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EHS Monthly Round Up - January 2023
In this monthly roundup video, we’ll review the most impactful environmental, safety, and health news.
Hi everyone! Welcome to the monthly roundup video, where we’ll review the most impactful environmental, safety, and health news. First, let’s take a look at what’s happening in safety and health.
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to post your OSHA 300A Summary. Employers are required to post the Summary in a conspicuous place from February 1st through April 30th.
As required by law, OSHA increased its penalties for inflation in mid-January. Penalties went up 7.7 percent, effective January 17th.
Also in January, OSHA released its long-awaited Fall 2022 regulatory agenda. Along with numerous proposed rules in the works, three major final rules are slated for 2023 – COVID-19 in healthcare, Injury and Illness tracking, and an update to the hazard communication standard.
OSHA recently released two new letters of interpretation, which address exit signs and lockout/tagout. Specifically, OSHA states that the International Standards Organization emergency exit symbol can be located beside the mandatory EXIT text on an existing sign.
The second letter addresses the applicability of lockout/tagout and the maintenance and operations of cathodic protection rectifiers when working on pipelines.
New York’s Warehouse Worker Protection Act was signed into law in December and takes effect in late February. It protects warehouse distribution workers from undisclosed or unlawful work speed quotas and includes protections for workers who fail to meet these quotas.
In 2021, a worker died every 101 minutes from a work-related injury, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A total of 5,190 fatal work injuries was recorded in the U.S. in 2021, an 8.9 percent increase over 2020.
Turning to environmental news, EPA automatically added nine per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, to the Toxics Release Inventory, or TRI, list. Four PFAS were added since they are no longer claimed as confidential business information.
EPA released its Fall 2022 regulatory agenda in early January. Included are major regulations impacting the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, waters of the United States, and modifications to the Risk Management Program under the Clean Air Act.
There are also a number of rules related to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants in various rule stages.
And finally, beginning with model year 2027, heavy-duty trucks will be required to meet clean air standards that are 80 percent more stringent than current requirements.
EPA says this final rule is aimed at reducing smog- and soot-forming emissions, increasing the life of governed vehicles by up to 250 percent, and increasing emissions warranty periods up to 450 percent.
Thanks for tuning in to the monthly news roundup!
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EHS Monthly Round Up - October 2023
In this monthly video, we'll review 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. Please view the content links in the transcript to take a deeper dive into the topics I’ll be covering today. With that said, let’s get started!
OSHA’s hazard communication final rule is under review at the Office of Management and Budget. This process typically takes 90 to 120 days, which means we’ll likely see the final rule in early 2024.
A performance audit found that OSHA did not adequately address the high number of injuries and illnesses at warehouses before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the high rate of injury and illness, OSHA only conducted a small number of inspections.
An OSHA investigation found a fulfillment center was exposing employees to ergonomic hazards which could lead to musculoskeletal disorders. The company also failed to provide adequate medical care for workers who had sustained head injuries, some of which were traumatic.
Workplace overdose deaths have increased 536 percent since 2011. A National Safety Council survey found that 75 percent of employers reported opioid use has impacted their workplace, but only 17 percent said they felt prepared to deal with the problem.
And finally, turning to environmental news, EPA finalized its PFAS reporting and recordkeeping rule. It expands the definition to include 41 additional PFAS of concern, among other changes.
Thanks for tuning in to the monthly news roundup. We’ll see you next month!
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2026-10-12T05:00:00Z
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DOL report spotlights OSHA small employer, low-hazard industry inspections
A new report brings attention to OSHA inspections of small employers in low-hazard industries. In a September 24 alert memorandum to OSHA assistant secretary David Keeling, the Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General (OIG) states its “urgent concern” that OSHA may have conducted impermissible inspections of small employers in low-risk industries and therefore may not have complied with the agency’s authorized appropriations acts.
The memo explains that an OIG investigation identified 481 inspections that the Inspector General says warrant further review by OSHA.
Hotline complaint leads to investigation, report
The OIG’s investigation stemmed from a September 2025 hotline complaint alleging OSHA had performed a planned program inspection on the complainant earlier that year even though the complainant’s business was allegedly exempted by OSHA’s appropriations rider. A recurring congressional appropriations rider generally prohibits OSHA from using appropriated funds for enforcement activities involving employers that have 10 or fewer employees and operate in designated low-hazard industries. However, the agency can still inspect an otherwise-exempt employer in certain circumstances, including:
- Health hazards;
- Fatalities, or hospitalizations of two or more employees;
- Imminent danger; and
- Complaints from current employees.
In response to the complaint, the Inspector General reviewed OSHA Information System (OIS) inspection data from November 8, 2024, through January 21, 2026. (The review did not include supporting case files.) The analysis found OSHA initiated and closed 621 inspections that met the exemption criteria. Of those, the report says 140 clearly involved a permissible exception, while:
- 201 had insufficient OIS data demonstrating an exception applied, and
- 280 had no permissible exceptions supported by OIS data.
These issues, the OIG states, may have stemmed from control weaknesses in OSHA guidance and issues with data reliability: “Therefore, OSHA may have conducted 481 impermissible inspections that did not comply with its appropriations acts.”
Following a preliminary review of 27 case files, OSHA found four that did not meet any exceptions allowed under its appropriations acts. The agency also found coding errors with the other 23 inspections. OSHA officials indicated the overall issue was likely due to coding errors rather than impermissible inspections and stated it would need to perform an in-depth review of case files to confirm. The Inspector General noted that this raises concerns about overall data reliability and that both issues (i.e., coding errors, impermissible inspections) warrant immediate attention from agency management.
OSHA pushes back on findings
In response to a draft of the September 24 memo, OSHA officials disagreed with the findings, citing the Inspector General’s lack of familiarity with the OIS and its data fields and its limited review of the inspection information for each inspector or investigation as the reason for its “unsupported conclusions.” The agency also argued that the OIG did not adequately account for OSHA’s procedures, management reviews, or the fact that inspectors sometimes need to begin an investigation to determine whether the exemption or an exception applies.
OIG recommendations to OSHA and DOL
The Inspector General stated that, ultimately, OSHA’s response did not change the OIG’s conclusion, and four recommendations were made to OSHA:
- Review all 481 identified inspections to determine whether they complied with the appropriations acts and take appropriate action based on the results.
- Establish adequate controls to prevent impermissible inspections and to document permissible exceptions in both the OIS and case files.
- Update guidance to specify which employee-related field to use when determining if enforcement exemptions and limitations apply under OSHA’s appropriations acts.
- Improve OIS data accuracy through data-entry controls and validation against case-file documentation.
The Inspector General also recommended that the Secretary of Labor conduct an investigation to determine whether OSHA failed to comply with the Antideficiency Act. The OIG noted that if the DOL ultimately determines that a violation occurred, federal law requires reporting to the President and Congress, with a copy provided to the Comptroller General.
OSHA’s consideration of the recommendations is ongoing, and the OIG says it looks forward to continuing its work with OSHA “to ensure planned corrective actions meet the intent of our proposed recommendations.” It should be noted that the Inspector General did not audit supporting case file documentation and therefore drew no conclusions on whether OSHA complied with its appropriations acts.
Key to remember: A DOL OIG investigation found that OSHA may have conducted certain small employer inspections that did not comply with its appropriations acts. OSHA disputes the findings, and its review of the cases and the OIG’s recommendations is ongoing. For employers, the Inspector General’s report is a reminder that some small employers in low-hazard industries may be subject to special limits on OSHA enforcement.
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Transportation Monthly Round Up - September 2026
In this September 2026 round up video, we'll review the most impactful safety news.
In this September 2026 round up, we will discuss the results from this year’s CVSA International Roadcheck, UCR fee increases, and fraudulent activity in trucking.
This year’s International Roadcheck results have been officially released. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA’s) three-day event from May 12–14, 2026, yielded 54,575 total inspections across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada.
The areas of focus for this year’s event included an examination of cargo securement and ELD tampering. Approximately 81 percent of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) and 94.2 percent of CMV drivers got through the inspection without any out-of-service (OOS) violations.
In contrast, In contrast, 19 percent (10,350) of inspected vehicles were placed out of service, and 5.8 percent (3,184) CMV drivers were placed out of service.
The Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Board of Directors proposed a fee increase of 20 percent for the 2027 registration year and for the years following.
Fee increases will vary from $9–$9,329 per entity depending on the tax bracket and must be paid by motor carriers, motor private carriers of property, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies.
The FMCSA notes that despite the increased costs, the fees for registration year 2027 are less than they were from 2019–2022. Collections are expected to begin October 2026.
Federal officials recently announced their interagency effort to identify and eliminate fraud in the trucking industry, reduce roadway fatalities, and protect the nation’s highway safety.
Through the actions of the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Justice (DOJ), these agencies have pooled their recourses together to enact widespread change. The DOT removed over 28,000 unqualified drivers from roadways, removed over 110 entry-level driver trainers from the Registry, and plans to further investigate training compliance.
The DHS has launched a widespread investigation of over 200 commercial driver's license schools and continues to investigate potential fraudulent activities related to commercial licensing and employment.
That’s it for this month’s round up. Stay safe, and thanks for watching.
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HR Monthly Round Up - September 2026
In this September 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.
On August 26th, the U.S. Department of Labor and two other federal agencies issued new guidance on workplace wellness programs following a wave of lawsuits challenging tobacco-related health insurance surcharges.
The guidance is expected to give employers greater clarity as they continue offering wellness initiatives, including tobacco cessation programs, while legal challenges over premium surcharges continue to work their way through the courts.
In other news, the DOL released the latest versions of its notices and forms related to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. The forms have a new expiration date of 8/31/29.
These forms don’t really expire. The date is an internal government date for checks and balances. The DOL has to review these documents every 3 years, even if they don’t make any changes. Beyond the date, the DOL made no changes.
Speaking of the FMLA, a bill was introduced on August 31st that would expand this federal leave law. If passed, the Family Leave for Parental Involvement in Education Act would amend the federal FMLA to allow employees to participate in or attend their children’s and grandchildren’s educational and extracurricular activities.
Time off for these types of reasons doesn’t typically count as traditional FMLA leave. However, like the current FMLA provisions, employees could use their paid time off for such activities, and employers could require that they do so.
And, finally, on September 7th, the DOL issued three new opinion letters that apply the federal Fair Labor Standards Act to certain workplace scenarios regarding lunch breaks, employee volunteers, and supervisors dipping into tip pools.
Opinion letters answer a detailed question on a particular employment scenario and provide guidance for other employers to consider when complying with federal wage and hour laws.
That’s all the HR news we have time for today. Thanks for watching. See you next month!
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EHS Monthly Round Up - September 2026
In this September 2026 roundup video, we'll review 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.
For the 16th consecutive year, fall protection for construction topped OSHA’s list of most frequently cited standards. Preliminary inspection data for fiscal year 2026 show that OSHA recorded just over 4,000 fall protection construction violations, down from nearly 6,000 in FY 2025. The standards rounding out the Top 10 list remain unchanged from previous years, though some rankings have shifted.
The next HazCom compliance deadline is coming up on November 20. Employers who purchase substances that are aerosols, desensitized explosives, and flammable gases will receive – or may already have received – revised safety data sheets and see updated labels with their shipments. In addition, all employers must, as necessary, update any alternative workplace labeling, update their HazCom training program, and provide additional employee training for any newly identified hazards. Employers also must retain any new SDSs they receive.
California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board released a revised discussion draft of its proposed workplace violence prevention rule for general industry. The draft better defines employer responsibilities under the state’s workplace violence prevention law.
Turning to environmental news, EPA repealed the majority of the greenhouse gas emission standards established by the 2024 Carbon Pollution Standards for fossil fuel-fired power plants. The agency also proposes to remove the remaining GHG emission requirements for these plants.
And finally, EPA extended the Renewable Fuel Standard compliance deadline from September 1 to October 1. The extension gave parties more time to assess the impact of EPA’s small refinery exemption decisions and adjust their strategies before completing their 2025 reporting obligations.
Thanks for tuning in to the monthly news roundup. We’ll see you next month!
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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.