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Copyright 2026 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.
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NewsGreenhouse GasesEnforcement and Audits - OSHAMonthly Roundup VideoWalking Working SurfacesCAA ComplianceUSAInjury and Illness RecordkeepingLaddersEnglishIndustry NewsEnforcement and Audits - OSHAOSHA InspectionsSafety & HealthInjury and Illness Recording CriteriaGeneral Industry SafetyEnvironmentalFocus AreaAir ProgramsVideo
EHS Monthly Round Up - February 2026
In this Februrary 2026 roundup video, we'll discuss the most impactful environmental health and safety news.
Hi everyone! Welcome to the monthly news roundup video, where we’ll review the most impactful environmental health and safety news. Let’s take a look at what happened over the past month.
Fatal work injuries fell 4 percent in 2024, largely due to a decline in workplace drug- and alcohol-related overdoses. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overdose fatalities fell from 512 in 2023 to 410 in 2024. Across all types of workplace incidents, there were 5,070 fatal work injuries in 2024, compared to 5,283 in 2023. Transportation incidents continue to be the most frequent type of fatal event, accounting for over 38 percent of all occupational fatalities in 2024.
OSHA is fast-tracking a proposal to remove the 2036 obligation to upgrade fall protection systems on fixed ladders that extend over 24 feet. This follows an industry petition from major chemical and petroleum industry groups, which argue the provision is unjustified, costly, and not supported by the rulemaking record. OSHA frames the upcoming proposed action as deregulatory, allowing employers to update fixed ladders at the end of their service lives. We’ll provide updates as more information becomes available.
As OSHA leans into “deregulatory” actions, lawmakers are moving to pressure the agency to issue “regulatory” rulemaking to protect American workers. The latest legislative wave of bills aims to fill regulatory gaps, tackle emerging hazards, expand OSHA authority, and raise penalties. Topics addressed by these bills include musculoskeletal disorders, heat stress, infectious diseases, wildfire smoke, and workplace violence.
In a recently issued letter of interpretation, OSHA states that a burn injury caused by a personal lithium-ion battery fire is work related if it occurs in the workplace during assigned working hours. The letter details an incident where an employee was burned when their rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for e-cigarettes sparked a fire after coming into contact with a key used for work.
A new report from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General concludes that OSHA struggles to meet its mission, particularly in high-risk industries like healthcare, construction, and manufacturing. Several pages point to OSHA’s difficulties in effectively enforcing annual injury and illness reporting requirements, reaching the nation’s high-risk worksites for inspection, and addressing workplace violence by regulatory or other action.
Turning to environmental news, EPA extended the deadlines for Facility Evaluation Reports and related requirements for coal combustion residuals facilities. In most instances, the deadlines have been moved one or two years out.
And finally, EPA announced a final rule eliminating the 2009 Endangerment Finding and related greenhouse gas emission requirements for on-highway vehicles and vehicle engines. When the final rule takes effect, manufacturers and importers of new motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines will no longer have to measure, report, certify, or comply with federal greenhouse gas emission standards.
Thanks for tuning in to the monthly news roundup. We’ll see you next month!
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RECENT INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
NewsSexual HarassmentSexual HarassmentMonthly Roundup VideoTraining & DevelopmentUSAHuman ResourcesHR ManagementEnglishTalent Management & RecruitingAssociate Benefits & CompensationDiscriminationIndustry NewsDiscriminationTitle VII (The Civil Rights Act of 1964)Wage and HourWage and HourGovernment contractsDavis-Bacon and Related ActsGovernment ContractsRehabilitation Act of 1973Minimum WageHR GeneralistNon-Exempt employees Focus AreaAssociate RelationsDisabilities and ADADisabilities and ADAVideo
HR Monthly Round Up - February 2026
In this February 2026 roundup video, we’ll review the most impactful HR news.
Welcome, everyone! In the next few minutes, we’ll review the latest HR news. Let’s get started.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission voted to rescind the latest version of its workplace harassment guidance. The nearly 200-page document described how harassment, which is a form of discrimination, is defined under federal law. The document, which was updated in 2024, included more than 70 examples of harassment scenarios that employers might face.
Repealing this guidance document doesn’t have any legal effects on employers, however, since Title VII of the Civil Rights Act is still the law of the land when it comes to discrimination. Employers must still comply with all federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws.
In other news, on February 9 the Department of Labor announced that federal contractors covered by Executive Order 13658 need to pay their workers at least $13.65 per hour as of May 11, 2026. This is an increase of 35 cents per hour over the current rate. Federal contractors affected by this change will need to display a new poster once the rate increase takes effect.
Another quick update, the White House issued a return-to-office directive at the end of January that said all federal employees must return to in-person work. In response, on February 12, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Office of Personnel Management released FAQs that address remote work and help agencies stay compliant with the Rehabilitation Act, which is similar to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The FAQs are designed to help federal agencies:
- Identify when they must grant or continue remote work;
- Know when they may rescind, modify, or deny remote work; and
- Know how to structure their processes for remote work accommodations.
Although this directive specifically applies to federal employees, the FAQs illustrate the steps private employers should take with their employees when it comes to remote work accommodations.
That’s all the HR news we have time for today. Thanks for watching. See you next month!
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Transportation Monthly Round Up - February 2026
In this February 2026 round up, we will discuss important transportation news and regulatory updates.
In this February 2026 round up, we will discuss an FMCSA security update, the CVSA International Roadcheck 2026, and FMCSA deregulatory changes. Let's get started.
A new and increasingly aggressive phishing campaign is sweeping through the trucking industry, with scammers impersonating officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). These fraudulent emails, often polished, convincing, and designed to mimic official correspondence, are tricking motor carriers into surrendering sensitive information or making unauthorized payments.
FMCSA has emphasized that these emails do not originate from USDOT or the agency itself. One of the most reliable warning signs is the sender’s email domain. Official FMCSA correspondence almost always comes from an address ending in .gov.
FMCSA stresses that it never demands payment or sensitive information through unsolicited email. Any message requesting such information should be treated as a scam.
International Roadcheck 2026 is right around the corner, taking place in early May this year. This annual 3-day vehicle inspection event is designed to educate and spread awareness about motor vehicle safety. Roadcheck is scheduled for May 12-14, 2026, so make sure your team and operations are ready.
Inspectors will perform as many Level I inspections as possible. This is a complete inspection of the driver and vehicle. Unsuccessful inspections could result in a vehicle or driver being placed out of service until the violation is resolved.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has finalized a broad array of deregulatory changes affecting vehicle standards, inspection requirements, emergency equipment, licensing rules, and more. Published February 19, 2026, the rule changes have limited impact but they represent the FMCSA’s first salvo at providing regulatory relief under the Trump administration. More rule changes are expected in the near future.
The new rules take effect on March 23, 2026. Here are some of the noteworthy changes:
- Bumper labels: Motor carriers will no longer need to ensure that their vehicles’ rear-impact guards have a permanent certification label from the manufacturer. These labels often fall off or become unreadable over time, resulting in citations even when guards meet the safety standard.
- License-plate lamps: Tractors will no longer need a working rear license-plate lamp while pulling a trailer. If there’s no trailer, the light will need to be operational.
- Spare fuses (effective April 20, 2026): Drivers will no longer be required to carry spare fuses for powering required equipment. The FMCSA says today’s vehicles don’t commonly suffer from blown fuses, making the requirement unnecessary.
- Fuel tank fill limit: It will no longer be a violation to use fuel tanks that can be filled beyond 95 percent of their capacity. Modern liquid-fuel tanks have vented caps that can safely accommodate a 100-percent fill, the FMCSA says.
That’s it for this month’s round up. Stay safe, and thanks for watching
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2026-03-06T06:00:00Z
NewsIndustry NewsIndustry NewsWaste ManifestsWaste/HazWasteToxic Substances Control Act - EPAWaste HandlersTSCA ComplianceWasteEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)EnvironmentalEnglishPolychlorinated BiphenylsFocus AreaUSA
EPA proposes electronic-only hazardous waste manifests
On March 5, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule to end the use of paper hazardous waste manifests and require waste handlers to use electronic manifests on the Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest (e-Manifest) System to track all shipments of hazardous waste regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
What are the proposed changes?
EPA proposes to “sunset” (i.e., phase out) the use of paper manifests and shift to using only electronic manifests (either fully electronic or hybrid) to track RCRA hazardous waste shipments.
The sunset compliance date would be 2 years from the publication date of a final rule. On and after the sunset compliance date, EPA would no longer accept paper hazardous waste manifests (image-only and data-plus-image submission types). In other words, regulated waste handlers would have to use fully electronic or hybrid manifests on the e-Manifest System for all hazardous waste shipments initiated on and after the sunset compliance date.
Who would be impacted?
The proposed rule would affect waste handlers involved in manifesting hazardous waste, including:
- Generators,
- Transporters, and
- Receiving facilities.
Many of the proposed changes would align RCRA regulations with the shift to electronic-only manifesting and with the 2024 e-Manifest Third Rule’s changes. The proposed rule also contains technical corrections to import and export regulations.
Additionally, EPA’s proposed rule would add requirements for:
- Very small quantity generators (VSQGs) managing episodic events,
- RCRA hazardous waste transporters,
- Healthcare facilities and reverse distributors subject to RCRA’s hazardous waste pharmaceutical requirements,
- Certain polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste generators,
- PCB waste transporters, and
- Hazardous waste treatment or storage facilities with standardized RCRA permits.
Examples of these requirements include:
- Mandating specific waste handlers to register with the e-Manifest System;
- Requiring VSQGs, healthcare facilities, and reverse distributors to submit data corrections to the e-Manifest System within 30 days of a request from EPA or an authorized state; and
- Requiring hazardous waste generators and PCB waste generators to identify brokers on the manifest.
EPA will accept public comments on the proposed rule (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2025-3456) through May 4, 2026.
Key to remember: EPA proposes to end the use of paper manifests and require waste handlers to use electronic manifests to track all RCRA hazardous waste shipments.
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2026-03-06T06:00:00Z
NewsChange NoticesChange NoticeWater ProgramsWater ReportingCaliforniaEnvironmentalCWA ComplianceEnglishFocus Area
California updates water diversion regulations
Effective date: February 1, 2026
This applies to: Water right holders who divert more than 10 acre-feet per year
Description of change: The California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) updated the Water Measurement and Reporting Regulation (SB 88) with changes primarily affecting reporting requirements, such as:
- Requiring diverters to submit data to the SWRCB using a template or the online reporting platform CalWATRS,
- Requiring large diverters to submit data to CalWATRS instead of posting it to any public website,
- Requiring diverters to identify and report measurement locations, and
- Requiring diverters to submit their measurement methodologies.
Updated measuring and reporting requirements take effect on October 1, 2026.
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2026-03-06T06:00:00Z
NewsWater PermittingChange NoticesChange NoticeWater ProgramsEnvironmentalCWA ComplianceStormwaterEnglishFocus AreaDelaware
Delaware revises 2026 NPDES general construction permit
Effective date: March 11, 2026
This applies to: Construction activities that discharge stormwater into Waters of the State
Description of change: The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) revised the Delaware National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction General Permit (CGP), which implements the DNREC Sediment and Stormwater Management Program.
It applies to construction activities that plan to disturb 1 or more acres (or activities that plan to disturb less than 1 acre but are part of a larger common plan of development or sale that will disturb more than 1 acre) that discharge stormwater to Waters of the State.
The DNREC made minimal changes to the NPDES CGP. The 2026 NPDES CGP will provide coverage for 5 years.
Related state info: Construction water permitting — Delaware
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Copyright 2026 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.