Archive for April 2020
SACC Raises Concern Over Narrow Scope Of EPA’s Draft Asbestos Analysis
April 8, 2020 EPA’s science advisors are raising concerns over the narrow scope of the agency’s draft evaluation of asbestos, prompting changes to the charge questions they will consider when they assess the draft during a peer review meeting later this month so they can formally discuss their concerns. During an April 7 conference call…
Read MoreCDC Offers Instructions for Cleaning Your Workplace Or Facility – Includes Recommendations for Training in the Use of PPE, Handling of Chemicals and Pathogens
CDC Washington, DC – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have published guidelines for steps and considerations in workplaces and facilities that have been infected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Included in their guidelines are recommendations that all workers be trained in the use of PPE, OSHA guidelines for the handling of hazardous chemicals and…
Read MoreKC-Based Remodeling Show ‘bargain Mansions’ Cited by EPA for Mishandling Lead Paint
Kansascity.com by Mike HendricksKansas City, KS – The company behind the popular home renovation TV show “Bargain Mansions,” based in the Kansas City area, has reached a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency for improper handling of lead-based paint stripped from old woodwork. The EPA said Wednesday that it had cited Growing Days LLC, the company that produces the…
Read MoreMoline Business Fined by EPA Over Lead Paint
KWQC Davenport, IA – EPA has reached a settlement with a Moline busines for its failure to provide proper disclosure of lead paint at residential properties in Davenport. The EPA says Selby Enterprises LLC will pay a penalty and complete an environmentally beneficial project for its violations of the Real Estate Notification and Disclosure Rules under the…
Read MoreGAO: HUD Should Strengthen Physical Inspection of Properties and Oversight of Lead Paint Hazards
US Government Accountability Office Washington, DC – By the end of 2018, over 4 million low-income households were being served by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s three largest rental assistance programs. HUD must ensure that housing units provided under these programs are safe and sanitary. However, in this statement for the congressional record we reported…
Read MoreAsbestos Ban Bill Gets House Panel’s Ok, But Senate Fate Less Clear
Bloomberg National – A House committee approved legislation Nov. 19 to ban asbestos but allow certain chemical manufacturers to transition away from use of the cancer-causing mineral. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved on a 47-1 vote H.R. 1603, an amended version of the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019. The bill would ban…
Read MorePreliminary Guidance Document Available for Contractors Assisting With COVID-19 Concerns
IICRC and RIA National – The restoration industry has extensive experience in assisting individuals and organizations when their lives have been disrupted by catastrophic events such as floods and fires. Many clients are turning to restoration professionals to assist them in properly responding to the coronavirus pandemic referred to as COVID-19. In such circumstances it…
Read MoreOSHA Issues Workplace Guidance for the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
National – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed this COVID-19 planning guidance based on traditional infection prevention and industrial hygiene practices. It focuses on the need for employers to implement engineering, administrative, and work practice controls and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as considerations for doing so. This guidance is intended for planning purposes and is…
Read MoreEPA finds asbestos poses cancer risks for workers, reigniting calls for ban
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that asbestos poses an unreasonable risk of cancer to both workers and consumers who inhale it, ramping up pressure on the agency to ban the substance. In a draft risk assessment published this week, the EPA said that workers who inhale asbestos from certain uses of the substance in the…
Read MoreAsbestos Draft Risk Evaluation for Asbestos Available for Public and Scientific Review
EPA has already exceeded the statutory deadline for finalizing the risk evaluation for asbestos, and is now in the 6 month extension period allowed by the law. The clock runs out entirely in June 2020, which is likely why EPA has issued this long-awaited risk evaluation, even when there have been calls to wait until…
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