazard means a chemical that is classified into one of the following hazard classes: aerosols; chemicals under pressure; combustible dust; corrosive to metal; desensitized explosive; explosives; flammable (gases, liquids, or solids); gas under pressure; in contact with water emits flammable gases; organic peroxides; oxidizing (gases, liquids, or solids); pyrophoric (liquids or solids); self-heating chemicals; self-reactive chemicals; and hazard not otherwise classified.
Hazardous chemical means any hazardous chemical as defined under 29 CFR 1910.1200(c), except that such term does not include:
(1) Any food, food additive, color additive, drug, or cosmetic regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
(2) Any substance present as a solid in any manufactured item to the extent exposure to the substance does not occur under normal conditions of use.
(3) Any substance to the extent it is used:
(i) For personal, family, or household purposes, or is present in the same form and concentration as a product packaged for distribution and use by the general public. Present in the same form and concentration as a product packaged for distribution and use by the general public means a substance packaged in a similar manner and present in the same concentration as the substance when packaged for use by the general public, whether or not it is intended for distribution to the general public or used for the same purpose as when it is packaged for use by the general public;
(ii) In a research laboratory or a hospital or other medical facility under the direct supervision of a technically qualified individual; or
(iii) In routine agricultural operations or is a fertilizer held for sale by a retailer to the ultimate customer.
Indian Country means Indian country as defined in 18 U.S.C. 1151 as:
(1) All land within the limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United States government, notwithstanding the issuance of any patent, and including rights-of-way running through the reservation;
(2) All dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States whether within the original or subsequently acquired territory thereof, and whether within or without the limits of a state; and
(3) All Indian allotments, the Indian titles to which have not been extinguished, including rights-of-way running through the same.
Indian Tribe or Tribe means those Tribes federally recognized by the Secretary of the Interior.
Inventory form means the uniform Tier I and Tier II emergency and hazardous chemical inventory forms published by EPA. These forms can be used for reporting inventory information, as described in 40 CFR 370.40 through 370.45.
LEPC means the Local Emergency Planning Committee appointed by the State Emergency Response Commission.
Mixture means mixture as defined under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standard in 29 CFR 1910.1200(c).
OSHA means the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Person means any individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation (including a government corporation), partnership, association, state, municipality, commission, political subdivision of a state, or interstate body.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) means the sheet required to be developed under 29 CFR 1910.1200(g). The term SDS replaces the term “material safety data sheet” for the name of the data sheet defined in the statute [42 U.S.C. 11049(6)].
SERC means the State Emergency Response Commission for the state in which the facility is located except when the facility is located in Indian Country, in which case, SERC means the Emergency Response Commission for the Tribe under whose jurisdiction the facility is located. In the absence of a SERC for a state or an Indian Tribe, the Governor or chief executive officer of the Tribe, respectively, shall be the SERC. Where there is a cooperative agreement between a state and a Tribe, the SERC shall be the entity identified in the agreement.
State means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, any other territory or possession over which the United States has jurisdiction, and Indian Country.
Threshold planning quantity (TPQ) means the quantity listed in the column “threshold planning quantity” for the EHSs listed in Appendix A and B of 40 CFR part 355.
Subpart B—Who Must Comply
§370.10 Who must comply with the hazardous chemical reporting requirements of this part?
(a) You must comply with the reporting requirements of this part if the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires your facility to prepare or have available a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for a hazardous chemical and if either of the following conditions is met:
Note 1 to paragraph (a) introductory text. OSHA's Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS requirement was renamed to be the Safety Data Sheet or SDS requirement. The terms MSDS and SDS are synonymous. The EPCRA statutory MSDS requirements will be referred to as the SDS requirements within this regulation. [29 CFR 1910.1200]
(1) A hazardous chemical that is an Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS) is present at your facility at any one time in an amount equal to or greater than 500 pounds (227 kg—approximately 55 gallons) or the Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ), whichever is lower. EHSs and their TPQs are listed in Appendices A and B of 40 CFR part 355.
(2) A hazardous chemical that is not an EHS is present at your facility at any one time in an amount equal to or greater than the threshold level for that hazardous chemical. Threshold levels for such hazardous chemicals are:
(i) For any hazardous chemical that does not meet the criteria in paragraph (a)(2)(ii) or (iii) of this section, the threshold level is 10,000 pounds (or 4,540 kg).
(ii) For gasoline at a retail gas station (For purposes of this part, retail gas station means a retail facility engaged in selling gasoline and/or diesel fuel principally to the public for motor vehicle use on land.), the threshold level is 75,000 gallons (approximately 283,900 liters) (all grades combined). This threshold is only applicable for gasoline that was in tanks entirely underground and that were in compliance at all times during the preceding calendar year with all applicableUnderground Storage Tank (UST) requirements at 40 CFR part 280 or requirements of the state UST program approved by the Agency under 40 CFR part 281.
(iii) For diesel fuel at a retail gas station (For purposes of this part, retail gas station means a retail facility engaged in selling gasoline and/or diesel fuel principally to the public for motor vehicle use on land.), the threshold level is 100,000 gallons (approximately 378,500 liters) (all grades combined). This threshold is only applicable for diesel fuel that was in tanks entirely underground and that were in compliance at all times during the preceding calendar year with all applicable UST requirements at 40 CFR part 280 or requirements of the state UST program approved by the Agency under 40 CFR part 281.
(b) The threshold level for responding to the following requests is zero.
(1) If your LEPC requests that you submit an SDS for a hazardous chemical for which you have not submitted an SDS to your LEPC; or
(2) If your LEPC, SERC, or the fire department with jurisdiction over your facility requests that you submit Tier II information.
§370.11 [Reserved]
§370.12 What hazardous chemicals must I report under this part?
(a) You must report any hazardous chemical for which you are required to prepare or have available an SDS under OSHA HCS that is present at your facility equal to or above the applicable threshold specified in §370.10. (Specific exemptions from reporting are in §370.13.)
(b) The EPA has not issued a list of hazardous chemicals subject to reporting under this part. A substance is a hazardous chemical if it is required to have an SDS and meets the definition of hazardous chemical under the OSHA regulations found at 29 CFR 1910.1200(c).
§370.13 What substances are exempt from these reporting requirements?
You do not have to report substances for which you are not required to have an SDS under the OSHA regulations or that are excluded from the definition of hazardous chemical under EPCRA section 311(e). Each of the following substances are excluded under EPCRA section 311(e):
(a) Any food, food additive, color additive, drug, or cosmetic regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
(b) Any substance present as a solid in any manufactured item to the extent exposure to the substance does not occur under normal conditions of use.
(c) Any substance to the extent it is used:
(1) For personal, family, or household purposes, or is present in the same form and concentration as a product packaged for distribution and use by the general public. Present in the same form and concentration as a product packaged for distribution and use by the general public means a substance packaged in a similar manner and present in the same concentration as the substance when packaged for use by the general public, whether or not it is intended for distribution to the general public or used for the same purpose as when it is packaged for use by the general public;
(2) In a research laboratory or hospital or other medical facility under the direct supervision of a technically qualified individual; or
(3) In routine agricultural operations or is a fertilizer held for sale by a retailer to the ultimate customer.
§370.14 How do I report mixtures containing hazardous chemicals?
(a) For a mixture containing a hazardous chemical, use the following table to determine if a reporting threshold is equaled or exceeded, and to determine how to report:
| If your mixture contains a hazardous chemical | To determine if the threshold level for that hazardous chemical is equaled or exceeded you must . . . | If the threshold level for that hazardous chemical is exceeded, then you must . . . |
|---|---|---|
| (1) That is an EHS | Determine the total quantity of the EHS present throughout your facility at any one time, by adding together the quantities present as a component in all mixtures and all other quantities of the EHS You must include the quantity present in a mixture even if you are also counting the quantity of that particular mixture toward the threshold level for that mixture | Report the EHS component: Submit an SDS for the EHS as provided under §370.30 or include the EHS on the list of chemicals submitted in lieu of the SDS. And submit Tier I or Tier II information for the EHS as provided under §370.40. Or Report the mixture itself: Submit an SDS for the mixture as provided under §370.30 or include the mixture on the list of chemicals submitted in lieu of the SDS. And submit Tier I or Tier II information for the mixture as provided under §370.40. If you report the mixture itself, then provide the total quantity of that mixture. |
| (2) That is not an EHS | Determine either: The total quantity of the hazardous chemical present throughout your facility at any one time by adding together the quantity present as a component in all mixtures and all other quantities of the hazardous chemical You must include the quantity present in a mixture even if you are also applying that particular mixture as a whole toward the threshold level for that mixture | Report the non-EHS hazardous chemical component: Submit an SDS for the non-EHS hazardous chemical as provided under §370.30 or include the non-EHS on the list of chemicals submitted in lieu of the SDS. And submit Tier I or Tier II information for the non-EHS hazardous chemical as provided under §370.40. |
| Or | Or | |
| The total quantity of that mixture present throughout your facility at any one time | Report the mixture itself: Submit an SDS for the mixture as provided under §370.30 or include the mixture on the list of chemicals submitted in lieu of SDS. And submit Tier I or Tier II information for the mixture as provided under §370.40. If you report the mixture itself, then provide the total quantity of that mixture. |
(b) For each specific mixture, the reporting option used must be consistent for both SDS and inventory reporting, unless it is not possible to do so. This means that if you report on a specific mixture as a whole for SDS reporting, you must report on that mixture as a whole for inventory reporting too (unless it is not possible). SDS reporting and inventory reporting are discussed in detail in subpart C of this part.
(c) To determine the quantity of an EHS or a non-EHS hazardous chemical component present in a mixture, multiply the concentration of the hazardous chemical component (in weight percent) by the weight of the mixture (in pounds). You do not have to count a hazardous chemical present in a mixture if the concentration is less than or equal to 1%, or less than or equal to 0.1% for a carcinogenic chemical.
Subpart C—Reporting Requirements
§370.20 What are the reporting requirements of this part?
The reporting requirements of this part consist of SDS reporting and inventory reporting. If you are the owner or operator of a facility subject to the reporting requirements of this part, then you must comply with both types of reporting requirements. SDS reporting requirements are addressed in §§370.30 through 370.33. Inventory reporting requirements are addressed in §§370.40 through 370.45.
How To Comply With SDS Reporting
§370.30 What information must I provide and what format must I use?
(a) You must report the hazardous chemicals present at your facility that meet or exceed the applicable threshold levels (threshold levels are in §370.10) by either:
(1) Submitting an SDS for each hazardous chemical present at your facility that meet or exceed its applicable threshold level; or
(2) Submitting a list of all hazardous chemicals present at your facility at or above the applicable threshold levels. The hazardous chemicals on your list must be grouped by the specific health and physical hazards as listed in section 2 of the SDSs. The list must contain the chemical or common name of each hazardous chemical as provided on the SDS.
(b) Within 30 days of a request by the LEPC, as provided in §370.10(b), you must also submit an SDS for any hazardous chemical present at your facility for which you have not submitted an SDS.
§370.31 Do I have to update the information?
SDS reporting stated in §370.30 is a one-time requirement. However, you must update the information in all of the following ways:
(a) Submit a revised SDS after you discover significant new information concerning a hazardous chemical for which an SDS was submitted.
(b) Submit an SDS, or a list as described in §370.30(a), for any new hazardous chemical for which you become subject to these reporting requirements.
(c) Submit, as requested by the LEPC, an SDS for any hazardous chemical present at your facility which you have not already submitted, as provided in §370.30(b).
§370.32 To whom must I submit the information?
(a) You must submit an SDS or a list to the LEPC, SERC, and fire department with jurisdiction over your facility, as provided in §370.30(a).
(b) You must submit an SDS to the LEPC if requested, as provided in §370.30(b).
§370.33 When must I submit the information?
(a) You must submit an SDS or a list, as provided in §370.30(a), for a hazardous chemical subject to the reporting requirements of this part within three (3) months after you first become subject to the reporting requirements of this part, as provided in §§370.30 and 370.31(b).
(b) You must submit a revised SDS, as provided in §370.31(a), within three (3) months after discovering significant new information about a hazardous chemical for which an SDS was submitted.
(c) You must submit an SDS requested by the LEPC, as provided in §§370.30(b) and 370.31(c), within 30 days of receiving the request.
How To Comply With Inventory Reporting
§370.40 What information must I provide and what format must I use?
(a) If you are required to comply with the hazardous chemical reporting requirements of this part, then by March 1 every year you must submit inventory information regarding any hazardous chemical present at your facility at any time during the previous calendar year in an amount equal to or in excess of its threshold level. Threshold levels are provided in §370.10.
(b) Tier I information is the minimum information that you must report to be in compliance with the inventory reporting requirements of this part as described in §370.41. You may choose to report the Tier II information described in §370.42 for any hazardous chemical at your facility. You must submit Tier II information to the SERC, LEPC, or fire department with jurisdiction over your facility if they request it. EPA publishes Tier I and Tier II Inventory Forms that provide uniform formats for reporting the Tier I and Tier II information. You may use a state or local format for reporting inventory information if the state or local format contains at least the Tier I information described in §370.41. EPA's Tier I and Tier II forms are available at https://www.epa.gov/epcra.
Note 1 to paragraph (b).
Some states require Tier II information annually under state law.
(c) You should contact the SERC to determine that state's requirements for inventory reporting formats, procedures, and to obtain inventory forms.
§370.41 What is Tier I inventory information?
Tier I information provides state and local officials and the public with information on the general types and locations of hazardous chemicals present at your facility during the previous calendar year. The Tier I information is the minimum information that you must provide to be in compliance with the inventory reporting requirements of this part. If you are reporting Tier I information, you must report aggregate information on hazardous chemicals by hazard category. The hazard categories (physical and health hazards) are available on the Tier I form for you to select. The Tier I inventory form includes the following data elements:
(a) The owner or operator or the officially designated representative of the owner or operator must certify that all information included in the Tier I submission is true, accurate, and complete as follows: “I certify under penalty of law that I have personally examined and am familiar with the information and that based on my inquiry of those individuals responsible for obtaining the information, I believe that the submitted information is true, accurate, and complete.” This certification shall be accompanied by your full name, official title, signature, date signed, and total number of pages in the submission including all attachments. All other pages must also contain your signature or signature stamp, the date you signed the certification, and the total number of pages in the submission.
Note 1 to paragraph (a).
Some states require electronic reporting and electronic certification. Contact your state for its specific requirements.
(b) The calendar year for the reporting period.
(c) An indication whether the information being reported on page one of the form is identical to that submitted last year.
(d) The complete name and address of the location of your facility (include the full street address or state road, city, county, state, and zip code), latitude, and longitude.
(e) An indication if the location of your facility is manned or unmanned.
(f) An estimate of the maximum number of occupants present at any one time. If the location of your facility is unmanned, check the box marked N/A, not applicable.
(g) The phone number of your facility (optional).
(h) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for your facility.
(i) The Dun & Bradstreet number of your facility.
(j) Facility identification numbers assigned under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) and Risk Management Program. If your facility has not been assigned an identification number under these programs or if your facility is not subject to reporting under these programs, check the box marked N/A, not applicable.
(k) An indication whether your facility is subject to the emergency planning notification requirement under EPCRA section 302, codified in 40 CFR part 355.
(l) An indication whether your facility is subject to the chemical accident prevention requirements under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act, codified in 40 CFR part 68, also known as the Risk Management Program.
(m) The name, mailing address, phone number, and email address of the owner or operator of the facility.
(n) The name, mailing address, phone number, Dun & Bradstreet number, and email address of the facility's parent company. These are optional data elements.
(o) The name, title, phone number, 24-hour phone number, and email address of the facility emergency coordinator, if applicable.
Note 1 to paragraph (o).
EPCRA section 303(d)(1) requires facilities subject to the emergency planning notification requirement under EPCRA section 302 to designate a facility representative who will participate in the local emergency planning process as a facility emergency coordinator. This includes additional facilities designated by the Governor or SERC under EPCRA section 302(b)(2). EPA encourages facilities not subject to the emergency planning notification requirement also to provide this information, if available, for effective emergency planning in your community.
(p) The name, title, phone number, and email address of the person to contact for the information contained in the Tier I form.
(q) The name, title, phone number, and email address of at least one local individual who can act as a referral if emergency responders need assistance in responding to a chemical accident at your facility. You must also provide an emergency phone number that will be available 24 hours a day, every day.
(r) An indication whether the information being reported on page two of the form is identical to that submitted last year.
(s) An estimate (in ranges) of the maximum amount of hazardous chemicals in each hazard category present at your facility at any time during the preceding calendar year. You must use codes that correspond to different ranges. The range codes are provided in §370.43.
(t) An estimate (in ranges) of the average daily amount of hazardous chemicals in each hazard category present at your facility during the preceding calendar year. You must use codes that correspond to different ranges. The range codes are provided in §370.43.
(u) The maximum number of days that any single hazardous chemical within each hazard category was present at your facility during the reporting period.
(v) The general location of hazardous chemicals in each hazard category within your facility. General locations should include the names or identification of buildings, tank fields, lots, sheds, or other such areas. You may also attach one or more of the following with your Tier I inventory form:
(1) A site plan with site indicated for buildings, lots, areas, etc. throughout your facility.
(2) A list of site coordinate abbreviations that correspond to buildings, lots, areas, etc., throughout your facility.
(3) A description of dikes and other safeguard measures for storage locations throughout your facility.
(w) An indication whether you are including any attachments (optional).
§370.42 What is Tier II inventory information?
Tier II information provides state and local officials and the public with specific information on the amounts and locations of hazardous chemicals present at your facility during the previous calendar year. Some states may require you to use a state reporting format including electronic reporting and certification for submitting your hazardous chemical inventory. Contact your state for its specific requirements. The Tier II inventory form includes the following data elements:
(a) The owner or operator or the officially designated representative of the owner or operator must certify that all information included in the Tier II submission is true, accurate, and complete as follows: “I certify under penalty of law that I have personally examined and am familiar with the information and that based on my inquiry of those individuals responsible for obtaining the information, I believe that the submitted information is true, accurate, and complete.” This certification must be accompanied by your full name, official title, signature, date signed, and total number of pages in the submission including all Confidential and Non-Confidential Information Sheets and all attachments. All other pages must also contain your signature or signature stamp, the date you signed the certification, and the total number of pages in the submission.
Note 1 to paragraph (a).
Some states require electronic reporting and electronic certification. Contact your state for the specific requirements in that state.
(b) The calendar year of the reporting period.
(c) An indication whether the information being reported on page one of the form is identical to that submitted last year.
(d) The complete name and address of the location of your facility (include the full street address or state road, city, county, state, and zip code), latitude, and longitude.
(e) An indication if the location of your facility is manned or unmanned.
(f) An estimate of the maximum number of occupants present at any one time. If the location of your facility is unmanned, check the box marked N/A, not applicable.
(g) The phone number of your facility (optional).
(h) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for your facility.
(i) The Dun & Bradstreet number of your facility.
(j) Facility identification numbers assigned under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) and Risk Management Program. If your facility has not been assigned an identification number under these programs or if your facility is not subject to reporting under these programs, check the box marked N/A, not applicable.
(k) An indication if your facility is subject to the emergency planning notification requirement under section 302 of EPCRA, codified in 40 CFR part 355.
(l) An indication whether your facility is subject to the chemical accident prevention requirements under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), codified in 40 CFR part 68, Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions, also known as the Risk Management Program.
(m) The name, mailing address, phone number, and email address of the owner or operator of the facility.
(n) The name, mailing address, phone number, Dun & Bradstreet number, and email address of the facility's parent company. These are optional data elements.
(o) The name, title, phone number, 24-hour phone number, and email address of the facility emergency coordinator, if applicable.
Note 1 to paragraph (o).
EPCRA section 303(d)(1) requires facilities subject to the emergency planning notification requirement (including additional facilities designated by the Governor or SERC under EPCRA section 302(b)(2)) to designate a facility representative who will participate in the local emergency planning process as a facility emergency coordinator. This includes additional facilities designated by the Governor or SERC under EPCRA section 302(b)(2). EPA encourages facilities not subject to the emergency planning notification requirement also to provide this information, if available, for effective emergency planning in your community.
(p) The name, title, phone number, and email address of the person to contact regarding information contained in the Tier II form.
(q) The name, title, phone number and email address of at least one local individual who can act as a referral if emergency responders need assistance in responding to a chemical accident at your facility. You must also provide an emergency phone number that will be available 24 hours a day, every day.
(r) An indication whether the information being reported on page two of the form is identical to that submitted last year.
(s) For each hazardous chemical that you are required to report, you must:
(1) Provide the chemical name (or the common name of the chemical) as provided on the SDS and provide the Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) registry number of the chemical provided on the SDS.
Note 1 to paragraph (s)(1).
If you are withholding the name in accordance with trade secret criteria, you must provide the generic class or category that is structurally descriptive of the chemical and indicate that the name is withheld because of trade secrecy. Trade secret criteria are addressed in §370.64(a).
(2) Indicate whether the chemical is a solid, liquid, or gas; and whether the chemical is an EHS.
(3) If you are reporting a mixture, enter the mixture name, product name or trade name, and CAS registry number as provided on the SDS. If there is no CAS number provided or it is not known, check the box “Not Available.”
(4) If the mixture you are reporting contains EHS(s), provide the name of each EHS in the mixture. As provided in §370.14(a), you also have an option to report the non-EHS hazardous components in the mixture.
(5) Indicate which hazard categories apply to the chemical or mixture. The hazard categories are available for you to select on the Tier II form and found in section 2 of the SDSs.
(6) Provide an estimate (in ranges) of the maximum amount of the hazardous chemical present at your facility on any single day during the preceding calendar year. If you are reporting a mixture, provide an estimate of the total amount of the mixture present at your facility on any single day during the preceding calendar year. If the mixture contains any EHSs, provide the total amount of each EHS in that mixture. You must use the codes that correspond to different ranges. The amounts and associated range codes are in §370.43.
(7) Provide an estimate (in ranges) of the average daily amount of the hazardous chemical present at your facility during the preceding calendar year. If you are reporting a mixture, provide an estimate of the average daily amount of the mixture. You must use the codes that correspond to different ranges. The amounts and associated range codes are in §370.43.
(8) Provide the maximum number of days that the hazardous chemical or mixture was present at your facility during the preceding calendar year.
(9) Provide the type of storage for the hazardous chemical or the mixture containing the hazardous chemical at your facility. Examples of types of storage: above-ground tank, plastic or non-metallic drum, steel drum, cylinder, rail car, etc.
Note 1 to paragraph (s)(9).
Your SERC or LEPC may have specific instructions for reporting types of storage and/or storage conditions.
(10) Provide the storage conditions for the hazardous chemical or mixture containing the hazardous chemical at your facility. Examples for types of storage conditions: Ambient pressure, ambient temperature, less than ambient temperature/pressure, cryogenic conditions, etc.
Note 2 to paragraph (s)(10).
Your SERC or LEPC may have specific instructions for reporting types of storage and/or storage conditions.
(11) Provide a brief description of the precise location(s) of the hazardous chemical(s) or mixture(s) at your facility. You may also attach one of the following with your Tier II inventory form:
(i) A site plan with site coordinates indicated for buildings, lots, areas, etc. throughout your facility.
(ii) A list of site coordinate abbreviations that correspond to buildings, lots, areas, etc., throughout your facility.
(iii) A description of dikes and other safeguard measures for storage locations throughout your facility.
(12) Under EPCRA section 324, you may choose to withhold from disclosure to the public the location information for a specific chemical. If you choose to withhold the location information from disclosure to the public, you must clearly indicate that the information is “confidential.” You must provide the confidential location information on a separate sheet from the other Tier II information (which will be disclosed to the public) and attach the Confidential Location Information Sheet to the other Tier II information. Indicate any attachments you are including.
(13) You may provide additional reporting. For example, if your state or local agencies require you to provide inventory information on additional chemicals or if you wish to report any hazardous chemical below the reporting thresholds specified in §370.10, check the appropriate box.
(t) An indication whether you are including any attachments (optional).
§370.43 What codes are used to report Tier I and Tier II inventory information?
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, you must use the following codes to report the maximum amount and average daily amount when reporting Tier I or Tier II inventory information:
| Range codes | Weight range in pounds | |
|---|---|---|
| From | To | |
| * Greater than 10 million | ||
| 01 | 0 | 99 |
| 02 | 100 | 499 |
| 03 | 500 | 999 |
| 04 | 1,000 | 4,999 |
| 05 | 5,000 | 9,999 |
| 06 | 10,000 | 24,999 |
| 07 | 25,000 | 49,999 |
| 08 | 50,000 | 74,999 |
| 09 | 75,000 | 99,999 |
| 10 | 100,000 | 499,999 |
| 11 | 500,000 | 999,999 |
| 12 | 1,000,000 | 9,999,999 |
| 13 | 10,000,000 | (*) |
Note 1 to paragraph (a).
To convert gas or liquid volume to weight in pounds, multiply by an appropriate density factor.
(b) Your SERC or LEPC may provide other range codes for reporting maximum amount and average daily amount or may require reporting of specific amounts. You may use your SERC's or LEPC's range codes (or specific amounts) provided the ranges are not broader than the ranges in paragraph (a) of this section.
§370.44 To whom must I submit the inventory information?
You must submit the required inventory information to your SERC, LEPC, and the fire department with jurisdiction over your facility.
§370.45 When must I submit the inventory information?
(a) You must submit the required inventory information on or before March 1st of each year after your facility becomes subject to this part. Your submission must contain the required inventory information on hazardous chemicals present at your facility during the preceding calendar year at or above the threshold levels. Threshold levels are in §370.10. The minimum required inventory information under EPCRA section 312 is Tier I information. Tier I information requirements are described in §370.41.
(b) You must submit Tier II information within 30 days of the receipt of a request from the SERC, LEPC, or fire department with jurisdiction over your facility, as provided in §370.10(b). Tier II information requirements are described in §370.42.
Subpart D—Community Access to Information
§370.60 How does a person obtain SDS information about a specific facility?
Any person may obtain an SDS for a specific facility by writing to the LEPC and asking for it.
(a) If the LEPC has the SDS it must provide it to the person making the request.
(b) If the LEPC does not have the SDS it must request it from the facility's owner or operator.
§370.61 How does a person obtain inventory information about a specific facility?
(a) Any person may request Tier II information for a specific facility by writing to the SERC or LEPC.
(1) If the SERC or LEPC has the Tier II information, the SERC or LEPC must provide it to the person making the request.
(2) If the SERC or LEPC does not have the Tier II information, it must request it from the facility owner or operator in either of the following cases:
(i) The person making the request is a state or local official acting in an official capacity.
(ii) The request is for hazardous chemicals in amounts greater than 10,000 pounds stored at the facility at any time during the previous calendar year.
(3) If the SERC or LEPC does not have the Tier II information, it may request it from the facility owner or operator when neither condition in paragraph (a)(2) of this section is met but the person's request includes a general statement of need.
(b) A SERC or LEPC must respond to a request for Tier II information under this section within 45 days of receiving such a request.
§370.62 What information may a state or local official request from a facility?
The LEPC may ask a facility owner or operator to submit an SDS for a hazardous chemical present at the facility. The SERC, LEPC, or fire department with jurisdiction over a facility may ask a facility owner or operator to submit Tier II information. The owner or operator must provide the SDS (unless the owner or operator has already submitted an SDS to the LEPC for that hazardous chemical) or Tier II information within 30 days of receipt of such request.
§370.63 What responsibilities do the SERC and LEPC have to make request information available?
Under this subpart, the SERC or LEPC must make the following information (except for confidential location information discussed in §370.64(b)) available if a person requests it:
(a) All information obtained from an owner or operator in response to a request under this subpart.
(b) Any requested Tier II information or SDS otherwise in possession of the SERC or the LEPC.
§370.64 What information can I claim as trade secret or confidential?
(a) Trade secrets. You may be able to withhold the name of a specific chemical when submitting SDS reporting or inventory reporting information if that chemical name is claimed as a trade secret. The requirements for withholding trade secret information are set forth in EPCRA section 322 and implemented in 40 CFR part 350. If you are withholding the name of a specific chemical as a trade secret in accordance with trade secrecy requirements, you must report the generic class or category that is structurally descriptive of the chemical along with all other required information. You must also submit the withheld information to EPA and must adequately substantiate your claim. A Form for substantiating trade secret claims is available at the Agency website at https://www.epa.gov/epcra.
(b) Confidential location information. You may request that the SERC and LEPC not disclose to the public the location of any specific chemical required to be submitted in Tier II information. If you make such a request, the SERC and LEPC must not disclose the location of the specific chemical. Although you may request that location information (with respect to a specific chemical) be withheld from the public, you may not withhold this information from the SERC, LEPC, and the local fire department. If you use the Tier II Form to report your inventory information, you can choose to report the confidential location information for the specific chemical on the Tier II Confidential Location Form and attach this form to the other Tier II information you are reporting. The Tier II Confidential Location Form is available on the Agency website at https://www.epa.gov/epcra.
§370.65 Must I allow the local fire department to inspect my facility, and must I provide specific location information about hazardous chemicals at my facility?
If you are the owner or operator of a facility that has submitted inventory information under this part, you must comply with the following two requirements upon request by the fire department with jurisdiction over your facility:
(a) You must allow the fire department to conduct an on-site inspection of your facility; and
(b) You must provide the fire department with information about the specific locations of hazardous chemicals at your facility.
§370.66 [Reserved]
Working with chemicals can be a risky business. What happens when information reveals that a chemical poses a substantial risk to human or environmental health? Those handling the chemical, including the organization and its employees, have a legal duty to report the risk to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Section 8(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires that anyone who receives information supporting the conclusion that a chemical substance or mixture poses a substantial risk of injury must immediately submit a Substantial Risk Notice (SRN) to EPA. SRNs aren’t uncommon; they can apply to any business that handles chemical substances. EPA announced in October 2025 that it had cleared a backlog of more than 3,000 SRNs!
If your facility handles any chemical substance, you’re subject to TSCA Section 8(e) reporting. Here’s how your facility can meet the SRN requirements based on EPA’s Statement of Interpretation and Enforcement Policy; Notification of Substantial Risk (SRN guide) published in the Federal Register.
TSCA Section 8(e) requirements apply to both organizations and individual employees engaged in manufacturing (including importing), processing, or distributing in commerce a chemical substance or mixture.
Tip: The statute offers no applicability exemptions for a facility’s size, production or import volumes, or commercial activities.
Those in the company who manage Section 8(e) obligations (“officers”) should ensure that the organization meets the requirements. Officers have personal civil and/or criminal liability to verify that SRNs are submitted.
Facilities may assume responsibility from employees and officials for reporting substantial risk information directly to EPA if they establish and implement internal procedures for employees to submit information to the company. The procedures should include:
If a business doesn’t have established SRN procedures, all of its employees and officials are individually responsible and liable for ensuring that substantial risk information is submitted directly to EPA.
Regardless of who submits the SRN to the agency, the report should be made within 30 calendar days of obtaining information about a substantial risk of injury.
The SRN guide defines substantial risk as “a risk of considerable concern” due to:
The type of health effect determines the weight of importance assigned to both factors. For instance, if the chemical’s health effect is severe (like causing birth defects), less weight is given to the level of exposure.
The types of health effects include:
You should submit SRNs electronically through the Chemical Information Submission System (CISS), which is accessed via the Chemical Safety and Pesticide Programs (CSPP) service on EPA’s Central Data Exchange (CDX).
Tip: Reference EPA’s CDX Chemical Safety and Pesticide Programs (CSPP) Registration User Guide for detailed registration instructions.
If your SRN includes confidential business information claims, you’re required to submit the notice electronically.
Key to remember: If your facility obtains information that a chemical you handle poses a substantial risk to human or environmental health, you must report the information to EPA immediately.

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EPA issued a direct final rule to update its safety data sheet (SDS) reporting and Tier II inventory reporting requirements. The changes align EPA 40 CFR 370 with OSHA’s Hazard Communication (HazCom) standard at 29 CFR 1910.1200.
| News update: EPA extended the public comment period for this direct final rule that made technical amendments to 40 CFR 370 to conform to the 2024 OSHA HazCom standard. An EPA memo lodged in docket EPA-HQ-OLEM-2025-0299 at Regulations.gov, explains, “This document will be open for public comment until December 24, 2025.” Also, note that the docket offers 23 supporting and related materials, including a draft updated Tier II form, draft updated Tier II instructions, and a redline strikeout version of the rule changes. |
The biggest change is that facilities will be able to copy the hazard categories directly from section 2 of the SDSs to their Tier II report forms. This eliminates the guesswork. However, facilities may face added strain with their first Tier II submission under the rule. Instead of relying on the grouped hazard categories selected in the previous year’s forms, it looks like facilities will need to spend extra time retrieving specific categories from their SDSs.
EPA 40 CFR 370 applies to a facility owner or operator if:
If the applicability criteria are met, the facility owner/operator must submit to the state emergency response commission (SERC), local emergency planning committee (LEPC), and local fire departments:
A state may make its own laws and regulations in addition to or more stringent than federal Part 370.
Last year, OSHA amended its HazCom standard to conform to the seventh edition of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Changes to the chemical hazard classifications and categories were part of the amendments to 1910.1200. This is important because EPA Part 370 relies on the OSHA HazCom standard for the definition of “hazardous chemical” and the hazard categories that must be reported.
In the latest rule published November 17, 2025, EPA takes several actions to harmonize its regulations with OSHA’s. The preamble offers a complete list of amendments to Part 370. Here’s a summary:
| Change: | Details: | Sections affected: |
| Adopts all 112 OSHA hazard categories |
| 370.3, 370.30, 370.41, and 370.42 |
| Updates terminology |
| 370.3 and 370.66 |
| Removes the term MSDS |
| 370.3, 370.10, 370.12, 370.13, 370.14, 370.20, 370.30, 370.31, 370.32, 370.33, 370.60, 370.62, 370.63, and 370.64 |
| Makes minor plain language, clarifying, and consistency corrections |
| 370.1, 370.2, 370.3, 370.10, 370.14, 370.30, 370.32, 370.33, 370.40, 370.41, 370.42, 370.43, 370.44, 370.45, 370.60, 370.61, 370.62, 370.64, 370.65, and 370.66 |
The direct final rule is effective January 16, 2026, unless EPA receives an adverse comment during its 30-day comment period. [However, see the "news update," earlier in this article.] If that happens, the agency will publish a timely withdrawal. Then, it will move along with the proposed rule (also published in the November 17, 2025, Federal Register) and address public comments in a subsequent final rule.
Assuming no adverse comment is received on the original direct final rule, EPA gives covered facilities time to prepare. The rule offers a compliance date of December 1, 2026, for both SDS reporting and Tier II reporting. Note that for Tier II reporting, the updates kick in for the 2026 inventory reporting year, which impacts forms due by March 1, 2027, and thereafter. (Forms due on or before March 1, 2026, are unchanged.)
EPA took action to harmonize Part 370 with the changes OSHA made to 1910.1200 last year. The latest amendments to Part 370 have a compliance date of December 1, 2026. For Tier II reporting, the updates start with forms due on or before March 1, 2027.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Spring 2025 Semiannual Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions on September 4, 2025. The agenda outlines the agency’s upcoming regulatory actions and their status in the rulemaking process.
EPA has major updates on the docket, such as:
Additionally, the agency intends to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) across multiple media. For example, EPA plans to:
This article highlights some of the major rules we’re monitoring closely. You can review the entire agenda to learn about all the rulemakings on EPA’s docket. Please note that the agenda dates are tentative, indicating when the agency seeks to publish the rulemakings in the Federal Register.
| Final Rule Stage | |
| Projected publication date | Title |
| December 2025 | Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Reconsideration of Certain Regulatory Requirements Under the Technology Transitions Provisions of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 |
| January 2026 | Accidental Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs Under the Clean Air Act; Common Sense Approach to Chemical Accident Prevention |
| February 2026 | Addition of Certain Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) |
| February 2026 | Initial Air Quality Designations for the 2024 Revised Primary Annual Fine Particle (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) |
| April 2026 | Listing of Specific PFAS as Hazardous Constituents |
| Proposed Rule Stage | |
| Projected publication date of notice of proposed rulemaking | |
| October 2025 | Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Oil and Gas Extraction Category (40 CFR 435 Subpart E) |
| October 2025 | New Source Performance Standards for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry |
| November 2025 | Additional Reconsideration of Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources: Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review |
| November 2025 | PFAS Requirements in NPDES Permit Applications |
| November 2025 | Steam Electric Effluent Limitations Guideline Reconsideration Rule |
| December 2025 | Updates to the RCRA Hazardous Waste Regulations and Related Technical Corrections — Permitting Updates Rule |
| January 2026 | Paper Manifest Sunset Rule; Modification of the Hazardous Waste Manifest System |
| January 2026 | Revision to “Begin Actual Construction” in the New Source Review Preconstruction Permitting Program |
| April 2026 | Reconsideration of National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Gasoline Distribution Technology Reviews and New Source Performance Standards Review for Bulk Gasoline Terminals |
| May 2026 | Formaldehyde; Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) |
| Pre-Rule Stage | |
| Projected publication date or other action | Title |
| September 2025 (advanced notice of proposed rulemaking) | Visibility Protection: Regional Haze State Plan Requirements Rule Revision |
| December 2025 (end review) | National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Brick and Structural Clay Products Manufacturing; and Clay Ceramics Manufacturing |
On September 4, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) withdrew a direct final rule it issued on July 22, 2025, that offered active and inactive coal combustion residuals (CCR) facilities an alternative reporting option and delayed corresponding compliance obligations for CCR management units (CCRMUs). However, the parallel proposed rule that was published with the direct final rule remains in place, and EPA has extended the comment period through September 15, 2025.
Who does this affect?
The direct and proposed rules impact (a) active CCR facilities and (b) inactive CCR facilities with inactive surface impoundments (called legacy CCR surface impoundments) that are regulated by the 2024 Legacy Rule.
What does this mean?
Because the direct rule was withdrawn, the alternative reporting option for the Facility Evaluation Report (FER) Part 1 doesn’t apply, and the compliance deadlines for the related CCRMU requirements revert to the previous timelines.
The parallel proposed rule remains active and contains the same changes as the withdrawn direct final rule, including:
Further, the proposed rule seeks public input on potentially delaying both FER reporting deadlines and adjusting the CCRMU compliance timelines accordingly. The proposed additional extension would give CCR facilities the option to:
You can submit comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0107.
Please see the original Industry News article ("EPA offers CCR facilities delayed reporting option and extends compliance deadlines") for more information about the withdrawn direct rule and the active proposed rule.
Key to remember: EPA has withdrawn a direct final rule that offered active and inactive coal combustion facilities an alternative reporting option, but the agency has kept the corresponding proposed rule in place.
Several questions we receive from our customers use the terms “hazardous waste” and “hazardous materials” interchangeably. At a recent event, a few attendees admitted that they didn’t think there was a difference between the two. This is a common point of confusion and we want to ensure that our readers know the difference. Let’s dive into it!
The term hazardous material is defined by the Department of Transportation and refers to any substance or material that poses an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property during transportation. Hazardous materials include hazardous substances, hazardous wastes, marine pollutants, and elevated-temperature materials. Essentially, if it’s dangerous and transported, it’s considered a hazardous material.
On the other hand, hazardous waste is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency. It refers to contaminated chemicals or by-products that no longer serve their purpose and need to be disposed of. Hazardous wastes are either listed or exhibit characteristics like ignitability, corrosivity, toxicity, or reactivity. It’s essentially waste that poses a danger to health or the environment and requires special handling and disposal.
To put it simply, hazardous material is a broad term that includes various dangerous substances during transportation, while hazardous waste specifically refers to dangerous by-products that need disposal. Understanding these terms is crucial for compliance with environmental and safety regulations.
If you ever find yourself unsure, remember that hazardous materials are about transportation risks, and hazardous wastes are about disposal risks.
Please note that the Environmental Protection Agency has withdrawn the direct final rule and maintained the proposed rule.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a direct final rule that adds a reporting option for regulated coal combustion residuals (CCR) facilities and extends compliance deadlines for CCR facilities with CCR management units (CCRMUs). These units include (a) inactive CCR landfills and (b) closed CCR surface impoundments and landfills.
Who’s impacted?
The direct rule applies to facilities subject to EPA’s final rule published in 2024 (2024 Legacy Rule), including:
The 2024 Legacy Rule established regulations for:
What are the changes?
The 2024 regulations (40 CFR Part 257 Subpart D) require active CCR facilities and legacy CCR surface impoundments to submit the Facility Evaluation Report (FER) Part 1 and FER Part 2 that identify any CCRMUs of 1 ton or more on-site.
Facilities with CCRMUs must also:
EPA’s 2025 direct final rule gives regulated facilities the option to:
The rule also delays the compliance timelines for related CCRMU requirements.
| Requirement | 2024 Legacy Rule deadline | 2025 direct final rule deadline |
| FER Part 1 | February 9, 2026 | February 9, 2026, or February 8, 2027 |
| FER Part 2 | February 8, 2027 | February 8, 2027 |
| CCR website | February 9, 2026 | February 9, 2026, or February 8, 2027 |
| Groundwater monitoring requirements | May 8, 2028 | August 8, 2029 |
| Initial annual report | January 31, 2029 | January 31, 2030 |
| Closure/post-closure care plan | November 8, 2028 | February 8, 2030 |
| Initiate closure | May 8, 2029 | August 8, 2030 |
About the proposed rule
In conjunction with the direct final rule, EPA published a proposed rule to obtain public feedback on further delaying the FERs. The rule offers two compliance timeline options for the evaluation reports:
Additionally, the proposed rule adjusts the deadlines for the other compliance requirements to 12 months from the 2024 Legacy Rule deadlines. The only exception is the CCR website requirement, which corresponds to the FER Part 1 submission date; it could be delayed for up to 24 months.
If EPA receives adverse comments on the direct final rule, the agency will publish a withdrawal of the specific requirements that won’t take effect. The remaining regulations in the direct final rule will take effect. If the agency determines (based on public feedback) to extend the FER Part 2 deadline by 12 months, the agency will withdraw the 2025 direct final rule and conduct the standard rulemaking procedures to apply the extension.
Key to remember: EPA offers active and inactive coal combustion facilities an alternative option to comply with the Facility Evaluation Report and adjusts the compliance timelines for regulations related to CCR management units.
Effective date: October 6, 2025
This applies to: Facilities with air permits in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington
Description of change: The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency adopted new rules mandating that facilities with air permits (except for Option B registration permits) in the Minnesota counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington submit annual air toxics emissions reports. The covered toxics include certain hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and other pollutants of concern. Annual emissions reports on HAPs, PFAS, and other covered pollutants are due by April 1.
View related state info: Clean air operating permits — Minnesota
For carriers operating in New York, registration and decals expire December 31, 2024, for the Highway Use Tax (HUT) and Automotive Fuel Carrier (AFC) programs. Take steps now to make sure you receive your new decals before the current ones expire. You need a new certificate of registration and decal for each vehicle. And you must place the new decals on your vehicles before January 1, 2025.
The period to renew your 24th series HUT and AFC certificates of registration begins October 1, 2024. Act now to avoid delays and keep your highway use tax credentials active.
Get ready for renewal by taking the following steps now:
Once the renewal period opens, renew your credentials and pay your renewal fees online with One Stop Credentialing and Registration (OSCAR).
Submit your renewal application by November 30, 2024, to make sure you receive your decals in time to place them on your vehicles before January 1, 2025.
If you are already enrolled in OSCAR, use your current OSCAR password to renew online.
If you are not enrolled, visit OSCAR, and select Enroll Now. You must have a United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) number and an employer identification number (EIN).
To renew your registration:
If you are unable to renew electronically, you may file Form TMT-1.2, Renewal Application for Highway Use Tax (HUT) and Automotive Fuel Carrier (AFC) Certificates of Registrations and Decals – 25th Series.
Key to remember: Take steps now to renew your NY HUT and ensure you receive your new decals before the current ones expire.
Many shippers are unaware of their responsibility to provide placards to drivers, but the responsibility shifts as soon as the driver hits the road.
| Knowledge Check: What would you do in this placarding scenario? |
Check the regulations
According to Section 172.506 of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), a shipper offering a hazardous material for transportation by highway must provide the motor carrier with the required placards for the material being offered. The shipper must offer the placards to the carrier prior to, or at the same time as, the material is offered for transportation — unless the vehicle is already placarded for the hazmat.
Section 172.506 also states that no motor carrier may transport a hazardous material in a motor vehicle unless the required placards for the hazmat are affixed to the vehicle. Before transport, the driver is responsible for displaying the required placards for all the hazmat that is on the vehicle.
Avoid issues with shippers
Many trailers are equipped with flip placards that represent most classes of hazardous materials but without adequate training, shippers may not understand their responsibility to provide the driver with the required placards. If a driver arrives and the shipper fails to provide placards, the driver should contact dispatch for additional instructions or drive to a truck stop to secure the necessary placards. The driver becomes responsible for placards as soon as the trailer enters a public highway, so train your drivers to temporarily refuse the shipment until the proper placards can be obtained. If necessary, the driver must bobtail or leave empty before driving to pick up placards.
Another common placarding question with shippers involves combination loads. If a driver arrives at a shipper’s location and is already transporting a hazardous material below the placarding threshold, is the shipper required to provide placards for the combination load on the trailer? In this scenario, the driver already has 600 pounds of a Class 8 corrosive material on the trailer, and the shipper is offering an additional 500 pounds of the same commodity. The regulations state that the shipper is only required to provide placards for the commodity that is being offered, not for the aggregate weight of both shipments. In this scenario, the driver is responsible for providing placards since it involves a combination load.
The Hazardous Materials Regulations are complex, especially for newer employees. Drivers that can speak “hazmat” to shippers often secure additional business, so be sure to train your drivers and give them the confidence to have impactful conversations with shippers.
Key to remember: Carry extra placards in case a shipper is unable to supply the required placards or a combination of hazmat on the vehicle requires different placards.
In a move signaling tougher oversight of the entry-level driver training (ELDT) regulations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has removed more than 3,000 ELDT providers from its Training Provider Registry (TPR), citing non-compliance with federal standards.
In addition, another 4,500 ELDT providers have received notices of proposed removal, meaning they could also be removed from the TPR.
These moves are the first steps in FMCSA’s review of the over 16,000 ELDT providers listed on the TPR. The agency’s goal is to remove providers that are:
In effect as of February 2022, the ELDT rule establishes minimum training standards for drivers who are:
Individuals must complete a course of theory and behind-the-wheel training offered by an entity listed on the TPR. To be listed on the TPR, an entity must meet specific requirements addressing curriculum, instructors, equipment, facilities, and recordkeeping.
This training must be successfully completed, and an individual must have proof of this prior to taking the skills test (except in the case of the hazmat endorsement, this proof must be presented prior to the knowledge test) for the new license or endorsement.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) related to updating the electronic logging device (ELD) regulations.
The ANPRM does not discuss major changes to the exemptions. However, if the technical standards and related regulations change, more carriers may become interested in using the exemptions. This has suddenly led to renewed interest in the exemptions. Below are the common exemptions that allow a driver to use a record of duty status other than an ELD.
1) Drivers that only log occasionally
Drivers that logged eight days or fewer out of the last 30 are allowed to use a paper log on the days they must log. This would include short-haul drivers that normally use time records (see 395.1(e)) and intermittent drivers that only occasionally log. However, once the driver has had to complete a log nine days out of the last 30, the driver must be using an ELD.
2) Certain driveaway/towaway drivers
Driveaway drivers operating a vehicle that is part of the shipment being delivered are allowed to use a paper log in place of an ELD. Also, drivers involved in towaway transportation that are towing a recreational vehicle with at least one axle on the ground are allowed to use this exemption.
3) Older than 2000
Drivers driving a vehicle older than model year 2000 are allowed to use paper logs rather than an ELD. The decision on if the vehicle is older than model year 2000 is based on either the vehicle identification number (VIN) as it appears on the registration or the engine serial number. These three exemptions are in 395.8(a).
4) Rental vehicles
Drivers of vehicles rented under the terms of a rental agreement that is eight days or less in duration are allowed to use paper logs, rather than ELDs. However, the rental agreement must be in the vehicle, and it must show the terms of the rental is eight days or less. Also, if the vehicle is turned in at the end of the eight-day period and immediately rented again, the exemption cannot be applied.
5) Special drivers
There are small groups of specialized drivers that have been granted exemptions. Examples of these include drivers transporting livestock and drivers employed to transport passengers and property to and from motion picture, theatrical, or television production sites.
These last two exemptions and other special exemptions were created through Federal Register notices. If you wish to use an exemption that was created by a Federal Register notice, it is important that you read the notice, verify that it applies to your drivers, and follow the requirements in the exemption.
Key to remember: While there are changes coming to the ELD requirements, they are not likely to include changes to the applicability of ELDs and exemptions to the applicability.
If you’re planning to start a motor carrier operation or add a different type of service to an existing business, you need to know what type of carrier you will be. Motor carriers are considered either a for-hire carrier or a private carrier. To be a private carrier, 100 percent of the company’s movements must be to support its own operation. If the carrier is engaged in any for-hire activities, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) considers them a for-hire carrier.
For-hire carriers use vehicles to transport people or property and are paid for their service. The fee could be a direct fee like a fare or a rate but could also be other indirect forms of compensation. Examples of for-hire operations include a trucking company that hauls other people’s property for a fee (direct compensation) or a hotel that includes in its service the transportation to and from the airport to the hotel (indirect compensation).
Private carriers, on the other hand, transport only their own goods or people. Examples include a manufacturer that uses its own commercial vehicles to transport its product, a construction or landscaping company that uses commercial vehicles to transport equipment and employees to job sites, or a utility company that operates commercial vehicles in support of its operations.
While private carriers are not required to obtain operating authority from the FMCSA, for-hire carriers are required to get authority to move property or people that belong to somebody else and get paid for their service. Having authority is often referred to as having an MC Number.
The most common types of authority are:
If a company never operates a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), it is possible to have authority, but not have a USDOT number. For example, straight brokers or freight forwarders.
As part of obtaining for-hire authority, carriers must designate process agents and demonstrate financial responsibility (have proper insurance coverage).
Authorities are not all-inclusive. Separate authority is needed for each type of service offered. For instance, a for-hire, over-the-road carrier that also wants to be able to resell its extra demand will need both for-hire and brokerage authorities. A company is required to pay a $300 one-time fee for each type of authority needed.
There are no temporary permits available to substitute for authority. For-hire operations may not be performed until the proper authority has been granted. It’s not uncommon for otherwise private carriers to become for-hire carriers to generate revenue on back-hauls or help balance capacity and demand during slow periods or seasons.
Carriers need to get it right when it comes to authority. Carriers required to have authority — but don’t and operate anyway — can get themselves into trouble. Penalties for operating without proper authority can get expensive and can result in out-of-service orders.
Key to remember: Carriers are either for-hire or private, with for-hire carriers being paid for their services while private carriers transport only their own goods or people.
Related article: Process agents — what are they and do you need them?
With carriers looking for additional revenue streams, many otherwise private and new carriers wonder whether they can become “exempt” for-hire carriers.
The “exempt for hire” designation is for property carriers that carry certain “exempt commodities,” but do so for compensation. The designation is a holdover from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). Most of the commodities are minimally processed agriculture items, but there’s a fair number of surprises – both in what’s included and what’s not.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides a relatively short list of items that are not exempt in 49 CFR 372.115. The agency provides a much more robust list of both exempt and non-exempt commodities in Administrative Rule 119.
Exempt carriers are not required to have a motor carrier or MC number designating for-hire authority. However, exempt carriers are required to have a USDOT number. In order to maintain an exempt for-hire status, the carrier must never haul a commodity that is not exempt for compensation.
Carriers that haul exempt commodities are required to have the minimum level of financial responsibility required by 49 CFR 387, and their insurance provider must provide the carrier with an MCS-90 endorsement. However, the insurance need not be on file with the FMCSA. Many states have insurance requirements both for the amount required and the need to carry proof of coverage in the vehicle. Federally exempt for-hire carriers are not exempted from any state requirement.
Currently, exempt-for hire carriers are not required to name process agents for each state of operation as other for-hire carriers are required to do so on the BOC-3 form. That may change when the FMCSA fully implements their Unified Registration System, or URS. The system was introduced with a final rule in the summer of 2013 and included a provision requiring exempt carriers to have process agents. Much of the rule was suspended at the beginning of 2017. At some point, the agency would like to get the URS ball rolling again.
Exempt for-hire carriers are not exempt from the alphabet soup of revenue generating programs of the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) allowing for the sharing of fuel tax revenue, the International Registration Plan (IRP) allowing for the sharing of vehicle registration fees, the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) tax for heavy vehicles that weight 55,000 pounds or more, or for the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) revenue generating program.
Exempt carriers are not automatically exempt from the safety regulations such as driver qualifications, drug and alcohol testing, commercial driver licenses, vehicle inspections, or the hours-of-service rules. Although livestock and agriculture commodity carriers may qualify for the hours-of-service agriculture exemption.
Key to remember: “Exempt” commodity haulers are exempt from very little. Primarily they are exempt from needing for-hire authority and designating process agents.
Back in October 2018, Laffon had a medical emergency and needed some time off under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Her leave lasted until November 15. Ten days after she returned to work, on November 26, her employer terminated her.
She sued, arguing that the employer retaliated against her because of her FMLA leave.
The catch? She didn't bring the suit until almost three years later.
No link between leave and termination
In court, the employer argued that there was no causal link between Laffon taking FMLA leave and her termination. Although the court documents aren't robust, they do reveal that the employer indicated that Laffon's allegations didn't show that her taking FMLA leave was a factor in the decision to terminate her. The documents showed only that the termination chronologically followed her leave.
The court agreed with the employer. It also agreed that Laffon failed to allege a willful violation of the FMLA, which would allow her to benefit from the FMLA's three-year statute of limitations.
Laffon appealed the case to the Ninth Circuit.
Statute of limitations
Under the FMLA, employees have two years from the date of the last event constituting the alleged violation for which they can bring a claim.
Those two years are extended to three years if the employer's actions were "willful." This means that an employee must show that the employer either knew or showed reckless disregard for whether its conduct violated the FMLA.
Ruling overturned
Fast forward to August 2023, when the Ninth Circuit reversed the lower court's decision. It indicated that, based on Laffon's amended complaint and liberally construing the law, her allegations establish that her leave was causally connected to her termination and that the employer's action (her termination) was willful.
Glymph v. CT Corporation Systems, No. 22-35735, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, August 22, 2023.
Key to remember: Terminating an employee soon after returning from FMLA leave is risky, unless there is a clear, well-documented, non-leave-related reason. Case documents did not show such a clear reason, which can also increase the risk of a willful finding. Employees have time to file claims, even years.
There’s been quite a bit of chatter recently about employee rights regarding menopause. Rhode Island, for example, is the first state to pass a law mandating menopause workplace accommodations. Since menopause can result in varying symptoms, some employers might wonder if employees are entitled to take leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for it.
The answer is: It’s possible.
The FMLA doesn’t have a list of serious health conditions for which employees may take leave. To figure out if a condition qualifies for leave, employers must refer to the FMLA’s definition of a serious health condition and compare it to the information in the employee’s medical certification.
If an employee’s or a family member’s menopause-related symptoms meet the definition, the employee may take FMLA leave for them.
If, for example, an employee experiences panic attacks or bouts of depression because of menopause, the employee could be entitled to take FMLA leave. As such, the FMLA leave could be intermittent when symptoms flare up.
Under the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), employers have to provide reasonable accommodations to an employee’s or applicant’s known limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an undue hardship.
Similar to the FMLA, the PWFA also doesn’t include condition details, like a complete list of related limitations or specifically mention menopause.
In the vote for the final PWFA regulations, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Commissioner Andrea Lucas said, “Thus, the final rule opens the door to requiring accommodations potentially extending to a myriad of conditions ranging from infertility to menstruation to hormone issues to menopause.” The current EEOC might revise the PWFA regulations, in which the agency could provide more details.
Therefore, until the EEOC provides more guidance, the courts might need to chime in on whether employers have to accommodate an employee’s menopause symptoms. If employers don’t want to be legal guinea pigs, the safest route would be to allow time off for menopause.
The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to the known disability of an employee or applicant. A disability is an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Like the FMLA and PWFA, the ADA also doesn’t have a complete list of conditions that are disabilities. Employers have to assess each situation on the facts involved to determine if menopause rises to the level of a disability,
Key to remember: Employers must give employees FMLA leave for menopause if the symptoms meet the definition of a serious health condition.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics reported in July 2024 that there are 8.2 million job openings in the U.S., but only 7.2 million unemployed workers.
With that in mind, employers might choose to hang onto employees even if they’re under performing. But what about when complaints are rolling in from different angles? Take, for example, a lackluster supervisor who’s annoying employees and disappointing customers.
An employer could be hesitant to let the supervisor go, especially if there’s no documentation backing up claims of misconduct. The employer must weigh their options to decide if putting the supervisor on a performance improvement plan (PIP) or moving right to termination is the ideal choice.
At-will employment
For starters, in most states employers may terminate an employee at-will, meaning they can fire employees for pretty much any reason as long as it doesn’t discriminate against someone in a protected class based on sex, age, race, religion, etc. Employers also cannot terminate in retaliation for an employee making a claim of harassment, discrimination, or safety concerns.
Aside from these limits, employers can terminate employees for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all.
PIP or terminate
Deciding whether to put an employee on a PIP or terminate must be decided on a case-by-case basis.
A PIP is usually for job performance issues (hence, performance improvement plan). This could mean anything from not making enough sales to being inept at the job’s essential functions. If job performance doesn’t improve under the PIP, termination may be the end result depending on company policies and practices.
Even if an employee has job performance issues, the employer can terminate without going through the PIP process first, unless the usual process is to implement a PIP with employees who have had similar problems. In that case, not doing a PIP could be seen as discrimination against an employee, especially if the person falls into a protected class.
Workplace misconduct, however, is another situation altogether. This could be anything from a one-off poor joke to pervasive harassment. Snapping at customers or coworkers (or worse), for example, is a conduct issue. An employer could issue a warning or move right to termination if the behavior is clearly illegal or a serious threat to workplace safety.
| Read more: ezExplanation on discharging employees |
Termination tips
If an employer decides to terminate, they should treat the employee as respectfully as possible during the termination process. Also, an employer should carefully and clearly communicate the job-related reasons for the termination to avoid any hint of discrimination. Lastly, an employer should document the reasons and reiterate the steps taken leading up to the termination and keep those records handy in case the employee files a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Key to remember: Employers sometimes struggle when making termination decisions. Having a process in place and documenting steps along the way can help if a case lands in court.
The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employers to ask most employees to certify that the reason for their leave qualifies for time off work. Employers often use the U.S. Department of Labor’s model certification forms for this.
The forms ask for quite a bit of information. For medical conditions, they ask that a health care provider disclose the type of condition and how much leave the employee needs, whether for one extended period of time or smaller chunks of time.
These forms could be useful for leave that doesn’t fall under the FMLA. Using them could, however, also pose compliance risks to employers.
Not all employers are covered by the FMLA, and even if they are, not all of their employees might be eligible to take FMLA leave. Therefore, employers might offer employees who aren’t eligible to take FMLA leave, unpaid time off that is similar to the FMLA.
Using the FMLA’s certification for non-FMLA leave seems like it would be handy. Because the form often refers to the FMLA, however, this could give the employee the idea that the absence would fall under the FMLA. This could give an employee the impression of being fully protected under the law when they take time off.
The FMLA certification also refers to the law’s definition of a serious health condition. Employees could take non-FMLA leave for reasons that don’t meet that definition or for reasons that don’t otherwise qualify for FMLA leave.
If an employer represents — or implies — that an employee is entitled to FMLA leave, and the employee acts on that representation only to suffer some consequences because they did, the employer might have to keep its promise to provide FMLA leave. It might have to give the employee true FMLA leave, complete with all the job protections.
Employees can sue employers that fall into this rabbit hole, and employers can’t avoid FMLA liability if they tell employees that they (employees) were taking FMLA leave. Employees could use the FMLA’s certification as evidence that the employer represented to them that they were entitled to FMLA leave.
Looking at the FMLA certification forms, it would be easy to see why an employee might think they had FMLA rights and protections.
To help avoid this, when employees need non-FMLA leave (e.g., sick time), employers should use other forms that prominently state that the employee isn’t entitled to FMLA leave. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has restrictions on asking medical questions or requiring medical exams. Therefore, the information requested on the form should be consistent with the particular need for time off, and not ask for too much information.
If, for example, an employee needs time off for their own condition, which could be a disability, employers could ask for reasonable documentation (like a doctor’s note), but likely wouldn’t need the same information as in the FMLA certification.
Employers could provide a description of the employee's job duties, for example, including any physical qualification standards, and ask that the employee provide documentation of their limitations related to the job duties and potential accommodations.
To ask for such documentation, the disability or the need for the accommodation must be unknown or not obvious.
If the condition isn’t a disability, employers may still ask employees for documentation supporting their leave. The information requested should reflect the company policy, which should not ask for more than what is really needed.
Key to remember: Employers fare better in risk avoidance if they don’t use the FMLA’s certification forms for non-FMLA leave.
Effective January 1, 2024, California employers with five or more employees will need to provide leave for another reason — reproductive loss. California is the second state to enact a law for this reason, following Illinois.
Employees are eligible to take the leave if they have worked for the employer for at least 30 days before leave begins. Employees may take up to five days, which can be intermittent, of reproductive loss leave.
What qualifies for leave?
Employees may take the leave for “a reproductive loss event,” which means the day, or for a multiple-day event, the final day of:
What are the leave terms?
Signed into law on October 10, the law requires that employees take the leave within three months of the event, with some exceptions, and pursuant to any existing company leave policy.
If an employee experiences more than one reproductive loss event within a 12-month period, employers don’t have to grant a total amount of reproductive loss leave time in excess of 20 days within a 12-month period.
If employers don’t have an existing policy, the reproductive loss leave may be unpaid. Employees may, however, choose to use certain other leave balances otherwise available, including accrued and available paid sick leave.
Employers may not retaliate against employees for taking the leave, giving information about the leave, or making a formal statement regarding the leave.
Employers must maintain employee confidentiality relating to reproductive loss leave.
Key to remember: The state employee leave law trend continues, and for more diverse leave reasons. Employers with employees in California must be aware of this new leave law that is effective January 1, 2024.
One million babies were born in the U.S. between 1987 and 2015 through the use of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or other assisted reproductive technologies, according to a 2017 report from the U.S. Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology.
Such fertility procedures are gaining spotlight exposure as employer benefits, which do not always cover them. As more employers provide coverage as a benefit, more employees are apt to obtain them. The treatments require time off from work; thus, employers might wonder if time off would fall under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Employees undergoing IVF treatments need time off for the actual procedure, as well as for various appointments, injections, and preparation leading up to the actual procedure.
IVF not specifically mentioned
Neither the FMLA statute nor its regulations specifically address IVF. The FMLA regulations do not include an all-encompassing list of conditions that would fit the definition of a serious health condition and, therefore, qualify for FMLA leave.
When it comes to IVF (as well as any other procedure or condition), employers need to apply the definition of a serious health condition against the information obtained in a certification (or other source).
Court insight: IVF not covered by the FMLA
Often, courts help provide insight, but only one court addressed IVF in relation to the FMLA, and it was back in 2009.
It indicated that an employee’s absences for IVF treatment were not protected by the FMLA because the employee was not incapacitated for more than three consecutive calendar days, as the condition fell under the “incapacity and treatment” part of the definition of a serious health condition.
The court did what employers are to do: It applied the definition and compared it to the information from a certification to determine if it met the FMLA leave criteria.
Once an employee is pregnant, however, the FMLA is involved, as pregnancy is a serious health condition.
Pregnancy Discrimination Act
Even though IVF treatments might not qualify as an FMLA serious health condition, currently, denying leave for such treatments could risk a gender/pregnancy discrimination claim under the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA). State laws might come into play, as well.
Under the federal PDA, if a woman is temporarily unable to perform her job due to a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, the employer must treat her in the same way as it treats any other temporarily disabled employee.
An employer might, for example, have to provide:
Employees with pregnancy-related conditions, such as IVF, might qualify for these accommodations if an employer accommodates other temporarily disabled employees. An as always, accommodations must be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Key to remember: Time off for IVF treatments is not generally protected by the FMLA, because the employee (or spouse) does not otherwise have an FMLA serious health condition. Time off, however, could be protected under the PDA.
Before you prepare the 300A Annual Summary, OSHA requires you to review the 300 Log and verify that the entries are complete and accurate. This does not require examining every entry, but you should spot check a sampling of cases. Below are some common errors on the 300 Log.
Column (E) requires listing a location. Just writing “warehouse” or “office” may not provide enough detail. Ideally, someone else should be able to locate the area where the incident occurred. OSHA gives examples like “loading dock north end.” The location doesn’t appear on the Annual Summary, but it’s good to review in case OSHA inspects your records.
Column (F) requires describing the injury, body part, and cause of the injury. A common error is listing a body part (like “lacerated forehead”) but missing the description of how it happened. Also, for body parts such as arms or legs, the entry should specify left or right. OSHA gives an example, “Second degree burns on right forearm from acetylene torch” to describe an injury, body part, and cause.
If an injured employee is still on work restrictions (or days away) into the next calendar year, do not add the case to next year’s Log. That would indicate a new injury. It may seem odd if, for example, an employee injured on December 13th had 73 days away listed under that date. However, the day count simply indicates the severity of the incident. For that purpose, it doesn’t matter if the days occurred in the next calendar year.
Also, if an injured worker is still away from work (or on restrictions) when you prepare the Annual Summary, you must estimate the day count and use that to complete the summary, per 1904.7(b)(3)(ix). You might use a doctor’s estimate or make a guess based on experience with similar cases. You’ll then post the summary using the estimated days.
Once you know the exact day count, you must update the 300 Log. However, you do not have to update the Annual Summary after it is posted. Consider this: An injury in December could involve a return-to-work date after April 30, at which point the 300A no longer needs to be posted.
Finally, a company executive must review and sign the completed 300A. In a letter of interpretation from January of 2009, OSHA clarified that employers keeping electronic records can use electronic signatures for this.
You must post a physical copy of the 300A from February 1 through April 30. In a large facility, this may require more than one posting. Some employers post the summary on the company intranet, which is fine, but that’s not a substitute for physical posting. You must also ensure that the summary is not altered, defaced, or covered by other material.
OSHA does not require sending the 300A to people working from home, but check state requirements. For example, California does require providing the summary to remote workers who do not report to the office at least weekly during the posting period.
Key to remember: Review the 300 Log for accuracy and, if needed, estimate day counts before preparing and posting the 300A Annual Summary.
Did you know that would-be rescuers account for more than 60% of all confined space deaths?
These deaths represent the number of workers who ran into a space during an emergency in an attempt to rescue a co-worker or friend.
But confined space hazards can quickly overwhelm the people inside. And the would-be rescuers often become victims themselves before they can even reach the original entrants.
That’s why it’s so important to have a rescue plan in place.
In a recent J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. survey with 224 participants, 22% of employers felt that rescue preparedness was their biggest challenge regarding confined spaces.
So let’s review what federal OSHA requires for confined space rescue.
First, according to OSHA standard 1910.146(d)(9), employers must develop and implement procedures for the following:
This is where employers need to put on their critical thinking caps. Ask yourself: Do we have procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services? How do we rescue entrants from our permit spaces?
These conversations need to be had between the key players in your confined space operations. Supervisors, entrants, attendants, and safety personnel should develop and implement these procedures together.
Next, OSHA standard 1910.146(f) requires the entry permits to identify the following:
To facilitate non-entry rescue, retrieval systems or methods shall be used whenever an authorized entrant enters a permit space unless the retrieval equipment would increase the overall risk of entry or would not contribute to the rescue of the entrant.
Next, OSHA standard 1910.146(i) lists the attendants' duties. And in terms of rescue, those duties include:
And finally, OSHA standard 1910.146(k) offers guidance on designating rescue and emergency services.
Essentially, employers must evaluate a prospective rescuer's ability to respond to a rescue summons in a timely manner. They must take the specific hazards involved into consideration when determining what a “timely” rescue means.
Employers have two options for designating rescue and emergency services:
If the employer chooses to use an in-house team of employees, the employer must:
Check out “Part 2” of this series, Confined Space Rescue (Part 2): Partnering with outside resources.
Key to remember: Employers must develop and implement rescue procedures for all permit-required confined space entry operations. Are you prepared?
October is fire prevention month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about fire safety in homes, workplaces, and communities. Each year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) designates one week in October as Fire Prevention Week™, focusing on a specific theme to promote fire prevention efforts.
This year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety™,” which highlights the safe use, charging, and disposal of lithium-ion batteries. These devices are increasingly linked to fire incidents.
Provide fire safety training: Organize sessions on general fire prevention and lithium-ion battery safety. Cover topics like safe charging, storage, inspection, disposal, and emergency response.
Share resources: Distribute materials and safety posters throughout the workplace. Highlight key fire risks, including electrical hazards, clutter, and battery safety.
Review policies: Update fire safety policies and ensure all battery-powered equipment is used and maintained according to manufacturer guidelines.
Promote safe disposal: Set up battery recycling stations and educate employees on proper disposal methods for batteries and other fire hazards.
Conduct fire drills: Practice evacuation plans and ensure all employees know escape routes and assembly points.
How can workers stay safe with lithium-ion batteries at work and home? Workplaces often rely on rechargeable batteries and electrical equipment, which if mishandled, can pose serious fire hazards. To help prevent incidents, employees should:
Battery-related fires can happen at home just as easily as they can at work, especially with the growing number of personal devices such as smartphones, laptops, e-bikes, power tools, and electric vehicles. Here are some strategies to include:
Lithium-ion battery fires are an escalating concern across the United States. These batteries pose serious fire risks when damaged, improperly charged, or disposed of incorrectly. Fires involving lithium-ion batteries burn hotter and spread faster than traditional fires, making them especially dangerous.
Since 2017, incidents have increased by approximately 20% annually. According to the NFPA, urban areas face the highest risk. In New York City alone, 268 lithium-ion battery fires were recorded in 2023, resulting in 18 deaths. As the use of rechargeable devices and electric vehicles continues to grow, these fire incidents are expected to rise nationwide.
Key to remember: Lithium-ion batteries are becoming more popular and essential, but they must be handled responsibly. October’s annual focus on fire prevention is a great time to reinforce safety practices, educate workers, and take steps to prevent fires at work and at home.
Training forklift operators is an OSHA requirement per 1910.178(l). Do you want to do it in house? If you said yes, follow this step-by-step guide.
It all starts with a competent trainer. OSHA’s view is that all operator training and evaluation must be conducted by persons who have the “knowledge, training, and experience” to train operators and evaluate their competence. The standard doesn’t go into any more detail. It’s up to the employer to ensure trainers meet these general qualifications, but OSHA has no requirements for trainers to take certain classes, hold any sort of certifications, or be re-certified as trainers at specified intervals.
| Need more information on OSHA’s Forklift Standard? See our ezExplanation on Powered Industrial Trucks. |
The only aspect that OSHA has clarified is that the trainer does need to have experience operating the equipment and attachments. However, the standard doesn’t require that the trainers operate a forklift regularly (that is, outside of their operator training duties) as part of their job function or responsibility.
First, OSHA requires that all operators must be trained prior to being allowed to operate forklifts. And the same thing goes for pallet trucks, order pickers, and stand-up units…. Any powered type of material handling equipment requires training.
But what does training entail? Well, the OSHA regulations are very specific. All operators must receive a combination of training. Training must consist of formal training, which is a lecture, discussion, interactive computer learning, video tape, written material, and so on.
They must also receive practical training, which means demonstrations performed by the trainer and practical exercises performed by the trainee.
And the third component is that operators must receive a performance evaluation. So, they must operate the equipment and be observed and evaluated before being considered trained per the OSHA standard.
Usually, you’ll introduce the concepts during the classroom portion of training, the more informational aspects, such as the OSHA requirements. Then you’ll use the practical part of training to familiarize trainees with controls, talk about load handling, and so on. With the practical part, it’s usually best to ramp up the training, meaning start with simple skills and then build on those.
Aside from requirements for how to do the training, OSHA gives us a detailed list of topics to cover during the training.
The main categories are truck-related and workplace-related topics. And remember that OSHA does require you to include information on OSHA’s forklift standard as part of the training program. This requirement can be easy to overlook, but a good way to approach it is in the classroom portion of the program.
Keep in mind that if a topic doesn’t apply to your trucks or workplace, you don’t have to train on it. For example, if you don’t have any ramps or hazardous (classified) locations in your facility, your forklift operators don’t need training on these topics.
Truck-related topics include the following:
Workplace-related topics are examples like these:
The trainees must successfully complete the formal and practical instruction, but how you determine success is up to you. For the classroom portion, you could give a written or oral test or otherwise evaluate the trainees’ knowledge. For the practical training, the trainee must be able to safely perform all the operations used on the job.
An evaluation of the operator’s performance in the workplace must be conducted at the time of initial training. And an evaluation is required to determine the effectiveness of any refresher training.
Also, you must conduct an evaluation at least every three years. This means that at least once every three years every operator must be observed while they operate in the workplace under actual workplace conditions. During the evaluation, the operator must also be able to answer pertinent questions to demonstrate they have the knowledge to operate the forklift safely.
A key point to note here, this evaluation must be more than just a written or verbal test. The employer must observe the operator in action performing all typical tasks related to running the forklift. And, going back to where we started, the evaluation must be conducted by someone who has the knowledge, training, and experience to evaluate the truck operator’s competence.
Document the evaluation — this means placing a record in your training file that includes the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation.
This may be a good time for you to review your options for training forklift operators to ensure they’re meeting these guidelines. And, it’s always a great idea to have all your training procedures in written format for consistency.
Training forklift operators is an OSHA requirement. Follow this step-by-step guide and you can do it in-house.
OSHA has revised its Safe Forklift Operation QuickCard to include more tips for safe operation. The card describes ways to mitigate the risks associated with operating and working around forklifts. Hazards to employees include collisions, falls, tip-overs, and struck-by conditions.
In addition to guidance on safety training and forklift maintenance, the QuickCard offers basic forklift operator safety tips, including:
Ever since OSHA published its Trade Release on December 11, 2023, people have been scratching their heads about the “new” PPE requirement.
But here’s the thing. There isn’t a new requirement for “helmets” instead of hard hats.
So where’s the confusion? And what is actually required?
OSHA released a Safety and Health Bulletin (SHIB 11-22-2023) on November 22, 2023, detailing the key differences and benefits of using modern safety helmets over traditional hard hats.
And just a few weeks later, in the December 11, 2023 Trade Release, the Agency announced it would now require its inspectors to wear Type II head protection, which is also commonly referred to as safety helmets.
The November 22, 2023 SHIB discussed two main benefits of choosing modern safety helmets over traditional hard hats -- the construction of materials and the use of chinstraps.
| Construction of Materials: | The SHIB first explained that one of the benefits of safety helmets lies in their construction materials. While hard hats are made from hard plastics, safety helmets incorporate a combination of materials, including lightweight composites, fiberglass, and advanced thermoplastics. Such materials can help enhance the impact resistance of the helmets but also include the added benefit of reducing the overall weight of the helmet. This reduces neck strain and improves comfort during extended use. |
| Use of Chinstraps: | The SHIB also discussed the potential benefits of chinstraps used in conjunction with Type II safety helmets. The general idea here is that chinstraps can be helpful in maintaining the position of the safety helmet and protecting the worker’s head in the event of a slip, trip, or fall. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, head injuries accounted for nearly 6% of non-fatal occupational injuries involving days away from work. About 20% of those were caused by slips, trips, and falls. |
And while OSHA has recognized the benefits of Type II safety helmets, and is actively taking steps to protect its own employees, it’s important to understand that there is not a new requirement for employers to make the switch to safety helmets.
That being said, a growing number of employers have recognized the benefits of added head protection and are choosing to use Type II helmets for their workers. In addition, some clients are starting to contractually require their construction contractors to make the switch as well.
Hard hats will have a Type I or Type II rating on the manufacturer’s sticker. These markings are based on ANSI Z89.1’s impact ratings.
Type I hard hats protect from objects or impacts from the top center area of the hard hat and are often used in work areas with no lateral head impact hazards.
Type II hard hats, on the other hand, offers protection from both top and lateral impacts and objects and is often found on construction job sites or complex general industry settings where workers face multiple head contact exposures.
Hard hats are classified based on their level of voltage protection. See the chart below.
| Class G – (General) low voltage protection. Class E – (Electrical) high voltage protection. Class C – (Conductive) no voltage protection. |
Employers should conduct a job hazard analysis and/or a PPE assessment to determine which style hard hat is best for their workers. In general, OSHA recommends the use of Type II safety helmets at the following locations:
1. Construction Sites: For construction sites, especially those with high risks of falling objects and debris, impacts from equipment, or slips, trips, and falls, safety helmets have enhanced impact resistance and additional features that offer superior protection compared to the components and construction of traditional hard hats.
2. Oil and Gas Industry: In these sectors where workers face multiple hazards, including potential exposure to chemicals and severe impacts, safety helmets with additional features can provide comprehensive protection.
3. Working from Heights: For tasks or jobs that involve working from heights, safety helmets offer protection of the entire head and include features that prevent the safety helmet from falling off.
4. Electrical Work: For tasks involving electrical work or proximity to electrical hazards, safety helmets with non-conductive materials (Class G and Class E) provide protection to prevent electrical shocks. However, some traditional hard hats also offer electrical protection.
5. High-Temperature Environments: In high temperatures or where there is exposure to molten materials, safety helmets with advanced heat-resistant properties can provide additional protection to workers.
Key to remember: While there isn’t a new requirement for safety helmets, employers should review their workplace hazards to determine which style of hard hat will best protect their employees.