News

What to Expect from OSHA in 2022

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A new year always brings changes to health and safety regulations and requirements. The number of OSHA inspections increased in 2021 from the previous year, and this trend is likely to continue into 2022. It is therefore imperative to ensure that your facility’s safety programs are up to date, safety training is being routinely conducted, and records are being properly kept. A good way to ensure that the safety programs are in order is to conduct a thorough safety audit of all programs, procedures, trainings, and records to ensure that the facility is in compliance with OSHA requirements.

In 2022, OSHA is expected to focus on heat illness prevention. As global temperatures continue to rise, it can be easy to succumb to job-related heat stress while working. Heat is the leading cause of death among all weather-related phenomena, and excessive heat can cause heat stroke or exacerbate existing health problems like asthma, kidney failure, and heart disease. Because of this, OSHA announced that it will begin implementing an enforcement initiative on heat-related hazards and will develop a National Emphasis Program (NEP) on heat inspections. OSHA area directors are expected to perform the following: Continue reading “What to Expect from OSHA in 2022” →

Staying in Compliance with Your General Stormwater Permit

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What is the General Stormwater Permit?

Most facilities that conduct industrial activity exposed to stormwater are familiar with the NPDES Industrial Storm Water General Permit and are aware that it is issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). The current General Stormwater Permit was issued in March 2017 and will continue through May 2022. This is the earliest effective date for reissuance of the permit. Facilities with a permit are authorized to discharge stormwater associated with industrial activity to the waters of the state of Georgia in accordance with the limitations, monitoring requirements and other conditions set forth in the permit.

What is the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan? Continue reading “Staying in Compliance with Your General Stormwater Permit” →

Are Third Party Safety Inspections The Best Course of Action for My Facility?

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) maintains a full-time staff of inspection officers, called compliance safety and health officers (CSHO). OSHA has jurisdiction over most worksites and can enforce the rules and regulations pertaining to the specific industry of the worksite. These rules and regulations can be found in your industry’s specific standards. For general industry, these standards are 29 CFR 1910 (General Industry Standards). For construction, these standards are 29 CFR 1926 (Construction Industry Standards).

An OSHA inspection can be conducted either on-site or by phone/fax. During an on-site inspection, the CSHO may walk through portions of the worksite, will review worksite injury and illness records, and will observe the posting of the official OSHA poster. The inspector is also very likely to interview employees privately, without management present, to discuss site safety.

These inspections can occur for several reasons. Inspections are prioritized for worksites in the following order of priority: Continue reading “Are Third Party Safety Inspections The Best Course of Action for My Facility?” →

NFPA 61 Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) Deadline Is Approaching

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Many facilities in the food and agriculture industry have processes that handle combustible dusts and powders. Because of this, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed several standards to help facilities have safely manage combustible dust and associated hazards. Many of these standards are commodity-specific standards that are developed to give specific industries combustible dust standards that are based on their types of operation equipment, and the input from those that know the most about those processes and materials. Facilities in the food and agriculture industry should refer to NFPA 61: Standard for Prevention of Fires and Dust Explosions in Agricultural and Food Processing Facilities which was recently updated in 2020. One primary requirement listed in NFPA 61 is the need for facilities to conduct a Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) by January 1, 2022.

What is a DHA? Continue reading “NFPA 61 Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) Deadline Is Approaching” →

Staying in Compliance with Your General Stormwater Permit

Posted on by Conversion Technology

What is the General Stormwater Permit?

Most facilities that conduct industrial activity exposed to stormwater are familiar with the NPDES Industrial Storm Water General Permit and are aware that it is issued by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). The current General Stormwater Permit was issued in March 2017 and will continue through May 2022. This is the earliest effective date for reissuance of the permit. Facilities with a permit are authorized to discharge stormwater associated with industrial activity to the waters of the state of Georgia in accordance with the limitations, monitoring requirements and other conditions set forth in the permit.

What is the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan?
Continue reading “Staying in Compliance with Your General Stormwater Permit” →

DHA Revalidation. I’ve done my DHA. Am I done?

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An increasing number of facilities that handle combustible dusts have conducted a Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA). A DHA, in summary, is an evaluation of the fire, deflagration, and explosion hazards present at a facility due to the handling, generating, and otherwise production of combustible particulates. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requires that all facilities handling and/or generating combustible dusts have a DHA completed by September 7, 2020 (NFPA 652 Chapter 7.1.1.2). The deadline for food and agricultural facilities to conduct a DHA is January 1, 2022 (NFPA 61 Chapter 7.1.2.2). Continue reading “DHA Revalidation. I’ve done my DHA. Am I done?” →

Georgia Set To Release New General Stormwater Permit in 2022

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With the release of the EPA’s 2021 Stormwater Multisector General Permit (MSGP), the GA EPD, like many other states, is planning to adopt significant changes from the 2021 EPA MSGP to their Industrial General Permit (IGP) in May of 2022. These changes will apply to most if not all industry sectors covered under the current 2017 IGP. The EPD has confirmed the following as the “most significant changes” that have been added to the draft permit: Continue reading “Georgia Set To Release New General Stormwater Permit in 2022” →

What is a Smoke & Dye Test and Why is it Required?

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With the release of the 2012 Industrial General Stormwater Permit (IGP) the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) introduced the Smoke and Dye Testing requirement for any facility with sinks and floor drains in industrial areas that were installed prior to 2006. This requirement was rolled over into the 2017 IGP when it was released in June 2017 that all applicable permittees should conduct the Smoke and Dye Testing prior to the end of the permit cycle which is schedule to be May 30, 2022.
Continue reading “What is a Smoke & Dye Test and Why is it Required?” →

Combustible Dust Hazard Identification and the Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA)

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Most facilities that are handling combustible dusts are now familiar with the term “Dust Hazard Analysis” or “DHA” and understand that it comes from a standard issued by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), nfpa.org. The most referred to standard is NFPA 652 – Standard on the Fundamentals of Combustible Dust. From NFPA 652, the key requirements for conducting a DHA are: Continue reading “Combustible Dust Hazard Identification and the Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA)” →

The Necessity of Environmental and Safety Compliance Reviews

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All industrial facilities have a vested interest in operating in the most environmentally responsible and safe manner possible. This is because operating in this manner carries with it the lowest risk of interruption to production. Whether that interruption is in the form of a hazardous material release, regulatory violation, injury, lawsuit, or negative publicity, this is a situation that no facility wants to find themselves in. Reducing the potential for environmental pollution and improving worker safety might seem secondary to production, but serious injuries and regulatory violations can have significant implications which can range from heavy fines to shutting down operations entirely. All industrial facilities should, at the very least, take the time to consider whether they are currently running the risk of being impacted by these types of issues.

Continue reading “The Necessity of Environmental and Safety Compliance Reviews” →