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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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EHS Monthly Round Up - March 2026
In this March 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.
OSHA released an updated Job Safety and Health poster. Employers can use either the revised version or the older one, but the poster must be displayed in a conspicuous place where workers can easily see it.
OSHA recently removed a link from its Data topic webpage that displayed a list of “high-penalty cases” at or over $40,000 since 2015. The agency says it discontinued and removed it in December. The data is frozen and archived elsewhere.
OSHA published two new resources as part of its newly launched Safety Champions Program. The fact sheet provides an overview of how the program works, eligibility criteria, and key benefits. The step-by-step guide helps businesses navigate the core elements of OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs.
Several forces are nudging OSHA to address a number of workplace hazards and high-hazard industries. This comes from other agencies, safety organizations, watchdogs, legislative proposals, and persistent injury/fatality data. Among the hazards are combustible dust; first aid; personal protective equipment; and workplace violence. How all this translates into new regulations, guidance, programmed inspections, or other initiatives remains to be seen.
Turning to environmental news, EPA issued a proposed rule to require waste handlers to use electronic manifests to track all RCRA hazardous waste shipments. Stakeholders have until May 4 to comment on the proposal.
On March 10, EPA finalized stronger emission limits for new and existing large municipal waste combustors and made other changes to related standards.
And finally, EPA temporarily extended coverage under the 2021 Multi-Sector General Permit for industrial stormwater discharges until the agency issues a new general permit. The permit expired February 28 and remains in effect for facilities previously covered. EPA won’t take enforcement action against new facilities for unpermitted stormwater discharges if the facilities meet specific conditions.
Thanks for tuning in to the monthly news roundup. We’ll see you next month!
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Transportation Monthly Round Up - January 2026
In this January 2026 round up video, we'll review the most impactful transportation safety news.
In this January 2026 round up, we will discuss a new USDOT registration system called Motus, the top vehicle violations of 2025, and the an update for the CDL medical certification process.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is preparing to roll out Motus, a modernized, mobile friendly registration portal. It’s designed to streamline how carriers, brokers, and other regulated entities manage their safety and compliance records. Launching to all users in 2026, Motus will replace fragmented workflows with a single, secure dashboard that marks one of FMCSAs most significant digital upgrades in years.
One of the most important preparation steps is verifying the Portal user access list. Under the Account Management tab, companies should confirm which individuals have Portal access and identify their Company Official.
The FMCSA recommends carriers complete an online Biennial Update (MCS 150) in the Portal before Motus launches. Submitting an update, or confirming no changes are needed, ensures the most current company information transfers into the new system. This includes:
- Operating status
- Fleet size and vehicle types
- Hazmat activity
- Mileage and safety data
Being familiar with the most common violations can help drivers and motor carriers take steps to avoid them. Key among those steps are comprehensive pre-trip, post-trip, and annual inspections — to catch violations before an officer does. Lamps, tires, and brake violations exceeded 1 million in 2025.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has once again extended its 60-day waiver to allow drivers, carriers, and medical examiners more time to come into compliance.
Effective January 11, 2026, through April 10, 2026, the FMCSA waiver extension allows a paper copy of the medical examiner’s certificate (MEC) to be carried by commercial driver's license/commercial learner's permit (CDL/CLP) drivers for up to 60 days after issue. The previous waiver, effective from October 13, 2025, through January 10, 2026, allowed the paper copy to be carried by drivers for 60 days as well.
That’s it for this month’s round up. Stay safe, and thanks for watching.
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HR Monthly Round Up - March 2026
In this March 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 February 27th, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division published a proposed rule that would rescind the 2024 independent contractor rule and replace it with a rule that’s similar to the one that was finalized in 2021, but never took effect. The public may submit comments until April 28th.
In the meantime, employers should follow guidance from the 2024 rule and ensure they’re complying with all federal, state, and local employment laws, especially when it comes to properly classifying workers.
One other tidbit about this independent contractor proposed rule, it also stretches its application beyond the federal Fair Labor Standards Act to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
While employers wouldn’t see a major FMLA change, if the proposed rule is finalized, they would benefit from the simplicity and certainty of having both laws use the same definitions.
And, finally, could a federal paid leave law be in the works? While employers shouldn’t hold their breath, paid leave is once again on the minds of Congress members. On February 24th, the U.S. House Employee Protections subcommittee held a hearing titled “Balancing Careers and Care: Examining Innovative Approaches to Paid Leave.” The hearing was held to examine the challenges of the U.S. paid leave landscape.
With the patchwork of state paid leave laws, House members at the hearing recognized the challenge private-sector employers have in navigating them. While nothing may come of this, it shows Congress is still very interested in the topic of paid leave.
That’s all the HR news we have time for today. Thanks for watching. See you next month!
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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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HR Monthly Round Up - April 2026
In this April 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.
Sometimes employees go on leave at really inconvenient times. But the federal Family and Medical Leave Act doesn’t care about that. If an employee’s eligible for FMLA leave and the reason qualifies, employer convenience doesn’t matter. This is true even if the employee is considered an essential worker during hurricane season, as a recent Florida court case showed.
In Burrows v. Prummell, the judge denied the employer’s request to dismiss the case in which a sheriff’s office employee took FMLA leave in the midst of emergency weather. As a result, this case will proceed to a jury trial, unless it’s settled.
Speaking of the FMLA, Nevada recently became the first state to limit what doctors can charge for filling out FMLA certifications for their patients. Effective January 1st, 2026, health care providers in Nevada may not charge more than $30 for this task.
The FMLA doesn’t govern whether or how much health care providers charge for a certification. And not all providers charge a fee, but many do, with some charging more than $100.
Remember, though, no employer — in Nevada or any other state — is required to use FMLA certifications. But many employers DO use them to help verify the leave. Stay tuned to see if other states follow in Nevada’s footsteps.
Two other quick updates. On March 31st, members of Congress introduced first-of-its-kind legislation regarding paid leave. If passed into law, it would require covered employers to provide eligible employees paid leave for reproductive health care reasons. The Reproductive Healthcare Leave Act would allow employees to take up to 12 days of paid leave each calendar year.
And, finally, an Executive Order titled “Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors” was issued by President Trump on March 26th. It’s the latest in a series of actions taken by the administration targeting what it views as unlawful Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices. Although legal challenges are anticipated, federal contractors and sub-contractors that don’t comply could have contracts cancelled.
That’s all the HR news we have time for today. Thanks for watching. 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.